
     THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 43, No. 5     May, 2000

     Barbara Pierce, Editor


     Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by

     THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


     National Office
     1800 Johnson Street
     Baltimore, Maryland  21230
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     THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
     SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES





ISSN 0006-8829

Vol. 43, No. 5 May, 2000
     Contents

Correction of Error, Retraction, and Admonition     
     by Marc Maurer
Merger in the Blindness Field     
Attorney General Confirms Scandal
at Connecticut State Agency for the Blind     

Fueling the Fire     
     by Barbara Walker

A Visit to the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel     
     by Barbara Pierce

Convention Transit Information:
MARTA to the Marriott Marquis     

Nell Carney Appointed
to Direct South Carolina Commission for the Blind     
     by Donald C. Capps

And a Child Shall Lead Them     
     by Norman Gardner

Overcoming Employers' Doubts about the
Capabilities of People with Disabilities     
     by Charles E. Young

Of Mice and Refrigerators     
     by Tonia Trapp

It's a Cat's Life     
     by Peggy Elliott

Finding Best Ways for Blind in Computer World     
     by Kevin Washington

First You Have to Ask . . .     
     by Donald J. Morris

Recipes     

Monitor Miniatures     

     Copyright (c) 2000 National Federation of the Blind

[LEAD PHOTO DESCRIPTION: The lead photograph shows the skyline of Atlanta.
CAPTION: The Atlanta Skyline beckons us back to enjoy the hospitality of the 
Southland July 2 to 8. If you are not already holding travel and hotel 
reservations, make them today.]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: NFB President Marc Maurer]
     Correction of Error, Retraction, and Admonition
     by Marc Maurer
     
     For about the past two years rumors have come to the attention of the 
National Federation of the Blind that Western Michigan University through its 
program of Blind Rehabilitation was planning to put together a standards and 
certification program for independent travel. Because independent travel is of 
primary importance to the blind, because organizations of blind consumers were 
not asked to participate in the creation of such standards, and because previous 
efforts to establish certification and standards for the blind were a thinly 
veiled effort to control blind people and programs for the blind by unscrupulous 
individuals, the National Federation of the Blind was deeply concerned. A 
document came to hand in June of 1999 which appeared to confirm these rumors. It 
said:
     
     Western Michigan University in conjunction with a number of disability 
service agencies will establish standards, create a curriculum for the 
preparation of independent travel instructors, and develop a national 
examination that will lead to certification of those instructors. The standards 
for preparation will be developed by conducting a job analysis of various 
instructors who work at four facilities that are regarded by the steering 
committee as providing quality travel instruction. The job analysis will include 
observations, task analyses, questionnaires, interviews, and examination of 
manuals. >From this information, job responsibilities will be identified as well 
as knowledge and skill competencies that are required to carry out those 
responsibilities. A national validation survey will also be conducted to weigh 
the importance of each of the identified competencies. The model curriculum can 
be offered at the college level and will consist of didactic courses and 
clinical experiences that will prepare instructors for the essential functions 
of the job.
     
     In response to this plan the National Federation of the Blind considered a 
resolution during the 1999 convention, resolution 99-13. The resolution, which 
was printed in the August/September issue of the Braille Monitor asserted that 
"the latest effort to create a standards and certification program for 
professionals in the field of blindness has been announced at Western Michigan 
University, proposing to establish standards and a curriculum for instructors in 
independent travel. . . ." The convention condemned and deplored the actions of 
Western Michigan University. It also set out the intention of the organization 
to notify funding sources that Western Michigan University had not sought 
participation by blind consumers. The full text of the resolution reads:
     
