BLIND PRISONERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 89, 25 January 1943, Page 6

BLIND PRISONERS.

SPECIAL GERMAN CAMP. NEW ZEALAND MUSIC MASTER. \ There is a school for blind prisoners of war in Germany. There they are taught music, massage, shorthand and typewriting, besides handicrafts such as basket making. Lieutenant the Marquis of Normanby is in charge of the school and the teacher of music is an Invercargill man, Sergeant Rutherford Brown, son of Mr and Mrs Stanley Brown, says the “Southland Times.” In letters to his parents Sergeant Brown tells something of his life as a prisoner of war and as a teacher of music to his unfortunate fellow prisoners who have lost their sight in the

war. Writing on August 23 Sergeant Brown says: “It is very quiet here, bin one always seems to have something to do. 1 get up about 7.30, have my breakfast and get my pupils cracking on their practice. At 10.30 I have a Braille class, where Lam learning the ordinary Braille system with Lieu-' tenant the Marquis of Normanby, and later I will be doing the . musical Braille system, which is quiet different. After lunch I have four lessons (there will be more next week) and then a break before a walk at 3.30, arriving back just about dinner time. In the evening I usually manage a bit of practice myself, then supper and bed at nine. Sometimes I manage a game of tenniquoits or bridge after dinner, and sometimes am at band practice. Last night we had a concert run by the Harmonica Band with some singing, short sketches and an interval by the dance band, which played two new numbers that I brought from camp VIII. and arranged for them.

Rural District. “The district around here is very pretty and rural and the walks are usually through woods along the sides of small lakes and through the local village, typical of German villages all over the country. But it gives such wonderful pleasure to get out at all and do the blind boys enjoy it! As I look out at the window now the village church looms up above us, built in stone in 1740 odd. I haven’t been in it yet, but I hope to some time.”

In <a. later letter Sergeant Brown states that the musical lessons had been interrupted, by the arrival of a batch of wounded Canadians and that he had been called on to assist the medical staff. (Sergeant Brown was a chemist in civilian life.) He writes: “The worst cases were put into one ward and I was put in charge of it. For one week I was absolutely flat out with no other medical to help me with 16 patients. Then as some of the lads got better my work eased off considerably. One boy died he first night, but the others are O.K. now. It has been very exciting, but I have enjoyed it.” /

After his busy 'time with the wounded Canadians, Sergeant Brown himself took ill and when he wrote his next letter he was in bed with an attack of pleurisy. In this letter he says: “I have been in bed for five days, but should be up any time now as it was only a mild attack. A lovely day outside makes me feel jealous of the boys who are walking' out in it, but I will be there soon, on the next swimming expedition I hope. We are lucky to have these regular walks.”

Colonial Capers.

Writing on September 23, Sergeant Brown says: “Last night we had a great time. The Dominions of Canada, Zealand and Australia put on a concert called ‘Colonial Capers, and it went over with a bang. There were three sketches, a camp fire scene, Dad and Dave, and a nudist colony stunt, and they were really funny. The Kiwis put the finish to it with a fully dressed Maori scene. We did the canoe poi, with actions, which I sang a verse in Maori followed by a haka led by a Rotorua Arawa and ending with ‘Maori Battalion.’ We got a wonderful reception and it was a grand show considering that two of the leaders, both Maoris, have peg legs. Four of us, one Milton (blind), one Rotorua (pegleg), one Auckland (short leg) and one Invercargill (100 per cent.) sang ‘E Pari Ra’ and ‘Pokare Pokare Ana’ in Maori and we had a ukelele solo and a guitar solo from two Canadians. Everybody seemed very thrilled with it..

“The sun is shining gloriously outside and in a few minutes I am going a walk with the blind boys. The entertainment side of the blind school will be starting in a while I hope. The Marquis of Normanby asked me yesterday if I would get some of the lads who can do any little thing, to work together towards forming a little band, singing, piano and plays, and, of course, I am keen to get a quartet going too. They are a very keen lot of lads and nothing is too big for them. It is really amazing what they can do and most of them make very light of their afflictions.”

In a later letter Sergeant Brown again speaks in appreciative terms of his blind pupils. He says: “These blind boys are very quick to pick anything up. On the piano I have found it policy to take them straight away with ear training and I find that in most cases even with no knowledge of the piano their ears are very sensitive. “The blind arranged a debate for themselves and tutors on the subject ‘British or American Films.’ Of course it was obvious that the first two speakers had finished which side was going to win as everyone present had to join in and 80 per cent, were for the Yanks. On Friday afternoon, in rehearsal for the next evening for the blind, we read the play ‘The Unknown’ by Somerset Maugham, in which I have the part of Sylvia, and I did enjoy it, although the play is really not suitable. We are working it like a radio play.”