Las Vegas optic., 1914-04-30
BLIND SCHOOL A
REMARKABLE
PLACE
REPORT OF THE SuPERINTEND-
ENT SHOWS THAT 1T is Ac-
coMPLIsHlNG MUCH

COMPLlSttlNG MUCH
Santa Fe, April 9O.-A remarkably
fine report on vocational training at
the School for the Blind at Alamo
gordo, was made today to the depart
ment Of education by R. R. Pratt, the
superintendent, He says:
THE classes under regular instruc-
ltion in the industrial and manual
training department are: Piano tun-
ling, broom making, chair Gaming, type
writing, plain sewing, raffia. reed,
bead work, knitting, crocheting and
cooking. The object of this depart
ment is to develop coordination be
tween the hand and the brain so as
to enable the blind child to broaden
his knowledge Of the outside world
that from actual experience he may
be able to adapt himself to his sur
roundings.
1--WE have enrolled in manual train7
ing AZ children We have accomplish
ed a vast deal which has and is in
creasing the capacity of every boy
and girl in the institution. The boys
in this department number 27 and are
engaged in broom making piano tun-I
ing, chair Gaming and hammock max
ing. The teacher in charge Of this
work devotes the whole afternoon and
part Of the forenoon giving each pu-
pil individual attention
Tuning
Twelve pupils have been enrolled
in this department this year Two
Of them will be given crtificates at
the close of school stating that they
have completed the course in tuning
and are deserving of the patronage Of
the public The pranos in many of
the public schools ars tuned by blind
men who have completed their course
= in tuning in the state schools for the
blind. Piano factories have a number
Of blind men employed Our boys
have tuned most of the pianos in town
7 during the past two years and so far
as | know their work has been per
fectly satisfactory one flat tor
piano was purchased in 1918 for the
r tuning department. One organ was
% given the school by Mrs McCommis
ID How a Broom is Made
d Darcy Trezise, who has completed
h the trades Of broom making and piano
a. tuning in school this year, writes:
It "a bale Of corn is about feet
1t in length and "a feet in diameter
k its weight is approximately 300
1t pounds. The tips of the corn overlap
a, each other in the ceArer of the bale
m leaving the butts or stalks projecting
N out beyond the wire bands of eacf
a end of the bale. This method Of bal
lc ing protects the straws from damage
'e through shipment.
D. "The first step towards the manu-
q. factUre of brooms is the sorting of The
ts1 1corn. All the coarse and gnarIy corr
Of is sorted out and set aside for MAX
e. ing warehouse and barn brooms AL
a the very fine corn ts sorted out fo
ut whisl1 brooms The long fine corr
na is used for barber brushes and tn
1t, short fine corn is used for the ordin
n ary whisk brushes After the coats
m est and finest corn have been sortet
ty out the remainder is sized for the dii
lc- ferent parts of the house broom.
81 "In sizing, the corn is measure
IN, from the knuckle to rne tip and eac
IN length is put in a separate pile. Cor
ell II inches in length and over is jegl
an ed-that is the centers Of the straw
'e; are pulled out leaving only the shoI
lta straws on the stalk. These pulling
'e' or long corn are kept in piles OF thei
5e; own length. They are used for tn
SCI hurls and turnbacks Of various size
ACAs
500 trimmed down for handle corn an
lnu turnbacks Of the cheaper nroOmS.
1T is sometimes necessary on 9
Luz I count Of the color and rust IN tn
Sne corn to dye and bleach it The cor
all. being tied in small bundles Is dippe
las n 4 solution of green LIQUID and tne
Z placed in tight box. Whhe Y
Il. lcorn is still wet, lighted sulphur /
au' =. birthstone torches are placed IN u y
~ - box with it. The corn is left IN Vn
box about six hours and when y
removed it should be an even gree
color ~. =.
4The handle is placed IN tne ~
4. chine leaving about eight incnes
y work on. The wire is then attacne
I. j the handle and the tension aolus
- "a care must be taken to get
Ho 4c,a{on on the wire as III