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The number of blind people possessing Talking Book machines and the list of Talking Books available in the libraries for the blind in Great Britain have not matched those in the United States, partly because the British libraries are still dependent upon private philanthropy for this service. Furthermore, there is a reluctance on the part of some British home teachers about introducing their clients to the Talking Book until they have mastered braille. They feel that when a newly blinded person finds that he can read without acquiring a knowledge of braille he will not go through the arduous process of learning touch reading and writing.

PERIODICALS FOR THE BLIND

There are at present close to two hundred braille, two Moon type, three New York Point, and four Talking Book periodicals published in the United States. They represent various types, ranging from general news magazines to those devoted to special subjects, to religious publications, to current events papers for school use, to house organs of various kinds, etc., including three periodicals published especially for the deaf-blind. Dr. Irwin's time was too short to give coverage to all of them, or to make a representative selection of a few from each group. His special leaning toward historical research made him turn first to the early pioneers and to their efforts at providing periodical reading matter for the blind. He knew well the problems that made these early efforts difficult and sometimes impossible of success. With the passage of time the situation has changed somewhat and financial backing has been found for the present large number of periodicals for the blind.

THE HISTORY of periodicals for the blind began in 1867 when a publication appeared printed in linetype using capitals and lower case letters in a special system, devised by Napoleon B. Kneass of Philadelphia. In 1890 it was brought out also in New York Point. It was known as the Kneass Quarterly Magazine for the Blind and contained articles of general interest and a few pages of advertising. This was read eagerly by blind people. Even every word of the advertising was read carefully by most readers. However, the subscription price was pretty high for blind people, especially in those days when dollars were particularly difficult for sightless people to come by. The magazine was very thin, but most welcome to those who could afford it. It had only a few hundred subscribers.

Mr. Kneass continued to pioneer in the field of periodicals for the blind by establishing in 1876 Kneass's Philadelphia Magazine for the Blind, and in the same year Kneass's Music Journal. All of these magazines had ceased to appear about the turn of the century, but they represented a new approach to reading material for the blind.

Another pioneer in the publication of periodical literature for the blind was Joseph Gockel of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1900he began the publication of a current events magazine, The Weekly Review, which was continued for a little over thirty years. About 1916 he also started a small Catholic magazine, The Lux Vera. There was a short period when the two magazines were merged into one. After a time the current events section was discontinued but The Lux Vera was published until Mr. Gockel's death in 1941.

The magazines were first printed in New York Point, but changed to braille about 1930.

Mr. Gockel was always a devout Catholic. In missionary circles he obtained some prominence in his diocese. He was a man who stood very high among the blind and was much thought of by all who were acquainted with him.

History was made in the field of periodicals for the blind with the establishment, in 1907, of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind. This history is also the history of Walter G. Holmes.

In 1906, Mr. Holmes, a young man on the editorial staff of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, went to New York and Boston to consider an offer which he had received from the Hearst Publications. While there he contacted his friend, Paul Block, and seriously considered entering into an advertising business with this gentleman. While these matters were under consideration, Mr. Holmes read in one of the New York papers a notice of the probating of a will leaving a substantial sum of money to various charities, not including the blind. Mr. Holmes, who had a blind brother slightly older than himself and for whom he had a great affection, wrote an open letter to the paper, asking why someone did not leave a bequest for the benefit of the blind. Not intending to pursue the matter, Mr. Holmes did not wish his address published, but it was inadvertently done.

Within a few days he received a letter from Mrs. E. Matilda Ziegler, wife of William Ziegler of Royal Baking Powder fame. Mrs. Ziegler, who had a blind son and who had read Mr. Holmes' open letter, expressed her interest in his thought and inquired about any specific ideas he might have. She signed only her initials E. M. Z. and gave her address. A meeting ensued in which Mr. Holmes suggested the need of a magazine for the blind. After considerable discussion Mrs. Ziegler agreed to set up and maintain such a magazine, to be sent free or practically free to sightless people under one condition, Mr. Holmes must be its editor. Mr. Holmes then had about decided to go into what later proved to be a very profitable advertising venture with Mr. Block. After some thought he agreed to edit Mrs. Ziegler's magazine for the blind on a half-time basis for an extremely modest salary. As a matter of fact, Mr. Holmes never went on with his advertising business and gave full time to the magazine for the rest of his life. Mrs. Ziegler was an extremely modest benefactor and at first refused to permit her name to be used in connection with the proposed magazine. It was only after the most insistent urging on Mr. Holmes' part that she yielded to his suggestion that it be named The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind.