Contrary to the expectations of the public, very few men were blinded in the army. Wounds that would deprive a man of his sight usually killed him. Out of our forces of about a half million men, only 130 have had their vision impaired to such an extent that they require re-training. The Canadian authorities arranged with Sir Arthur Pearson that the blind men should all be trained in that splendid institution, St. Dunstan’s Hostel, in London. In the early days of the War, however, a few blinded men drifted back to Canada without training. These were collected and about a dozen sent to Halifax, where they were given special instruction under the Military Hospitals Commission at the School for the Blind. They were taught Braille reading and writing, typewriting, Braille stenography, massage, and shoe repairing. Most of the men made remarkable progress, and are successfully earning their own livings to-day. Altogether Canada has granted about 53,000 courses of re-training. From the very first she has followed a sane, practical policy, and has enjoyed the advantages of uniformity and centralized control throughout all the Provinces. The results speak for themselves. In Nova Scotia 65 per cent. of the men who have completed their courses are successfully re-established in the occupation for which they were trained. Another 20 per cent. are earning satisfactory wages in other lines of work than those for which they were specifically prepared. These men have changed because they saw better opportunities for themselves, individually, in another vocation, or they may have felt fit enough, after their course, to return to their old occupation. Their training will not be lost, because they are so much more competent because of having it. Ten per cent. of the men have gone out of the Province and cannot be traced. It is safe to conclude that most of these are successfully re-established. Two per cent. of the men are reported as unemployed, but it is not known to what extent this is due to lack of temporary opportunity or disinclination on the part of the man. Three per cent. of the men are reported as still ill and temporarily under treatment. This high salvage among war-wrecked men can be accepted with great satisfaction by every patriotic Canadian. Without the loyal co-operation of every section of society and the unflagging devotion to duty on the part of the large Staff of returned men who were engaged in administration and instruction, these results would have been impossible. Canada’s record of reconstruction and her efforts to rehabilitate the brave soldiers who gave of their youth and strength in the service of the country, stand on a par with her military achievements. CHAPTER L. _THE PATRIOTIC FUND._