Hide Article Text (OCR)
The Wonderful Perseverance and Re markable Success of a Young Caradiar. A Toronto correspondent says : A blind young man has achieved for himself a record as a student that is probably un precedented and should prove inspiring to all who have had the misfortune to lose their sight. His name is William Stewart, and he has just passed his final examin ation as a law student, finishing his course at the head of his class and coming out with honors. Stewart, when twelve years of age, matriculated at Queen’s College, Kingston, and in 1879, when sixteen, he graduated from Queen’s University as gol medallist in mathematics, having won a number of scholarships during his course. Having finished his university course at this remarkably young age, he went to Montreal for a few months’ rest and with a strong determination to enter upon the study of law. The smallpox Hiaenic was then raging in Montreal. He fell a victim to the disease, and for a time his life was despaired of. When he recovered it was found he HAD LOST HIS SIGHT. After spending a few months at his old home in the county of Glengarry he set out to make his way in the world. He went to the Institute for the Blind at Brant ford, Ontario, and studied music, soon be coming a first-class piano tuner. After six months’ study at the institute he went to Manitoba, where he made quite a repu tation as a piano tuner. He earned good wages, but lived economically and saved money, his determination to become a lawyer still being strong. Having saved sufficient money to put him through a course of law, he entered the Law Society of Ontario at Osgoode Hall, in this city, two and a half years ago, and became arti cled to Sinclair Smith, lawyers, of this city, where he began to study for his ex aminations. He was a room-mate of Mr. James Smith of this firm, who gave him assistance in getting up his work for the examinations. At first it was most difficult, the text having to be gone over repeatedly, but as time went of the stu dent and his chief found the work more and more easy. Mr. Stewart soon began to develop EXTRAORDINARY MENTAL POWERS so that after he had passed his first ex aminations in law it was not necessary to repeat the law text to him, one reading being generally sufficient, and he displayed a remarkable memory in discussing with Mr. Smith long passages that had been read to him. This facility in the work was not brought about until after much labor, Mr. Stewart having had no experi ence in the law before he entered the law office. After a time the law texts were read by the office boy to Mr. Stewart and when he went up for his final examination the other day he took the office boy and a typewriting machine along with him. He is a very able operator on the typewriter, having mastered it in one day, a feat which few people with the use of their eyes would accomplish The office boy read him the printed questions of the examin ers and he wrote the answers with the typewriter. His examination was passed with honors, and it is said that his papers WERE JUST ABOUT PERFECT. Mr. Stewart's first appearance in court was when a student he was entrusted with a motion in chambers. He is a ready speaker and a sound and logical reasoner, always ging straight to the point, and having a peculiar faculty for grasping the essential points of anything from the Court or opposing counsel He has cultivated his wonderful memory to such an extent that he can carry in it all the principal references to cite in a case in court, but should his memory fail him at any time he can have recourse to his notes, which he makes an ordinary foolscap paper with a small machine made for puncturing the surface, so as to give it a corrugated ap pearance on the reverse side, and which he reads by feeling over the surface with his fingers. Mr. Stewart's prospects at the bar are very bright, and his friends look forward to him winning laurels at the bar, as he did in his noble efforts to get there. Hoe is one of the best chess players in Canada, and in this, as in his studies, he is served by his memory. His opponent makes the moves for him, and, in turn, tells him the moves made against him. All these he is able to carry in his mind so perfectly that he can play his part almost as readily as one who has full use of his eyes.
Newspaper Details
Lindsay Watchman
Lindsay, Ontario, CA
Thu, Jul 16, 1891
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Elise B.
