Kate M. Foley (May 26, 1873 – October 7, 1940) was an American librarian and advocate for blind literacy, based in San Francisco, California.
Early life Catherine M. Foley was born in East St. Louis, Illinois,"Pioneer Teacher of Blind Will be Laid to Rest Today" The Los Angeles Times (October 8, 1940): 39. via Newspapers.com the daughter of James Foley and Bridget E. Dunn Foley. Her parents were both immigrants from Ireland. She was blind from infancy, from ophthalmia neonatorum.Angela Gates, "'A (blind) woman's place is (teaching) in the home': The life of Kate Foley, 1873–1940" (master's thesis, San Jose State University 2016): 31–33. "I was in my sixth year before I understood the meaning of the word blind. Up to that time, I had romped and played with other children, climbed trees, jumped ditches, accepting bumps and bruises as part of the game, and having no sense of fear, since some child always held my hand."Kate M. Foley, Five Lectures on Blindness (California State Printing Office 1919). She attended the California Institute for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind, graduating in 1895."California Library Hall of Fame: Kate M. Foley (1873–1940)" California Library Association (2015).
Career Foley began working for the California State Library in 1914, in the Books for the Blind department, as Home Teacher of the Blind.California Legislature, "Report of the State Librarian" Journal of the Senate (California State Printing Office 1917): 11–12. She started a public school class for blind children in Los Angeles in 1917,"Teacher of Blind Transferred North" The Los Angeles Times (October 27, 1917): 12. via Newspapers.com and taught a class of men at the Industrial Home for the Adult Blind in Oakland, California. "The pupils have confidence in a blind teacher," she explained, "because they know that every step in their difficult path is familiar to her feet." She also trained educators to work with blind students, trained clubwomen to copy texts into Braille,"Red Cross Women Help to Prepare Books for Blind" Oakland Tribune (June 24, 1928): 58. via Newspapers.com and worked with blind prisoners at San Quentin."Blind Teaches Blind" Oakland Tribune (March 2, 1936): 9. via Newspapers.com She published Five Lectures on Blindness in 1919, based on lectures she gave at the University of California in 1918.Gillis, Mabel. "State Library" Outlook for the Blind 13 (Winter 1918–1919): 33. In the 1920s she gave radio talks for blind listeners, and promoted radio as a medium for blind education."Radio Talks Win Pupils" Oakland Tribune (August 4, 1929): 111. via Newspapers.com She also promoted an early prototype of a "talking book" machine."Listening to a Book Talk" The St. Louis Star and Times (June 28, 1934): 9. via Newspapers.com
She was second vice-president of the American Association of Workers for the Blind,"1919 Toronto Convention of the A.A.W.B." Outlook for the Blind 13 (Summer 1919): 44. and chaired the American Braille Commission. She was a frequent speaker before civic groups and conferences, including the 1931 World Conference on Work for the Blind in New York.
Personal life On October 7, 1940, Foley died at her brother's home in Los Angeles, California. Foley was 67 years old."Miss Kate M. Foley" The New York Times (October 8, 1940): 25. "Services Today for Miss Kate Foley, 67, Who Died in the South" Oakland Tribune (October 8, 1940): 20. via Newspapers.com"Blind Teacher of Blind Dies" The Los Angeles Times (October 7, 1940): 15. via Newspapers.com In 2015, she was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame.
References
External links Kate M. Foley, "The Re-Education of the Blind Adult" Outlook for the Blind 13(Summer 1919): 47–52. One of her published lectures on blind education. Angela Gates, "'A (blind) woman's place is (teaching) in the home': The life of Kate Foley, 1873–1940" (master's thesis, San Jose State University 2016).