     WHEREAS, efforts to develop certification criteria and procedures in the 
field of services for the blind have largely failed in the United States because 
those involved in designing and implementing the programs have not involved 
elected representatives of the blind in their efforts, the most notable of these 
failures being NAC--the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the 
Blind and Visually Handicapped; and
     WHEREAS, the latest effort to create a standards and certification program 
for professionals in the field of blindness has been announced by Western 
Michigan University, proposing to establish standards and a curriculum for 
instructors in independent travel; and
     WHEREAS, the Western Michigan announcement also indicates that the 
standards and curriculum will be developed in conjunction with a number of 
disability service agencies, but says nothing about the involvement of consumer 
organizations of blind people and their elected representatives; and
     WHEREAS, the choice of an alliance with disability service agencies rather 
than consumers is inexcusable and cannot be attributed to an oversight, since 
the architects of this latest certification scheme are well informed about the 
blind consumer movement and have therefore chosen to ignore it; and
     WHEREAS, this latest attempt to promote standards and certification in the 
name of quality service is essentially a self-serving plan to promote the vision 
of travel instruction according to Western Michigan University and to perpetuate 
that vision without regard to benefits for blind people; Now, therefore,
     BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in convention 
assembled this sixth day of July, 1999, in the City of Atlanta, Georgia, that 
this organization condemn and deplore the Western Michigan standards and 
certification initiative, while recognizing that the plan itself is an 
acknowledgement of the other failed efforts in this area; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we advise authorities of Western Michigan 
University and any other potential sources of financial support for this effort 
that a project such as independent travel standards for the blind must first 
pass muster with the blind themselves before funds are approved to underwrite 
the effort.
          
     Additional documents later supplied by Western Michigan University appeared 
to indicate that the training program for independent travel is not intended for 
the blind but for people with other disabilities. Consequently, the facts 
presented in the resolution regarding a standards and certification program to 
be applied to independent travel for the blind were incorrect. However, one of 
the advisory sources for information for the program at Western Michigan 
University is the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind 
and Visually Impaired (AER). The curriculum is, according to the Western 
Michigan documents, being created by the Blind Rehabilitation Program of Western 
Michigan University. It is worth wondering whether the certification system 
being created by Western Michigan (though apparently today not applicable to 
programming for the blind) is intended in years ahead to encompass independent 
travel for the blind. Nevertheless, the facts stated in the resolution, it must 
be emphasized, are incorrect.
          We hereby retract the assertion contained in the Braille Monitor for 
August/September 1999 with respect to independent travel. However, we also urge 
Western Michigan University to distribute information that is accurate. The 
assumptions contained in Resolution 99-13 are completely reasonable given the 
information Western Michigan itself distributed about the program. If Western 
Michigan University does not wish to be misunderstood in future, it should 
supply adequate information to prevent misunderstanding.
     
     
     Merger in the Blindness Field
     
     From the Editor: As we were going to press, the following press release 
arrived at the National Center for the Blind. It demonstrates that the blindness 
field has now achieved a maturity and significance never before seen. We reprint 
the release in its entirety and leave our readers to draw their own conclusions 
about its importance. Here it is:
     
     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
     April 11, 2000
     
     Henter-Joyce and Blazie Engineering Merge
     to Form Freedom Scientific, Inc.
     
