BLIND BOYS' BAND.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19480, 29 November 1928, Page 5

BLIND BOYS' BAND.

VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH. Not enough is known in this district of tho extremely interesting and productive work being carriad out by the Jubilee Institute for the Blind in Auckland. It would be better described as the New Zealand Institute for tho Blind, for it is the only organisation of its kind in the Dominion, and it embraces the whole of the blind population within its various activities. Away back in 1890, however, fate decided its name, for it was the surplus money from the 50th Jubilee celebrations of the Colony which formed the first nucleus of its funds. Prior to that date New Zealand cihldren had been sent to the Melbourne Institute for training. A blind man from Australia, Mr John Tighe, however, endeavoured to interest the New Zealand people in the. question of establishing a much-needed local training centre, and with the hearty co-operation of the late Bishop Cowie, and the late Mr John Abbott, this was achieved.. Supported by private generosity, subsidised by Government grant, and assisted materially from time, to time by kindly bequests, the Institute and its organisations have steadily expanded,, until to-day there exists in Auckland an active, busy.centre, occupying attractive grounds of about five acres, with three handsome buildings, where 114 blind men, women, and children are either in permanent employment or are receiving vocational training or primary school education. There is no atmosphere of the hospital, infirmary, or workhouse. The school is very similar to any boarding school, where happy girls and boys learn the three "R's," geography, general knowledge, handwork, and, . indeed, everything _ in the primary school syllabus except drawing. In leisure they run and shout about the sunlit grounds, interested in their games, with the same bright merriment, and always from the backgrounds somewhere comes the_ sound of a pipe organ, piano, cornet, or banjo, submitting to the daily practice. These girls and boyß will in due course take their ' place in the everyday world, and it is the object of the Institute to train them to become allround men a£d women. It is impossible to describe here the many difficulties which they have wonderfully overcome, but the people of Christchurch will be able to get some idea of the results b6ing achieved by attending the concert which the boys are giving in the Masonic Hall on December Ist. Fourteen of the Institute boys are touring as a band —which was formed some eighteen months ago—and they have already attained a musical standard which would well be the envy of most sighted bands. The boys have other items, up .their sleeves to interest aid amuse:- pianoforte solos, songs, duets, recitations, braille rending, and so on. Mr Olutha Mackenzie, the Director of the Institute, will be present, and will speak briefly on the work of the Institute. The object of these boys' visit is to show the many old friends and supporters of the Institute in the district something at least of the work being achieved.