BLINDED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 191, 8 May 1919, Page 3

BLINDED SOLDIERS

OUR MEN AT ST. DUNSTAN'S A WONDERFUL TRAINING (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, March 14. Thirteen New Zealand soldiers aro at present at St. Dunstan's Hostel for Blinded Soldiers and Sailors. Most New Zealanders havo heard something of this institution, but a visit to it is a rovclation. Of all war injuries blindness is undoubtedly tho most terriblo, and ono goes to St. Dunstan's reluctantly, feeling that ono is about to look on men absolutely broken. But not a bit of it. In the hall is a largo motto, "Victory Oyer Blindness," and the whole place is a,hive of cheerfulness and jollity. A visit is the best cure in the world for cynicism or pessimism. To 6ee the s-plondid way in which the great majority of these men aro taking up the broken threads of their lives is to renew one's faith in humanity and realise as perhaps never before what a noble animal man is. As everybody knows, St. Dunstan's was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson, of the great publishing house of that name, who lost his sight some years before the war, and Who has ever since been -an indefatigable worker on behalf of tho Wind. The place originally ' began in quite a small way in a house in Bayswater in the early days of the war. Then, as the number of blinded men among the wounded increased, Sir Arthur stepped in and secured as a homo for them the palatial St.. Dunstan's Lodge iu Begont's Park, which was placed at his disposal by Mr. Otto Kahn, the American financier, whose residence it was. The place is not a military institution in any sense. The men come when the Army has finished with them, and all except these' from the Ovorseas Forces are in civilian rig. Tho Overseas men are not, as they do not get their dis-1 charge until'their return homo. During their 6tay at St. Dunstan's they are tho j guests of Sir Arthur Pearson and those associated with him. The duration of that stay depends on'the courses of training they take up, and may vary from a few months to two years or-more. At present there nr,e 67G inmates at St. Dunstan's and its two annexes. A total of 674 has passed through tho training, and. there remain 85 more cases still to come from tho hospitals. The remarkable thing about theso figures is that of these 674 men passed out all but. 53 are set up and earning their own .iving in businesses of somo sort. And what is more remarkable still is the~.fact that- the majority of tlieni are earning mora than they did before they lost their sight. _ Before explaining how this amazing result is achieved, let mo tell you who the New Zealanders at St. Dunstan's are, and what lines they are specialising ill. The list, with tho number, regiment, and New Zealand address of each rilan is as follows:—

Driver A. H. .Corey, 43,029, 9th Battery, NZ..F.A., 57 Bligh. Road, Papauui, Christchurch; courses not decided on yet; at present at St. Dunstan's Convalescent Annexe, Brighton. Privno R, W. v Glasson, 42,748, 4th M.G.C., Earaka, Papakura, Auckland; poultry farming. Private J. P. Ireland, 62,325, 13th Coy., 2nd C.1.8., 23 Rosedato Avenue, Hayes, .Middlesex, England; poultry, joinery, and net-makiug. Rifleman A. M. Johnston, 53.3GG,; Ist N.Z.R.8., Comley Bauk, Gore; poultry and' net-making. Private C. M. Johnston, 45,260, 2nd C.1.8., 130 Moorhouso Avenue, Christchurch; boot and mat-making. Driver C. R, Masters, 5/801, A.S.C.M.T., Huuterville, boot and mat-making. Private J. M'Gowan, 26,113, N.Z.M.G.C, Otaria, Martinborough; massage..

Rifleman J. W. N. M'lntosh, 51,420, Ist N.Z.R.8., 130 Shirley Road. St. Albans, Christchurcli; poultry and joinery. _ Sergeant D.'M'Phee, 24/SC4, 2nd Battalion, N.Z.R.8., Marua, Whangarei; massage. '

Privato T. R. Roberts, 21,283, 2nd Battalion, N.Z.R.8., 17 Grove Road, Blenheim; basklt and net-making. Privato J. H. Robinson, 15.025, C.1.8., Ngatitnrua Street, Nelson; poultry. ' Corporal G. Scott, 8/3753, 2nd 0.1.8., Mosjfiel; poultry, carpentry, and netmaking. s Rifleman 11. Sime, 13,813, 2nd Battalion, N.Z.R.8., , Tolago Bay, Gisbornc; boot and mat-making.

