facilities for training, was in an advanced stage of construction. The total number of handicapped persons registered with the Department continued to increase and stood at 7,766 at the close of the year compared with 7,136 at the same time last year.
67. In the field of blind welfare, the most striking development was the opening by the Hong Kong Society for the Blind of a factory with capacity for some 200 blind workers. The factory was built with a donation of $1 million from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, while the post of manager of the factory is being financed for two and a half years by the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind. The factory was opened by His Excellency the Governor on 12th March, 1963; it is equipped with modern machinery and provided employment initially in sewing, broom, brush and button making, crate and box mending and chalk making for 154 workers, including some with handicap other than blindness, at the close of the year. The number of blind persons registered increased from 3,226 to 3,767 during the year. Apart from those at the factory, 30 others were found employment by the Depart- ment. The Canossa School for Blind Girls successfully integrated four of its pupils into classes at a sighted school, while the Ebenezer School and Home took over the training of blind persons in telephony from the Hong Kong Society for the Blind. Both schools, among others, received increasing support and guidance from the Special Schools Section of the Education Department. Nine clubs for a total of nearly 400 blind persons continued to be run by the Department, to assist them to adjust initially to their handicap.
68. 190 more deaf persons were registered, making a total of 1,646 at the end of the year. An important visitor was Dr. D. R. FRISINA, Professor of Audiology and Director of the Hearing and Speech Centre at Gallaudet College, Washington, D.C., who was in Hong Kong for nine weeks as UNESCO consultant to the Education Department. His report on the Educational Aspects of Deafness in Hong Kong recom- mended concerted action by the Education, Social Welfare and Medical and Health Departments in rehabilitating the deaf; the three Depart- ments are considering how best to implement his recommendations.
69. The Victoria Park School for the Deaf was able to cater for 40 more deaf children during the year, double the number of last year; this raised the total enrolment of deaf children in schools to 438. In addition, some 130 places were available in three clubs operated by the Department at Wong Tai Sin, Li Cheng Uk and the Tsan Yuk Social Centre. But there were still 262 deaf children on the register who were
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