TALKS TO ROTARY

Rev. Lene Hughbanks
Tells of Work for an
with the Blind

Rev. Leroy Hughbanks, assistant
*| director of the State Department |
of Social Welfare, a’ man whose |
.| physical blindness has given him |
|remarkable discernment in things |
of mind and spirit, gave Rotarians
today an informative resume of the |
work with, and for, the blind, under |
the social welfare program of the |
nation and state. :

Simply stated, the program has!
for its purpose the restoration .of |
sight, the prevention of blindness, ,
and the rehabilitation of those who |
are incurably blind. The speaker, |
who is an ordained minister in the!
Episcopal church, while a member
of the Kansas legislature in 1915.
was the author of the first nitrate |
of silver bill, which has reduced
Eienes in babies at least 75: per |
cent,

At the present time 60 blind men |
and women are working side by
side with seeing workmen in war
industries in Kansas. Others are,
engaged in the manufacture of)
articles needed for the successful |
‘lconduct of the war. Many blind,
persons. are self-supporting thru
conducting refreshment stands in
public buildings in Kansas.

Where for one reason or another |
blind persons cannot use the Braille
system, there has been home teach- |
ing thru talking records and ma-}
chines. Altogether much progress |
has been made to enable the blind
to live normal lives:

In beginning his address, Rev.
Mr. Hughbanks presented a beauti-

ful picture of the Christ, who laid |
down his carpenter tools to make |
the blind see, the lame to walk, and |
to bring hope and happiness to the |
underprivileged.

e then painted.a graphic word:

picture of the advancement of the}
United States in all fields of indus- ;
try: and commerce, but in which it |
| had not fully borne one another’s
burdens. The remarkable advance
in social welfare has been’ the
answer to the hitherto largely over-
looked. responsibilities. —

The speaker was introduced by
David L. (Scotty) MacFarlane,
chairman of the state department

_ of social welfare, and former dis-
| trict governor of Rotary.

The birthdays of Cliff Ramsey
and~Rev. Father McGinnis were
remeribered in fitting manner.

- Fred Ellsworth made the first
talk by members of the new com-
mittee on Civic Pride, and devoted
his time to the great, well rounded
and successful program now being
_conducted by Kansas University.

| Next Monday evening the Rotary-
'anns will have charge at the El-
dridge for an evening meeting. -

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