LAB's HISTORY

The following is a document for LAB written in 1928 by one
of the Founders of LAB, Etta P. MacPhie:

The Committee for the Blind of Lowell, Mass.

For the past fifteen years, the Middlesex Women's Club of Lowell has fostered the work done for the blind people of the city. The State Division of the Blind gives state aid and offers assistance to the local blind. However, there is work to be done for these people that neither the State nor the City can do, as well as a Special Committee.

Up until 1923, the Middlesex Women's Club's Committee made calls and gave Christmas cheer to the blind, and did some general welfare work when the necessity arose. The expenses of the Committee were met by having food-sales now and then, or by individual members who gave food, clothing or money, when an appeal was made.

For some time there has been a need to enlarge and to systematize the work for Lowell's Blind. The Women's Club for three years has given a sum of money to carry on the work, but more is needed, if the work is to advance. Lately there have been monthly visitations to the blind people by the State Field Worker, (Mr. Ierardi) accompanied by some member of the Club's Committee. At least 60 boxes of food, clothing, candies etc. were given at Christmas time. Blind women were taken to ride. Five radios were either solicited or bought by the Committee. There is an expense in maintaining these radios. Circulars to advertise the Workshop of the blind were paid for. A monthly Reading Circle is conducted. Several tickets and escort to the Parker Course Lectures were given to blind people.

In 1923, a meeting was called by the Committee for other welfare workers in the city to meet with three workers from the State Division to find out how many blind people there were in Lowell, and to determine what was the best assistance to be given in each case, and also to adopt a program of activity. The Lions Club took over 38 men to visit and look after. The Women's Club has about forty-five (45) women on its list. The Lions Club has attended to such problems as paying for the funeral expenses of a man, paid for fuel, and taken men to ride or seen that some person's taxes were abated etc.

The Women's Club's Committee, spent about $150.00, and the Lions Club about the same in 1925. More money is wanted, more volunteers are needed, a wider interest and responsibility within the Community is essential.

It is the idea of the people now working for the Blind in Lowell, that it is time to organize a Lowell Association for the Blind. Most cities have such an organization. It would then be possible to have a city wide representative Board, under a constitution with departmental committees to take proper care of the work and make it of no burden to any one person. It might be wise to have Patrons and Patronesses or a membership list. The two clubs now fostering the work could continue their duties, (Women's Club to visit and the Lions Club to take charge of radios and some welfare work), and besides, other clubs could serve.

The work necessitates the following Committees,-

Motor Corps,
Entertainment, (tickets to lectures, Reading Circle, Outings).
Industrial and Employment (cooperate with state Home Teacher and supply Braille magazines)
Christmas Cheer,
Children's Committee.

It would be a great help to have a partially blind person (who has been trained) to be the Secretary, and have that person responsible for records and correspondence, and to be available so as to cooperate with other agencies, and keep a contact between the City, the State, the blind people and the Association.

Then too, Middlesex County has no home where blind people can be taken care of. The Association should bear this in mind and try to interest influential people in such a cause.

If some Club would finance the whole work, or even part of it, under the new plan for the first year, then a budget could be estimated and the Association could apply for admission to the Community Chest the following year. At the present time, there is not a cent to carry on the work until next fall, so everything is at a standstill. If any Club would promise an amount, or advance it, a loan could be secured to tide over intervening time.

Any further information can be secured from the Committee of the Middlesex Women's Club, or from the Lions Club, or from the Lions Club, or from the State Division of the Blind in Boston.

Submitted by:

Etta Phillips MacPhie,
Chairman of Committee for the Blind
of Middlesex Women's Club, 1923-1926