The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-29
Now President of the New England
Telephone & Telegraph Co,
BORN BLIND OR GOING BLIND.
The Man Born Blind Develops His
Other Senses to Marked Degree

OLner senses co h1dTkeu Degree
At the present time the attention of
the public is turned toward that section
of itself known as the blind community
to an extent hitherto undreamed of,
and, in consequence, number of prob
lens have arisen i'll the public mind
concerning matters relating to the
blind. By no means the least interest
ing of these is the much-discussed
question as to which is preferable-to
be born blind or to lose one 5 sight in
later life.
The man who is born blind develops
his other senses TO degree that seems
almost uncanny to sighted people His
hearing forms one of the principal
channels through which he obtains
around him. The slightest variation in
sound conveys wealth of information
to him. because he learns to associate
these sounds with their origin and the
manner in which they are produced.
For shape and texture he depends upon
his touch. and the touch of man who
has never had sight is wonderfully
sensitive and delicate
To find his way about he depends
upon his senses of direction and obsta-
+, e}e. which have become highly devel-
oped owing to the fact that he has al
ways been entirely dependent upon
them For that part of his education
which can be derived from books he de.
ponds on Braille
The man who has never seen has no
conception of color, and although he
will refer TO the various colors. they
are to him but meaningless expressions.
He is also quite unable TO vizualize
great expanscs. such as the sea or an
open moor To him is denied the grand
cur of wild and rugged scenery, the
glory Of the setting sun. the beauty of
flower garden in summer and 50. on
al intiinitum. He can never realize
what these things are and can derive
no real pleasure from them.
So much depends upon the wisdom OF
those responsible for his upbringing
unless he is encouraged to think and
act for himself. he lacks independence
possesses no initiative, no sense OF
responsibility, and his character vii
be apt to become weak and his menta
development stuted and cramped L
: is often stated that he cannot miss his
/ sight, because he has never known TIT
true meaning of it. This is only
half truth, however. because he realize
very acutely that he is deficient o
4 something that prevents him from en-
J tering into the work and pleasures o
Q those around him.
The man who has lost his sight afte
: reaching manhood must expect. fn
some time, to be at a disadvantage a
compared with his companion who ha
never seen. His hearing is by n
means so acute. his touch is usual,
heavy and far from being sensitive
. and he will need patience and tcnacit.
of purpose to develop these senses t
the same degree He is also very muc
ut disadvantage when finding his wa
: about, especially for the first FEY
9 months He has been so accustome
; 10 rely upon his sight that he has no
: trained his other senses TO assist hiI
! III this direction
:, lie has, however, one asset whic
: more than compensates for the Sigh
! disadvantages shown in the previou
!. comparisons; this. lies in his memory
= which is a veritahle mine of treasure
i BY making comparisons with the thing
. he has seen he is able readily to gras
!? details of new objects from the descriI
e tons supplied by his friends.