Oxford Democrat., 1919-11-18

Away back in 1918, on March 18th, tho
Governor Of Maine approved . bill that
provides for the care and education Of
all blind babies and small blind children
that the Perkins Institute for any reason
cannot admit. The governor may, with
the approval Of the council, send chill
dren 80 refused, to any institution for
the blind wherever situated.
"In the exercise OF the discretionary
power conferred by this section, no dis
tinction shall be made on account of the
wealth or poverty of the parents or
guardians Of such children. No such
pupil shall be Withdrawn from such in
stitution except with the consent of the
proper authorities thereof or of the gov
ernor, and the sums necessary for the
support and instruction of such pupils
attending such institution, including all
travelling expenses of such pupils attend
Ing such institution shall be paid by the
state"
This law, Chapter 46 of P. L. of 1918,
was urged BY the International Sunshine
Society of 96 Fifth Avenue, New York
City, philanthropic newspaper club Of
which Mrs. John Alden is the founder
and president general. The State of
Maine has been organized as q division
Of this helping hand work for the last
nineteen years. THE Lewiston Journal
being the official organ.)
It Is now six years since e'these helpless
babies have been provided for, and only
q very few have been sent away to re.
ceive this special care.
Several were sent to the Arthur Home,
nursery, hospital and kindergarten com.
bined, for blind babies and backward
pupils. The institution Is located at
Summit, New Jersey, up In the pines
and takes any blind baby from any state;
the tuition is $547 80 year.
The Nursery for Blind Babies in Bos
ton has arranged to take the destitute
blind of Maine as we'll.
The question Is where are the other
blind babies. No doubt there are many
more In the state.
Report all such little ones to the gov.
ernor of the state at Augusta, Maine, or
write fol, particulars to Mrs. Ezra White,
secretary of the Maine Division of the
International Sunshine Society, SOB Main
Street, Lewiston, and she will assist in
every way possible in giving all informa-
tion relative to placing the baby in some
institution that can properly care for 1t.
REPORT THE BLIND BABY.
Through the efforts OF the Inter
national Sunshine Society, headquarters
at SO Fifth Avenue, New York City, q
number of states have made provision
for the care, maintenance and education
of the blind baby from the day of blind
ness. Maine was almost the first state
to do this.
That means that blind babies now can
have special care In the International
Sunshine institutions, until they are OF
age to 60 to the state schools provided
for the older blind.
In the past, many babies blinded in
infancy have dropped and died, even
though children of well-to-do parents,
because the mothers cannot give them
the care that q blind child needs, any
more than they could give seeing child
a college education without help.
1t seems therefore that anybody who
hears of blind baby should feel 1t q
duty to report the fact.
No doubt 1t will take years for Q
mother to realize that she must have her
blind child given special care when 1t Is
eight years old-the average school age
of seeing children-she will realize too
late she has backward child and per.
haps q crippled one to carry through
life, instead of bright and intelligent
one.
Thirteen states now make some kind
of provision for the baby blind. Don't
permit these little ones to droop and die
because you fail to report their where
ahouto