Newspaper Page Text
Blind Man Drives Automo
bile 7 Years
B-ali DeWitt Smith, Operator of the
Tefhrphoue Substation at the Kim
ball House, Won’t Cross the
Street Alone; He says It’s Too
Dangerous
(By Angus Porkerson, in Atlanta
Journal)
tk-Witt Smith, who has been stone
bi nd since he was sixteen years old,
1;x.% Arisen an automobile for the last
tc- ten > ears.
T reel's ago he changed a tire
witVi ul help.
*1 don’t like to do that,” he said,
ine xlialeii another number in the
sub-station at the KimbalJ
Hra-e. '“When I jack up the car I
ITS my bands ro darned greasy.”
He stopped for a moment and
S rovig fl.
*'] v ;.nt to remember that num
ber," he explained. “I have to keep
a record of all the local phone calls
through this station. I can keep as ma
ty as twenty in my mind at a time,
IV and ‘J’s’ and ‘Walnuts’ and the
test, but that’s the limit. They seem
to spill out after that.”
Far ? welve years DeWitt Smith has
beoji operator at the Kimball House
y-b-7.‘jjie.K>n, and in that time has be
t
(ami • rye of the best known figures
!a At! an la—a blind man who can do
anything.
“1 l.cX the -ar out of my garage
•nearly every morning,” he added.
*”Fhat’s at my home, 438 South
Pryor street, and I drive when I have
ecrr.eune with me who isn’t nervous
and is a good band at seeing things
and telling me how the road lies.
Sixth Sente
*'You’ve no idea how my ears help
Ten*. 1 can hear things that you
cr.uMn’t detect at all except by see
ing; and Pm convinced* I have a sixth
seront. Every blind person has. I
5w T f know what it is—something in
si.V. that lets you know what your
eyes can’t see.”
*l>d you have trouble walking on
the streets?” I asked.
“‘i don’t do that. I think it’s dang
*w>nDeWitt Smith laughed at
fcnnsrff. “It IS more dangerous for
mv ftrtm driving an automobile,” he
ißrxrM med. “I never take the wheel
ixriii - 5 here’s sombody> there to tell
x.n. ?mtV. ahead, and I don’t -peed.
Speeding is what causes accidents,
fitft now on the other hand when I
start walking I can’t help hurrying.
Fiji naturally nervous and when I sot
out Tor any place I want to get there,
'(ne first thing I’d do would be to
bast out across the street and run
right over somebody’s flivver. Then
1 wiV/ht ffiave to pay him damages.”
The h'lcnd operator sits at a desk
i* a 'iitfifce Toom withdrawn from the
lebhy 3 the Kimball House.
He titoiMed toward the two rows
©I chairs facing each other and
stretching up and down the lobby—
ehjarn iihat haven’t been empty in
t3ie tmnmry of man.
“That”*, where all the laws are
raadr,, or talked about,” he “‘Ev
vtj great question, from how to run
s one-horse farm to the plan of sal
nation, iis settled right out there.”
Sound of Human Voice*
“You know the thing I like most
alxut this job, this work, this place?’* ,
I* asloed suddenly. ‘‘lt’s people.
What 1 get most out of life from is
knowing folks. I had lots rather be
bkrtd than deaf and dumb, because
there you are cut off from people
aud from sounds. There isn’t any
thing sweeter than the voice of a
person you know and like, is there?
“To me, the two best things in
the world are music and good conver
aatmm. You can’t beat them. I’ve
m notion there is too much reading in
this world and not enough good talk.
1 mean real conversation where peo
ple say something.
“1 don’t know just hundreds of
people, 1 know thousands of them.
I believe I know somebody in every
ceunty in Georgia, and a lot of places
h other states. They come here to
calls, or I get to know them
os-er the phone.”
‘Tunny things happen over the
patent?” was suggested.
‘*‘l -guess so, but I never listen to
telephone conversations, except when
Wp* Chinamen get to talking. That’s
kwprpvned a dozen times in my mem
wry. You never heard anything like
SL*
Tte '{Tinned and scratched his head,!
&ZEtQe&, moved his glasses further
ws> j Ms nose, and twisted his body
zb ’h* K?hair.
