The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 18, 1906, Page 14

DAY CALL. SAN FRANCISCO SU on from the untving of the broom corn comes in bales through the many o details of the craft to the final tying o the bot. ©Of the finished breoms in bundles of ) C T twelve men are chaffing, chat- €TSS {ing and singing at their work s s In the wa ‘s workshop when I wdversity” when pauge at the elbows of the workers re the women weaving the cane patterns ve flat, split thread of cane in hd out along its way with speciz! care P conscious pride skill women working at the broom machines their and in L2 windin he broom corn and wire on the handles, sewing and tying. carry - on their light labors with a naive sat- isfaction in their eMclency, knowing that a stranger is watching. spring blowing there are women ammocks, using in busy cheer- would otherwise 1 the varied making are going he men's workshop a always accepted quite naturally and will- = only he men's workshop, when my s lips, b gu who is Mrs. Sanders, asks one ¢ man and then anotKer to perform his s Sand < S in the process of broom making 2 he does so with guarded precision, e seeing to it with natural pride that no . ? one shall go away thinking that the £ w d man is a blunderer at his work There is pathos in this pride, and ans beauty In it, too, % Work these workshops is some- & ng more than daily toil. Tt is a vin P9 : solace, and the ¥ k- : . e f-respect v s be remembered that when S SUF NG the for the Adult Blind was es- s old t it was il alms- somstimes even in old age, when the . £ baln me pravision e State habits are Gxed and learning new tricks s Siesar B ose who Jost their sight and with 1s slow work. To them when blindness ,: r usefulness and self-helpfulness comes it is as if the bottom had fallen = And then on top of that it must be out of their world . i that these workers in the For such as these-it is Mr. Sanders - not working for the State task to open a mew world t is like t for themselves leading a little chi'd along strang ° L d indystry as the ways. e eir depend and - wavs easy for grown men ® their independer o learn even the simplest ¢ working for wages -—-earn tasks connected wi " t yree B T Shacto money-and dress Blindness changes eve t ot RS S S bank They are timid and Yise f pe. saves them the I haye had them ery like little ) s SN e t are paupers 1 fo the water was oniy abot re at first and say that they ecould ne & a : these things, it feet deep and that 1 bad actmally been learn to do the thin 1 tried to remembered ihat Joseph SWimming. After that it was eas them. I have had them fiy iuto a r . dhin £ 1 the Jdes SL restoring and 1 s swimming off the and say that they wouldn't lexrn )’ lness to the blind, and with N¢W York docks many a time, and off that they would never try asain. I 5 Je and self-respect and hap- on the sound urge them by teiling them t can do £ wt not. exist with “It was the same w skatin; The what I have donc, and learn the things seful blind boy wasn't golng to be i ft behind 1 have learned. Some ey are so . fa Fotiem when the other boys went skat so 1 impatient and discouraged that they g pr . it went along. The other boys kept a sort say 1 can see, or that I am luckier or . ¢ i y ©f lookout for me—as much as any bo mors gifted tham they are: and I ha . P orking g €nfoy their own sports will, but for te tell them how simple the b e aaEAE heorjes, the most part 1 looked out for myself: be done are, and how easy b : ; What he has done for the blind he has - AS for fishing—there’s really ho good will seem after they have once been knowledge of their needs. '€ason why a blind person can’t fish if mastered . himself and undéarstand he carcs to, and 1| do. Swimming and “It is very slow work with some of fe Poowm ks ence and fishing have been two. of my pleasantest the blind, and T do not always succeed. song is attune R R recreations since I came.to’ California.” = There are a few I have never been able v s . siumble e firet. thing he dbes when he - With the same fnittentatis com to train. They had not the patience or £ vee e e \ the broom wagon POSUrc and determinatiod with which he the self-confidence, but for those we r + dclivering its cargo of brooms in McL the difficultics Yof sharing ‘boyish have found small tasks around the P ave business-1 , is to make a plea r'!*vx-\ms e met the hagder one of earn- home, and they think no one elSe can " e 1 e practical understanding of the 05 his own living do them, and that the home could not " fe X it one of the concessions the world get on without them—and so they are Y% eueral: pUbUC e aay® most gently makes, this yielding to the happy, too.” " 3 s in clinging misconception claim of the biind upon it. Before there Mr. Sanders says it as if being s es are windows of One part of it clings to the delu- Were such things as organized und regu- happy—as indeed it {s—is the impor- st ere are r 2t 1o be biind is synonymous with 1arly establisbed charities, and the King- tant thing in life. g angelic, that as soon as a_person Nesses we did cach other, were more “Very often, however,” he goes on, ses the power of sight ags begin to Crudely done, the sentiment of communi- “the very ones who are the most impa- s and that person becomes fit to Ues was in favor of giving the blind the tient