The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-27
8 BLIND YANKEES
FIRST CLASS At
NEW ARMY HOSP.
Start, With Aid OF Attendant,
Te Learn Intricacies OF
The Braile Type.
tBy Associated Press to The Banner,

[By Associated Press to The Banneri
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26--For them
who shall exist in darkness to the end
of their days-soldiers who have paid
with their eyesight part of the price
Of victory the army machinery of re-
construction is now beginning to func-
ton. At General Hospital No. z, just
outside of Baltimore, and under the
special Red Cross Institute for the
blinded, the first group of nine has
been assembled, and is struggling
painfully but hopefully over the nitric
acies of Braile type, taking the first
steps on the long road that will end
when senses of touch and hearing
have sharpened to keeness that will
to some degree compensate for the
missing optic nerve. There are ten
more on the way back from France to
take up the training, and up to re-
cent date, this was the total number
of the absolutely sightless that Ameri-
can armies had to report.
Naturally enough, of the first nine,
accident and disaster incident to hand
ling of explosives accounted for a
larger proportion than did casualty in
flicted by the enemy. Sergeant Zim-
norman, Texas truck driver, first
man to come into the hands of the in
stitute and now its prize patient, was
found after an automobile accident in
France pinned to the ground under his
engine. He lived, but the optic nerve
was paralized. Yet now, after COM
paratively but few months, he can
read and write the Braile, which is the
curious set of dots pricked through
paper which spells out letters for SEN
sitive finger tips, and likewise ham,
mer out on typewriter accurate let.
ters for any persons reading. Teach
ing the use of the typewriter as fu.
ture occupation for blinded soldiers
is one Of the courses which the in.
structOrs have developed.
Having very particulay girl friend
in New York, and exchanging cores.
pondence with her, 1t grew just bit
embarrassing to Sergeant Zimmerman
to require attendants to read all her
return letters to him. When his en-
barrassment was discovered young
woman lending auxiliary aid to the
Red Cross boarded a train, and is now
in New York, teaching the girl to
write Braile too.
This Is a fair sample of the extent
to which the extra-official care is 60
ing. The Liberty of Congress has long
been famous for its reading room for
the blind, with its extensive publica-
tions in Braile. Mrs. Gertrude Rider,
who heads 1t, has been an active as
sistant to the institute, which is a
building Of its own. There is cheer.
up" book now being prepared which
will assist the soldier students to
learn as we'll as to entertain, the
heads OF civilian institutions for the
blind have been interested in the eff.
fort.
AS yet. the institute has no gradu.
ates fitted to enter civil life, because
the soldiers will not be discharged un.
til they have become proficient in a
new occupation, and able to maintain
independence. The idea is not to keep
them off pensiOn list--the insurance
policies they hold provide 800
month to keep them from want-but
to keep of the feeling of uselessness
that leads to dispair. and hold out for
them definite place in life in spite
of the handicap that has been forced
upon them. The policy for them is the
same as all the mutilated in the ma
tions casualty lists.