’“lwb -won’t believe this,” said De-
Witt, “1-ut it happened. A man came
i and I looked up as I always
zud asked him if he wanted a
umVr. He didn’t say anythng, but
started writing on a pad. I could
twtatr Mm. 1 hear lots of things. I
Mm again, and he kept on
"writing. By that time I began to
mad, I though somebody
was trying to play a joke on me, and
it struck me as a poor joke. I asked
him again, and then I said: ‘Darn
your soul, if you’re trying to poke fun
at me, you’ve come to the wrong man.
Me and you are goin’ to have it all
over this office in a minute. Now, do
you want a number?” Just then a
friend of mine—l could recognize
him by his footsteps—came in at the
door, and he started chuckling. ‘De-
Witt,’ ha said, ‘this man’s deaf and
dumb, and lie’s getting just as sore
as you are. He thinks you’re trying
to'get funny with him.’ ”
Recognize* FooUtep*
The blind man who sits at the
switchboard in the room off from
the Kimball House lobby, leaned
back and laughed, humor and good
health in every line of his face.
‘‘lf my friend hadn’t come in I be
lieve me and that deaf and dumb
man woulu have had it out right
there,” he declared. “Neither one
of us was going to stand for the
other making fun of him.”
“You say you recognized your
friend by his footstep?” I asked.
“I can do that,” he answered se
riously. “I can tell my friends by
the touch of -heir hands. I can tell
them if they only come into the
room and stand still and I feel their
presence. I have distinct impres
sions of things that come to me, I
don’t know how.
“There is a mental picture paint
ed on my brain of all the people I
know well, and I am sure that if my
eyes could be opened suddenly I would
recognize them the minute I saw
them, even before they spoke. It
must be that sixth sense I told you of
before. Nature, or something, tries
to compensate us for the things we
have lost. When our eyes are gone,
othei senses, and even anew one,
try to take their place.”
Paul Donehoo, blind coroner, who
walks the streets alone, crosses even
at crowded corners and boards street
cars when he chooses, has similar
theories. He told me once that he
can hear inanimate objects.
“Hear*” Lrick Wall.
“I can hear a telephone post or
a brick wall, and through hearing I
can avoid bumping against it," he
said. “That sounds queer? Well, I
believe there is a sensible expjana
tion. We know that all matter is
made up of molecules constantly in
motion. A post is standing still, but
iho molecular parts of it are always
nu in . My hearing, abnormally de
veloped, makes me aware to an ex
tent of this motion—enables me to
HEAR the post.”
DeWitt Smith, in answer to ques
tions, went back to the accident that
destroyed his eyes.
“That was in 1904,” he said. “A
stick kicked out jn a planing mill and
hit me over the left eye, destroying
the sight. I went blind in the other
eye later. For a while after that I
did nothing, went to moving picture
shows mostly.”
“What could you see there?”
“A rather good deal of the pic
ture,” he declared, leaning forward
to explain. “You’d think that a movie
could moan nothing to a blind per
son. But it isn’t only with your eyes
that you -see; your whole body takes
in things. With someone to tell me
| about what’s happening and with
the music, I get it practically all. I
SEE the picture.
‘‘l do believe,” he added, “that I
get more of a thrill out of baseball.
I used to play baseball, and the crowd
and the noise and the smack of a
bat against the ball give me all the
fun I want.
“I’d like to hear Bobby Jones hit
a golf ball,” he mused. “I don’t
know much about golf, but I imagine
he whips the club into the ball. Rath
er a crack isn’t there when he hits
one three hundred yards. I’d see
him all right; yep, I’d see him.”
He dialed another number and
made change for the customer. “I
handle twenty to twenty-five dollars
some days,” he said, “and make
! change all the time. I have no
| trouble with silver money, and no-
I body yet has put over a bum nickel
I on me, but 1 can’t tell about bills."
He must have read something that
was in my mind.
“I hold my head up high, don’t I?”
he agreed. “That’s because when I
was a boy I noticed that so many
blind people, particularly when they
were walking, seemed to go with
their heads down. I’m never going
to do that. When I walk I try to
hold my head up as though I had a
million dollars. A man has got to
accept the inevitable and make the
most of it. He’s got to keep on be
ing a man.”