It should be explained that not all the men at St. Dunstan's aro entirely, blind. Some can see quite well, but thein eyes have been so damaged that vision may go at atiy time or not disappear for somo years. Others, again, such as Private Glasson, can see to a certain extent.

Much sympathy is'felt at St. Dunstan's with Private Itobin'son, of Nelson, in the recent loss by influenza, of his two aimls, the Misses liobinson, of Ngatitama Street, Nelson, who liad brought him up, and with whom it was.his intention to have made his home on his return to Now Zealand, a few .mouths hence.

A special interest in the care of the New Zealand inmates is taken by Sister Myers, wife of Colonel Myers, Director of the New Zealand Medical Service who is on the staff at St. Dun-, stan's. 1 ateo ran across Major Greene, our senior Salvation Army chaplain, during my visit, and there is no doubt that everything possible is being done for our .boys. Sir Arthur Pearson, who lives near by, is a frequent visitor to St. Dunstan's, and joins with the men in thoir debates and evenings' amusements in the social halls. In his addresses he always insists that blindness is not an affliction, but a handicap, and the great principlo in all the trainings.is to make the men as independent as possible right from the very, start. The blind men soon learn to do without the linoleum paths indoors or the railings that guide them through tho grounds. They quickly learn to find their way about the neighbourhood, and are allowed out unescorted in London, going to and returning' from theatres by themselves, for instance. I oven heard a story of an officer in tho Guards' who quite unsuspectingly in the Mall ono day hauled up and rebuked a totally blind soldier for not saluting hiin. •

The work hours at St. Dunstan's aro short, 2J hours in the morning'.'and two in tho afternoon. The morning is spent in tho'class-rooms and the afternoon in tho workshops, or vice versa. Play forms an important part of the training. In tho lounge men were to be seen reading books in Braille, doing simple netting, and playing dominoes, draughts, chess, and cards. "The cards and dominoes aro marked with . raised dots. Around tho walls of the lounge are lockers in which each man keeps any little belongings that he wants to kav« nt hand. Typewriters are also plentifully scattered about on tables, but of these moro , anon. Dancing ia a very popular amusement, and two dances are held each week. There is also a ragtime kind, a 'debating society, ami «u. amateur dramatic club. Singing and' music generally are much appreciated, and some of tho men who had previously never taken much interest in music have been discovered to have excellent voices. Inmates of St. Dunstan's, I am told, oven sing in the chorus of tho Boecham Grand Opera Company.

Out of doors the men swim, row, compete in running and walking races, and tugs-of-war. It will be remembered that last year some of tho Now Zealand inmates distinguished themselves in boat racing on t!io 'Thames. Tliero is an excellent s'heot of -water in Regent's Park, adjoining the hostel. This is usod regularly, and here Sister Myers is frequently to bo seen coxing a New Zealand crew. As with a seeing man, tho first thing in a blind man's education is to learn to read a'nd write. The Braille alphabet' consists of tiuy raised dots on paper, so minute that a seeing man running his finger over them finds it almost impossible to distinguish ono from another. Tho Braille writing can bo dono either . by hand or machine.. There is a shorthand abbreviation of Braille which is written with the aid of a small machine on typewriter principle, but with only about half a dozen keys, and this win be operated at ordinary- Pitman shorthand speed. A reel of paper runs through tho machine nml unwinds as fast as the keys are operated..'To transcribe the shorthand notes the blind operator runs his fingors over them nutl then types them off on an ordinary typewriter, 'It is not generally known that the typewriter was originally invented

for tho blind. The handwriting of a blind man rapidly deteriorates, and every blind man at St. Dunstan's is given a Jirst-class machine, costing nowadays J360 or .670, as a free gift to take homo with him when ho leaves. Tho majority of men becomo proficient in a few weeks. One occupation which is taught is telephone operating. Blind operators cannot work at public exchanges in England, as they are on tho flashlight principle, but in largo business houses using the shutter system they are very efficient, and their services are much in demand. Besides switching through they tako down any message in Braillo shorthand, typo them 'out, and pass them on to tho persons concerned.

