"CARMEN SYLVA'S CITY OF THE BLIND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 3

"CARMEN SYLVA'S CITY OF THE BLIND.

\ .Miriam : . yon,VKranfchfeld, Blind',. Secretary to tho Qucl'ii ; '. 'of - Jioumania,-' sends ' to'; tho "Guardian" an account :-of. }tn« s ~Yatra Iniminoasa, > tho. llouiuanian. city •of the - blind, a settldm«it which Gatmeh' Sylva'h'as'initiated in pity .for ( tho. thousands of - blind, people into •whose .lives slio hopes ,; td' bring light. ':'lnstitutions; would bd useless expenditure. -Homes also wouldbo,<a".failure, .Tbo' l blind -of itoumania are'- mostly -: of;-the nialo sdx;'-, adults;' struck downVdurmg mili-' taryl service by /; that - dreadful':: scourge,' ophthalmia—fine young jnen'iti: the; prime,:pf, life, marriod; .fathers-of children,vreduced,-to. beggary;;-dragging -their . families''down .with thom." '1 : : ■ i-'.-v.-,'v

' In tho Vatra Luminoasa tho -blind .- are . in-structed-in all-kinds; of ;trades .by which- they can "earn! their bi'ead;'and when they, aro proficient theyi.will -be!'r«itpred.to' thoir.-familicis,-recoiving- m : tho,-projected' city /a .small cottage,- so-that.,.the*sadnessjof;blihdness will not bo iaugmenttfd /..Thd .few conditions feq'ufrcd for ; be;th6 possession; of:a, sofirid body, obedience, to the , la\re '.df ißoUnlania . and of., the Vat-ra;' .and •' a firm : will; to/'.work: r.-.-Thp' present; Vatra,has. already 'trained .a .hundrod good workers,- who aro: only;■ waitingi for tho cottages'.to rise for; i 'Mkinw , hilo .t-hey,;'work- .on at wages, ■ jnost-of >themj returning at ove. .to their dear ones, ;but: riot -;with empty haiids or raggod. ; clothds... They,,- are* ; , : all f .clothed, well fed,.',and .taught'.'. ,- E?erything';is in common, ancj. will continue td'be so,' for it is Her, Majesty's ; plan .that. ..'all, meals should be taktoij^lfigether^-eiiher'vin'^a'..large' open-air' Bquard'.or in a . hall. Thus dnly a-feiv wonien 'will-'bo'noeded to prepare food, and tho others? will;'be.. at 'liberty;-to' holp in\ the support; of, their/families and .the'care'.of .;theif blind.--' .Laundries;:.- etc.,' will be' carried on in .the-Sairie 'miiiner;-v''U.

* Thb prbs6ht .Vatra will;remain\as a houso of preparation;' whencb' • the ■; workers will'■ issue armed with ' j.their':;. trades,' ■ - and ' also as : a depot, to. which ■ the" finished■ . goods willi be brought;. r thoro to.':be disposed .-.of ; at fair priefts,! thereby reiidvihg, the bliild of. one of their" great difficulty.' -of>di& posing pf tho goods 'they. make. ..Tho whole; adniiuistratiori '.is under ! the" personal .'.super--' inteiidenco' of * Her Ma jesty, and. is managed Wr: hfin'by a.'youngs clover,-, enthusiastic Ger. many-Jong■ in- tli'oQueen's- service, .Ten different, trades—such '--ha 'basket-making, 'chairaeating, ■'rope-twining; •-knitting with the ma^hm^are'; alr'cady : in progress. -.. " bo added, and boot-making; indeedj '- rio ■•tradd,;, or .. employment ■ •will";bo omitfesd;that the' : blind,' can follow. •. The' ;iriir;als6;; :: be 1 and special • iiig'r/h*d']preyioui '• education; '.are 5 even : now ' studying;' Esperanto with a mastoriV' '.A' singiiig'viMis&er also;.attends, • and- a. good choir jius ' Vpfiii'. already formed, whilst several iurfcanmts- aro being, taught,-, all- the, instrjictipn* being ,frcd.. .. •••.No. one! is. compelled to lftdrii, ■a, .trade';wheh ;talent- is, thoro .foran'; art,-. h'nd when' sfch'ool s ; are' added, every th ing will, bo dono'for tbo cultivation of tbft intellf'ct.:-. >Titap.is/ of required to bring about tli6-.full> success which is 'already asiOTed','.. and'.devblopments, must follow by' degrtci- *

•, Hwd-iri-harid '.with'' tlie ~City Vof. ihe; 'Blind ea«o«' a 'nbh-ly-inventisd, ..Roumanian Braille Printing Press .to aid tho 'Quecix's, noble work,. j' o *?'; pecuniarily^ l 'and '"intellectually—pecuniarily »y "tho: profits of' its 'Said': and' intellec-' ttmlly," by.' its'^Wplidfit-fql. pow'er"of. producing enib'owd'bpoks with' sucly'rapiidity.and cheapness that iio. : blind ■ man '■ o"r: :womap' anywhere need longerlamentover. tho' waftt of knowledge*. -v. ;