REMARKABLE CAREERS OF SIGHT LESS CELEBRITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 234, 26 September 1908, Page 4

REMARKABLE CAREERS OF SIGHT LESS CELEBRITIES

FAMOUS L\ SPITE OF BLINDSESS. A short time ago the Baroness von Kraniclil'cld (nee Miriam Gardner, d!i Englishwoman) died in Bucharest. This lady, who was one of the Queen of Rouimuiia's personal friends, was writing a poem one day, when a mist suddenly spread over her eyes, and sue thus became, in her fiftieth year, totally blind. In spite of her advanced age, however, the Baroness attended an English school to learn the alphabet and the use of .the typewriter, and in the end triumphed over her affliction to the extent of being able to make her own clothes and hats without any aid whatever.

The story of this sightless Baroness reminds one that there are quite a number of blind people in the world to-day who have earned name and fame in spite of their affliction. Thousands 01 sightless being owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. F. J. Campbell, the blind principal of the Koyal Sormal College for the Blind, at Sorwood, who lost his sight in his fourth year. While at play a thorn ran into his eye, and by the carelessness of a doctor he lost the sight 01 both eyes. Nevertheless, he became a splendid .musician, and ultimately established the Royal Norma 1 College for those similarly afflicted as himself. At this college pupils may learn how to ourn a good livelihood and enjoy life in spite of the dark world in which they live. Dr. Campbell himself not only indulges in rowing, riding, and cycling, but is such a skilful and ardent mountaineer that Professor Tyiidull once said to him in Switzerland: " Look here, Campbell, are you really blind or on'y a humbug:'' The blind pianist, Mendel, who has appeared with such success un the Loudon and provincial stage, won a scholarship id C4O a year at "the Koyal Normal College. Mendel has a repertoire of over 1,000 pieces including all the daisies and modern compositions, and his reproductive and extemporising powers are not the least wonderful of his faculties.

For the past seventeen years the Middlesex Chronicle has been edited by a blind journalist. Mr. .John Wha'.i, who occupies the editorial chair of t'lis paper, is now iifly-live years of age, anil lias been blind since he was thirteen. Ho was formerly an organist, but became associated with journalism about twenty years ago. He has long been (i familiar'figure at the meetings ot municipal bodies, and his reports arc noted for their accuracy as well as for the'r high descriptive qualities. Mr. \Y. Wolstonholmc, who is known throughout Mngland by his organ recitals, has been blind from birth, and took his degree at an earlier age than any one previously. One of his musical tutors was Sir "Edward Klgar, who afterwards showed his all'ection for his pui'il bv acting as bis amanuensis when lie took his *Miis. line, at Oxford.

la America thorp is a remarkably largo number of blind men and women holdin" positions of prominence. Apart from file wonderful ease of Hi'li'n Keller —who lias 'become so leurncd in spite :;! the fact that when 11 baby she suliered an illness which rendered her not only lilind, .Imi also de.it' end dumb-one might mention Miss Fanny Crosby (M's. Alexander Van, Alstyuc). of Connecticut, who has written' over 5,0(10 hymns, incliiiliiijj that grand old mvourite, "Safe in the Arms of Jesus."

Kdward de Mille Campbell, Director of the chemical laboratory of the Uuiversitv of Michigan: l/mis li. Cavil, the famous Brooklyn mathematician; T. I'. Core, a semi tor from Oklahoma; Di'Xewell Terry, niulomatical tutor at Columbia University; and J. 11. HerresliolV. the famous yacht designer, who modelled the last two defenders of the America Cup, are all men who have triumphed over blindness. I levrcshoff, who lost hi, sight, when lie was fifteen, has declared that his success as a yacut builder rests largely on the fact tliat he can picture so vividly in Ins mind the boats he saw and the models he owned during the first fifteen years of his life. Professor Campbell, by the wuv, thinks nothing of working out intricate chemical formulae in liis mind while performing before his classes experiments which a chemist with two .rood eyes undertakes with some anxiety. ° The.'irony of fate is-well illustrated by tin! case of Dr. Knrile -laval, the famous French oculist, who became sightless at the. a»c of sixlv-two, and who now Jovotes "his time 'to teaching others liow to perform the operations for winch he was famed on the Continent. _ Another famous blind man in France is 11. Camillo l.emaire, the French architect, while M. TSigganbach, professor of llicolo.'v in the University of Basle, is abo sightless.