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Title
Book: "Frank H. Hall: Success through Service, 1841 - 1911"
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Description
“For fifty years Frank H. Hall helped the youth of our land to solve arithmetical problems. For fifty years, he helped the teachers to solve pedagogical problems. For fifty years he helped everyone with who he associated to solve humanitarian problems. And now, after so many active years of service, he has gone to solve the Great Mystery – the problem of the centuries.”
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“In the realm of books, blind people were shut out from modern literature of all kinds (except as it might be read to them) because of the vast amount of time and labor required to make even on little book. Here was another obstacle in his path which he made up his mind must be overcome. He studied the three principal kinds of raised print used by the blind the world over, - decided which system was the simplest and most easily adaptable,-- and then began putting his inventive genius to work upon a machine that would be to the blind what the type-writer is to the seeing,--even more than this.”
“The result was soon forth-coming and startled the world in its simplicity and complete success. From the type-writer it was but a step to the stereotype-maker and map-machine: and the making of books for the blind was revolutionized. This was accompanied by no blare of trumpets. The invention was wrought out during time for which the State of Illinois was paying him to teach the blind. No other compensation seemed to him due from any source. He laughed at the idea of taking out a patent on the machines. Yes, it might make him rich,- but rich at whose cost? At the cost of the blind, chiefly, the great majority of whom hadn't a hundredth part as much worldly wealth as he had. No, this invention was not for his benefit; it was for the benefit of the blind,--to help them in their search for success through service. What would be added to the cost of the machines as royalty was thus ‘knocked off,’ and so simple was the construction of the Braille- writer that the manufacturers (at the inventor's solicitation that they make the price as reasonable as possible) offered it to the public for thirteen dollars, allowing the inventor to make a special price of ten dollars to his own pupils--those in the state of Illinois.”
“In 1893, when, at the World's Columbian Exposition, Helen Keller was introduced by her teacher to Frank Hall, she made the perfunctory response, "How do you do, Mr. Hall?" Her teacher said to her, "This is the Mr. Hall who made your Braille-writer"-- and instantly Helen Keller's arms were around his neck and her lips kissed his cheek. This in itself more than paid him for the invention of the Braille machines -- and he could never tell of this little incident without tears in his eyes.”
Source: "Frank H. Hall: Success through Service, 1841 - 1911"
…
“In the realm of books, blind people were shut out from modern literature of all kinds (except as it might be read to them) because of the vast amount of time and labor required to make even on little book. Here was another obstacle in his path which he made up his mind must be overcome. He studied the three principal kinds of raised print used by the blind the world over, - decided which system was the simplest and most easily adaptable,-- and then began putting his inventive genius to work upon a machine that would be to the blind what the type-writer is to the seeing,--even more than this.”
“The result was soon forth-coming and startled the world in its simplicity and complete success. From the type-writer it was but a step to the stereotype-maker and map-machine: and the making of books for the blind was revolutionized. This was accompanied by no blare of trumpets. The invention was wrought out during time for which the State of Illinois was paying him to teach the blind. No other compensation seemed to him due from any source. He laughed at the idea of taking out a patent on the machines. Yes, it might make him rich,- but rich at whose cost? At the cost of the blind, chiefly, the great majority of whom hadn't a hundredth part as much worldly wealth as he had. No, this invention was not for his benefit; it was for the benefit of the blind,--to help them in their search for success through service. What would be added to the cost of the machines as royalty was thus ‘knocked off,’ and so simple was the construction of the Braille- writer that the manufacturers (at the inventor's solicitation that they make the price as reasonable as possible) offered it to the public for thirteen dollars, allowing the inventor to make a special price of ten dollars to his own pupils--those in the state of Illinois.”
“In 1893, when, at the World's Columbian Exposition, Helen Keller was introduced by her teacher to Frank Hall, she made the perfunctory response, "How do you do, Mr. Hall?" Her teacher said to her, "This is the Mr. Hall who made your Braille-writer"-- and instantly Helen Keller's arms were around his neck and her lips kissed his cheek. This in itself more than paid him for the invention of the Braille machines -- and he could never tell of this little incident without tears in his eyes.”
Source: "Frank H. Hall: Success through Service, 1841 - 1911"
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Photo of Hall Braille-Writer Courtesy of: https://www.antiquetypewriters.com/typewriter/hall-braille-writer-1/
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