To find varied, interesting and pro- 
fitable work that may be done by blind 
women is one of the standing puzzles of 
workers for the blind everywhere in the 
world. The workers who are interest- 
ed in the little ‘‘ Handicraft Shop for the 
Blind ”’ on the village green at Manches- 
ter say that they “‘ want more than any- 
thing else in the world, suggestions both 
for new articles for which there is a de- 
mand, which they might add tu their 
stock of things made by the blind, and 
suggestions for wholly new occupations.”’ 
The most unique thing being tried this 
summer at Manchester, is an experiment 
in stuffing dolls’ legs, for the newly 
patented hot-water bottle doll known by 
the name of Patty Comfort and other at- 
tractive names. One of the young wo- 
men in the shop is busily engaged in_ all 
her spare time turning these little cloth 
legs, stuffing them with cotton and catch- 
ing them with a thread. [ater they are 
become a part of a most attractive doll. 
The work is really much simpler than 
that involved in the more familiar pro- 
ducts of the home work of blind women, 
the machine-sewing on aprons and 
towels, the knitting of sweaters and hel- 
mets, processés in which the blind for 
life are trained from the beginning of 
their schooling and in which some be- 
come very expert. Inthe case of wo- 
men becoming blind later in life, there 
is another problem, that of leaaning to 
do without sight what they have done so 
easily with sight. Such teaching as this 
was first made possible in Massachusetts 
by the voluntary effortsof women gradu- 
ates of the Perkins Institution and seeing 
workers of the school, who themselves 
offered to teach blind women and later 
financed and helped towards the sale of 
the home-work of blind women which 
they had brought to such a_ high degree 
of excellence. In fact, one of the most 
interesting things in the whole field of 
_work for the blind is the ideas and _ vol- 
unteer service which they themselves 
have given for the benefit of the group 
asawhole. Inthe case of home-work 
new ideas are an especially great contri- 
bution because so many women, both 
those blind for life and newly blind, must 
find occupations to be followed where 
they live. 
The shop occupations for blind wo- 
invested with stockings and slippers and ~ 
* NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
33 
HANDICRAFT SHOP FOR THE BLIND. 
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men have also been everywhere, equally 
as great a problem, involving as they do 
not only the question of occupation but 
of self-support for women wholly de- 
pendent, on their own earnings. In 
Dalen Dale leposil 
and frusl Cio, 
F SALEM ; MASS. 
Capital $200,000 
OFFICERS 
GEORGE C. VAUGHN, Pres. 
CHARLES SANDERS, Vice Pres. 
WILLIAM H. GOVE, Vice Pres. 
WILLIAM S. NICHOLS, Treas. 
H. M. WILKINS, Asst. Treas. 
DIRECTORS 
George C. Vaughn, Salem, Mass. 
Charles Sanders, Salem, Mass. 
William H. Gove, Salem, Mass. 
William S. Nichols, Salem, Mass. 
E. Kendall Jenkins, Andover, Mass. 
J. H. Linehan, Pridé’s Crossing, Mass. 
Forrest L. Evans, Salem, Mass. 
William E. Bixby, Haverhill, Mass. 
Melville Woodbury, Beverly, Mass. 
A new line of Watertown thermome- 
ters at D. T. Beaton’s, Central street, 
Manchester. * 
many countries there are not shop oc- 
cupations open to blind women. Brush- 
making and machine-sewing are much 
followed by women 1n shops and institu- 
tions in England, and there is also shop 
work in basketry and cane-seating. So 
difficult is it to add to this list, that the 
Massachusetts industry for blind women 
of the hand-weaving of art fabrics has at- 
tracted wide-spread attention, both be- 
cause of the beautiful results which have 
been such an interesting feature in the 
revival of interest in handicraft, and be- 
cause weaving has proved to be a _ pro- 
cess perfectly done without sight, and an 
occupation healthful and interesting to 
blind women, especially since they have 
taken part in inventing the raised designs 
which are woven into the art-fabrics. 
‘This work is daily demonstrated at the 
Handicraft Shop for the Blind on the 
village green, by a totally blind weaver, 
who is employed throughout the rest of 
the year at the Cambridge shops of the 
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. 
Did You Ever Enow 
that Chinese children 
© Blind Man’s Puir”’ and 
of other games, just I.ke our 
p'ay 
lots 
own American ‘ kiddies ’’? 
And 
bacteria so good for us t!at 
that there are some 
they’re called “indispensable”? 
See the 
AUGUST EVERYBODY'S 
For Sale By 
L. W. FLOYD, 
F. W. VARNEY, 
Manchester 
Beverly Farms 
H. BAKER 
Ladies’ and Gents’ Custom Tailor 
Suits Made to Order at Reasonable Prices. 
Cutting and Fitting Guaranteed. 
Cleaning, Dyeing, Pressing & Repairing 
Done at Reasonable Prices. 
Kimball Block, 
(opp. Postoffice) Manchester 
Driving Gloves at Minguel’s, Central 
square. % 
