Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-12

balming school in September, 1919. and
Tin April, 1920. was placed in training
! with an undertaking company in Troy.
Ohio. He remained on the federal board
pay roll until July. 1920, while he was
receiving his practical instructions from
this company. He is now holding a
position as funeral director.
Many men when discharged from the
Army with disabilities had a desire to
become experienced in the automotive
liAdustry.
| X X X X
IyK7ILLIAM II. F. was one of the
w first men to be entered in this
| course, in February, 1919, and in Sep
| TENDER, 1920, he completed his work
! with the company and with the school.
He now holds a position as ignition
expert with company in Columbus.
Ohio.
| Some trainees are able to profit by
supplementing theoretical instruction
with their training on the job. This
was the case with Robert H., who
Eentered training on the job, selling
electrical supplies and taking course
in a school of finance. Robert en-
tered his training in September. 1919,
| and completed his course in January,
1920, shortly after accepting a posi-
( ton as security salesman with an
| indianapolis banking house. He re-
| ceives a salary of 500 per month, in
addition to his commission. When
| this opportunity presented itself. Rob-
| ert wrote: My training has been Of
great benefit TO me, and l am ready
| to go for myself"
| There are numerous vocations that
can be SO taught as to overcome
i! handicaps and achieve complete re-
] Mobilization by practical instruction
| systematic school instruction of any
kind. This was true in the case Of
| Fred H., who learned the trade OF
cutter in a tailor's shop by training
J on the job in a period of six months,
and who is now receiving a salary of
$50 per week.
| 1t is not every community that has
| educational institutional facilities that
may be used for the rehabilitation OF
disabled soldiers, sailors and marines.
and there are numerous cases OF men
| living in such communities who can
not leave their homes for training
elsewhere because of family ties or
for other reasons. Ben G. Nee, whose
prewar occupation was shoe cutter.
and whose parents died during his
infancy, was reared by his grand
father, now more than seventy years
of age Ben and his grandfather, live
together, and he felt he could not
take a course in any other city, that
he had duty to discharge toward
his grandfather and should remain
with him. Ben had an eighth-grade
/ education and lost his left arm in the
service There are practically no ia
cilities for training in the community
in which he resides. and he was there
| fore placed in training with the
, county auditor, and is learning to
keep public records. His pleasing
personality will undoubtedly win for
him the office itself in time to come.
One group of young men, each hav-
ing had several years experience in
carpentry and building, but whose
disabilities prevent them from again
doing heavy work. are training as
building inspectors. Their back
ground of actual experience. supple
mented by thorough training, insures
success. They have constructed a
model house demonstrating various
| types of construction in every part of
| the building.
tages that are to be gained in some
instances by training ION the job"
rather than in an institution. This
man had the major part OF mis- lower
| jaw shot away overseas, and MS pres
emit very natural appearance and al
to the marvellous excellence OF the
| surgical attention which he received.
| A rib was grated in to take the
place Of the missing jaw bone and an
artificial plate is held in place by this
one remaining tooth. The nervous
strain of his military experience and
| the following surgical treatment left
| him in such a condition that outside
employment was recommended. He de-
cided to take up fllbert culture.
X Il X \
THE American Red Cross through
L Its Institute for the Blind is now
the vocational rehabilitation of dis
charged soldiers. sailors and marines
blinded or with seriously impaired
eyesight. The authorities of this in
are responsible for the ad
| federal board pays tuition at the rate
! of 500 per month for each man en-
rolled. and furnishes in addition
necessary supplies and equipment not
to exceed $3.50 per month for each
nNn enrolled.
OF the total number of men dis
abled in the war. 306 are known to be
blind or to have seriously defective
eyesight. A comparison Of this figure
with the total number of disabled
men, indicates that quantitatively the
rehabilitation Of the war blinded pre-
isents a small problem. From every
lpther point Of view. however, no other
! form Of disability seems to involve SO
fundamental a readjustment as blind
Iness This fact was evident from the
first to those who planned the or
Iganization Of the rehabilitation divi-
sion of the federal board. 1t was
decided that cases of blind and those
with less than one-tenth vision in the
better eye should be referred directly
! to a special worker for the blind
who was to be staff member of the
Rehabilitation division. As supervisor
| for the blind he was made responsible
for carrying out the terms of the
rehabilitation act in its application
to the war-blinded. 1t was later de-
cided that all cases of men with one
fifth vision or less in the better eye
should be referred directly to the
! supervisor for the blind.
The problems involved in this work
are indeed complex. To understand
clearly tAe policy Of the federal board
| in carrying out it's program. some of
! the factors which enter into these
problems must be examined. Two
groups of men are involved-those
who are totally blind and those who
| have defective eyesight. In addition
| to blindness, there are in individual
cases the, added handicaps of. partial