Vision Australia
Administrative record - Text, 80th Annual Report Royal Blind Society of N.S.W. (1960), 1960
... Albert's appointment as Vice President, the unexpected demolition of 'Heathfield; in Woollahra due to it's condition and a rethinking of strategy given the demand for a kindergarten in the western suburbs, intention to rebuild the lower hall in William St to accommodate studios, offices, repair and storage facilities to satisfy the growing demand for tapes, outline of the Blind Book Society and how it became an auxiliary to the Society so that the assets and goodwill of the BBS were transferred to the RBS, support for this action by Frank Clune and other authors, transcription work done by the Braille Writers Association of NSW includes Leaving Certificate exams, knitting patterns, recipes and musical compositions, references to the change in talking book machines and teachers checking transcribers work to ensure mild censorship does not occur, two examples of how the support can change the life of a blind person, the assembling of a giant flower basket (10 x 15 feet) for the Town Hall Float in the Waratah Festival which was filled with 25,000 sweet peas and a bow of 6 foot wide satin - sadly the truck carrying this would not start and the float was not seen, dropping of sales due to plastic goods and imported products, 17 First Prizes and 12 Second Prizes in various handicrafts at the Royal Easter Show, the work of Margaret Green in providing services to blind children across the state, a visit by world-famous blind pianist George Shearing, pictures of the opening of the "Light House" home for Aged Blind Women and the Alexis Albert Hostel for Aged Blind Men, renovations have occurred at the Helen Keller Hostel and drama and singing classes are held as well as the local choir Waimea Singers directed by Nellie Sweeney, cricketer Ken Curtis took a hat trick - the first in Australian blind cricket history - in the third match between NSW and Victoria at Kooyong in December 1960, three musicians (Julian Lee, Percy Roberts and George Herrmann) were in contact with pianist Percy Shearing before his television appearance, drama classes provided by Irene Alexander have been well attended with some students giving dramatic presentations on radio stations, monthly musical concerts continue to be held in the Society's hall, the continued success of the Black and White Ball, the huge success of the 2UW Blind Appeal providing much needed funds, the addition of the Silver Lighthouse to the group of Auxiliaries, the passing of E K Gordon who was a Foundation Member of the Committee as well as roles with the Newcastle branch and Nursery for Blind Babies, the ACT Liaison Group obtained free passes for bus services within the Territory, the 'Glow Worm' sessions ended in its 21st year on 2GB with Goodie Reeve now reading news excerpts and Betty Hatherley's session on 2UW have been replaced by recorded announcements....Davis Alexis Albert Noel McCaw Buildings Talking books Blind Book Library Kenneth Bruce Frank Clune Dame Mary Gilmore Roy Young Braille Writers Association of New South Wales Transcription T Brockhoff Zita Ainsworth L Farrell A Faulks Percy Cooper M Duncan Dorothy Juleff Margaret Green Victor Maxwell Kindergarten Light House Home Alexis Albert Hostel Helen Keller Hostel Waimea Singers Nellie Sweeney Ken Curtis Cricket Julian Lee Percy Roberts George Herrmann Irene Alexander Maurice Chevalier Nola Dekyvere Betty Hatherley L C Haynes Fundraising L Atkins L A Maurer J Lamond J Wishart Jill Hamer W. ...
Articles in the annual report include: a brief history of the organisation on it's 80th anniversary, resignation of Herbert Thompson who had provided over 50 years of voluntary service in the library, Braille teacher and Council member with a plaque commemorating him in the Library, the addition of Reverend Noel McCaw on the Council as Mr Thompson's replacement and A.F. Albert's appointment as Vice President, the unexpected demolition of 'Heathfield; in Woollahra due to it's condition and a rethinking of strategy given the demand for a kindergarten in the western suburbs, intention to rebuild the lower hall in William St to accommodate studios, offices, repair and storage facilities to satisfy the growing demand for tapes, outline of the Blind Book Society and how it became an auxiliary to the Society so that the assets and goodwill of the BBS were transferred to the RBS, support for this action by Frank Clune and other authors, transcription work done by the Braille Writers Association of NSW includes Leaving Certificate exams, knitting patterns, recipes and musical compositions, references to the change in talking book machines and teachers checking transcribers work to ensure mild censorship does not occur, two examples of how the support can change the life of a blind person, the assembling of a giant flower basket (10 x 15 feet) for the Town Hall Float in the Waratah Festival which was filled with 25,000 sweet peas and a bow of 6 foot wide satin - sadly the truck carrying this would not start and the float was not seen, dropping of sales due to plastic goods and imported products, 17 First Prizes and 12 Second Prizes in various handicrafts at the Royal Easter Show, the work of Margaret Green in providing services to blind children across the state, a visit by world-famous blind pianist George Shearing, pictures of the opening of the "Light House" home for Aged Blind Women and the Alexis Albert Hostel for Aged Blind Men, renovations have occurred at the Helen Keller Hostel and drama and singing classes are held as well as the local choir Waimea Singers directed by Nellie Sweeney, cricketer Ken Curtis took a hat trick - the first in Australian blind cricket history - in the third match between NSW and Victoria at Kooyong in December 1960, three musicians (Julian Lee, Percy Roberts and George Herrmann) were in contact with pianist Percy Shearing before his television appearance, drama classes provided by Irene Alexander have been well attended with some students giving dramatic presentations on radio stations, monthly musical concerts continue to be held in the Society's hall, the continued success of the Black and White Ball, the huge success of the 2UW Blind Appeal providing much needed funds, the addition of the Silver Lighthouse to the group of Auxiliaries, the passing of E K Gordon who was a Foundation Member of the Committee as well as roles with the Newcastle branch and Nursery for Blind Babies, the ACT Liaison Group obtained free passes for bus services within the Territory, the 'Glow Worm' sessions ended in its 21st year on 2GB with Goodie Reeve now reading news excerpts and Betty Hatherley's session on 2UW have been replaced by recorded announcements.1 volume of text and imagesroyal blind society of new south wales, annual report, justice maxwell, paul cullen, h.f. benning, herbert thompson, c d darvall, ken bunn, e t herford, roy kippax, k. g hunter-kerr, phyllis bourke, w.a. davis, alexis albert, noel mccaw, buildings, talking books, blind book library, kenneth bruce, frank clune, dame mary gilmore, roy young, braille writers association of new south wales, transcription, t brockhoff, zita ainsworth, l farrell, a faulks, percy cooper, m duncan, dorothy juleff, margaret green, victor maxwell kindergarten, light house home, alexis albert hostel, helen keller hostel, waimea singers, nellie sweeney, ken curtis, cricket, julian lee, percy roberts, george herrmann, irene alexander, maurice chevalier, nola dekyvere, betty hatherley, l c haynes, fundraising, l atkins, l a maurer, j lamond, j wishart, jill hamer, w. cannington, e k gordon, j blair, b macleay, lions club of mayfield, lions club of sydney, lions club of burwood, apex, lions club of bondi, n g wilson, j v brickwood, goodie reeve, 2uw, 2gb
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