The work in Braille demands intense concentration, and is varied after about an hour with a spell at net-making. This is taught for uso more as a hobby for spare time than as a definite occupation, -and by a few hours at it of an evening a man can easily cam several extra shillings a week in making hammocks, string bags, fruit nets, etc. Besides the Braille and typewriting every blind man learns two trades, and as a rule it takes six months' practice to become a proficient basket-maker, cobbler, mat-maker, or jojnea. A blind man can easily learn to make a pair of boots, but he cannot hold his own in 6poed or craftsmanship wjth his sighted competitor. In repair work he'can well hold his own, and reaches the highest standard.

The- workshops were thronged at tho time of my visit with a cheerful, joking crowd, all busy at their work, and one heard much good-humoured badinage exchanged. One of the most cheerful peoplo in the whole place was a Scotchman, totally blind, and with onO|leg.ofi justbelow'the hip. He was careering about full tilt on crutches, with beamjng face, taking his brother round to 6eo everything at St. Dunstan's. The mat-making is the old-fashioned art of mat-making' on a hand frame. Skilled workmen can. mako a coconut mat of 12 square feet in a day.. In joinery tho men learn to specialise in three or four articles, such as picture frames, tea trays, corner cupboards, etc. Poultry-farming is very popular: Tho men receive instruction in the incubator room, making chicken coops and doing other rough carpentry work. In the classroom they learn to distinguish the", different breeds of chickens' by such guides as their combs, their ,claws, their smooth or feathered legs, their weight, etc. They leam, too, to select the different grades of eggs bv their feel, and to distinguish between the different kinds of foodstuffs by touch and smell. .They learn everything about the scientific management of tho and also how to prepare them for the table. The blind masseurs have to pjiss the exceedingly stiff examination of the Incorporated Society of Masseurs, and have acquired' a practical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, besides gaining the necessary dexterity of manipulation. Those who have qualified in this branch are doing remarkably well. While on my visit I saw Sergeant M'Phee, of Whangarei, with a party -of i other massage students, absorbed in'a lecture in one of the class rooms, and examining a number of bones that were being passed round for inspection. This brief and incomplete account will give some idea of the work that is being done at St. Dunstan's. Each man on leaving is given .£6O in addition to all he receives from the Army, to help to set- him up in the occupation he has selected. A system of nfter-care has been, devised by Sir Arthur Pearson to cover the entire after-lives of all St. Dunstan men. Tho United Kingdom is divided up into districts, in- each ono of vhich there is a travelling superintendent. Every man is visited about once iu.every two or three weeks. He is provided with raw material at cost price, and of the best quality, and he is assisted in tho marketing of his goods. His work is al6o supervised to see that there is no deterioration. The wurk of a blind operative is apt to deteriorate, and if a fault becomes well established it is difficult to remove again. If a travelling inspector discovers that a man's baskets are getting a bit out of round, word is sent to headquarters, and an expert goes bit (o put the fault right, and the man goes on making a perfect basket. In this after-care our New Zealand men may be at a disadvantage compared -with those in this country. , I .do not know if any attention has been directed to the matter in the Dominion yet, but it obviously behoves us to see that some system of expert after-care is devised in the interests of our twenty-five blinded soldiers so that (hey may continue throughout their lives to receive the full benefit of the admirable, training they are now being given.

In conclusion, I should not .omit to mention that, .with the exception of a few of tho nurses, the entire staff at St. Dunstau's consists of unpaid voluntary workers, somo of them the most expert people in England in.their particular lines. Each instructor or instructress takes t\vo or throe pupils, and sees them right through their particular course, unci in this way lasting friendships are formed. St. Dunstan's is a tragedy, but it is an inspiration'also to every person with any human feeling in Mm who ever visits it. Personally I know that whenever in future I am* inclined to be'down on my luck I shall only have to think of that jovial onelegged blind Scotchman of St. Dunstan's workshops to feel very small beer indeed.