     St. Petersburg, Florida--Henter-Joyce, the leading U.S. software company 
specializing in products for blind people, has merged with Blazie Engineering, 
the leading U.S. manufacturer of Braille hardware devices, to form Freedom 
Scientific, Inc., a new company dedicated to offering a broad line of assistive 
technology products for people with sensory impairments and learning 
disabilities.
     Henter-Joyce, founded in 1987 by Ted Henter, who learned to program 
computers after losing his sight in a car accident, is known for having 
developed the world's best-selling screen reader software, called JAWS (Job 
Access with Speech) for Windows. By allowing blind people to achieve the same or 
higher productivity in computer-based jobs as sighted people, JAWS has increased 
employment opportunities for people who are blind while helping employers and 
universities meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
Located in St. Petersburg, Florida, Henter-Joyce employs seventy-one people, of 
whom thirty-one are blind or visually impaired--the majority working in software 
engineering, computer programming, sales, or technical support. Ted Henter will 
stay on with Freedom Scientific as vice president of advanced development for 
software products.
     Blazie Engineering, founded in 1986 by Deane Blazie, an electrical engineer 
with an advanced degree in computer science, manufactures a broad line of 
hardware products for blind people, including note takers, Braille printers, and 
Braille displays. Blazie developed the Braille 'n Speak, the world's first note 
taker - a personal digital assistant (PDA) with Braille input and voice or data 
output that allows blind users to take notes, keep their address books, and 
update their personal calendars without reliance on pencil and paper. Blazie now 
offers five different models of note takers and holds a leading global market 
share. Blazie employs seventy-five people at its facilities in Forest Hill, 
Maryland, and Stuart, Florida. Deane Blazie will stay on with the combined 
companies as vice president for advanced development of hardware products.
     Freedom Scientific is headed by Richard H. Chandler, founder and former 
C.E.O. of Sunrise Medical, one of the world's major manufacturers of 
rehabilitation products for the elderly and disabled. Chandler resigned from his 
post at Sunrise in October, 1999, after sixteen years, in order to form a new 
company focusing on technology-based products for people with disabilities. 
Freedom Scientific has been funded with an equity commitment from two leading 
private equity firms, Patricof & Co. Ventures, and Summit Partners, each of 
which has successfully invested in the past in businesses focused on disability 
products. Credit lines and additional equity investments have been arranged with 
two major banks, further contributing to Freedom Scientific's capital pool 
dedicated to the new venture in assistive technology.
     Henter-Joyce and Blazie Engineering will continue to design, develop, and 
manufacture their respective product lines in separate business development 
units, but their sales, marketing, order-entry, and administrative functions 
will be combined at the Freedom Scientific Blind/Low Vision Group, to be located 
in St. Petersburg, Florida. Freedom Scientific's corporate headquarters will be 
in Carlsbad, California.
     Commenting on his decision to merge with Blazie and form Freedom 
Scientific, Ted Henter said, "Deane Blazie gave me my start in business over 
fifteen years ago, and we have been close friends ever since. Our teams have 
worked well together on numerous joint efforts over the past several years. 
We've often thought it would be a natural alliance to put our two companies 
together, but each of us lacked the necessary capital to make it work. When Dick 
Chandler came along with access to venture capital sources, the pieces just fell 
into place."
     Deane Blazie said this about the merger: "Ted and I are similar in that we 
both have a love of product and fascination with technical challenges in the 
blindness field, but we found ourselves increasingly bogged down in 
administrative chores as our companies grew. The new company's structure will 
allow us each to concentrate on what we do best. Dick Chandler brings a 
background in professional management and a track record of building enterprises 
through acquisitions and expanding those businesses internationally. Our new 
company will benefit from numerous synergies, creating the same kind of 
potential."
     Chandler observed, "Ted Henter and Deane Blazie have both built highly 
successful companies committed to delivering technology-based products that open 
the doors of employment and education for blind and visually impaired 
individuals. In aggregate their businesses grew by more than 25 percent last 
year. This growth should be further invigorated by this merger, with its 
opportunity for offering customers a broad line of hardware and software 
products, along with improved levels of customer service and support. Ted and 
Deane will continue to provide strong leadership voices in the blind/low vision 
industry. Freedom Scientific, meanwhile, will seek additional acquisition 
opportunities in related assistive technology markets, such as products for the 
learning disabled and speech or hearing impaired."
     Freedom Scientific's mission is to change the world for people with sensory 
and learning disabilities by creating innovative, technology-based products and 
solutions.
     
     
     Attorney General Confirms Scandal
     at Connecticut State Agency for the Blind
     
     From the Editor: Over the years we have reported a number of dismaying 
lapses in services to blind people delivered by state agencies charged with 
conducting rehabilitation programs in their states. For many months grumblings 
and even outright complaints about the agency director in Connecticut have been 
making their way to our attention. Finally, last year, the allegations reached 
such a pitch that Connecticut Governor John Rowland moved his pal, Kenneth 
Tripp, from his job as director of the Board of Education and Services for the 
Blind (BESB) to another position in state government that was less public, 
though it did carry a larger salary.
     But in January the Connecticut Attorney General completed an exhaustive 
investigation into the allegations against Tripp and his friends and made a 
report so damning that Tripp was forced to resign altogether from state 
government. In late December Betty Woodward, President of the NFB of 
Connecticut, urged the governor to consult with consumers before making his 
replacement appointment to BESB, but Rowland chose to ignore the request.
     He did, however, urge his new appointee, Lawrence Alibozek, to meet with 
consumers early and often to do what he could to reestablish confidence in BESB 
among members of Connecticut's blindness community. The new director specializes 
in improving problem situations, and to give him his due, he has been trying to 
establish good communications with the blindness organizations in the state. To 
his credit he is meeting regularly with representatives of the groups and seems 
to be listening to what consumers are saying. In short, things may finally be 
improving in Connecticut. On the other hand, they had a long way to go after the 
shenanigans of Kenneth Tripp and his crowd. Here is much of the Attorney 
General's report. We have omitted all deposition page citations and several 
passages devoted to malfeasance that had little to do with the director or with 
his insulting behavior to blind people. Here is the report:
     
Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) Investigation Summary
     
     EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
     
January 24, 2000
     
     This report by the Office of the Attorney General summarizes an intensive 
investigation of numerous whistle-blower complaints regarding the management of 
the Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) by Kenneth Tripp, the 
Executive Director.
1. Our investigation essentially found these complaints to be supported by 
overwhelming evidence of gross mismanagement and an environment of sexual 
harassment and intimidation, favoritism in hiring and promotions based on a 
romantic relationship, fear of retaliation, and insensitivity toward blind 
individuals. As part of our investigation into the allegations, employees were 
subpoenaed from all levels of the BESB including the Executive Director, 
Director of Operations, Principal Personnel Officer, Business Manager, Managers 
of BESB divisions, transitional managers, supervisors, rehabilitation teachers 
and counselors, administrative/clerical staff, and industries employees. Both 
current and former employees were deposed, including some blind and visually 
impaired employees.
     Our investigation, finding merit in many of the whistleblowers' 
allegations, specifically concluded that Executive Director Kenneth Tripp 
improperly and unlawfully promoted a BESB employee, Karen Urciuoli, with whom he 
was having an ongoing affair, and manipulated the BESB personnel system to hire 
and promote Ms. Urciuoli's cousin, Susan Mannix. Mr. Tripp also created and 
fostered a general climate of sexual harassment and intimidation at BESB. He 
frequently engaged in physical touching of female employees and directed sexual 
comments, sexual innuendo, and profanity toward BESB staff. His ongoing affair 
and actions involving Ms. Urciuoli while in the office also contributed to this 
environment, and her rapid and unjustified promotions gravely undermined the 
trust of BESB employees in the integrity and fairness of the office.
     Indeed this pattern of favoritism and misconduct created the impression 
that sexual and personal ties mattered more than ability and job performance to 
success and advancement at BESB. In addition to unprofessional management of 
BESB, our investigation found that Mr. Tripp displayed insensitivity to the 
blind and visually impaired citizens of Connecticut that BESB is mandated to 
serve. Numerous individuals testified about Mr. Tripp's rude conduct, jokes 
concerning the blind, and a questionable record of hiring the blind and visually 
impaired.
     
Recommendations
     This office makes the following recommendations:
     1. The Governor should consider appropriate disciplinary action against Mr. 
Tripp as well as Steven Shapiro, the principal personnel officer, and John 
Whitham, Director of Operations.
     2. A thorough review of BESB's management and operations should be 
conducted to ensure that the agency is able to create an appropriate 
professional environment for its employees to enable them to properly fulfill 
their responsibilities to the blind and visually impaired citizens of 
Connecticut.
     3. The Department of Administrative Services should consider appropriate 
personnel action with respect to Ms. Urciuoli's and Ms. Mannix's promotions.
     
     Summary of Allegations
     
     The following allegations were made:
     1. The Executive Director improperly favored for promotion another BESB 
employee as a result of his intimate relationship with her. The employee was 
promoted three times in a fifteen-month period in violation of Connecticut 
Personnel statutes and regulations.
     
