The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-17
OPI)NEIR|STS0F
STATE GATHER N
FA|RN0N1 TODAY
Their Thirteenth i Annual
Convention Began This
Morning.

The thirteenth annual convention oi
the West Virginia State Association OF
optometrists began today at The Fair
mont and will. condnne in session until
tomorrow evening. About 20 opto.
metrists were present including only
one woman optometrist, Miss Blanche
Wilson from Salem, though there were
several wives of the men present The
convention started out enthusiastical
ly with an address Of welcome by A. b.
Scott of Fairmont, and response by
Dr.. John Lewis Beard, president OF the
West Virginia State association. DIT
Beard also serveo seyeral years as
state prosecutor and Is a member OF
the scientific section tf the opto
metrist association. He also received
two honorary certificates rom the as
sociation and Is corresponding mem
ber of the American Genetlc Assocla'
tion for the prevention Of blindness
DR.. Beard is from Charleston.
AS early as nine this morning those
who arrived In the city last evening
began assembling In the hotel lobby
where they held general gettogether
session furnishing one another with
interesting topics Of conversation. The
convention Is held for educational pur:
poses mainly, and little in the social
way was planned by the entertainment
committee, those in charge Of this re
marking at the noon luncheon that
everybody should do just as he
pleased in between the lectures. The
country club begging closed no special
place OF visit was planned.
Following business session and the
giving Of reports there was q reception
of applicants for membership and a
report Of the committee on legislation.
After luncheon two lectures were lis
tened to carefully, one given by DR.. J
H. Harmon from Vincennes, Indiana
a prominent professional lecturer, and
the second given by Harry C. Winds.
ton, president of the Ohio State Asso.
citation Of Optometrists. Both men
will lecture again tomorrow and will
be the main speakers. DR.. Harmon
brings with hima secretary and assist
ant and both today and tomorrow will
give lens grinding and other demon
strations which are reported OF spe.
cial educational value to those attend.
ing. s.-.......,s. ...S-.s
Y Or: Hamm0n lectures LII various
parts Of the state and today speaks on
the scientific principles OF light con
troll with their physical relation to the
human body especially looking toward
the conservation OF energy. He speaks
on the practical application Of scien
tific truths to the relief OF errors. His
lecture is entirely scitntific.
DIR. Harry G. Winston comes to the
convention as an organizer along the
line Of new leadership and how to Sc.
lect the right sort OF leaders. He
comes from Ohio where he has organ
led forces to such an extent that he
has been able to place the profession
on a high level. Both lectures this
morning when asked regarding their
work were firm in stating that the gen
eral public did not realize Us 1t should
the difference between an optometrist
and an optician. "a noptician Is to
an optometrist, as q druggist Is to q
physician, !" was the definition given by
these scientific men. "In 46 states
now we have laws which place the
optometrist on high scale, regulat
ing his practice and insuring his genu
ineness and great worth. The work
Of the optometrist means the examin.
ing Of eyes and setting them In focus
The work of the mechanical side be-
longs in reality to the optician," said
DR.. Winston.
Among those present at the conven
tion today we're: DIR. J. Charles Ernst
and wife, Charleston; Fred p. Small,
member Of the board Of examiners OF
the state, Martinsburg. also ex.secre.
tary Of the association; DR.. o. A.
Kerns, Moundsville; N. v. Burg, BucR
hannon; ]. N. Young, Elkins: DR.
and Mrs. E. F. Wildermuth, Pitts
burgh; G. w. Keener, Grafton; Frank
T. Gerkn, Grafton; Charles Wilson
Clarksburg; Miss Blanche Wilson, Sa
lem; Baker White, Pittsburgh. 9th
ers are expected to arrive during the
day and tomorrow. Fred w. Burnett
secretary and treasurer of the asso
citation, was also present In his ca.
pacity. Mr.. Burnett is from Shinns
ton.
At $3.50 todoy the 5obbers and man
ufacturers will be given period Ii
which to show wares Of the profession
such as lens and other goods used by
cptometrista Tomorrow there viii be
an election Of officers and Of delegates
to the convention In St Loui1, Mo.
and the report Of the committee On res
olutions will be given. 1t Is the big
aim fthe optomotrists at this con
vendon to organize into bigger mem
bership. Since the war membershtI
has fallen on deplorably.