Evening star., 1927-10-20
LIONS SPLEALAUDED
BY HELEN KELLER
"MiracIe Woman" Amazes
CapitaI Hearers as She In
dorses Aid for SightIess.

Helen Keller. miracle woman.
who was stricken deaf, dumb and
blind in infancy, held spellbound
capacity audience in Memorial Con-
tinental Hall last night as she dem
onstrated how courage and optimism
have enabled her to see" and hear"
with her fingers and to become pro-
ficient as a public speaker.
The throng of Federal and local Of
fcials, club members and other guests
of the Washington Lions Club could
not conceal its amazement at the
ability of Miss Keller TO distinguish
and acknowledge the applause as she
voiced, through her manually-trained
tongue, a. plea for assistance, but not
charity, for the blind.
Not only did the vivacious woman
author and philosopher know when
she was being applauded, but she
listened" intently TO the music of the
Marine Band Orchestra and discerned
when they were playing operate Sc
1ections and when they turned to
lighter airs. In response to query
from the audience, Miss Keller eX-
plained that she heard by means of
the floor vibrations sensed by her
feet.
Enjoys Visit to Capital.
Informed by her secretary, Miss
Polly Thomson, that Miss Keller
learned her complete vocabulary by
the painstaking, seemingly Impossible
process of manipulating her lips and
tongue in response to finger guidance
Of her patient tutor, Mrs. John A.
Macy. the audience heard with won
derment Miss Keller's replies to nu-
ynerous questions put to her by her
secretary.
do YOU enjoy music?" Miss Thom-
SON asked Miss Keller. She replied
that she enjoyed the music of the or
enestra very much and, could distin-
xuish between the sounds of the piano
and violin and she particularly en-.
loved the beautiful music Of the quar-
tet.
When asked if she enjoyed her trip
to Washington, she answered that she
did, as the country was so beautiful
and the grass was so green.
Philosophy and literature were her
favorite studies in college, she said,
and pronounced herself "a perfect
bullhead" in mathematics.
Can you dance, Miss Keller" she
was asked. YES" she replied. Il
can fox.trot and two-step."'
New Things Offer Adventure.
The questions of those on the plat.
form exhausted, Miss Keller began her
talk, Miss Thomson repeating after
her for those who found 1t difficult
to understand.
..Knights of the blind. I salute
your was her opening sentence.
''There is always g. scent Of adven'
turs in a new enterprise, and the
Lions Week for the Blind is new
enterprise. One endeavoring TO do
this work is like a traveller in a
strange land, continually meeting
something new"
One should not emphasize by his
actions the difference between himself
and his blind neighbor, she said. The
man suddenly deprived Of his sight IS
the same mentally, emotionally and
morally as before. she said. He JUST
has a greater burden to bear. He wants
to go on with his work, but suffers
terribly because of his helplessness.
Charity in a case such as this, she de
clared, is "depraving." What a man
wants is a friend to help him during
the period Of adjustment, and TINS
she said. is what the campaign OF
Lions International is attempting u
make the public understand.
Inc AlOf1S are tlyii16 ~ H0A@N ~ -
the business world a proper conception
of the capabilities of the sightless, she
continued. Work done by the blind
should be held to the common stand
ard. II the blind are coddled they be-
come like spoiled children just as the
average person would be affected, she
declared.
Pleads for Prevention.
'It Is important" she concluded, ITO
aid those wounded on the battlefield
of life, but it is still more important
and more intelligent to make life
sweeter and better for future genera
tions, and that is what prevention of
blindness means. Now again I salute
YOU, knights Of the blind, torchbearers
in the darkness.
President Thomas A. Groover OF
the local club presided and introduced
Irving L. Camp, president of the
Lions international Mr.. Camp pointed
out that the meeting was one of
series being held throughout the coun'
try this week by clubs affiliated with
the International Association of Lions
Clubs, to bring to the attention OF the
public the work the clubs are doing
for the preservation of good eyesight
and the care Of the blind.
Miss Thomson detailed the early
life and training of the remarkable
woman. Miss Keller became blind