Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1916 — BLIND MEN LEARN SALESMANSHIP [ARTICLE]

BLIND MEN LEARN SALESMANSHIP

WASHINGTON CLASS MAKEB PROGRESS WITH THIB, A 8 WELL AS ADVERTISING OPENS II NEW BUSINESS HELD Brooklyn Association for Improving Condition of the Poor Enoouraged. Brooklyn, N. Y. —With eyes sightless, but with mental perception abnormally keen, a group earnest young men are undertaking the study of advertising and salesmanship. Each Saturday afternoon the members of this unique class gather in a room cn the i bird floor of the building at 101 Livingston street, occupied by the Brooklyn Association for Improving the condition of the poor. A short time ago Charles B. Hayes, director of the work for the blind division of the association, hit upon a plan whereby the adult blind who have reached an academic stage in their education could become useful and independent members of society by entering branches of the trades and professions wherein lack of eyesight would not prove (insurmountable obstacle.

The experiment was first tried with a class In advanced typewriting, specializing in the transcription of court testimony by means of the dictaphone. Three graduates of the first class have already secured good positions with court stenographers who have found their services extremely satisfactory. The success of the first effort encouraged Mr. Hayes to establish a class ia advertising and salesmanship. Guy Hubbart, who volunteered to devote himself to the work and give up his Saturday afternoons for the benefit of the blind students, is a man well qualified for the task. He is .both a practical advertising man and an experienced teacher of advertising and selling. Besides being connected with the staff of The Dry Goods Economist, a trade publication, Mr. Hubbart has for the past four years successfully conducted courses in advertising and salesmanship at Columbia. During the first few weeks the members of the class have shown remarkable progress and Mr. Hubbart jußtly prides himself on their accomplishments thus far. He assured a reporter that much dormant talent had been discovered and that it was only a matter of a short time before the effects of the students at preparing advertising copy could be presented as model! for that kind of work The method of instruction differs but slightly from that pursued In an ordinary class. The students heai weekly lectures and individual assignments are given for preparation during the interval between sessions. This includes the preparation of advertising copy, which the members write on the typewriter, most of them being adepts at the touch system of operation. " No tuition fees are charged to members of the class residing within thb borough. The class has grown rapidly and Mr. Hayes predicts it Will be a matter of only a short time before a permanent institution for the education of the blind to the higher fifelds of endeavor will be established in Brooklyn.

Representatives of the Teachers College at Columbia have followed the movement very closely promised their active aid in carrying on the work. It is expected that shortly the services of one of the professoss of that institution will be secured in connection with the organization of a class in advanoed English for the blind. The class in advertising and salesmanship is the first of its kind in this country.