Discussion: Many of the complaints received in this office allege that the 
affair between Kenneth Tripp, the Executive Director, and another BESB employee, 
Karen Urciuoli, in the office led to Ms. Urciuoli's rapid and unfair promotions. 
In depositions Mr. Tripp and Ms. Urciuoli both stated that they became 
romantically involved in 1998 after Ms. Urciuoli had been promoted three times 
by Mr. Tripp, but the evidence gathered in our investigation clearly indicates 
that their intimate relationship began at a much earlier date. The evidence 
demonstrates that Ms. Urciuoli unfairly, and in violation of state personnel 
policy and regulations, received promotions because of her affair with Mr. 
Tripp.
     A review of BESB's personnel history indicates that prior to Mr. Tripp's 
appointment to the position of Executive Director Ms. Urciuoli had been promoted 
three times in ten years as a BESB employee. After Mr. Tripp's appointment Ms. 
Urciuoli was promoted three times in fifteen months. Ms. Urciuoli was promoted 
from a secretary I to a secretary II, and a secretary II to an administrative 
assistant, and from an administrative assistant to an office supervisor between 
February, 1997, and May, 1998. Personnel records reviewed and officials deposed 
make clear that Ms. Urciuoli did not meet the minimum qualifications for the 
last two promotions because she lacked the required experience and training.
     2. The Executive Director hired Ms. Urciuoli's cousin as a clerk typist and 
within six months promoted her to Executive Secretary.
     Discussion: Allegations have also been made regarding favoritism in hiring 
Susan Mannix, Ms. Urciuoli's cousin. Ms. Mannix testified that in early 1998 Ms. 
Urciuoli told her of clerical openings at BESB and sent her a job application. 
Ms. Mannix further testified that she applied for the job and was hired in May, 
1998, to work as clerk typist in Mr. Tripp's office. Ms. Mannix worked as a 
clerk typist for six months until November 20, 1998, when she was reclassified 
and promoted to a secretary I. Two weeks later on December 4, 1998, Ms. Mannix 
was promoted to executive secretary for Mr. Tripp.
     Even crediting the account given by Ms. Urciuoli and Mr. Tripp, their 
intimate relationship had begun by the time Ms. Mannix was hired. Ms. Mannix 
testified that three months after she was hired in May, 1998, Mr. Tripp 
approached her and told her that he was going to promote her to become his 
executive secretary. Mr. Tripp also manipulated the personnel system in order to 
appoint and promote Ms. Mannix. Specifically, Mr. Tripp reclassified a secretary 
I position to the lower position of clerk typist in the spring of 1998, shortly 
before Ms. Mannix applied for the position in May, 1998, making that position 
available for her. There also were other irregularities with Ms. Mannix's hiring 
in regard to BESB's affirmative actions goals.
     3. The Executive Director engaged in unwelcome and offensive touching of 
women and sexually offensive statements.
     Discussion: Our investigation found a pattern of inappropriate physical 
touching of women employees by Mr. Tripp. One BESB female employee testified 
that Mr. Tripp grabbed her buttocks with both hands during a volleyball game at 
a BESB agency picnic. In another incident a former BESB employee testified that 
Mr. Tripp touched her buttocks during a work conference. Both of these incidents 
were corroborated by witnesses. In addition, at least four female employees have 
indicated that Mr. Tripp massaged their necks and shoulders without their 
permission. Another employee testified that she observed Mr. Tripp, in his 
office, massaging the neck of a female BESB employee. She testified that he 
jokingly said to her, "I can get in trouble for sexual harassment about this 
[massaging necks] because of the way I touch people and I have to be careful who 
I do this to."
     When these women were asked why they did not tell Mr. Tripp that they were 
uncomfortable about this conduct, they all indicated that they were afraid that 
their jobs would be made unnecessarily difficult because of disfavor and 
retaliation from management and specifically from Mr. Tripp, "their boss," the 
Executive Director. These employees were also reluctant to tell Mr. Tripp of 
their concerns because of intimidation and possible retribution.
     In addition to the physical contact, many female BESB employees testified 
that Mr. Tripp made sexual and offensive statements to them or in their 
presence. One female employee testified that Mr. Tripp stated to her, while she 
was standing at her desk, in the presence of other employees, that she needed to 
wear "panties" to a BESB event that was held in the evening. Mr. Tripp's remark 
was heard and corroborated, in sworn testimony, by another employee, who said 
she was outraged that a manager would make such an offensive remark. One of the 
employees testified that she feared retaliation if she confronted Mr. Tripp 
about his comment.
     Female employees alleged that Mr. Tripp has made numerous incredibly 
sexually offensive remarks, such as, "She's so hot, she will make you come in 
your pants"; "I wonder what it would be like to do her?"; comments about reading 
Braille with his tongue and indicating that the women must love him; "I can say 
nice tie, but not nice thigh"; and describing a female employee as a "fat ass."
4. The Executive Director's use of loud, profane, and abusive language, coupled 
with inappropriate behavior by some of his managers and Ms. Urciuoli, 
intimidated employees and created a hostile work environment.
     
