THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 6, 25 August 1914, Page 6

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.

[to Tub Editor Stratford Tost.] Sir, —I have just received a contribution to the fund which we are raising with a view to cheapening ana amplifying; the supply of Braille literature for blind readers throughout 1 the British Empire, a®4 it was accompanied by an intimation to the effect that it was to be specially applied to this purpose and not to the building of our new institute.-. Obviously books, whether in Braille or ordinary print, cannot' bo produced unless ‘there is a building in which to produce them, but I am glad to say that the question of the‘completion and equipping of this building was definitely settled some" 'weeks ago, and I am now- working to secure the largest possible Endowment Fund ■ which will go towards'eqH’alising the present excessive cost of’Braille : books. How excessive this’ cost; is> may be judged, from one ’example, namely, that a' book of the length' of’ “Ivaithoe” required an Expenditure of £45 upon plates from which to'jfrint it, and then costs 19s- 6d r per copy to produce. It seems,' hoWcWer, quite probable that before'long’We'shall' 1 be r iabld to produce books of every sort and 1 kind at prices comparing favourably with those of bodks Whibh f persons in pOssfessidfr'’of tTieif sight enjoy. I am sending you this letter in ! the hope that your publication of it may correct any misapprehension which id L t^'6 v! readers as to -thW' '^contributions from them will be put. When I talk of ! dur for the British' EnVpird T should'' fike to add ip' jn'stiftevtrdn tluit’' Svc” at present produce’ more* th'a'n 1 five’ times as many Braille bOokS a'S all the similar institutions in the’ British Empire put together/’ and PS -bur mftf>fft will' shortly be largely increased We cPn, without fear ‘of dxaggerfifidu’y' clairtt to' be the almost sole source of the supply of these books. Yours faithfully,

C. ARI’HIJR PE'APSON, ‘ 1 Hon. Treasurer. The National Institute for the Blind, 206, Great Portland Street, London, W. t a