The Blind Musical Students.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 130, 2 April 1894, Page 3

The Blind Musical Students.

Inferring to the entertainment given by the members of this company, which appears here on Thursday evening next, the Evening Tost, of March 10th, contained the following It was a strangely fascinating entertainment which was given at the Exchange Hall last evening, and the audience which listened to it was as large a one as tho hall could contain, for many had to b* turned away for want of room. Thero are five students from the Ormond Hall of Music, of Melbourne. Four of them have been blind from birth one since six years of age as the result of an accident. All are totally blind with the exception of one who can distinguish light from darkness. Last evening they showed the wonderful degree to which the blind can be trained. They gave quite a comprehensive programme, consisting of pianoforte music, vocal solos, duets, trios, and quartets, solos on the violin, flute, and horn. The performers are led to their chairs on the stage by Mr Webb, their manager, who also leads them to and from the footlights when their turns come, but so singularly apt are they in their movements, and so excellent is their performance, that suspicion has here and there been aroused that they are not wholly blind. This led to a medical seance at Auckland, which resulted in the members of ike medical profession in that city vouching for the genuineness of the affliction, and certifying to the singular skill with which the sufferers had been trained, and tho intelligence shown. During an interval Mr Webb handed down a New Testament to ono of the audience, who happened to he Mr Loughnan, the Editor of the New Zealand Times, and that gentleman chose a chapter at random, which Misa Wot ton found by touch as quickly as ono with full sight could, and read out rapidly and correctly, and with excellent enunciation, from a volume punctured on the Braille system. Then Mr Bartlett read ordinary playing cards by touch, and one of the students wrote from dictation of the audience, amongst whom ho had been led. messages which Alias Wotton immediately read through her fingers. Then thero was arithmetic by tho blind, and wool work of the young ladies was sold, and altogether the entertainment was unique, pathetic, and singularly interesting.