“Well,” he got up and “looked
around” for his hat. “Have to be
going. Think of taking a little ride
this afternoon. There isn’t anythin?
like an automobile, is there, the wind
i hitting you in the face and the road
sliding by under you? There isn’t
but one bad thing about automobiles,
and that’s changing tires. I hate it.
It gets my hands so darned greasy.”
SOME FACTS
ABOUT THE ELLIS HEALTH
LAW AND THE NEED OF
COUNTY HEALTH WORK,
The actual resblts of a full - time
Commissioner of Health are Just as
certain of returns for your money as
iny Investment that you can make.
The law Is a local option one, and
Is effective only In counties where
:wo successive grand juries recom
mend It. We cannot command the
work too highly to our citiz ns, as
ihe following statement of tin work
accomplished will demonstrate:
1. The adoption of the Ellis Health
f-aw means the employment of a spe
cially trained medical health officer
who devotes his entire time to the
business of looking after her* h and
sanitation. The law also provides for
the employment of public health nurs
es and sanitary Inspectors as assist
ants to the health officer where de
sired. The nurses assist with the
school medical inspection, help to ar
range for the correction of defects,
and, with the health officer, reach
mothers and Infants, especially among
the poorer classes, through the me
dium of child centers, mothers’ classes
and home visit*.
2. About 70,000 school children re
ceived medical inspection during 1925
through the operation of thiß law ;
13,162 children found with handicap
ping defects received corrective treat
ment, and 11,222 children were treated
for hookworm.
3. The commissioners of health, op
erating under the Ellis Health Law,
gave free of charge anti-typhoid vac
cine to 104,2 V) people in the years
of 1924 and 1925.
4. In the state of Georgia, in coun
ties having a full-time health service,
typhoid fever was reduced 18%, while
in other counties without health ser
vice, the rate was reduced only 3%.
5. During the past four years.
9.903 sanitary privies were installed by
the commissioners of health. Dysen
tery, hookworm and summer diar
rhoea of Infants will not be controlled
by any other method in the rural dis
tricts.
6. There Is annually in Georgia a
great sacrifice of human life on the
altar of Indifference. During 1925,
667 deaths were caused by typhoid
fever, 220 by diptheria and 428 by
malaria. In 1925, 1,183 infants, under
two years of age, died of dysentery
and diarrhoea. During their hours of
heroic effort to establish new life in
this world, more that. 500 would-bo
mothers made the supreme sacrifice.
7. These and many other lives
might have been saved if well-organ
ized health departments, well manned
by a well-equipped personnel, had
been established in each county of the
state.
8. COST? This in dolalrs and cents
is about one-tenth of the actual
amount it saves the people.
9. A low death rate is much more
to he desired than a 10-w tax rate, be
cause health work will make growth
more perfect, decline less rapid, death
more distant, and life stronger and
happier.
10. Write to the State Beard of
Health, Atlanta, Georgia, for further
information.
VOTE FOR HEALTH
Onr people are most earnestly urged
to vote for the constitutional amend
ment this fall to permit the collection
of births and causes of deaths. This
amendment was made necessary by a
ruling of our Supreme court. The re
cent General Assembly passed the
necessary law healing this, and it now
comes up for ratification by the peo
ple.
Every citizen should work and vote
for this amendment. Unless Georgia
has a vital statistics law, none of our
statistics can be counted by the Cen
sus Bureau. Tell your neighbor to
vote for the vital statistics constitu
tional amendment, thereby putting our
state in the rog'atration area.
SWIMMING POOLS
Many swimming pools are not clean
and sanitary. They can be made so;
It might require some money to make
them so, and owners of pools some
tlires run them for profit and are.
therefore, not anxious to speud any
more money than they are compelled
to to get by. A dirty swimming pool
is a danger to the community; a num
ber of diseases might be contracted
from using them. All users of swim
ming pools should know if the water
in which they bathe is clean. If in
doubt about a public pool write and
ask the State Board of Health, At
lanta, Ga., abont it.
