I can only hope that you will
be interested with the report of our proceedings, and will approve
of what was then said.--I remain, yrs. faithfully, WHARNCLIFFE.

Miss Gilbert.

The paper of suggestions referred to, travels over much of the ground
familiar to Bessie for so many years, and never, as she thought,
adequately explored by those who were working for the blind.

She writes to Lord Wharncliffe:

"It is almost impossible for a blind man, singlehanded, to cope with all
the difficulties with which he has to contend, and the result has often
been begging or the workhouse. Happily there are many more industrial
institutions than there were."

One can imagine with what a thrill of satisfaction she would write this,
as she remembered the little cellar in Holborn and the humble origin of
all her subsequent work. She continues:

It would be most desirable that the ordinary schools and such
institutions should play into one another's hands, so as to shorten
as far as possible the interval between the pupils leaving [school]
and their being employed. Sometimes the blind might be taught some
special branch of a trade, and might perhaps even be employed by
masters among their sighted workpeople. This would answer the
double purpose of lightening the work of the Institution, and also
of drawing attention to the blind and to what they are able to do,
which is a very important point.

As industrial institutions must depend to a very great extent upon
custom for their support, it is well to bear in mind that some
persons without sight can both help themselves and the institution
employing them by acting as travellers. People are often very much
interested by this means, and look forward to the regular
recurring calls of the blind travellers. Besides which it saves
people trouble in dealing with an institution if they happen to
live at some distance.

It is almost needless to say that all the capabilities of the blind
should be brought out as much as possible, as the more this is done
and the more their highest interests are cared for, the more will
their whole condition be elevated and improved. The problem of
enabling the blind to earn their own living is by no means an easy
one, and is well worthy of the attention of loving hearts and wise
intellects for its solution.

The wh