tion is the Matilda Zeigler Magazine published by W. C. Holmet New York, and distributed free of charge. There are two week! newspapers for the blind in the United Kingdom the Braille Mat and Weekly Summary.
Music. The Braille music notation has recently undergone grea developments at the hands of a committee of blind experts appointee, by the National Institute for the Blind, under the chairmanshi] of its director of music, H. C. Warrilow. The old method of writini several bars for the right hand followed by a corresponding numbe for the left hand has given place to the practice of writing only a ba for each hand alternately. In music of a simple character both handi_ are written together, chord by chord. These two modes of writing are known as the " bar by bar " and " vertical score " methods re spectively, and emphasize the harmonic aspect as distinguishe( from the melodic which characterized the old method, the parts being always written upwards from the bass. So great has been the general improvement in representing the staff notation that it is now possible to record in Braille any kind of music, no matter how elaborate.
Lending Libraries. Embossed books and music, being very cumbersome, can only be stored in limited numbers in the homes o the blind, but are admirably distributed free of charge by such agencies as the National Library for the Blind, London, which possesses 65,000 volumes (representing 7,500 complete works) o general literature in the Braille and Moon types, and 11,000 pieces of music (representing 5,000 complete works).
Apparatus. Various methods have been devised to supply the blind with reading-matter other than through the ordinary channels of embossed books, but none of these have so far proved very prac- tical, though hopes are entertained that continued and patient in- vestigation will solve many of the difficulties that now prevent their wide adoption.
Institutions and Societies for the Blind. The accommodation provided for schools and workshops has been greatly improved in England either by additions to existing buildings or the erection ol entirely new premises. Within the latter category may be men- tioned the schools for the blind at Gorleston-on-Sea, Leatherhead, Bristol, Bradford, and the workshops at Birmingham and Hull. The extensive new buildings of the headquarters of the National Institute for the Blind were opened by the King and Queen in March 1914. This Institute has, since then, made enormous strides, its principal work being the publication of books and music, home teach- ing, provision of homes and hostels for the blind, care of blind babies, the relief and after-care of blind civilians, and the higher education of the blind and the financing of other societies. It is affiliated to St. Dunstan's and to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the last-named doing corresponding work from its headquarters in Toronto.
Obituary. Among notable blind men who have died since 1910 may be mentioned the following:
Sir Francis Joseph Campbell, LL.D. (1832-1914), the writer of the earlier article in this encyclopaedia (see 4.59*). Born in Franklin county, Tennessee. Blinded at the age of four by the thorn of an acacia tree whilst playing. Educated at various schools for the blind, also at Harvard, Leipzig and Berlin. Was first principal and co- founder with Dr. T. R. Armitage of the Royal Normal College for the Blind, Upper Norwood, London, through which great impetus was given to the higher education of the blind, particularly in fitting sightless persons to become teachers, musicians, pianoforte-tuners, and correspondence clerks.
The Rev. H. J. R. Marston, M.A. (1853-1921). Rector of Lyd- ford-on-Fosse. Graduated at Durham University, where he had a brilliant career, obtaining high honours and the Hellenistic Greek prize, also a fellowship.
John Brown Herreschoff (1841-1915). The famous blind designer of the " Vigilant," " Defender " and " Columbia," which so success- fully defended the American Cup against the " Valkyries " of Lord Dunraven and Sir Thomas Lipton's " Shamrocks."
