Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-09
DELAWARE BLIND
HIT BY FLU
Quarterly Report Shows Result OF
Epidemic and Deficit
in Finances.

The Delaware Commission ior the
Rl;nd has issued the following report lor
the last quarter.
The quarterly report of the operations
of the Blind Shop, ending September oo'h
has been delayed on account OF the cp'-
dem,c which was very severe upon the
orcrations Of the Blind Shop. All the
blind men, residents OF the shop, were
down with influenza except one, ana work
was practicallv suspended Tor y PERIOD OF
Gyc weeks This cxT erlencc was very
sovere and resulted in the death OF our
valued house mother, Mrs Dougherty,
whose loss will be deeply regretted. tor
two weeks. only two OF the women work,
crs and one blind man were able 10 attend
IA a house full of patients confined to their
beds All Of the blind men workers re-
covered. and at this writing are back Mt
work
= deficit in each of the departments over
tbe cost of material, and bind labor used
in production. Besides this, the over
head cxpenses have largely increased and
unless material rehet Is found IN the near
future this good work will be severely
crippled. The total cash receipts from
sales during the quarter was S3,36S 40,
into consideration the accounts receivable
navablo. and inventory. the net dChcit
for the quarter is So, 40i73. 1t Is certain
that this work for the blind cannot hc
oncrated under the present conditions toI
loss than 5000 a wear, against which the
State oppropriation Is now but S3,oou
and the city appropriation, which was
doubled last July, is but 81 900. 30 that
the slpport of the public Is now less than
one-balf the cost OF operation. 1t there
fore becomes a serious question whether
Ii To 20 blind men and women who are
dependent upon the institution Tor thelr
earnings. shall he abandoned or whether
the public support oi this work shall be
LARGELY increased IL is earnestly hopeu
that every friend Of the blind may take
this matter up with his representative IN
tho Legislature, and advocate a sufficient
appropriation Ia support this Work ioT
the welfare Of his less fortunate fellow
citizens.
During the past quarter, one o' the
,,,,niIe az the OvcrbToOk School for the
blind. and a ward Ot this state, mas
graduated and become an expert dlcta-
rhone operator and typlst. position has
been procured tor him in one OF our great
industrial establishments. where ne has
been employed for the past three months
with his more fortunate sighted operators
and has made good very favorable r.
ports have been made, and he IS taking
,lictation of three officers Of the company
and seems fully established N competent
livelihood.
The blind and the workers for the bind
dceplv regret the loss Of most ettlclen'
and inspiring example Of one who over
came his handicap. in the death q Wi
liam G.. Leach. late of this city MIR Leach
was a splendid example Of what q bind
man NAV do with energy and industry
when the opportunity is offered -
The looms made four large rugs, '>ot
small ruer, 50 yards Of carpet and en-,
ploved t~u men The cane shop reScated
se0 chains and employed six men regular
". The basket shop repaired 40 baskets
and employed one man part OF the time
The broom shop produced 2l9 dozen
brooms and employed five men. Two men
vended brooms on the street There were
II pianos tuned The circulation OF en-
hossssd books. ia to IA blind readers
Wages paid to the blind, 81, l,051 .6l