Library Collections: Document: Full Text

There was much applause as she sat down, and she arose again to say "Thank you."

Supt. Maxwell said that it was after hearing Miss Holt speak for the blind that he undertook to have the blind taught with the seeing children in the public schools, and he gave instances of the remarkable work blind children had done. One girl, after graduating from other schools with honor, was graduated from the Washington Irving High School he said, danced in the folk dances, and walked unaided to get her diploma. There was applause when he said "and the graduating dress she wore she made herself."

"We have gone far enough in the work." he continued, "for me to say that the way to train blind children is not to send them to institutions, but to send them to the ordinary school, where they can learn independence and get as nearly as possible the natural conditions of life. For this I have to thank the Light House and Miss Holt, and I hope the money to pay off the mortgage on this building will be obtained and a fund to carry on the work without skimping."

Miss Holt, who was introduced as "the light of the Light House," told of the pitiful condition of the blind in poor houses and confined with the insane before they were taught to help themselves. That was less than seven years ago and in that time the association had been in touch with 7,000 blind persons, many of whom had been made happy and self-supporting.

"In the State outside of New York," said Miss Holt, "we have started seven committees of the association and inspired many others. In the last seven months we have opened three model buildings in this city. In this light house our dream has become concrete. But still there is a cloud. We started with a deficit of $400.

"The President of the United States laid the cornerstone of this building on land with a mortgage for $40,000. That mortgage is still there, and, in addition, we must have $60,000 to pay for and equip this building and put it on a good footing."

Miss Holt told of pathetic offerings of the blind themselves for the building. Mr. Choate gave $1,000 on his eighty-first birthday to head the list to pay for it, she said.

"There is a 75 per cent yield on what you give." she continued. "Much of our best work is done free and of our salaries one-half go directly to the blind. We have seventeen blind persons on our staff, not including the blind in the workshops and classes."

Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Taft occupied front seats in the audience yesterday and among others present were Mr. and Mrs. Felix Warburg, Miss Louise Schuyler, Henry Hayden, Miss Mary L. Hayden, Mrs. Henry Villard, Mr. and Mrs. William Ordway Partridge, Joseph S. Auerbach, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hunt, John A. McKim. Henry Morgan Post, Mrs. Nelson Henry, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Warren Goddard, Mrs. Samuel C. Van Dusen, Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Livineaton, and the Rev. Dr. Charles Slattery.

Tea was served after the exercises, which closed with a play given by blind public school children.