Challenges Her Hobby

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 2

Challenges Her Hobby

"Th« Prese" Special Service AUCKLAND, May 11. Overcoming the challenges of life has become almost a hobby of a young Auckland blind girl, Miss Ann Clarke who has just obtained her second university degree.

“Miss Clarke, who graduated from Auckland University in 1958 with a bachelor of arts degree, has now rounded out her university career with a bachelor of divinity degree taken extramurally from the University of Otago. Her career can be traced through a long line of firsts, each a triumph over difficulties. She was the first blind girl to attend the Diocesan School for Girls, where she took her school certificate. She is the first blind person to hold a New Zealand Library Association certificate—which makes her a qualified librarian. Although a bachelor of divinity degree has no bearing on her present job as a proofreader of Braille second-

ary school text books. Miss Clarice says she will make full use of it if ever the opportunity arises. Meanwhile, she says, “it has served its purpose by widening my field of reading and understanding.” Her desire to learn inspired two friends to learn the Greek and Hebrew alphabets so they could transcribe texts into Braille for her. Everywhere she goes and in all that she does Miss Clarke is accompanied by her seeing eye dog, a black Labrador named Olga.

Miss Clarke, who has been a ward Of Heritage since childhood, is also editor of “Focus,” a magazine published quarterly by the Dominion Association of the Blind. Heritage is an organisation which aids the widows and children of servicemen killed in action. The president of the Auckland branch, Mr M. C. Astley, said yesterday that Miss Clarke’s achievements showed outstanding determination and spirit