Discussion: Many of the female employees and some male employees testified that 
Mr. Tripp spoke in loud, profane, abrasive, and abusive tones, thereby creating 
an atmosphere of harassment and intimidation. In individual depositions a large 
number of the employees collectively indicated that there is a pervasive pattern 
and environment of unprofessionalism, which was the accepted modus operandi of, 
not only Mr. Tripp, but also some of his managers. This unprofessionalism was 
marked by unwelcome touching by Mr. Tripp, sexual jokes, offensive remarks, 
harassing, and intimidating behavior. The collective testimony of employees that 
the managers were present when many of the statements were made indicates that 
some of the managers accepted this behavior. The managers collectively were not 
seen as buffers between Mr. Tripp's unprofessional behavior and the employees, 
but as facilitators of Mr. Tripp's offensive management practices.
5. The Executive Director was insensitive to the blind BESB employees and the 
blind client base served by BESB.
     
Discussion: Our investigation substantiated allegations that Mr. Tripp was 
insensitive to blind and visually impaired BESB employees and the blind and 
visually impaired clientele served by BESB. Specifically Mr. Tripp has been 
accused of being engaged in a conversation with a blind person, then walking 
away from that blind individual without acknowledging his departure.
     In another instance Mr. Tripp was alleged to have removed a blind person 
from the front receptionist desk for BESB because he thought that she was 
unattractive. Specifically, a BESB employee gave sworn testimony that Mr. Tripp 
said of blind people that, "they don't look well; they are ugly." The witness 
testified that shortly thereafter, the blind receptionist was transferred to 
another department within BESB.
     Mr. Tripp has also been accused of making jokes about blind people. One 
former blind BESB employee testified that she was at a conference in September, 
1997, where Mr. Tripp was also in attendance. She testified that during the 
coffee break she was standing talking with Mr. Tripp and another BESB employee. 
She stated that she was drinking coffee and eating coffee cake when Mr. Tripp 
stated that the employee had crumbs on the top of her blouse and asked her how 
she would get them off. She indicated that she attempted to brush the crumbs off 
of her blouse, only to be told by another BESB employee, who was standing beside 
the blind employee, that there were no crumbs on her blouse. The blind employee 
stated that the joke or prank made her feel embarrassed.
     Mr. Tripp has also been accused of not being receptive to blind employees, 
clients, and advocacy groups. Specifically, one BESB board member and several 
former employees testified that Mr. Tripp has missed several Agency Consumer 
Advocacy Committee (ACAC) meetings and has not been overly responsive to the 
Connecticut Council for the Blind. One employee further stated that when members 
of the Connecticut Council for the Blind attempted to contact Mr. Tripp about 
meetings, he either did not respond or had his secretary call with an 
unsatisfactory response.
     Both blind and sighted employees testified the BESB Windsor facility is 
designed in such a way that makes it very difficult for the blind to navigate. 
Both blind and sighted employees have alleged that Mr. Tripp replaced positions 
that had been traditionally held by blind employees with sighted employees. One 
employee testified that, when blind employees left, they were replaced with not 
only sighted people, but sighted people without experience dealing with 
blindness. A large number of the employees deposed--sighted, visually impaired, 
blind, both current and former employees--testified that Mr. Tripp was not an 
advocate for the blind community. The employees based this on his lack of 
interaction with the blind community and insensitivity to the blind.
6. The Executive Director permitted the Director of Operations to give state 
property to a BESB employee for her personal use in violation of Title VII, 
 .005 of the State's Property Manual.
Discussion: Ms. Urciuoli was asked about allegations that she had taken State 
property belonging to BESB for her personal use; she indicated that she had 
obtained a chair from BESB, but did not recall who gave her permission to get 
the chair or who delivered the chair to her house. Mr. Jack Whitham, the 
Director of Operations, testified that, when BESB was relocating from its Ridge 
Road facility in Wethersfield to Windsor, he had given Ms. Urciuoli permission 
to take the chair and that he had personally delivered it to her home. Mr. Tripp 
and Mr. Whitham both testified that the chair had not been retrieved from Ms. 
Urciuoli as of November, 1999. Under chapter 7 of the State Property Manual, 
section .004 and section .005 of the chapter entitled "Disposal of Items Deemed 
Scrapped," a State employee cannot, under any circumstances, receive state 
property, even if it has been designated "surplus" or "scrapped." Mr. Whitham 
was asked if his giving Ms. Urciuoli a BESB chair, whether designated surplus or 
scrap, was a violation of the State's property regulations. He indicated that 
BESB had violated this provision.
     
