Evening star., 1914-08-02
By BELLE MOSES

forever remain enduring monument to these noble
They found that the majority of sghtless people
were intelligent and well read and these they formed
into subcommittee which helped them in their work
of investigation searching for the many less fortunate
blind doomed to lives of poverty and cheeressness
because in their ignorance they knew way oct of
it. Many had the erroneous idea that it cruel
to add to their nirmity by making them labor; but
the Misses Holt contended that through labor alone
could the blind reach the light Thus originated the
MOTTO Light through Work. inscribed upon the seal
of the association and of the Lighthouse
The sisters went methodicaly to work to study the
subject. Miss Edith Holt undertook of the
blind in Greater New York, and Miss Winifred Holt
to Norwood, the Normal College for the Blind in
England, to study English methods. From there she
wrote to her sister that they must found association
for the practical education of the blind, make them
wage earners. The first meeting of the assoca-
ton held in their home November %, 1905.
The work of the society was begun with capital of
four hundred dollars During those first hampered years
the Misses Holt gave much of their money to sup
ply pressing needs.
SHOULD you be so fortunate to find the Lighthouse
keeper off duty in her home, perhaps she might
give a more intimate knowledge of her and of the
work she is doing.
Il am the proud owner of seventy elephants" ex-
plains Miss Holt when she has greeted you, and she
takes huge bronze beast in her hands, "But I'll show
you piece Ol IHy OWL WOIk Ol WHICH ain Qu1le dS
fond," and picking up a baby's head in bronze she
passes loving fingers 1.-THE long, capable fingers
of the artist for Miss Holt sculptor of consider
able talent and enthusiastic about her art she
is about the Lighthouse There is bas relief of Carl
Schurz in green bronze, framed, the wall just
the piano. and at the top of the house is her studio,
full of her work One of her most sympathetic studies
bas relief of Helen Keller which hangs her Light
house sanctun.
Il am trying to do Gods work. she tells you, ere
gardless of race creed. My only inquiries are, Are
you blind? Do you need hep?' and l open the doors
of the Lighthouse l am only the keeper, you know
l depend upon my crew, and | believe the work has
taken hold Already we have three buildings. Light
house No. is at Ill East 59th street. Lighthouse No
2 is in Buffalo, and the River Lighthouse, roomy
building with beautiful grounds, at Cornwal-on-the
Hudson IS the haven for vacations What need is
money to keep up the good work. Our president
Joseph H. Choate, is forming committee of one hun
dred for the purpose of soliciting funds. We
perfect the equipment of sightsaving clinic. We
need loan fund to help blind people in commercial
enterprises to provide struggling pupils with means
of livelihood until they independent, and to pro-
vide for many poor and helpless
MISS HOLTS chief assistant is the blind leader of the
" mems club man whose sight left him eight years
ago. slowly increasing blindness which gave him time
prepare for the day of darkness So much genuine
philosophy brought to bear upon this period of
transition that when the trial came he ready to
it snilingly, and there is nothing about this
CHEEKY, optimistic to indicate the fire through
which he has passed He is always busy in his club,
which boasts of one hundred and twenty Most
of these Independent wage earners, many working
in the clubs special building, the Bourne Workshop
for Men, on East 35th street.
The Lighthouse supplies teachers for both and
women; but they separated, for intermarriage
among the blind is not encouraged, while blind per-
son could, without objection, marry seeing A
blind man said on this subject, "A family should have
at least pair of windows in it, it can't succeed
With the exception of painting and drawing, there is
field of labor that is not open to sightless
Mar1.f tlo., lin