Evening journal., 1915-05-01
Blind OF State
ACCOMPLISH MUCH
Sixth Annual Report OF the
Commission Shows Ac-
tivitieS Among
Many Lines
WORKERS BUSY
AT THE BENCH

The sixth report of the work for thel
blind has been prepared by the Delaware
Commission for the Blind and shows in
creased activity. 1t follows:
Sixth annual report of the work
for the blind:
"The best measure of civic welfare
and progress is shown in the care of
its less fortunate citizenship, and OF
all these humanities the resources
of today in a community is the best
criterion. In the dark countries OF
today as in antiquity the only re-
source of the blind is to beg, and up
to the present generation institutions
of the blind work "asylums" where
these distressing folk were put out
of the way. The most encouraging
sign of the time is that the institu-
tions of the blind today are indus
trial where able-bodied, ambitious
and energetic men seek a self re-
specting livelihood by the labor of
their hands That Delaware occupies
a first place today in the sisterhood
of States is shown by the fact that
no able-bodied man who wants to
work need be a burden on his friends
or society.
"This fact is attested by the rec
ords Of the blind shop for the past
fiscal year in which twenty-five men
found employment and made gross
earnings of SS,140. with an average
wage on piece work basis of S4.56 and
an average maximum wage of SlO.O6.
Besides this several men are working
outside the shop whose earnings do
not appear on the books and a number
of women are given employment.
"The total appropriation of the
State and city to this work in Della
ware has been $4,000 a year; all the
private contributions have gone to
the building fund for permanent in
vestment in the property of the Blind
Shop under the direction of the Will
mington Trust Company. trustees fol-
the building fun. In other states il
is considered that if every dollar a
blind man earns costs the State a
dollar to procure him the work the
cause of humanity is economically
served in giving this man occupa-
ton and a chance to earn his sti
pend. In Delaware the cost to the
State for the past year has been Al
cents 70 reach dollar earned by the
blind and as the efficiency of thu
Blind Shop improves and the business
increases this cost will be material!
reduced.
"One blind man, a mechanic in on
of our shops earning s. a day by thu
loss of his remaining eye was pu
completely out of his vocation; h
applied to the Blind Shop and by ad
vice and instruction within si
months he has been put on a self
supporting basis and enabled 10 main
tain his little family including tire
small children and has been so fill
ed with hope and the prospect o
success that he now expects to Ii
quidate the mortgage on his littl
home by vending tea and coffee o.
the street. If the workers for tn
blind had done nothing else in tn
past year than its fundamentally i
putting this one man on his feet an
lending his support to a family of fiv
il would have rendered sufficient ser
vice to warrant all it cost.
"All the departments of the Bin
Shop, weaving. chair Gaming, basket
ry and broom making were activ
and show increased business over tn
previous year and with a gradual i'm
provement in operation. it is eventu
ally hoped that the entire cost
material and labor will be covered b
the sales of the products. The wea'
Ing department had cash receipts {
b2,1S97T disbursed for material an