BLIND SOLDIERS TAUGHT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 283, 19 August 1918, Page 7

BLIND SOLDIERS TAUGHT

FINE WORK OF ST. DUNSTAN'S , HOSTEL USEFUL OCCUPATIONS "O loss of eight, of thce I most complain." Thus tho blind Milton mado his blind Samson mourn, nnd many others have felt the tragedy of "darkness whilo it is yet day." The great increase of blindness caused by tho present war is one of its saddest features; .yet with the trouble there has conio remedy, or nt least alleviation. Wonderful work has been accomplished by St. Dunstan's Hostol for Blinded Soldiere and Sailors at llegcnt's Park, London. A remarkable note of cheer appears in tho third annual report.

Help for tho Wind is no new etc-ry. | For wore than a century systematic work 5a this direction has "been carried out )>y unselfish men aud women in varioue j oountrics. Great Britain has had a; Wind Postmaster-General, and before tho j vex there were certain instances of gucoees in scholarship and in business un-! dor tho samo handicap. Yet with the war there came a sudden-great addition lo tho enses of a mojt tragic class of blindness. In a flash, men in the fullness- of their strength felt themselves doomed to hopeless night. Was it hopeIftjs? St. Dunstan's arose to assure them thnt it was not, and to bring new and highly successful methods into the teacliinir of the blind. I confess to being very proud of St. Dunstan'e," writes tho chairman, Sir Arthur. Pearson (well known as a proprietor of newspapers and magazines until hie sight tailed him some years ago). "I regard it as a placo full of wouders—tho wondere of tragedy turned to joyful content, of helplessness turned to capability, of courageous resolution iu the conquest of apparently overwhelming difficulties, of dauntless determination, nnd of truest heroism. The heroism of these blinded soldiers no one can doubt. It was proved on the field of .battle; but how much more siuco they have lost their sight and liavo now to fight the battle of life in darkness. It is a form of heroism which needs to be renewed every day—one might almost say every hour of every day. The ambition of theno men is to bo once again normal citizens—like- others in their capacity for happiness, like others in fruitful effort. And if they succeed in this ambition, if they surprise everyone by their courageous outlook and by what they are ablo <o accomplish,' if is not because it is easy to overcome their handicap, but boennse they are filled with the spirit which will not bo conquered."

They learn to live thair lives anew; <hey are "tanght to be blind." Tho short working day is divided between tht> workshop and the schoolroom. Tho etrain of learning to read and write Braille is relieved by spells of netting-■ tlie simplest work for tho blind. Typewriting is another lesson, with, special machines for men who have only one hand. Boot repairing has been found to bo a suitable occupation, and (he men who learn this are also taught mat-nuk-ing in case of times of slackness. Some learn-mat-making only. The aim is always that tho skill acquired shall be of practical use, and this is also considered in tlie teaching of basket-making and of certain branches of joinery. The fact that tho men at St. Duiistan's learn their industries in a quarter the time that is usually considered necessary for such teaching is attributed to tho free employment of blind teachers (whose ability encourages hope in their pupils) mid to keeping the working hours short enough to prevent undue strain. Further, a spirit of cheery determination is stated to be prevalent. Poultry-keeping is another occupation that is taught, and wives,, mothers, or other relatives may learn this at a farm freo of charge, so that they may help tho men later oi). Other occupations •include massage, shorthand writing (by , means of a machine), and telephone opfraling (on tho drop-sliuttor system). In all possible cases the men are returned ■ to their - original occupations^' They learn to play—to swim, dance, row, ana compete in walking and running races fliid tugs-of-wur; All aro taught to play some kind of musical instrument, and those with tho aptitude learn Binging. In March of this year St. Dunstau's mm its annexes in London, Brighton, and elsewhere in Great Britain, contained 578 men. Not all of Ihosc who aro treated are totally blind, but all havo had tho sight seriously affected, and need the training. Men who had passed through St. Dunstan's nnioIwred 431, and of these 90 per cent, bad been fully trained and set up in their occupations. There is a permanent "after care" system of visiting and assistance. Earnings aro stated to average a fair living- wage, many men making JC3 and .£3 a week, and a considerable number more than this. There aro allied institutions in other British countries, including Australia. To tho public Sir Arthur Pearson says:—"Do not pity theso blinded men. Giro them all the (sympathy in the world; give them all the help you possibly can; encourage .them in their growing spirit of independence. ■ When you walk with them puido them as little as possible. When you talk with them do not talk to them as men cut off from all the beauty of the world and of the passing interests

of the day. If they liavo set iliomsolves to forgot what they ltnvo suffered, and what they wo suffering, is it for you to remind them? Do not pity tho blinded soldiers, but try to understand them. Let your consolation tako tho form of encouragement."

Under tho titlo of "Tho Harvest of St. DunatanV tho report prints letters which'show tho lino progress that hns been made by a r.u:nber of those who Lave been tniincd :.t St. Dunstan's. Captain Gilbert (who recently wrote "Englishir.ai , , Kamerad," a book describing his experiences at Iho front aud aa a prisoner in Germany) says that ho was determined not to let his blindness interfere with his business career, lie has returned his former position as foreign and colonial director of his company, and finds that ho can carry out his duties as though nothing had happened. Captain E. A. Baker is with the Hyd.-o-Elcctrio Power Company of Canada, and he writes: "yesterday's work consisted of 31 letters of about ono pago each, and six pages of reports collected on iho telephoue from our various branches, dono iu tabulated columns and consisting for tho most part of figures. A great many people will not believe but that I can see. Lieutenant 11. C. Raweon has returned to his old business, and though three nnd a half years of war has altered things very much he says that he has a far better grip on tho business than formerly. The wholp of tno correspondence passes through his hands, and ho is sololy responsible for the buying of ono of tho largest departments. Ho has recently begun a new business quite unaided. Lieutenant C. Bulman has had success as a poultry farmer. The officer iu charge of tho message department oi tho Alder Hey Military Orthopaedic Hospital writes in appreciation of tho abiliity of four Winded soldier masseurs. A shorthand writer resumed work iu his old position, ajid has received two "rises. Employers write of tho satisfaction fonud in tho* work of others. An engineer has returned to his former placo of employment, ;\ud "deals almost entirely with tho technical and general correspondence." Other poultry farmers write (ono from Aracliffe, Sydney) - l o tell of their progress, and similar letters aro given from joiners, news ' agents, tobacconists, cobblers, baskotinakers, and others.- Ono masseur is succeeding in privato practice. Among tho miscellaneous notes in the report, ono concerns Trooper Clutha Mackenzie, son of tho High Commissioner for New Zealand, who was Winded on OalLipoli, aud after ii course of training at St. Dunstnn's began to conduct and edit the "Chronicles of .the New Zealand Expeditionary Force," a fortnightly AHc-othev tho report tells of. a wonderful work nobly done. "Sk. Dunstan's,', it «\vs, "has well been called the. happiest house in London, for those blinded men who havo learnt to livo their lives anew with such gay courage know all that is worth the knowing about happiness. Their happiness i 3 the child of tho joy of achievement. It arises from the knowledge ihat 'hey have conquered the foe who threatened to destroy spirit as well «s eight." __________