and despondent and discouraged right up into keaven without Sunniest corner for the asking of alme, at first become our very best workers. b5 irther change. Another part of it #0d hg who would look unkindly upon Then they are glad they persevered and goes 1o the other extreme and endows the such an outstretched palm was reckoned they take great pride in the perfection blind with all the bad qualitles of the 2 churl indeed. Those who can see have of their work. and few more besides, just “Now and then I run across people they ave blind. As a mattrr of IDEIY the guardianship of the sighless. who-like. to test me, to see how. mueh fact the blind are just like the of 8nd mo one knows this better or.holds it I can do in the way of teaching. One smanity, with the same virtues and ™MOre of a duty than Josevh Sanders. instance of this was when a blind boy, weaknesses and crotchets and i requirements, plus their blt < their sight—whichever wa) But it never occurred to him to b» him- self the ward or carc of any community— anything but useful, self-supporting to be others who was ¥lso deaf and dumb, brought to me. “‘iHere now, what can you do with was o put ":" a-veal factor’ in the reall whih him? I was asked. I had the advan- i mere s Bel : ,.Mn ar.'.(« l]-r»,\ his thought was not only tage there, for I knew the sign lan- et e Sy or himself, but of what he could do for guage. 1 took his hand and began sce, and are handicapped A g on it. Well, the result of this O ket i Tn hile after e became blind that were open to the blind, and at 16 1 meant a permanent home to him. that was forgotten. Perhaps they had as that we got on very well to- e B D h ¥ e Penasylvania Institution had mastered them. [ could make brooms Before his fourth year as instructor was come to understand what I had at least gether. Ile took to the work with 1 and there the possibilitics and mattresses, weave hammocks and completed he was put in charge, made tried to do for them. They knew when great zest. for he had a mother he S e of what a blind man could do in leading mats and rag arpet, and my ambition superintendent of tie home and given I was ¢xpected and they were all lined wanted to provide for. He learned the e oo ) the blind opened before him. Was to teach. others suffering from my full opportunity to carry out his ideas: up waiting for me, and when the horses’ . " of wroom-making, sot Rormicess (i IR I Quickly he mastered the lessons taught disadvantaze.’” and as such he has remained, except for struck the first sound on the drive- = 16 T RGNy S A ha i wnd per. 1ne blnd. and as quickly taught them In There are not a great many boys of 16 an interval of three and a half years dur-. way they gave a cheer that pald up for _ .. . .4 <ot un in business in San ise | was b poor boy who WD 1o the blind, feeling around in the who see who' have mastered all ing thc Budd ‘administratiom, until this everything. Nothing can ever take away | " o onlv making but peddlin 2o Meantime for the way that should be his the details of even one craft, but Mr. day. from the fecling—the pleasure and satis- | . o ¥ success with that h: S wi B way in life. Sanders explais his own proficiency by Politics meddles even with the affairs faction that gave me. s e e s S T the problem of earning®my “AL fir he saye, *I e my atten- pointing out again the usefulness of the of the blind. and in order to make enough “That was one of the proudest days of . w.t oo o visit to the Philadel- : iged to learn some ‘'0n Lo music, thinking that perhaps that disadvantage of being blind. places to go round Superintendent San- my life—as proud as the day on which I |\ i tiome, where T had been assistant acquire same accomplishments ¥OUld be my vocation, but I found that You see, my mind was not distractea ders was removed to make room for an- was married, and the days my boys Were 1 _oioq which was their best broom. T had no special talent for it. ‘Neverthe- from its work as it wo have been If 1 other superintendent who could make porn. ker. They told me his < vy I can fish, '©%8 I carned my first $3% through music— could sece, and naturally I got along fast- votes if he couldn’t make brooms. “I felt that my work had not gone for ipas me w “yl,m“l‘m“., ipey o Sy ¥ t ofAlie bay- -2, 1Y & Jesuons. Then I wapted to learn everything I pyuring his abscnce the broommaking, nothing after all'” e sqfinnit . Roemsedualouy o & that, 1 be- Tken Ilooked into what chances liter- could that wolild make me useful.” mattress-making and hammock-making From that day the shops have been It is net only as a ' ,Y'> 4 eve, i3 because | had no one to lead me e TISNL offer e, because @ number - And at 16 his pride was, gratified bY - ;;guished and died. the shops shut down, opened and*the biind folks busy In them. teac or > U6Gk MY Seriders “extute) Sin around and make me helpless after I j’m‘: "!:_':g };’:‘r(l:‘,:‘u- _won dls};lnclmn In the offer of the very position he wanted— 4o pandg of the blind fidgeted in idle- They were opened at af expense of o i R NG vantaal <l B % ;m ature. u ere again I Rad ne tal- ?hnt of industrial u‘?cher to the blind. | ..o and those who had been discontented 3450, / shops at the home and every dollar u“ = n running with the boys, ha SR B e P S \y‘n.v-“urric‘: n;t to him in lP}\,e l"cml;!r)"‘l-' when