New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-04
Helping Blinded Soldiers
How They Are Taught to Become
Self-Supporting

Sir: Every reader OF your paper who has
contributed to the American b fish French.
Belgian Blind Relief War Fund will be glad
to learn how the members OF the executive
committee of the A. B. F. B. now in Europe
for the purpose are carrying out the plans to
salvage these pitiful wrecks Of the war.
They have opened at 35 Rue du Chateau.
Neuilly, just outside the gates Of Paris
knitting school for married men. This house.
which is surrounded by a large and shady
garden, has been placed at the disposal Of
the A. B. F. B. rent free for the duration Of
the war and six months thereafter, by which
time the last of the blinded inmates will have
been trained and started in business. for him.
self. The place will accommodate twelve men
at time. 1t is in charge Of DR.. Cosse, the
eminent surgeon, who is also head OF the
military school for the blinded at Charities.
He contributes mis- services.
The inmates are picked men, whose indus
try and discipline are guaranteed. They are
taught TO make by means Of special knit
ting machine sweaters, socks and other
woollen articles which are in great demand,
and therefore command a ready sale The
period of instruction lasts three months
During the last two weeks the mans wife 10
allowed to come for instruction as day
pupil, so that she can learn to aid her hus-
band. A machine is given TO each pupil when
he has completed his course. So far twenty
machines have been purchased. They cost
| $3.50 each.
Learn a Family Trade
The peculiar advantage Of this institution
| is that il teaches a trade that can be car.
ried on by husband and wife at home with
the greatest facility. Together they easily
can earn 800 francs $500 a month, which in
France enables them to maintain themselves
and their children in comfort
The A. b. +. b. has also leased IN Neuilly
large property at q Boulevard Victor
Hugo, where blinded officers and others Of
SUPERIOR education who in private life were
doctors lawyers, magistrates, professors, etc,
and whose intellectual attachments take them
out of the category of the brush and mat
makers and other adopts at common manual
| labor, will be reeducated TO III them TO re.
turn to their former professions or 10 start
afresh as stenographers, typists commercial
representatives, insurance agents, interpre.
ters, telephone operators, teachers in pr-
mary, secondary and high schools, engineers,
etc. Nothing will be asked of them save con.
slant attention, serious effort and discipline
At the conclusion of their course places viii
be found for them.
! Experience has disclosed that this institu.
ton will fill very special want and is urgent
/ IL needed. In recognition of this fact some
of the greatest professors in France have
volunteered their services as teachers. The
rent is being paid out of the private means
of one of the officers of the A. b. +. b., so that
the fund will be relieved of this expense
The house before the war was school for
Young ladies. IL contains eighty beds and
otherwise is admirably adapted for the pur.
pose to which it is to be put, as at the out
break Of the war il was fitted up as living
and Office headquarters for Marshal Jofre and
/ his staff.
! The great trouble in France has been that
means have been lacking with which TO pro.
vide the reeducated man with the tools Or
machinery or materials he must have in or
der to earn his living. This lack our funt
I is commencing TO make good, and We hoN
some day to be in a position 10 see that even
man blinded in this war will at least have
the possibility given him Of becoming useful
( and self-supporting As regards Great Britain
conditions in this respect are infinitely better
owing 10 the splendid response Of the colo.
MES, so that the A. B. F. B. is facilitated al
present in meeting the greater necessities il
France.
Among the devices invented TO help blinded
men help themselves is Braille machine Of
stenography, by means of which the operator
can take dctation at great speed and is able
1 later to transcribe it with an ordinary type
writer.
Glass Cutting Lucrative
/ Then a new and very interesting trade Is /
being taught crystal carving and glass cut Z
( ting. This is not only most adaptable 70
/ sightless men, but is also very lucrative. Egei
men who have lost one arm in addition 70 |
their eyes accomplish wonders 40 IT, | $"
/ in England one whose right arm had bel {
smputated cutting a stopper for perfumer
| bottle and making design on il, and b.
was doing it very well Later he will be pG Z
to cutting the bottle itself The trade con.
prises the cutting Of glasses, plates, saucers
finger bowls, decanters and innumerabst
other objects.
! The two institutions mentioned-of which
because of their essentially practical purpOa
of transforming once hopeless and he.pss a
heroes into self-supp0rting citizens via
morale restored, we feel sure every contrie
/ ulOE W TIE luna VII dpDiOFi nave w.
established by the A. B. F. B. But the ops''
: ing of them is not all. They have 90, TO b 4
maintained, and for this and the other "
building work the fund has undertaken nSa
money is required and required now Ever
thing that the fund has done TO rescue th's
war wrecks from a living death has bee,
with American money. We ask all readers
this announcement and appeal 20 rally 20 ~
I r, ID ID .
ing all that they can. II is well known, PhE
will bear repeating, that every single o''F
contributed by the public which reaches ~
A. B. F. B. is devoted directly 20 hsphs
/ blinded soldiers and sailors help themselves
and to no other purpose whatever, all str''
stratiye expenses being betrayed from ohs'
sources. CORA PARSONS KESSLEB,
! Honorary Secretary A. 3. F. B. Pernsns"t
Blind Relief War Fund. Headqusr's'
/ 500 Fifth Avenue, New York.
! Paris, France, July l6. 1917.