THE BRAILLE CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 35, 11 February 1935, Page 15

THE BRAILLE CLUB

A TRIBUTE PAID

FINE RECORD OF WORK

The fourth annual meeting of the Wellington Braille Club was held, at the Red Cross Rooms recently, when Mrs. Israel (president) presided. ■ Before the beginning of the business part of the meeting Mrs. Israel paid the following tribute to the late Mrs. H. S. Hadfield: "I wish to speak of the. great loss the club has sustained in the passing of the founder of the ciub, the late Mrs. Henry Hadfield. She was a most energetic and enthusiastic worker, keeping her interest in the club up to the time of her death. Unfortunately her health forced her to relinquish the presidency a couple of years ago, and on her return to Wellington last year, feeling her health" had sufficiently improved, she undertook the management of the correspondence section, which had grown so considerably. Her valuable work, however, will never be lost, and one monument of it stands in the shelves of the .library of the New Zealand Institute of the Blind. As Sir Clutha Mackenzie | said in his letter of sympathy to the club, To the blind people both in New Zealand and Australia she was a warm and .kindly friend. The many works she transcribed will always be a concrete tribute to her sympathy.'" The members present stood in silence

as a tribute to the memory of their late president and friend. BLIND POST RANGERS. Mrs. Huntingdon,, president of the Blind Post Rangers, wrote a hearty tribute to the value of the Braille Budget, seven copies of which are transcribed each month, and are circulated among many blind people, to their great pleasure and benefit. The travel notes are specially mentioned, and Mrs. "Huntingdon states that the numbers are to be posted to a blind girl friend in South Africa. AN INTERESTING REPORT. The Braille Club has gained nine new members during the year, making a total of 34. Mention is made of the regret felt at the departure of Mrs. Fraser . for Melbourne, arid of the resignation of Miss Simmonds. Special meetings were held previous, to the Winter Show, the bridge party, the concert, and to-meet Sir lan and Lady Fraser." The club, as requested/again took charge of "the stall for the blind at the Easter Stow,,which proved a great success,y ';,■:•., ;i'i ■■'..-. . In response!-.to a request made:by Mrs.. Hadfield, ,: correspondence was arranged with the! Middlesex Blind Association, and also with the St. Nicholas School for Blind Girls at Mukden, China, and it was agreed that an extra copy of the Budget should be transcribed for their benefit. Braille classes were started early in the year under the direction of Mrs. Israel, and the roll, included 34 students,. 12 blind, 5 correspondence, and 1 home student.: Nine certificates were gained by qualified students. VOLUMES PRODUCED. _The number of volumes shellacked since last annual meeting numbered 64. Mrs. Gordon (11 volumes), Mrs. Hadfield (9),. Miss Rui Van Staveren (8), Mrs. Israel. (8), Miss Re Van Staveren (6), Mrs. Boyd and Mrs. Mead (4 each), Mrs. Fantham (3), Sister Maud Powell and Mrs. Hunter (2 each). Mrs. Meek, Mrs. Duff, Miss Robinson, Miss Hope, Mrs. Fraser, Miss Heineman, Mrs. Jensen, Sister Kerr (1 each). The completed volumes were bound and forwarded to the New Zealand Institute Library, Mrs. Israel and Misses Rui and Re Van Staveren also produced 24 volumes for the Blind Institute in Sydney. Two volumes were also sent to Mukden. The following members . have also been responsible for the production of the Budget: Mr. Griffin, Miss Re Van Staveren, Mrs! Duff, Mrs. Gordon, Miss Rui Van Staveren, Mesdames Fantham, Boyd, Russell, Miss Hetherington, Mr. Head, the late Mrs. Hadfield,- Lady Hosking, Mrs. Israel, Miss, Heineman, Mr. S. Whitburn, Miss Fraser, Mrs. Meek, Miss Mitchell, Miss Eager, Mrs. Gordon, Mrs. Fraser, Mrs. Rosenberg, Mrs. Wilson. Sister Maud Powell, Miss Doyle, Miss Baker, Miss Dixon, Miss Robinson,. Sister Kerr. An original story was written by Miss Hope for the Christmas number and transcribed ■ for the Budget. ENTERTAINMENTS. A great many very pleasant enter- ; tainments have been given by the club and through the help of mem- ■ bers; with assistance for various musical organisations and individual friends in Wellington. These have : been immensely appreciated by the ■ blind people. A particularly happy i afternoon was spent, in co-operation ■ with the Red Cross, on the occasion iof the visit to Sir. Lan and Lady • Fraser. who were accompanied by Sir ■ Clutha Mackenzie. Lady Fraser pre- ! sented the certificates won to Mrs. W. W. Duff, Mrs. R, W. Russell, Mrs. E.

Meek, Sister M. Kerr, Miss M. D. Robinson, Miss C. E. D. Mitchell, Mr. C. Mead, Mr. C. E. Griffin. Mrs. Jensen had received her certificate before her departure abroad. Some very pleasant gatherings were held at the home of the president to bid farewell to members who were leaving Wellington. ■' Pleasure was expressed at the reception of a letter from Dr. Helen Keller, and at the honour bestowed on Sir Clutha Mackenzie, and thanks were expressed to the City Council for allowing a concession on tickets ' for the blind people on the Wellington tramways. The president, in conclusion, expressed her thanks to the kindness of ! the patronesses, Mrs. T. C. A. Hislop : (Mayoress) and-Lady Beauchamp, to l the secretary (Mrs. Boyd) -for excellent work, and to the staff of the Red Cross for courtesy and assistance when ' required, to Miss Davidson, for making I covers for the Budget, and to Messrs. . Hill and Jackson for supplying the' • materials. Thanks were also given to the Press for assisting in keeping the 1 work of the club before the public.