Evening star., 1938-08-22
Discusses Problems Of
The Handicapped.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
T WRITE on behalf Of group which Is
compelled to compromise between
physical incapacity and the afforded op-
portunity OF personal support-that vast
army OF cripples, who with beneflt OF
liberal education have created for them
selves an entirely different outlook toward
the problems of life and the affairs Of
struggling world. I refer particularly to
those who have been disciplined to keen
intelligent understanding, at the gate of
success, with the handicap OF tortured
and warped bodies.
Because We intuitively act on behalf
Of one another we subconsciously expect
society to subordinate its routine func-
tions for our benefit We are so much a
part of our own development that we do
not always realize our inadequateness in
the routine of business and world affairs.
do not mean that some are not suited
to the jobs in which they are placed, but
1t is common sense to acknowledge that
the trained student must naturally be
favored to our latent minority. We are
the stragglers Of society.
Due to the condescension Of our friends
and society in general, we tend to look
upon civilization as community near
ing a perfect equity. But when we come
to realize the wide disaster of the scar
ing sorcerers of Europe we are disillu-
stoned and astonished at the open bar
barism of humanity. We cannot get
away from the fact that we are human
and that the people of Europe also carry
traits of humanity We, who are favored
by kind friends, are in a position to know
what the final code of man should be
and how inadequate are his present
views for the common good.
With the beginning and expansion Of
our education, we are appalled, by the
infinite compleXity of life and gladly re-
turn to our own intimate problems We
had expected that education would
show us a way to success and happiness,
but instead it revealed a mass of oppos-
ing forces at every gate. When we first
set foot upon this road we were attracted
to a gate of Doing, which lead us to the
gate of Experience, that was followed by
the gate of Retrospection, and the road
finally ended at the gate of Disillusion
Every person travels this road, but every
person is not shared by the multitude of
bywayS at each gate, or encircled by a
warped spirit of existence. To some
frivolity is at every gate while others see
beauty at each turn, but to the group Of
twisted bones and aching backs the
spiritual and the practical are the COM
bined entities OF the handicapped.
Those Of us who have been fortunate
enough to complete our high school edu-
cation are particularly academic in the
appreciation of learning. We are def
nitely conscious Of artistic activity and
anxious to participate in some scholarly
endeavor. But the limited training OF
others has made for creative effort in
particular fields, with the result that
the majority are especially capable
In work requiring concentration and
thought.
1t is evident that our problem is greater
than the difficulty of adjusting our lives
to needs Of the business and social world
1t is materially . reconstruction Of moral
values in relation to our confined con-
dition, and an adjustment for the ex-
pansion Of individual talent. Society
owes US 4 niche in the progress Of life.
NELSON HANBACK,.