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Local Sales and Wholesale Orders:

The Commission has organized and assisted with 17 local sales during the year, as follows:

Mountain Tour:

Paul Smith's, Stevens House, Lake Placid, Lake
Placid Club, Elizabethtown, Westport...

$1,441 31

Spring Tour:

Elmira, Buffalo, Utica, Rome, Amsterdam, Fort
Plain, Rest-Haven, Vassar College..

5,394 67

Christmas Sales:

New York City, Dunkirk, Little Valley, Jamestown,

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The above figures represent Commission sales. This is supplementary to the work of local Associations who are constantly selling in their own territories. It is significant that $293,155.14 worth of stock has been disposed of in New York State during a twelve-months' period, through private Associations and organizations for the blind. (See Appendix B.)

The Commission is in a sense, a final outlet for the disposal of surplus product from local Associations and individual consignors, not always representing the best grade or most salable stock. About 40 per cent of the product of blind workers is limited in variety and interest. Large numbers of blind in their homes are doing plain sewing, knitting and crocheting along the simplest lines. This means an extensive output of utilitarian articles such as dish towels, washcloths, aprons, etc.; useful, but not such as to attract extensive patronage. Almost every Association has accumulated stock which local workers are making up throughout the year and which cannot be turned over regularly. Articles costing from 25 cents to $1.00 form the largest percentage of those handled at up-State sales. This involves a great deal of detailed work, with apparently disproportionate financial returns, and must be explained by the fact that these goods are all that certain blind workers can produce and a market must eventually be found for them.

Although the amount of stock sold by the Commission during the past year shows only a slight increase over the previous year

($17,448.60 in 1922), it is felt that there has been a real gain to the blind; the stock of more individuals has been handled and new avenues of outlet have been opened; more business houses have accepted the work of the blind and a greater variety of products has been disposed of through wholesale market. Wholesale orders are dependent upon the standardized product of different associations and their preparedness to fill quantity orders within a reasonable time. The new woven dress patterns made by the Community Craft Weavers has added to the standardized product which could be presented to dealers. On the other hand, one of the Associations has discontinued the manufacture of inexpensive rag rugs in quantity, which resulted in a decrease of total wholesale orders received. This year, wholesale stock has included baskets, dolls' hammocks, baby blankets, baby sacks, mops, tatting, woven dresses, scarfs, hearth brooms, knitted dolls.

Annual Christmas Sale:

The annual Christmas sale held in New York showed returns of $5,521.00 as against $2,400.00 the year before. As the Church Committees representing different denominations, become accustomed to this annual sale, the results will be increasingly satisfactory.

Water Mill Shop:

The Water Mill Shop for the Blind was conducted as usual at Water Mill, L. I., during the months of July, August and September. The Commission feels that this salesroom, so attractively situated in the Old Mill and now an accepted feature of the locality, serves the interest of the blind, educationally, as well as financially.

Vassar College Sale:

Plans were initiated this year for an annual sale of rugs and waste baskets, to be held at the opening of college when students are furnishing their rooms. Money receipts were not as favorable as expected because the sale had to be held outside of the college grounds. There is good promise of a successful sale next fall as the interest of the college authorities has been stimulated and their cooperation has been assured.

Donation of Rug Material:

An interesting contact made by the Sales Director has resulted in the donation of imperfect material from woven label factories, which the Commission has given to rug makers working in their homes. Three large packing cases full of silk ribbon labels roughly valued at $1,500 have been donated to the Commission by the Kluge Company and the Empire State Company. As this material is of the best, the rugs are firm and very salable.

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The designer's assistance to these organizations includes help with designs and models; information as to purchase of materials and cost of production; advanced instruction to blind workers. The securing of competent shop supervisors is another form of help rendered. Four instructors and supervisors have been secured for local associations, involving 53 interviews with candidates. In the spring, the designer met with the industrial committees of each association and presented 192 models suitable for weavers, hand and machine sewers, basket workers, knitters, crocheters, etc. She remained with each association long enough to have such models copied which they wished to make use of, and to assist the head of the department in planning materials, etc. Visits are followed up as helpfully as possible through correspondence. Thirty-eight home workers have been assisted in their homes, as well as receiving advice and suggestions by letter. These workers live in districts where they cannot attend any workshop. Localities: Mechanicville, Walden, Apex, Geneva, Ripley, Rhinebeck, Oswego, Newburgh.

