The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sight to the Blind, by Lucy Furman

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Title: Sight to the Blind

Author: Lucy Furman

Release Date: April 11, 2004 [EBook #11998]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIGHT TO THE BLIND ***

Produced by Al Haines

SIGHT TO THE BLIND

A STORY

BY

LUCY FURMAN

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

IDA TARBELL

1914

TO HARRIET BUTLER

Contents

INTRODUCTION BY IDA M. TARBELL SIGHT TO THE BLIND AFTERWORD

The illustrations reproduced in the Introduction to this volume
have been selected from those in Miss Furman's "Mothering on
Perilous."

Introduction Ida M. Tarbell

Introduction

A more illuminating interpretation of the settlement idea than Miss
Furman's stories "Sight to the Blind" and "Mothering on Perilous"
does not exist. Spreading what one has learned of cheerful,
courageous, lawful living among those that need it has always been
recognized as part of a man's work in the world. It is an
obligation which has generally been discharged with more zeal than
humanity. To convert at the point of a sword is hateful business.
To convert by promises of rewards, present or future, is hardly
less hateful. And yet much of the altruistic work of the world has
been done by one or a union of these methods.

That to which we have converted men has not always been more
satisfactory than our way of going at it. It has often failed to
make radical changes in thought or conduct. Our reliance has been
on doctrines, conventions, the three R's. They are easily
sterile--almost sure to be if the teacher's spirit is one of
cock-sure pride in the superiority of his religion and his
cultivation.

The settlement in part at least is the outgrowth of a desire to
find a place in which certain new notions of enlightening men and
women could be freely tested and applied. The heart of the idea
lies in its name. The modern bearers of good tidings instead of
handing down principles and instructions at intervals from pulpit
or desk _settle_ among those who need them. They keep open house
the year around for all, and to all who will, give