BLIND STUDENT'S FEAT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 946, 26 January 1911, Page 4

BLIND STUDENT'S FEAT.

Auckland, Jan. 22. Among the successful candidates at the recent matriculation examination is Doric Eaird Algie, whose success is the more striking on account of the exceptional difficulties under which he has worked. Algie is a sou ot Mr J. A. Algie, of Queenstown, Lake Whakatipu, and though not quite blind is so far deprived of sight as to be unable to pursue his studies in the usual way. Four years ago he entered the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, and in less than eighteen months not only mastered the Braille system of reading and but became proficient in Braille shorthand. At the Auckland winter exhibition in August, 1908, he made a verbatim report of the inaugural speech of the Prime Minister at a speed of 80 words a minute, and afterwards transcribed it on a Hammond typewriter. Algie showed such marked ability that at the beginning ot 1909 it was decided to prepare him for matriculation. The teaching staff of the Institute undertook part of the work, while for English, Latin and geometry he was placed under the tuition of Mr (now Rev.) Finest Chitty, m.a. He made such rapid progress that by the end of the year bis teachers decided that he was quite ready to take his place in the matriculation form at King’s College. The Latin text books had all to be copied in Braille, together with the arithmetical examples, and Macaulay’s essay on Lord Chatham. A very considerable part of this work was done by Algie himself. The year was indeed a bard one for the young student, but thanks to his own efforts and those of his friends it has ended in victory.