A GREETING FROM ST. DUNSTAN’S.

Progress, Volume XVI, Issue 5, 1 January 1921, Page 118

A GREETING FROM ST. DUNSTAN’S.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, his is the season of greetings and gifts. May i send to your readers greetings and asK mem to send to me gifts ? These greetings will, I hope, give real pleasure. They convey tne gratitude of the soldiers bunded in the war for the sympathy and help which lias come to them from all parts or the world. They carry the news that an we hoped for from the training given at St. Dunstan's is being justihed by these bunded men in me very wonderful success that they are making of their lives. 1 do not think that anyone would say it gets easier to be bravely blind as the years go on. it becomes easier to do things in the dark, but me demand on the will to keep pace with normal life grows greater rather than lessens. Constant efrort is extraordinarily exacting, and it is really splendid how the men meet this demand on themselves, keep up their interest in everything and maintain their notable record as workers ; some in offices, some practising as masseurs, some as pouitryfarmers, and others as expert craftsmen. There are still more than five hundred men learning to be blind in our classrooms and workshops. Besides those actually blinded on the battlefields, 23,000 men were discharged trom the Army with seriously damaged sight, and, unfortunately, many of these are finding it necessary to come to St. Dunstan’s. We are dealing, too, with a number of men whose health does not enable them to make such cpiick progress as others. At the same time it becomes increasingly difficult to find for the men who are ready to start on their new life suitable homes; there is the universal shortage of houses and a great scarcity of such small properties as the pouitryfarmers need. Thus the difficulty and expense of settling the men has increased, while we have to face enormously multiplied costs in providing for those who are our guests, in maintaining our convalescent and holiday homes, and in carrying on the ever-increasingly important work of the aftercare of the blinded soldiers.

We have also now to meet the expense of moving our headquarters—the offices for the organisation required to look after nearly 2,000 men, and also the classrooms and workshops. The house, with its beautiful grounds, so generously lent by Mr. Otto Kahn as a hostel is no longer available: fortunately, however, we have been able to find for our new quarters another house in Regent’s Park —a place which for several generations has been the London home of the Marquesses of Bute. The interior has been adapted for offices, and in the gardens the classrooms and workshops have been re-erected. The place is near the lake, on which the blinded soldiers have taken so much pleasure in rowing, and both from the point of view of fresh air and of opportunities for unimpeded exercise the situation is ideal.

This starting again in the creation of a new training centre for the blinded soldiers has, however, been no small matter, and it adds to the reasons already referred to which prompt this appeal for the generous help of your readers.

The blinded soldiers have created a magnificent record; the plans for helping them back to normal life have worked out better, I think, than anyone dreamed would be possible. I think, too, there is no one who realises what the gift of -sight means, and what, blindness must mean, who would not wish to help on this work which St. Dunstan’s has undertaken.

I trust that any of your readers who are so generous as f o respond to this appeal will forward their contributions to me at St. Dunstan’s Headquarters, Regent’s Park, London, N.W. 1. —Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR PEARSON, Chairman, Blinded Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Care Committee St. Dunstan’s, 18th November, 1920.