Every citizen should vote! it la his
duty to do so. It is also his to
put Georgia in the vital statistics reg
istration area, therefore be sure to
vote in favor of the constitutional
amendment for vital statistics.
Have your physician use the typhoid
vaccine now.
Tlie Fourth of July Picnic
THE Fourth of July sees the
picnic season well launched.
The nation’s greatest holiday is
the signal for a locking of doers and
departure for the seashore, the
woods, lakes, and fields. Into the
car goes the family group and away
to join the long lines of automo
biles headed out of city and town
in every direction.
No way of preparing a picnic
meal is simpler or more productive
of results than that of using canned
foods, heating them in the cans and
serving on plate3. A large ket
tle, taken along, is filled with
hot water. All the cans go into
it and are heated to boiling or at
least until very hot. Anew type
of ran opener makes it possible to
lift the can out of the water, open
and empty it without touching it
with the hands.
I Among tfce canned foods that
TOOMBS COUNTY CITIZENS BACK LANKFORD
FOR PUBLIC SERVICE (RAILROAD) COMMISSION
I
Lyons, Ga. —(Special.)—A large
number of citizens of Toombs county
have swung the campaign of George
W. Lankford, of Lyons, Ga., candidate
for public service commissioner, Into
real aetion by perfecting an organi
sation for the purpose of carrying his
campaign to the voters throughout
the State. In this organization S.
J. Henderson, of Lyons, prominent
banker and farmer, also president of
Toombs County Fair Association, is
chairman of the Lankford Toombs
county campaign committee.
They present Mr. Lankford,to the
voters of the state as a man of out
standing merit and ability. Mr. Lank
ford is a lawyer by profession, but is
also the largest farmer and land
owner in Toombs county. On his
farms at this time there is in culti
■ vation 1,000 acres of cptton, 80 acres
of tobacco and a large acreage in
corn, potatoes, etc.
He is president of the Georgia Sweet
Potato Growers’ Association, and has
always been active in the civic affairs
of this section of the state; is now
chairman of the board of trustees of,
the Lyons consolidated schools, is di
rector and attorney for the Toombs
County bank, county attorney, has
served eight years in the house and
two years in the senate of the general
assembly of Georgia.
TRAIN SERVICE TO AND FROM ATLANTA
SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILWAY
Leave Jefferson G. M. 9.03 a. m. 4.53 p. m.
Arrive Athens G. M. 10.10 a. m. 5.50 p. m.
Leave Athens S. A. L.' 2.45 p. m. 6.15 p. m
Arrive Atlanta S. A. L. *4.10 p. m. *B.OO p. m
Leave Atlanta S. A. L. *6.10 a. m.
Arrive Athens S. A. L. 10.00 a. m.
Leave Athens G. M. 11.15 a. m.(Ex. Sunday)
Arrive Jefferson G. M. 1.00 p. m.
’Atlanta, Central Time
For further or other information, write or call on
C. G. LaHATTE, T. P. A., S. A. L. By., At
lanta, Ga.
H. E. PLEASANTS. Asst. Gen. Passenger Agent.
S. A. L. Ry., Atlanta, Ga.
WEDDING GIFTS
When you need anything for the June Bride, call and
see us. We have a good assortment of silver ware, china
and glass at reasonable prices. >
M.F.FICKEIT JEWELRY CO.
Jewelers-Optometrist*
224 Clayton Street Athens, Ga.
SCHOOL TIME
Four Years High School In
LITERARY ARTS, HOME ECONOMICS,
AGRICULTRE AND MECHANICS
Cheapest Boardng School ip the State. Fall term be
gins first Monday in September. This is your opportuni
ty. Wrte for our new catalog.
NINTH A. & M. SCHOOL
Clarkesviile, Ga.
lend themselves particularly well to
this delightfully simple method, are
baked beans in their several varie
ties, spaghetti with tomato sauce,
succotash, a picnic favorite of many
years ago, since the Indians are
credited with first preparing it. Ta
males are delicious and another dish
that is sure to meet with favor on
such an outing is clam chowder.
With the beans and succotash,
Boston brown bread, also to be ob
tained in cans, is most acceptable.
Gherkins are a good relish, and if
purchased in cans will be fresh and
firm.
