DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Adelia M. Hoyt memoir and photographs

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Page 96

96, UNFOLDING YEARS

threads of a new life and weave a pattern according to God's will. I had never enjoyed idleness and now I knew that I must find something to occupy my days and make my life worth living. I took up crocheting and soon had the house decorated with my handiwork. 
Mrs. Darr was a most congenial companion and our home life was very pleasant but it was soon to be broken. In September she was taken very ill and had to be removed to the hospital. We notified her daughter who now lived in Omaha, Nebraska. She came at once and stayed with us. Emma accompanied her nearly every day to the hospital and helped her with business matters. After three weeks of suffering the dear soul passed away. When the funeral was over and the daughter returned home life went on as before, but we were lonely. 
Two years before my retirement I had purchased one of the "Talking Book" machines developed by the American Foundation for the Blind, of which Mr. Robert B. Irwin was now Executive Director. This machine, which is something like a victoria, reproduces recordings of books made by selected readers. In this way one many listen to his favorite classic or best seller read in a most acceptable manner, turning it on and off at his pleasure or convenience. While I was at work I had little time to use this machine, but now that I was at home it became and continued to be a great source of comfort and pleasure to me. 
These recorded books which are produced at government expense are owned by the Library of Congress and distributed among twenty seven regional libraries, from which they are loaned to readers in their vicinity. Machines for reproducing these records are also the property of the Library and are freely loaned to readers. However, some readers like myself prefer to have their own machines and are allowed to purchase them. All this was brought about through the efforts of the American Foundation under the leadership of Mr. Irwin. I consider this one of the greatest blessings ever conferred upon sightless readers. Machines have continued to improve and more and more books have been recorded.

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96, UNFOLDING YEARS threads of a new life and weave a pattern according to God's will. I had never enjoyed idleness and now I knew that I must find something to occupy my days and make my life worth living. I took up crocheting and soon had the house decorated with my handiwork. Mrs. Darr was a most congenial companion and our home life was very pleasant but it was soon to be broken. In September she was taken very ill and had to be removed to the hospital. We notified her daughter who now lived in Omaha, Nebraska. She came at once and stayed with us. Emma accompanied her nearly every day to the hospital and helped her with business matters. After three weeks of suffering the dear soul passed away. When the funeral was over and the daughter returned home life went on as before, but we were lonely. Two years before my retirement I had purchased one of the "Talking Book" machines developed by the American Foundation for the Blind, of which Mr. Robert B. Irwin was now Executive Director. This machine, which is something like a victoria, reproduces recordings of books made by selected readers. In this way one many listen to his favorite classic or best seller read in a most acceptable manner, turning it on and off at his pleasure or convenience. While I was at work I had little time to use this machine, but now that I was at home it became and continued to be a great source of comfort and pleasure to me. These recorded books which are produced at government expense are owned by the Library of Congress and distributed among twenty seven regional libraries, from which they are loaned to readers in their vicinity. Machines for reproducing these records are also the property of the Library and are freely loaned to readers. However, some readers like myself prefer to have their own machines and are allowed to purchase them. All this was brought about through the efforts of the American Foundation under the leadership of Mr. Irwin. I consider this one of the greatest blessings ever conferred upon sightless readers. Machines have continued to improve and more and more books have been recorded.