Two Visitors from England

Abstract

IN MAY, two distinguished workers for the blind in England visited the United States for the purpose of promoting the interchange of literature for the blind. Captain Sir Ian Fraser, Head of St. Dunstan's, and Dr. Ernest Whitfield, Honorary Treasurer of the National Institute for the Blind, are both well known to workers for the blind in America through the fact that they were delegates to the World Conference in 1931.

Since the World Conference two significant developments in literature for the blind have taken place—the adoption of Standard English braille and the development of the Talking Book—and facilities for the interchange of books between Great Britain and America have assumed an increased importance.

After conferences in New York, the two British representatives visited Washington to confer with the authorities of the Library of Congress. Sir Ian and Lady Fraser were received at the White House, and President Roosevelt expressed himself as being greatly interested in the promotion of the interchange of Talking Books and braille literature between the two great English-speaking nations.

When interviewed by a representative of the Outlook, the distinguished visitors issued the statements which appear below.