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In June, 1907, the commission became responsible for the conduct of the work (originally begun by the Alumnae Association of the Perkins Institution) of promoting home industry among blind women in various parts of State. This work consists in procuring orders for sewing, knitting, etc., furnishing and preparing materials to be finished, receiving consignments and remitting monthly the proceeds of sales. Through the salesroom we have also been enabled to aid certain blind men to market baskets, cabinet work and wire work. The taking over and enlargement of this branch of our work necessitated the lease of a third room, at 383 Boylston Street, from the Perkins Institution.

The experiment station of the Massachusetts association was started in the fall of 1904, for the general purpose of discovering and testing new forms of industry for the blind, and more particularly for determining what could be done to promote the industrial efficiency of blind women. The degrees of success achieved by the experiment station under the superintendence of Mr. Campbell in teaching blind women to weave artistic linens on hand looms, and the prospect of a fair market for the rugs produced by blind men on hand looms, led us to take over the experiment station for the purpose of continuing the experiment till a decisive conclusion as to its value could be reached. When taken over by the commission, the station occupied an old dwelling house at 678 Massachusetts Avenue, in the South of Boston, in which about 1,850 square feet of floor space was availed for the employment of 8 blind men and 8 blind women. The place was not only inadequate for the existing needs of the superintendent, foremen, designers, weavers and mop makers, but did not admit of alterations that might render it a suitable and convenient place for more extended operations and the employment of more blind operatives. After careful search, new quarters were secured on a three years' lease: (1) in a factory building at 686 Massachusetts Avenue, near Central Square, in Cambridge, for the men's shop; and (2) at 277 Harvard Street, corner of Inman Street, Cambridge, for the women's shop. The removal to Cambridge was effected in the spring of 1907, thereby affording us about 7,500 square feet of floor space suitable for our purpose.

It should be noted that most of the blind persons employed in the shops or in attendance on the classes in cobbling, basketry and broom making live in Boston or in its neighborhood, and utilize the street cars in coming and going from their work. For others, however, and more particularly apprentices and workers from outside the metropolitan district, boarding places have been secured in Cambridge. The problem of meeting the need; of homeless blind women employed in the shop is a serious and somewhat perplexing one; but we are likely to solve it. It should be said that Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, who live in Cambridge, at 277 Harvard Street, have been singularly zealous and successful in securing suitable boarding places for those who had best live within easy distance of their daily work, and in promoting their happiness and welfare.

An efficient seeing man was placed in charge of the Pittsfield shop as superintendent, and a competent blind man was made foreman and instructor in chair caning and the renovation of mattresses. In June, 1907, the old Pittsfield shop was given up, and new quarters, affording 1,420 square feet of floor space (an increase of 486 square feet), on the ground floor of a new building on Dunham Street were secured. We have utilized the Pittsfield shop chiefly for the instruction of blind men who were willing to learn to reseat chairs, or who needed further instruction and practice in that craft. Under Mr. Rowland's energetic management the business of the shops has been substantially increased, and the wisdom of the removal into more commodious and expensive quarters amply justified.

The commission has desired from the first to establish small shops in various cities of the State, as it believes that by well-directed effort, and at relatively small expense, remunerative work can be secured near their homes for small groups of blind men, such as are found to be in most of the larger cities of the State. The success of such shops will depend largely on securing competent foremen and capable workmen. To find and test such persons requires patient search and trial; but our agents have shown much skill and zeal in studying local needs and possibilities, and are rapidly increasing their personal acquaintance among the blind.

Profiting by the experience gained from reorganizing and extending the operations of the Pittsfield shop, we hope to establish other shops like it as fast as it shall appear feasible and wise to do so. As at present advised, we consider it desirable to stimulate local interest in the welfare of the local blind, and to aid the blind to gain the patronage of their neighbors and fellow townsmen, rather than to attempt to organize establishments in which relatively large numbers of the blind would be gathered together as factory hands among strangers. We shall do our best to promote home industries for the blind. It is not a very difficult matter to teach blind women to do hand weaving.