Evening star., 1916-10-08
El@lpimg the Blind to Help Themselves.

philanthropic societies being usually in
charge of the work.
The state of Massa chusetts is CIV
ing its blind splendid opportunities for
learning the things that they can mas
ter successfully. rug making, weaving,
broom making, etc. MasSa chuSettS was
the pioneer in the work for the blind,
its institution at Watertown being the
most modern in the country. New
York. with its great wealth. is follow
ing closely, and Ohio is doing a Won
derful work for her blind. the new
state school being fine institution
ohio has commission supported by
the state which purchases materials
and gives them to the workers in their
homes. teaching them to make Salable
p~oducts. When they have learned to
turn out work that will sell, they then
charge for the bare cost of materials.
and the workers have the full benefit
Here is an apron made by such home
pupil, and Mrs. Ryder took from one
of the glass cases a dainty little arti-
Gle whose fine machine stitching was
even as a worker with eyes could
have done it.
I'VE have for the children in this
section a splendid school for the blind
at Overlea Nd. 1t is a modern insti-
tuition. where children get as good an
schools. 1t has quite a wonderful GYM
nasium, with swimming pool and all
the most modern equipment. and the
children are given the best of educa-
tion and training in vogue. They are
taught to play fearlessly with one an
other, and they are instructed in per-
forming little plays, as dramatics help
greatly in inspiring confidence.
There is a cottage fitted out as a
modern home in connection with this
school. and there the girls stay in al
ternate groups for week or two at
time, and are taught, well as the
more practical duties of housekeep-
ing, how to receive and entertain
guests and other social usages. Be
fore she aduates from this school a
girl must make every garment she
wears. so that when she returns home
she may be able to take her inde-
pendent part in the household. To this
school any blind child in Maryland or
the District of Columbia who cannot
pay the fee is admitted free
There is beautiful spirit of help
fulness among the blind continued
Mrs. Ryder, and they do everything
in their power to help one another
known as the Association Workers for
the Blind, and most of its members
are blind men and women. Their work
has been of great benefit in the city
l will tell you of just one case \
little girl of twelve, who was also
paralyzed, had had no training. be-
cause her people did not know how
she could be taught, and would have
considered it an unkindness to set her
to any task.
One of the members of the society
found her sitting dull and helpless
and uneducated. This woman asked
to be allowed to help the child. and in
a few months the girl has become an
alert, happy little creature, who is
learning by exercises to use her once
helpless hands, and is now washing
dishes and tearing silk to make pill
lows for the soldiers in Europe Not
only this, but her instructor has taught
her SO well and the child has been s,
apt pupil that she is now keeping
up in her studies with her sister, two
years younger, who attends public
school. So happy is this child in her
new-found interests that she Sits on
the doorstep of her home. eagerly
awaiting the daily visits of her kind
and able instructor
Another woman. who is quite
clever writer. cooks, washes and irons.
puts up fruits and jellies. and does
almost the entire housekeeping for
family of three, which includes an aged
father. She confesses. as all blind peo-
pie do, that she cannot do everything
herself, and must depend all the time
upon people with eyes for help in
countless directions. The blind cannot
' te enti ely iude-