League’s Fine Record In Help For Deaf

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28869, 14 April 1959, Page 2

League’s Fine Record In Help For Deaf

The purchase of its own building by the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing ushers in a new era in the life of the organisation, which will celebrate its twenty-first anniversary next week-end. This property at 98 Victoria street will be mainly a teaching centre. But it will also be a place where members will be able to enjoy more extensive recreations than they have in the old premises, as well as the company of others who understand their difficulties. The Christchurch branch was formed at a public meeting in March. 1938. when more than 200 supporters attended Th* 3 executive committee, which me; for the first time in May of the same year, included an equa number of hard of hearing ano normal-hearing 'men and women The first president was the lait Mr John Montgomery. The branch began its activities in a small back room in the Norwich Union Building and the first step taken was to plan for a Friday Evening Club for lipreading classes. In December 1940 the brancn moved into a room in the Press Building, taking all its assets - one blackboard and easel ana one group aid with seven outlets From these premises the league moved into an old house at Gloucester street, which has beer its home foi about four years “When I began work at the league in April, 1956, I felt immediately the dominant need ot our organisation was a suitable home,” says Mrs L. S. Birdlmg. senior teacher, in the branch’s anniversary souvenir booklet “To attain this, members worked with the utmost devotion Generous promises had been given and donations from members and friends were coming in.**

Street stalls, raffles, jumole sales and many other fund raising projects were held. A barometer on the wall showed the building fund was rising steadily. Many properties were inspected.

Dingy. Damp “Meanwhile, 66 _ Gloucester street, dingy, unattractive, damp and inconvenient, remained home for us, where we could discus.* our problems and plan and work for the building fund,” she says

With a home of its own, th* 1 branch looks forward to a period of valuable service to its mem bers and to the community. During the 21 years of its existence, the branch has become a “home away from home" for members—a place where the hat'd of hearihg can -ifind companionship and good fellowship, a haven where there is an assurance that tfceir problem will be understood, according to Mi H. Pickering, principal of the School for the Deaf. Sumner.

“It is most gratifying to see the great progress which has been made to help the hard oi hearing in Christchurch,” he says in the booklet. “By learning to use hearing aids effectively and by attending lip-reading classes the majority of the hard of hearing are able to live normal lives and the dread oi isolation from the community no longei exists when the league is given the opportunity to play its part.’ The league had proved its worth m the field of education, it had also shown its value by placing much emphasis on its social programme, he said.

In a foreword to the book, Mrs K. Hurd-Wood (Hamilton), who founded the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing, pays tribute to Mr John Montgomery and to Miss E. M. Ash for their leadership in the branch’s early years and for "the striking proof of readjustment to a serious handicap.’’ Psychologically, emotionally and educationally, the students were helped more than they realised by those two officers and by members of the committee, she said.

The Christchurch branch was the first in New Zealand to establish classes in auditory training, when apparatus was obtained for use in the re-training of dull ears.

The Government of New Zealand provides free hearing aids and issues on a rental basis, much helpful equipment. But few persons realised that there would not have been any free hearing aids and few. if any. of the other helpful equipment available had it not been for enthusiastic officers of the league interviewing and enlisting the practical sympathy of members of Parliament in successive Governments, Mrs Hurd-Wood says.

In the well set-out souvenir booklet. Miss E M. Jennings discusses early classes for teaching lip-reading to the adult deaf. Miss E. M. Ash reviews the years of growth "The hard pioneering days of the b’anch are past: may it go on to far greater achievement.” she says Miss E Rowntree and Mrs L Birdling give an outline of the work put into the premises in Gloucester street and the branch’s aim to have a home of its own. Miss L. Church looks ahead to future activities and Mr J. A Sandle reviews hearing aids and group hearing. Dominion Conference On Saturday the Dominion conference of the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing will be held in Christchurch at St. Andrew’s Church Hall. More than 30 delegates representing 25 branches throughout New Zealand and some of the sub-branches are expected to attend the conference, which will be officially opened by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Manning). In the evening the twentv-first anniversary of the Christchurch. branch will be celebrated. Guest speakers will include the Minister of Social Security (Miss Howard), the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Manning/, Mrs K. Hurd-Wood (Hamilton), founder of th§ New Zealand league; Mr W. H. McCorkindale (Auckland), president of the board of governors: Dr. Malcolm Robertson, president of the Christchurch branch: Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon. treasurer of the branch; and Miss E. M. Ash, a former teacher of the branch. A musical programme will also be presented.