The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-02
The Library and the Blind

.NhM HEN H N, Birmingham was apprisea
 brary was to launch a cam paign to assist the Birmingham Asso- citation for the Blind" no movement was ever inaugurated which met with more instant and earnest cooperation
 The definite thing that the Birming- ham public library has in view, as has been announced already at various times in this campaign is to provide books for the blind, many demands being con stantly made the libraries for just this sort of thing.
 Besides Birmingham has been official ly named the southern depository for the .Braille books for the blind people of the south.
 for books are received from blind people from South Carolina to Texas
 Recently a revised system of Braille has been adopted for use in the United States, and this system will hereafter be employed in the publishing of all the books for the blind and will be taugnt in all schools for the blind l Birmingham has no books in this re- yised Braille The association's first aim | IS therefore to provide a splendid H. | brary of such books, as this will sup ply definite need and provide recreation for many people in many communities ! The government makes no charge for postage on these books. But the books are expensive, and large sum of money will be required for their purchase. As instances: A Book of Nursery Rhymes in Braille costs $9.30 and How To Make Baskets, s. Novels such as Jean Websters Dear Enemy" cannot be purchased for less than Sl6 80, and one l n otf to His Children" will cost s12.50.
 Another definite aim of the associa ton is to provide instruction for blind people, and especially children in the Birmingham district. It is believed that there are also many children through out the state who are unable to avail themselves of the education provided at our state school at Talladega. because of lack of transportation expenses and proper clothing. It is the desire of the association to aid any such children. l It is very interesting to hear Mrs Caroline P. Engstfeld, who is the head of the Catalogue department" of the Birmingham public library and chairman of the membership committee of the Birmingham Association for the Blind, z and. who has done such com1nendable work for the blind. talk about the cam paign.
 
 her time and her efforts to the cam paign, and her work has been so effec- tive. that it is an inspiration to others to do their bit' in this beautiful cause for the many people for whom "the light | has failed" for whom darkness will forever reign.
 l Mrs. Engsfeld, inspeaking of the campaign, said yesterday:
 Miss Virginia Kelley, who is the | sfu fo ,ixa, for oiof, I of Maryland has recently passed through Birmingham, and I chanced to see her for few moments as she was changing trains, and in this brief inter view she urged us to continue in our endeavors. They have just finished their campaign in Maryland and raised $110,- l 900 and organized an association in every ceIrty in the state.
 Our idea is to eliminate paupersm among the blind as far as possible by keeping in touch with them and teaching l them to care for themselves. Women | can be taught to care for the home, sweep, dust or even raise chickens. We linsist upon all learning to read the I Braille type, old past 70 as well as the I young Vocational training is urged ill ere cry case.
 We read to them in the public library q on Sunday afternoons from 3 to 6 o'clock, and there is an average attend ance of about 15. About 40 are on our l roll, but according to government re ! ports about one in every thousand are