SERIOUS-MINDED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 279, 25 November 1941, Page 8

SERIOUS-MINDED

VICTIMS OF BLINDNESS

ST. DUNSTAN'S REPORT

Are the young men and women of this generation more seriousminded than those of the past generation? This question, as far as the blinded or partially blinded service man or woman is conceimed, is answered emphatically in the affirmative by Captain Sir lan Fraser, M.P., chairman of St. Dunstan's, in »e annual report of that organisa>n which has just been received.

"Certainly this is true of those who have come to St. Dunstan's War Hospital and Training Centre because they have been blinded or partially blinded while serving in the armed forces or on the home front in this war," he writes. The report mentions that many of the instructors at St. Dunstan's were themselves, as was Sir lan himself, blinded in the Great War. They are splendid instructors and set a most valuable example to their young blinded pupils. "Talking about these young people," Sir lan continues, "we older men agreed as to their serious, thoughtful outlook and we also felt quite sure they were much better educated than we were. We thought we did pretty well when we came back from France, or Flanders, or Gallipoli, and found our way around in our new world of darkness, but we have been surprised at the speed with which the new St. Dunstaners are learning to, be blind. Within a few days they are walking about the wards and classrooms, and within a few weeks the grounds and the way to the village (Church Stretton) are familiar. They do not shuffle along with a tapping stick like the proverbial blind man of ancient times, but walk erect and fearlessly, and try to look and behave as normally as possible." The report is attractively illustrated by the inclusion of officers and men at St. Dunstan's. One of special interest is. that of the Princess Royal who recently visited St. Dunstan's at Church Stretton. She is shown examining a Braille watch belonging to a young Home Guard. He is only 17 years of age, and was blinded by the bursting of an incendiary bomb when on duty during a blitz.