What Does The Kid Know?

You’ve seen it of the buttons of an ATM, or an elevator panel. Those raised dots in different patterns that can be read by visually impaired people. What is it called?

Barbier.

What? That’s not it. But it’s probably should have been.

You see the inventor of this method was a man named Captain Charles Barbier. It was an ingenious military invention he called Night Writing used so soldiers could read orders in the dark without having to light a lamp and give away their position.

Eventually, Barbier introduced his concept to the blind. A thirteen-year-old boy at the Royal Institute for the Blind was one of the first to learn the new system. He was excited by the opportunities it offered but thought it might be too complex. So he offered Barbier some ideas on how to simplify and improve it. Barbier did not welcome his suggestions. He was incensed that a mere boy could imagine he had something to offer and stalked out of the room, He angrily refused to even consider making changes.

So the boy began to work on his own to make improvements His system proved simpler and superior thought he was always as always quick to credit Barbier for his role in development.

That’s why the system isn’t named after it’s creator but it’s perfecter Louis Braille.

A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Age has its advantages but one should never assume the younger don’t have anything to offer. Wisdom can from many sources. No matter how old or sure of ourselves we are it never hurts to listen to others in how we can improve.

Those that think they know everything there is to know have a lot to learn.

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