Preparation of the basket takes a
few minutes, rather than the hours
needed for sandwiches. There is
no burden of work on anyone, and
none starts the day’s trip half tired
from putting up the lunch. Yet the
result is a tempting and delicious
meal.
■BKL../,
GEORGE W. LANKFORD,
Outstanding Candidate For Public
Service Commissioner.
In this service he was always activo
in the important measures coming Ire
fore the legislature during his ten
ure. •
ANNOUNCEMENTS
JOE COLLINS FOR CONGRESS
To People of Ninth District:
I am a candidate for Congress
subject to Democratic primary. ’
Born in log cabin in Union county
poverty compelled doing without edul
cation or making my way. Takin?
provisions from home, I did my cook
ing and laundry nearly three year,*
at Hiawassee. After graduating
there, at Mercer and Virginia Uni
versity, have practiced law in Gaines
ville since 1902.
I have never held office except 8
years ago I carred 8 of 9 counties
for Solicitor General, served f OUr
years, retired without asking re
election.
I favor more Federal aid for roads.
I favor bettering farm conditions and
labor. I believe Congressmen from
South could exert more influence on
National legislation by being mow
outspoken.
Will appreciate your help.
Joseph G. Collins.
FOR CONGRESS
To the People of the Ninth Con
gressional District of Georgia: I am
a candidate for Congress from the
Ninth Congressional District of
Georgia, subject to the primary to
be held in September. My candi
dacy for thi3 high office is based up
on my experience in farming and
business, and upon my record as a
citizen and legislator. I was born
and reared in the Ninth District. It
Was the home and birth place of my
father and mother. I am bound to
this district by ties of interest and
affection which can never be broken.
It is the desire to serve my people
and to advance the welfare and pros
perity of this district which prompts
me to seek the honor and privilege
of representing you in Congress. If I
am given this opportunity of service,
I shall discharge the duties of the of
fice faithfully and conscientiously,
always having in view the best in
terest of all the people. I shall ap
preciate your vote and influence.
Respectfully,
Herman P. DeLaperriere.
FOR CONGRESS
To the People of the Ninth Dis
trict: In announcing my candidacy
for the Democratic nomination to
Congress, to be determined at theJ
polls on September the Bth, I wish
to say it is my purpose to visit all
the counties in the district at as
early date as possible and give an
account of my work as your public
seryant. I must at the same time
keep up with my official duties, which
I have never neglected. It will be a
pleasure to me to meet all the peo
ple, and shall make it a point to do
so. In the meantime, I shall appre
ciate very highly anything done by
the people in behalf of my re-elec
tion. If re-elected, the pehple, one
and all, may depend upon me to
continue my offorts for them in all
matters in which they are interested,
and to do my duty in the future as
I have in the past.
Sincerely yours,
Thomas M. Bell.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
I hereby announce my candidacy
for Representative of Jackson coun
ty, subject to the rules and regu
lations of primary election Sept. Bth,
1926. lam serving my first term
as Representative, and hope that mv
record and experience will be re
garded by the people of the county as
entitling me to an endorsement, by
re-election, which is usually accorded
officials who have served only one
term. In this connection, I wish to
express my gratitude to the neople
of this county for their kindness, co
operation and help during my term ot
office. Your interest and continued
support will be highly appreciated.
Respectfully,
W. B. Rice.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
I hereby announce my candidacy
for re-election to the next Geneia
Assembly of Georgia from Jackso
county, subject to the action of tn
Democratic primary. Having ser\e
only one term, and having given my
best efforts for the interest of tne
county, I am asxing for an endorse
ment. My experience in the session
of the , present General Assem >
have fitted me for greater and more
effective service to the people, anu
if elected I pledge to look caref
after all questions that touch up
the welfare and Economical admmi
stration of State affairs.
Respectively,
Homer Hancock.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
Having been urged by friends, anc
having a desire to be of service t<
my people, I announce myself *
candidate for Representative of
eon County, subject to the action ' °
the Democratic primary to be "e.c
September Bth, lft26. Earne.
soliciting the votes and influence o
the good men and women of Jacxso
county.
I am, yours for service,
*i?; , , J.E.J.Lo rd *