The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-12
Has Earned Competency and Wants to Devote Life to
 Aiding Schools
AVERAGE BLIND MAN
 ONLY WANTS CHANGE
Says Most People Judge Blind by Street Beggars Who Would Be Worthless if They Had
 Forty Eyes
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

Montsomery, September 11.-tSpecial.e One of the most interesting men of the 1 legislature is J. S Laverty of Talladega. l He is blind and for many years has been blind. And yet, during his life, he has l anna ssed a competency far in excess of
 the goods stored up by many blessed with the divine gifts.
 l The remainder of his life will be given over in efforts to give comfort to those 1 afflicted as he. In this legislature he hopes to secure an appropriation with which to build school of trades for blind adults in order that they might become self-sustaining and not burden on the l charitable of the world. His bill has passed the house and will. in all proba- bility be favorably reported by the sem late committee, before which at present 1 it pends.s The members of the senate. judging from their informal statements,
 will send the measure to the governor. | and it is known that the chief executive is heartily in favor of it's provisions.
 When this work is completed, MT. Law erty will go from state to state, endeavor- ing to secure for the blind legislative aid elsewhere. It is his hope that every state in the union will, in the long run, take such action that the afflicted will secure happiness in the knowledge that they can care for themselves and need not depend solely on the idiosyncrasies of the fortu- | nate.
 Has Issued an Address
 1 In support of his bill, which is before
 the legislature at present. MT Laverty !, ax1. l. is contained many interesting features which have come under his observation: First. I wish to state I have no per sonal interest in the passage of this bill
 further than to benefit the class of peo- | pie with whom I have been associated the greater part of my life
 For years it has been my greatest ambition to aid in establishing an insti- | tuition of this kind. but for various req l sons the opportune time has never pre- sented itself until now. "The primary object of this institution l is for the assistance of those who, having lost their sight after becoming grown, I have never had an opportunity to re- adjust themselves to their handicapped condition. | Stephen Gerard, Philadelphias re- 1 nowned phianthropist and founder of ] Gerard college. whose attention was one day attracted to a larger crowd than usual on one of the principal streets when
 reaching the spot saw dead dray horse l with its owner standing dejectedly by it's l side, heard him remark to. some of the by -standers: What will become of my 1 family now?' A well dressed man said l What. a pity MT. Gerard took off his l hat placed into 1t a $10 bill, saving, Gen. ] tlemen, I pity this man BIO; how much do the rest, of you pity him?' In few
 minutes he had the pleasure of handing l the honest drayman an amount sufficient
 to reimburse him for his loss. Gentle men, don't you think you would feel a 1 little good today to know that you have accomplished an act far greater than this particular one of MT. Gerard's?
 Do Not Ask for Pity
 "The blind of Alabama do not ask for l pity; they implore you to help them to become sef-reliant by aiding to give them an opportunity in the struggle of life l Which think you is to be preferred. q life darkened not only by blindness, but enforced idleness with no chance to ea' bread of independence, or life of honest toll with hand and mind employed and a | living wage as a reward?
 'In this country we have 16 similar institutions located in various states fron I Massachusetts to California, Maryland be- ing the only southern state engaged IT this great work. Alabama. in establish ing this great institution, will set an ex- ample for her sister states that will be oi
 untold advantage to hundreds of theil | unfortunate citizens. What would oul blind woman, the world-renowned Heller l Keller of Alabama have accomplished l without the advantage of an education
 "The census of 1910 shows there were 327 white blind men in the state. While
 many of them would not be eligible t enter this institution, large number could be made self-supperting and others partially so. To give you an idea oi
 what may be accomplished, will tell you 1 of some things they are doing in ths Baltimore school. In their last biennia report they show that IT blind people were benefited by the instruction and em ployment they received in the various departments of the shops. and from tht