they had work to do took OB & Tyat was six and a half years ago and the wages that- g0 into |the bi'nd follks i of boyish pleasures and ad- "L N the only | Gavernmont ot mer o A o ome to. Jouble discontent with enforced fdleness i inat time over §7.000 In wageshas pockets are due to his commerek o the time 1 becamie DU,y oorsinin bo bbb tiive: o Aaeclal Abate e ey o g (e B AspeEnE There were 1no bBUSY pecp paid to the blind; there is be- ability. He too. like the “dummy boy , and atter, that T'wasn't BoWE . font s fithoss 1084b8 ARATONEL 10 Ah6 AlHLL: Mo, rorty bew,mes S e et warkeholy, 1o tasks to SINE (ween $10.000 and $11.000 due the shops he is proud of. hais peddled brooms to give up. The bilnd boy wanted com- ‘pioa” uno she tdea of masteriNs such My ean oo nE J.Use,p‘flus; lers was over-and mo tobacco money and dress. g, gutstanding accounts and several thou- Armed with samole brooms he, bas gone panionship and play and a good time after il 20 ML TUCIETE S0, fxed upon as cspectally fitted for that money and spending money and money uuuq doltars more in the bank o the to big busiueases and heads of corpora- he lost his sight as well as before, 50 (1.n teaghing themi’ might make me Of were offored ti ‘2"‘: AR ¥ ':h‘e m::: to bank of their own. credit of the home. tions and made contracts for sunplying the only thing for me to do Was 10 8¢t yome use Yn the world, #s well as making of going. when Chile sou Bert went to ~ Another turn of the political wheel and yrere pgures cannof tell what this means ghem With brooms, not so much because out with the r.st of the boys and take 44 pogeible for me to do what I so much bty a wisdom above mere politics brought the . i1, inmates of the home—to those who the brooms are ances. to swim after I became blind. to go swim- The of the boys used desired—earn my own living. “Living among the blind 1 realized that war, and the bencvolent: plans for the Peruvian blind fell through. A fortunafely ‘placed blind man estab- plind man back to his choscn task of leading the blind. Joseph Sanders is a modest man as find a solace that is sometimes happiness in the employment of their hand. to ade by the blind. but the brooms the blind make are good and wortli the prices he asks. because . merely intellectual, or rather, mental—at- lished in Philadelphia such an industrial those who are saved the stigma of “pau- Whenever you are brushed down by ming in the Conecticut River from an old tainments were not sufficient for them. school as young Sanders dreamed of and Well ad a practical one..and not siven per by the' wages they earni to those the wh n the bands of & P man mast t ran out from the bank. When (na¢ they needed education and employ- macc him assistant gu;;erln(endcn(, to boasting or gloating, but he says. when who can indulge themselves in their little porter, whenever you find a whisk on the tide was out thc mast was above ment of another kind as well; that not There the promaters. of ~California’s I ask him if the day of his return was & juxurles and neccssities by their own ef- a Seuthern Pacific or Santa e train I could crawl out on it quite 3| the students when they reached the Tome for the Adult Blind sought him out Happy day to him: forts: to those who can nurse the dream whenever you see a metal-bound ‘broo o wa 1y all When the tide was in it under water. This gave near the banks, gradually venturing out farther and farther, until one day I made up my mind to take the plunge and swim like the other boys. T dove off and struck out, and then when I put my feet down age limit that brought about their i the blind, as among the great majority of the geeing, there are many whose use- fulness depends upon the employment of the hands. Y “So I set about learning all the trades and he was brought here twenty-one by accident: or iilness. He came on leave from Philadeiphia tor one year to set the workshop schools go- ing. Me stayed a second. year on leave, then another and unot{ler, until California “It was the bhappicst day of my life. they are not always grateful; they have their dislikes gnd prejudicgs, too, and some of them had had their unkind things to say of me. “But on the day that I came bav."k all of a future independence by the littie only in fragmentary way that you may gather what the task of teaching is. Most of those who come to the home are those upon whom blindness has fallen in manhood or womanhood, washing down_the deck of a ferry-boat. miseal from the Ingtitutions for blind chil- vears ago as instructor to the unfortun- - “Many unkind things had been sald. nestegg constantly added to in the bank. or cerfain ocean:going steamers. you me some idea of the depth nf the watcr, dren were fitted by nature to make a liv- ates who, after reaching manhood and The blind, as I've told you, are just like Joseph Sanders is not much given may know it is from the shons of the making breoms, and 1 tricd at first dabbling in the water ‘ing by their mental attalnments. Amiong womanhood, were robbed of thelr sight other people, plus their blindness, and to talking about his own work and it is Home for the Adult Blind: thal it is the humble useful symbol of a life well lved; that it is a practical, tangible proof that at least one man in the world truly belleves that “sweet ar¢ the uses of adversity.”