The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1914-01-23
PLAN FINANCING
SHOP FOR BLIND
W. a. FURR EXPLAINS NEED oFI
SUCH AN INSTITUTION
shop WIN De Divorced From Assoc
eiatsd Charities and Placed on
Sound Footing, So Blind Can
Be seit-supporslng.

Memphis plan IL on foot TO
finance a ahop for the blind IN Mem
phis so that that class OF unfcrtnnates
who are deprived OF the gift OF sight
and who might otherwise become. but
do not want 10 be, objects al charity
may become selfsupporting Al a
meeting c1 the executive board Of the
Associated Charities " A. F'arr, repre-.
senting the Association fo- the Pro.
motion Of the interests OF the Blind.
presented TO the board the great need
Of such shop here in Memphis. MIR.
FUR IL only partially blind and has
done more than any other person In
Memphis perhaps for the blind. He
said yesterday;
standing az do at the parting OF
the ways. between light and shadow.
and being by education and assoeia
ton perfectly familiar with the obsta
cles which confront the blind, and by
years OF reading OF the possibilities
which await us, and by four years
practical objec; lesson OF a few things
which can he accomplished with blind
labor, | feel and know that can speak
with authority on the capacity Of the
blind as bread winners along certain
lines OF industry.
About the only difference that
have been able TO discover between
skilled blind labor and skilled sight
labor Is that II requires about one-third
TO one-fourth more factory space for
the blind. and even this difference
may be overcome by the cost OF arti.
fetal hight required by those who work
by sight.
After having made this statement
you will naturally ask me. Have you
made the Tennessee shop for the blind
pay"
About two years ago the shop for
the blind was opened for the mana.
facture Of brooms and mops. The
financing OF the proposition was orig
lnally BY the Nineteenth Century Club,
aided by popular subscriptions The
club has since paid the rent on the
building. The shop was FINALLY forced
TO close, however, on account OF Il lack
Of capital The cost OF buying broom
corn In small lots was too great and
the shop was closed with the under.
standing that the Associated Charities
would take up plan to put II on
firm financial footing.
In the meantime the Hon. T. b.
King drafted bill for the creation Of
a state commission for the blind, and
MIR. Furr and II, r. Hampton went TO
Nashville and had II presented 10 the
legislature. II was passed by the sen
ate by practically unanimous vote,
but was tied up in the house on ac-
count OF the fierce political battle be
ing fought there. All Of those who
we're approached, however. were found
to be favorable to 4 and there Is u
good chance OF having It passed by the
next legislature.
In the meantime. however. Il Is
planned to reopen the shop for the
blind ON good financial footing with
the . OF a few philosophical citizens
and let Memphis lead the state In
howing that the blind are not neces-
sarily dependent, but when given the
proper facilities can be producers and
useful citizens.
Later. when the bill is passed by the
legislature and the commission Is ere,
s,ed the shop for the blind at Mem
phis can be taken over and made o
state institution. The blind people,
Mr. Furr insisted, are not asking for
charity They simply ask for capital
so that they can become useful citi
Gems instead OF heggars. Mr.. FUR
stated that with $4,000 as capital the
shop could operate and furnish profit
able employment to all the blind per
sons of Memphis.
II is planned TO divorce this work