LAURA DEWEY BRIDGMAN.
Miss Bridgman was born in Hanover, N. H., December 21, 1829, and died in South Boston, Mass., May 24, 1889. When but three years of age she lost, through scarlet fever, her sight and hearing, becoming a blind deaf mute. In 1837 she was placed in the Institution for the Blind in Boston. Here Dr. S. G. Howe was director. He developed a special system of training for her, and in a short time she had acquired a considerable vocabulary, and so successful was the course of training used by Dr. Howe in her case that she became well known throughout the country, and this was successfully applied in the cases of other similarly unfortunate persons.
ETTA JOSSELYN GIFFIN.
Librarian for the blind; formerly in the Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. In 1897 Miss Giffin was appointed assistant librarian in the Library of Congress by John Russell Young, librarian at that time. A number of blind citizens had made a personal appeal to the librarian for a reading room, which was granted, and Miss Giffin placed in charge. When the new building was opened to the public, October 1, 1897, a room for the blind was appropriated and everything done to adapt this room to the use of the blind. So much interest was immediately shown by all visitors to the new library that it was decided by Mr. Young to collect not only books, music, maps and periodicals, but also devices for reading tangible print, guides for keeping pencil and pen in straight lines, games and every device for instructing and entertaining the blind. One of the important things which was commenced by Mr. Young was the collection of the reports from schools and institutions for the blind in American and foreign countries,
