BLIND BOOKKEEPER

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15746, 13 November 1916, Page 9

BLIND BOOKKEEPER

KEEPS ACCOUNTS IX BIG CITY BUSINESS.

"I don't think I am anything in the way of a special caa l ,' 1 said Mr Campbell, cm? of tho workers in the business of Campbell's furniture store in Cleveland street, llcdfern, Sydney, as he turned down a sheet of paper on which he had been noting a letter in reply. But for the fact that he is blind. Mr Campbell would not be anything in tho way of a special case. But it is special to find a man unable to see doing tho work of a bookkeeper and corresponding clerk. He does it just as capably :ls would one in full possession of all his faculties, and, judging by tho readiness with which he turned to a tilo of accounts when asked to show how he kept in touch with that | ond of the business, his system is better than that of some men who have both eyes in good going order. He said ho left school at tho standard age. having learned all that could bo taught him under the method in existence for the education of the blind. ''From then on I have educated myself, 1 ' he proceeded. In reply to questions, he explained how he docs his work. Where he has to tako a note of correspondence he does this in the Braille system of _writing. This is done to remind him of points to be specially considered in the courso of reply to communications. In the main he relies on hio memory, which, through hard Training, is dependable. In writing letters he uses tho typewriter, on which he is expert. With his notes at hand he types his letters, referring—with the. tips of very sensitive lingers —to his memoranda every now and then. On the typewriter he makes fewer erroi's than arc ticked off by the average operator. This is the consequence of the employment of the extra-developed sense of touch and a peculiar capacity to tell immediately when a mistake is made — sometimes while the act of striking a wrong letter is in progress. How do you manage when it comes to figuring? he was asked. He reached for a file of accounts, and ran through them with perfect confidence. These are kept by him under the Braille system of writing and figuring. aijd are as clear to him as would be tho ordinary notation to an expert accountant. With his long, delicate ■fingers ho traced the run of an account and showed how it stood. "When payments are made an entry gotte down on the right-hand side of the loose leal, and the balance is entered on the lefthand side (the Braille writing is read from right to left), and lie sees at ' a glance—with his fingers—just how an account is. "I don't think there is anything in it, for you.'' he said. "I am not gifted above the average of blind persons. Perhaps it is because mv opportunity came, through association with, this "business, that I am able to do this variety of work. Any other man with the same chance would have dono just about the same." Mr Campbell is one of the modest men who will not admit that he is a living example of the possibilities when determination and real courage are employed. He is a sport, too. Follows cricket and football, and is an authority on records and performances. For information as to what is doing in the games he does not attend, he relies on what is read to him. His memory for datc fi and names and performances in the field is remarkable. " He has most of the best work of most of the best players at his finger tips—and has no trouble in giving them. He gives some, of his spare time to amusements. Goes to tho theatres occasionally, but finds more real interest in his work as secretary of the Association of the Blind, the objects or which are tho improvement of the condition of the sightless and. if possible, the bettering of their facilities for secondary and higher education .

Ho is one of the happiest and cheeriest of men; accepts the situation and does bis part to the be6t of his ability —which is considerable. One of the matters to which ho is giving ,a good deal of thought is the position m which men returned blinded from the war will be left. He does not appear to rely very largely on the sentimentality of the community, nov does bo think the blind soldier is likely to be given in ariv walk of life— after tho war has passed into history— unless he can deliver the goods. He hones to be able do something which will helt> tho afflicted to do just this thing—to dolivfr the goods.—Sydney "Sunday Times."

The New York "Evening Mail," m an editorial article, has the following account of an interesting and successful experiment in the scientific use of criminals: "Quietly, with no blast of trumpets and no writing of text-books, Henry Ford has performed the great modern achievement in sociology. The Ford factory to-day employs 3G,000 men —nearly an entire army corps. Among these are 600 picked men. They are picked convicts. Thcv are mainly men who came direct, from prison, paroled bv the authorities to work for Henry Ford. Six hundred of them! Everyone said that it could not be done. Ford was crazy. But of the 600 only ono has failed to make good and has had to be sent back to prison, and that man was sent back, not for being criminal. but for being immoral. _ There is no fuss and talk about it. None of the ex-convicts' fellow-workmen, and not five persons in the Ford plant, know who any of these 600 arc." It is not often that a seaman who has lost his boat will walk eighty miles to the next port to rejoin (remarks tho "Evening Star"). This happened, however. in respect to two sailors on tho s.s. Somerset, who, having missed the ship at Dunedin. set out and walked to Oamaru. On reaching there tho men found the ship had gono on to Timaru, so not relishing another 00-mile walk, they gave themselves up to the police, who sent them on to the Canterbury port.