Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-02
BABES USE HANDS
IN PLACE OF EYES
TOREACH SAFETY
Little Inmates of Arthur Home
at Summit in Record-Tirne
Fire Drill.
MAKE WAY WITHOUT AID
DOWN STEEP FlRE-ESCAPE
Empty Building In Two Min
utes, Then Romp About With
Their Nurses.
TspecinI 40 the fDyeninR star. ]

tSDtclHI 10 Hhf hVChIuR
SUMMIT, April 1.-The effective
ness of the daily fire drill as prac-
tised by the inmates Of the Arthur
Home for Blind Children and the
remarkable possibilities of accom-
plishment through the sense of touch
have been surprisingly demonstrated
by the sightless tots in this institu-
ton.
In a test conducted by Fire CHIEF
Timothy j. Scott. twenty-five of the
blind children, guided almost entire
ly by their sense of touch, made their
way from the second story to the
ground, via the fire. escape. Nurses
carried half dozen infants from
tho third story The building was
emptied in exactly two minutes: AS
soon as they reached the ground the
children intuitively headed away
from the structure. The nurses ran
beside them
Children Well Trained.
Soon after he assumed the head OF
the fire department, Chief Scott al
rected his attention toward the blind
children. While the task has been
a tedious and painstaking one Tor
the chief and the nurses the former
now entertains little apprehension
for the safety of the afflicted little
ones. ,,
After reaching the ground the little
blind boys and girls formed ring
around one of the nurses and danced
a "BroWnie" dance. They hoped
about and shouted gleefully ana de-
spite their affliction 1t would be hard
to find a happier or more contenteu
group of youngsters than the forty
inmates of the Arthur Home.
Gathered from Wide Territory.
From North Dakota, South Dakota,
Kansas, Illinois, Maine, Pennsylva-
MIA, Rhode Island, New York and this
State the present inmates have been
received.
Most of the children are exception
ally intelligent. Five-year-old Helen
Sherer was presented to the Eve
ming Star reporter and promptly ex-
claimed with graceful courtesy:
I'm awfully pleased to meet you.
How do you do?"
Peter Caused Interstate wrangle.
Diminutive Peter Amerol caused a
wrangle between Kansas and Mis-
souri, officials. This little fellow was
abandoned in a railway station In
Kansas. He was placed In hos
pital Kansas authorities contended
that the child was abandoned by a
resident of Missouri. Neither State
would provide for him. but it hap
peiied that a woman who was on her
Way TO tfie> annual meeting of the In
ternational Sunshine Society In New
York, the society which conducts the
local institution, took charge of him
and brought him to the Arthur
Home He is as lively as the pro-
verbal cricket and as happy as the
day Is long.
Kenneth Morris. four years Old of
Maine, known as Busting Buster"
Is an ever-active, chubby little fell
low, who adds largely in the fun
making of the tots, as does also tiny
Miss Argnetta Arlington, of Long
Island, the only colored child in the
institution.
How One Baby Was Named.
The one great disappointment in
the exhibition by the children was
the enforced absence, through illness.
of Master Arthur Valentine Lynd-
hurst. Arthur. who is now four years
old, and is known as "Billiken," was
the first child to be taken into the in
stitution when II was open for the
care of blind children, about four
years ago. He was found on st.
Valentines Day in shoe box In a
pig pen in Lyndhurst, this State. He
by a woman from a passing auto
mobile "Billiken'' has grown
rapidly, and enjoys good health, ex-
cept for his present indisposition. He
is totally blind. The children in the
home range in age from two to twelve
years.
The home is located in Pine Grove
avenue, and is a stone structure, con-
tanning on the top floor the babies
dnt~f,aifnrxy In and nllrgnS'
rooms. On the second floor there Is
a dormitory for the larger boys, a
girls dormitory, kindergarten, super
intendent's room, housemother's room
and sewing room. The first floor con-
tains spacious playroom, school
rooms, dining-room, parlor and
kitchen. In the basement there are
the male employees sitting-room and
laundry. There is also a large bunga-
low, in which Is located nurses head
quarters and boys rooms.
Management OF the Home.
The home is conducted by the Inter
national Sunshine Society, of which
Mrs. Cynthia Westover Alden Is
president. The superintendent of the
institution is Miss Anna WEIGH; Miss
Florence Powell, householder; Miss
Mabel Sloper kindergarten teacher,
and Miss Belle Harvey, assistant
kindergarten teacher Miss Mary
Hale, who is blind, and who is a
graduate of the New York School for
the blind, is the teacher of the point
system, the embossed-pa method
by which the blind children read. Mrs.
Margaret Butler is head nurse and
Miss Laura Fulford, assistant head
nurse.
How the Children Live.
The childrens daily routine is di-
yided as follows: Six a. m, arise,
battle and dress; Z, breakfast; $3.50,
prayer and singing; S:45, calisthenics,
fire drill and marching, followed by
short talks on the seasons of the year
and other appropriate topics; 9:15,