Great need is felt for an assistant in this department and for a studio or workroom where models and designs may be prepared, and where work sent in may be inspected. The Commission Teacher submits the first product of each pupil in rug weaving under instruction in the home to the designer, for criticism. As a pupil. proves his ability, the designer forwards directions in Braille as well as in type, for whatever patterns she feels he should undertake. By following an established policy the Commission is always in touch with the product of home weavers and knows when their work should be checked up or changed; standardizing the product of home workers is difficult but not impossible. In this branch

the designer's and the sales director's work dovetail, the success of each being dependent on close contact and supervision of the home worker.

Models Prepared:

36 aprons.

23 articles of clothing.

26 baby articles.

11 animals, dolls, etc.

16 designs in art weaving. 21 domestic articles.

21 model rugs.

38 fancy bags.

COOPERATION WITH LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE BLIND.

The Commission continues in close cooperation with the twelve Associations for the Blind in New York State. Home teachers have been assigned to work with these Associations as formerly, and the services of special workers have been provided on request. Home teachers are more or less permanently assigned to the following centers: Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Jamestown, Glens Falls, Elmira and Yonkers. Five home teachers are working in unorganized territory. During the year the Commission has organized and conducted sales for the Southwestern Tier Association, the Albany Association, and the Southern Tier Association, as well as disposing of stock from all Associations, through wholesale and retail sources. Under a separate report will be found the activities of the Commission designer and buyer whose services have been requested by every Association in the State. The Commission is in close touch with each Association in connection with applications for relief and is constantly advising on medical problems, as well as assisting with plans where difficult social conditions are involved.

Each year a meeting is held with the State Federation of Workers for the Blind of which the Associations are members. Matters of common interest are reviewed and various policies of the Commission and recent developments of work, are discussed. The Associations are most helpful in contributing their good will and appreciation of the services of the Commission, in coordinating the work for the blind of the State.

*Community Craft Weavers - Commercial Textile Weaving:

The Commission has rendered material assistance to the New York Guild for the Jewish Blind in helping to establish a new department for blind men to be trained as commercial weavers. Although this industry has been tried out in the past and discontinued, the situation as presented seemed to hold possibilities for success. The Community Craft Weavers started with two blind. men who were trained by the Commission; three looms were loaned to the centre. The development of the work was under the joint supervision of the Community Centre and the designer for the Commission. This department was started in February, 1924:

Under the New York Guild for the Jewish Blind.

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Part of the cost of this experimental work was defrayed by the New York State Commission for the Blind

the minimum wage is $7.50 (during training) and the maximum wage to date, $22.10 a week. I should like to mention that the New York State Commission is responsible for a large percentage of our sales and to again stress the fact that commercial textile weaving is an industry well adapted to the blind; their product can be put in direct competition with the work of sighted weavers. Much of the credit for our success must be given to the encouragement of the New York State Commission and to their able Assistants in helping to establish this Department."

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On July 1, 1923, the State Commission for the Blind was granted an appropriation to meet necessary expenses in carrying out the purposes of the Relief Measure, Chapter 185, Laws of 1922. Under the law as recently enacted it is the duty of the Commission to recommend annual appropriations for relief, to County Boards of Supervisors. It must be remembered that under the Relief Measure, it is not mandatory upon County Boards to make an appropriation. For this reason, careful interpretation of the measure has been necessary; the Commission considers that results for the first year are unusually satisfactory. As far as can be ascertained, it is seldom that a measure of this kind, which increases the annual budget, has been so favorably received.

Letters explaining the main purposes of the bill were sent to approximately 1,500 members of county boards in advance of their annual meetings. The preparation of appropriations recommended for each county presented a formidable task, as the making of an estimate necessitated a reviewing the status of the blind in each county, and noting the potential cases for relief. As most of the annual meetings of county boards were held during November and it was impossible for the Relief Agent to present the recommendations of the Commission to each in person, other members of the staff were temporarily assigned to this work. An average of four members of each county board were personally interviewed and the bill explained in detail. A Commission representative met with the Boards of Supervisors during their annual sessions in every county.

The following statement concerning the Relief Law was made by a prominent member of one of the Boards of Supervisors to the Commission representative who had addressed the Board, recommending an appropriation for the needy blind. The Board member. who is himself a lawyer, said that it was the concensus of opinion that Chapter 185, Laws of 1922, is a model piece of legislation and that the Board highly approved of the manner in which it is drawn up; "it handles the matter in exactly the right way."

Quoted from the Executive Secretary of the Community Centre.

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