te.
Dear teacher, friend and guide."

These lines were sent to me by one of my blind pupils after he had
learned to read and write the Braille characters. They express the
purpose of re-education, and indicate the means by which it may be
attained. Rehabilitate, reconstruct, re-educate--these are familiar
terms in this hour of stress and world conflict. To the minds of many,
these words may present problems that are entirely new, but to the
social worker, and those whose lives have been spent in the service of
the handicapped men and women of our civil communities, the problem
presented is no new one, the only difference being that, whereas,
hitherto, only a few recognized the problem, today, stirred by the
knowledge of war and its frightful consequences, every one is eager to
share in the rehabilitation movement now sweeping over the land. The
re-education of the blinded soldier is, after all, only the re-education
of the blind adult, and he has been with us, lo, these many years! Adult
blindness has increased alarmingly in the past half century, and the
problem of providing for this unfortunate class has assumed proportions.
The prospect of having to care for thousands of blinded soldiers has led
to a consideration of the blind and their possible rehabilitation, and
much good should result from the united effort. We extend a cordial
invitation to all to "come over to Macedonia and help."

The California State Library has been engaged in the re-education of the
blind adult since it opened its Books for the Blind Department in
December, 1904. At first it supplied books to those who already knew how
to read, but soon it became evident that its field of usefulness could
extend to the adult suddenly deprived of eyesight, and not eligible to a
school for the blind. And thus the need for home teaching became
apparent long before the State Library could employ such a teacher. I
realized this need, even before leaving school, and it was my privilege
to teach as a volunteer for twenty years prior to my appointment as home
teacher for the State Library. During that period I taught the blind of
this and neighboring states, and, before books were made available by
the State Library I copied stories and poems suited to the tastes of my
individual pupils. In this way I came in close touch with the blind and
their problems, and my every waking moment was devoted to their service
and although there were

"Heavy burden