The Rev. William Hill-Murray (1841-1911). As an agent of the National Bible Society of Scotland he was sent to China and there became interested in the cause of the blind, and himself invented a numeral system for the blind to take the place of the intricate Chinese language.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Sir Arthur Pearson, Victory over Blindness (1919) and The Conquest of Blindness (1921); W. H. Illingworth, The History of the Education of the Blind (1910) ; Winifred Holt, A Beacon for the Blind, being the Life of Henry Fawcett (1915); Harry Best, The Blind (1919); Wm. Campbell Posey, Hygiene of the Eye (1920). Blinded Soldiers and Sailors. Special reference must be made to the British soldiers and sailors who were blinded in the World War, and who came directly under the care of the St. Dunstan's organization, which it was the writer's privilege to found and conduct. These men form an exceptional group in the blind world, but the success of the ideas adopted in their training, the high example of the men themselves, and the interest awakened by their triumph over difficulties, must have a permanent in- fluence in raising the status of the blind even in other countries
beyond the United Kingdom. The men were exceptional, be- cause so many of them were young and full of the vigour of health when their sight was taken from them. Drawn from all classes, differing greatly in education, experience and tempera- ment, they were as a whole men with a keen hold on life, ready for any effort that would bring them again in touch with the everyday world of work and pleasure. Fundamental to their training was the idea that blindness was not to be regarded as setting men apart from their fellows. It was to be held in the light of a handicap; never as an affliction calling for pity. They were to rely on themselves to the utmost degree and to make it their object to be normal. In itself such a mental outlook had a far-reaching influence; on it was based the whole system of train- ing for these blinded soldiers who, from the first, found them- selves kept in touch with all ordinary interests, while the kind of work for which their training fitted them went far beyond old- fashioned ideas of occupations for the blind.
St. Dunstan's, a large house with 15 ac. of ground, bordering on Regent's Park, London, was generously placed at the dis- posal of the Blinded Soldiers' and Sailors' Care Committee by Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kahn, and was opened in March 1915. It became the officially recognized training centre for the British fighting men (including those of the overseas forces) who lost their sight in the war, with the exception of a comparatively small number of the Scottish soldiers who were trained at New- ington House, Edinburgh. Queen Alexandra graciously consented to be patroness of the hostel. Other large houses in the neigh- bourhood were lent or rented; temporary buildings including dormitories, classrooms, workshops, two chapels and recreation halls were erected in the grounds of St. Dunstan's. On account of the difficulty of getting in touch with the blinded soldiers scattered in many hospitals the military authorities arranged for their treatment at St. Mark's, Chelsea, the 2nd London General Hospital. In this way was avoided the danger of discharged men returning hopelessly to their homes with no other prospect than lives of vacuity. While still in the wards of the hospital they learned what blind men were able to accomplish, and began, under the tuition of visitors from St. Dunstan's, the task that lay before them of conquering blindness, a task in which few of the whole number were to fail. Nor was it to occupy any great length of time. The course of reeducation, all that is in- volved in learning to be blind, occupied in some cases less than a year and seldom extended to two years. Many of the men were not only blind but had been otherwise wounded; some had lost a hand, or an arm or a leg, or were sufferers from shell-shock. But even in spite of these additional difficulties rapid progress was usually made.
The accepted definition of blindness was: " Unable to read or write or to do ordinary work in any ordinary way." The vast majority of the men who came to St. Dunstan's had had their eyes destroyed or were what is known as " dark blind." The remainder were able to distinguish light, and of these a small number had some slight degree of sight. Such were the men who with almost unexampled fortitude set themselves to get back to active life.
It is well to emphasize the spirit of St. Dunstan's. The hostel vas a centre of brightness, and the men were no less determined to >e happy than the people about them were to help them to forget what they could not do and to make the most of all that they could do. At one time no fewer than 800 men and women were giving the whole or some part of their time to the care, entertainment and nstruction of the blinded soldiers. Through the carpets in the public ooms of St. Dunstan's ran linoleum paths for the blinded men, landrails bordered the walks through the grounds, sounding-boards ?ave warning of steps. With these helps the men quickly developed he senses of direction and obstacle, the confidence that would enable hem to find their way in their own homes without assistance and o trust themselves in public thoroughfares. Self-reliance was a onstant aim ; the blinded soldier learned the value of avoiding what- ver might emphasize his handicap. The more normal his bearing he more were those about him put at their ease, and from every joint of view was his happiness increased. In the sense of touch, of learmg and of smell he daily discovered new powers. From the repressions thus received he began to visualize, forming mental
t
'ictures of the people he met and his surroundings. The men
it. Dunstan's had not only to learn to work but to discover how These figures indicate the volume and page number of the previous article.
