The sun., 1919-01-15
BLIND TOLD HOW TO
MAKE LIFE USEFUL
Sir Arthur Pearson, Sightlcss
Several Years, Explains
Work in England.
CHEER Is FIRST REQUISITE
st. Dunstan's Home, Gift Of
Otto Kahn, Reeducates Many
British Soldiers.

Several hundred sightiess persons and
many OF their friends who are Interested
in aiding the blind listened yesterday
afternoon TO Sir Arthur Pearson. the
tory over blindness that his institution
at at. Dunstan's London has made pos
sibie for the great number of British
soldiers who lost their sight In the war.
He himself has Le.n blind FOR several
years and has devoted his entire energies
TO help his blind fellow men. Sir Arthur
Is keen on the distinction between
Handicapped" and "affiicted"
To the children OF the New York In.
statute for the Education OF the Blind,
where the lecture was held. Sir Arthur
said:
II wish people knew another word for
blind II pictures incompetency, and
the figure OF a blind beegar seems for
ever stamped in the public mind in con-
rection with Il. l wish another impress
sion could be created. As matter OF
fact there are very few limitations to
those who cannot see. People seem TO
think because You have no sight NIL
other faculties are lost
Too Much soIicitudc.
II was going out OF a hotel here and
the porter nearly assaulted me in his
endeavor TO lead me where he thought l
wanted 70 go. and the taxi driver in his
solicttude grabbed my foot and placed it
on the step OF the vehicle.
Now all that is very sweet and kind.
but we blind must show other folks
that we are perfectly normal persons
who just cannot see. BE natural. be
sure and swift. and lose the mannerisms
that let people know a hundred yards
away that you are sightless."
Then Sir Arthur described the work
OF reeducating the blind soldiers of Eng
land and her colonies now being car
ried out in st. Dunstan's under his d.
rection. This whole place covering six
teen acres In the heart OF London. with
gardens second only In extent 10 those OF
Buckingham Palace. was the gift of
Otto H Kahn OF New York
THE greatest thing we had to contend
with at st. Dunstan's was conQuering
the natural depression that came 10 the
wounded soldier with the first realisa ton
that he could no longer see. With that
wonderful spirit that gave victory TO
the Anglo-Saxons over the Hun the
boys conquered and are wonderfully
happy. There is an atmosphere of cheer
and the real curiosities at the place are
not the soldiers but the NlsltOrs.
All Learn TypewritinE.
The whole undertaking has been
, wonderful accomplishment. The carpets
Of the house are pathed with oilcloth to
facilitate the swift movement OF the men.
Two hundred or more girls Of London
volunteer daily TO teach the boys the art
OF reading with their finger tips. Type
writing is taught to everybody. for IT IS
much easier for them to write on a
machine than with pen or pencil. They
attain a wonderful speed on the type
writer. system Of shorthand Is taught
that makes them efficient secret aries.
and most OF the men who are turned out
OF the school are now earning much
more than they ever could II they had
their sight.
There Is a barber, for instance. who
was made blind in the war and was
afraid TO go back 20 his trade. We
imbued him with the confidence he
needed and now he's shaving more than
he ever did and is doing just as good u
job
For sports we have rowing on the
| lake, races tug OF war and swimming.
with indoor sports for those who are
crippled
Most OF the soldiers like music, and
either learn It for amusement or pro-
lesSlOnAl purposes. we nave enough
| talent so that we need not call upon out
siders for enterta inrnent, although the
worlds greatest artists often volunteer
their services.
Too Much Help Harmful.
I'VE have to be rather harsh TO some
OF the sweet old ladies' who insist on
reading Bibles and playing soft music
for the boys. That's not what the boys
need. II may seem strange. but often
! the worst enemy OF a blind man is his
mother or wife. simply because they help
him too much. What he ought to do Is
work out his own problems
THE blind soldiers who have been
through these courses will be the biggest
assets 10 the blind people OF the world.
for they will command admiration rather
than the pity that is usually accorded
sightless folk. In Canada similar work
| as that in ST. Dunstan's will be estab-
llshed, and in your own country the SOL
diers will be similarly educated so that
| they will be happy, competent citizens"
The boa d OF managers OF the New
York Institute for the Education OF the
Blind gave a luncheon for Sir Arthur at
the Waldorf before his lecture. Rowland
DAVIS chairman OF tho board resided