St. Dunstan's was founded by the late Sir Arthur Pearson in the early days of the Great War and under his magnificent leadership and largely through his personal example—for he had himself gone blind shortly before the war—developed into an outstanding and universally-known organization for the care of the war-blinded. Officers and men, and a few women, from all the Empire countries, were eligible for assistance, and 95 per cent. of them came under and are still under, its care. Modern conditions of war suggest that the proportion of young service women requiring St. Dunstan's help may be considerably increased.
Sir Arthur Pearson coined the phrase "Victory over Blindness" and the attitude of mind which these words suggest became the guiding principle of St. Dunstan's. It was a familiar sight to see a blinded soldier finding his way alone with an occasional touch of his stick upon the railings round Regents Park where St. Dunstan's was situated during the Great War. A few weeks before, he was lying in hospital, unaware that he would so soon attain this degree of independence. Although the Head office in Regent's Park will remain for administrative and appeal purposes during the War, while air-raids are possible the blinded men themselves will be at Brighton.
Two thousand seven hundred and fifty came to St. Dunstan's. Nearly 2,000 still survive and their average age is still under 50. They learnt to be blind and went out into the world to lead so far as pó$sible normal and useful lives. They followed, and still follow, with St. Dunstan's constant help, many professions and handicrafts, The majority married after they were blinded for they were young men, many mere boys, in 1914. Save for those the gravity of whose wounds made it impossible, practically all were provided with occupation, the panacea of blindness. Practically all are contented, even happy. This is the miracle of St, Dunstan's, History repeats itself; the tragedy of war blindness is again with us, but St, Dunstan's will again come to the aid of these young men, heal their wounds, mend their hurt but unbroken spirit and show them the way to a new life of usefulness and happiness.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.