Evening journal., 1916-01-31

an interesting report covering the pas
three months. He shows that the busi
ness OF the Blind.Shop fell of ten pc
cent The report says:
During 1915 the work Tor the Della
ware blind has made progress IN spite
of some discOuragements Chiei
among these has been a falling of OF
public interest and patronage; during
tho past holiday season when uthei
commercial interests were reporting
Increase business TO the extent of for
~ to fifty per cent the business o.
the Blind shop fell of ten per cent
we cannot believe the public is out of
sympathy with their less fortunate
citizens who with zeal and ambition
strive TO rise above their great natur-
al handicap. But unassuming and dt-
fident the self-respecting blind rotir-
ing in dignihed Obscurity do not pro-
trude themselves upon the public eye
and are put out Of mind as provided
FOR. Alas. the last winters job docs
not provide this winters need. The
mendicant on the corner is ever IN
the public eye and reaps his harvest
UHIIN. AUn lI N'N NtlnN 81 Wv ~ NV NftN"
public sympathy lends itself TO the
announcement Of this prostitution OF
human defects and their exploitation
Cor material gain? The hegear on tho
street works three or four hours a
day and takes in many times the IN
come of the widow whose mite swolls
his Golfers. Can he thus he reclaimed
10 solf-respoct and Industry
Again the blind are very much like
the seeing. by and large, not all who
have the ability and the chance for a
self-respecting livelihood avail them
selves of their opportunity. Many are
twice blind. physically and morally
and others have a far greater defect
in inebrietv The workers for the
blind In the past have attempted to
carry these double detectives and
raise them TO a plane above both de-
focts. in several cases naturally ran
ures have resulted. and some who
have proved themselves amply able
10 earn double their living cost have
retired to the hospitable care OF the
public or to be a burden on family OF
friends These cases have been lamen-
ted but their elimination has purged
the industries of the blind Of embar-
easements and left the work to more
deserving and sincere claimants for
the great boon so freely given by the
state. city. and public patronage OF
self help and Industrial independence.
Nearly every one of the great
manufacturing plants Of our city has
given all its business TO the Blind
Shop I'm their line; and many OF our
great Office buildings have generousl!
patronized the plant, the department
stores have sold their products, and
still there is a great lack of work foi
our shop. This lack is found in tho
support of the general public. II
housewives would ask their dealer.
for blind made brooms or rugs this
deficiency OF work would he quickl!
supplied. Further IL seems TO be for
gotten that the Rlini-Shop is a Stat
institution. and numbers among IL
benofciaries those from Sussex an
Kent and rural New Castle as wei
as Wilmington. Yet outside Of the cit
the work seems to have been forgot
ten entirely, little or no supper
comes from other parts of the state.
or the many societies and organi
cations who have been interested II
the uplift Of the blind. The Cynthiai
Helpers of The Sunshine Society
alone have remained faithful to this
good cause. Their members have beer
active in securing work, their dona'
fions of delicacies have been CRATE
fully received. and on January II
they gave a beautiful concert at the
Blind-Shop which was greatly en-
joyed by .he blind and their friends
At this concert the solos of Messrs
Frank Mason and Edgar ID. Smith
and Mrs Eleanor G.. Kemery were
greatly enjoyed. besides these the
blind soloists were Miss Helen Bye
and Messrs William Stevenson and
Elmer VoEts. the latter performing
utOn the piano. The accompanist'
were Mossrs. a. G.. Morgan and +. w
Mauldin and Mrs. @. c. Bye. Refresh
ments we're served by The Sunshin
Soeiety and a royal good time was en-
5oyed The Cynthias Helpers have ais
interested themselves IN a defectiv
child. Charles Montruchio, an Italian
who was sent to the Arthur Home 70
Blind Rabies. Professor Abbott wa
brought here by the society and ga,
Shakesperian lectures IN privai
homes for the benefit Of this Gus
S54024 was thus raised and transmi
ted through this commission 20 u
managers Of the home
The field worker or home teacher
of the commission found much of h
activity confined 10 work at the sho
although many visits we're ma,
throughout the city and state, mu'
of the outside work being the supe
vision of the work OF the blind
their homes. During the past thr
months three new cases Of blindne
were discovered. One lady cordial
appreciated the efforts of our ne
officer. and was introduced to Moo
type and otherwise encouraged
meet her altered condition Of III
One man was brought TO the Blinl
Shop and is now Gaming chairs su
cessfully. The third case was a gel
tleman living at Milford. who hs
lately suffered the loss of eyesight I
an accident. One visit was made ar
the pupil introduced to the Brazil
system of tangible print and his 4
ture instruction carried on by CORE
pondence in that type. The pupil WI
very apt and made wonderful pr
gress. A transcript from a Braille le
ter from him says: Kindly send Il
above named books as soon as posi
bic for l shall be lost without sor
reading matter"
The gross earnings Of the Bin
Shop for the past three months fr,
cash sales was S2.034.71. All the (
partments showed net earnings o,
the. cost Of material and the bli
labor. except the broom departme
where a failure in the crop Of bro