     REPORT
     
Factual Background
     The Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) is a Connecticut 
State agency which was first established in 1893 and is responsible for 
providing services to blind and visually impaired persons. BESB implements 
education and training for the blind citizens of Connecticut through the 
initiation and coordination of specialized programming. BESB serves blind or 
visually impaired children as well as adults. BESB also provides vocational 
training and living skills to its client base.
     Kenneth Tripp, the Executive Director of BESB, was first hired in October, 
1996, by Governor John G. Rowland. As Executive Director Mr. Tripp reports 
directly to the governor and is responsible for the overall management and daily 
operations of BESB. In overseeing the operations of BESB, Mr. Tripp has hired 
managers to supervise the various divisions of BESB. Those managers include John 
Whitham, Director of Operations and Chief of Adult Services; Albert Acayan, 
Fiscal Administrative Manager 2; Barbara Williams, Chief of Children's Services; 
Brian Sigman, Chief of Vocational Rehabilitation; John O'Connell, Acting Chief 
of Business Enterprise Program; and Steven Shapiro, Principal Personnel Officer.
     BESB employs approximately 115 state employees in the administering of the 
BESB mission. Also several hundred non-state employees work in the BESB 
industries producing services and goods.
     
Findings
     Based on the information which we obtained in our investigation, we have 
made the following findings:
1. The Executive Director is involved in a romantic relationship with another 
BESB employee and as a result of that relationship the employee was promoted 
three (3) times in a fifteen-month period in violation of Connecticut Personnel 
statutes and regulations.
     Many of the complaints received in this office allege a romantic 
relationship between Kenneth Tripp, the Executive Director, and another BESB 
employee, Karen Urciuoli. The complaints further allege that, because of Ms. 
Urciuoli's romantic involvement with Mr. Tripp, she was unfairly promoted. It is 
critical to determine the time frame for Mr. Tripp's interaction with Ms. 
Urciuoli because both allege that the romantic relationship did not begin until 
May, 1998. However, as will be discussed infra, the trips to the casinos, the 
trip to Washington, D.C., the telephone calls after work hours, the jewelry, the 
flowers, the candy, and the gift of the CD occurred much earlier than May, 1998. 
If Mr. Tripp's relationship with Ms. Urciuoli began earlier than the May, 1998 
time frame, then her promotions, from the beginning of Mr. Tripp's tenure with 
BESB to May, 1998, are suspect. This is particularly valid if Mr. Tripp gave Ms. 
Urciuoli gifts and attended social outings and did not do the same with other 
BESB employees.
     Specific allegations have been made that Ms. Urciuoli received promotions 
because of her relationship with Mr. Tripp. A review of BESB's personnel history 
indicates that Ms. Urciuoli was promoted from a secretary I to a secretary II, 
and a secretary II to an administrative assistant, and from an administrative 
assistant to an office supervisor, between February, 1997, and May, 1998. Prior 
to these promotions she had been a senior clerk from 1986 to 1992; thereafter 
she was an office assistant from 1992 to 1995. In 1995 she was promoted to 
secretary I. Specifically, in February, 1997, Ms. Urciuoli was promoted from a 
secretary I to a secretary II and was transferred from Children's Services to 
Adult Services. Three months later Ms. Urciuoli was recommended for a promotion 
from a secretary II to an administrative assistant and subsequently promoted in 
August 1997. Thereafter, in May, 1998, Ms. Urciuoli was promoted from an 
administrative assistant to an office supervisor.
     In a sworn deposition Ms. Urciuoli testified that she began a romantic 
relationship with Mr. Tripp somewhere between May, 1998, and the fall of 1998. 
Mr. Tripp, in his deposition, testified that he first began a relationship other 
than platonic with Ms. Urciuoli in May or June of 1998. However, during Mr. 
Tripp's deposition he was questioned when he would have had his first social 
interaction with Ms. Urciuoli, either platonically or romantically, and he 
stated that they drove to a wedding together in the spring of 1997. 
Specifically, Mr. Tripp testified that he asked Ms. Urciuoli if she would like 
to ride with him to Mr. Tom Grossi's wedding, another BESB employee. She 
accepted his invitation and drove to the wedding with Mr. Tripp. Mr. Tripp 
testified that no one else rode with them to the wedding. During his deposition 
Mr. Tripp was asked why he would invite a BESB employee who was a secretary II 
to ride with him to another employee's wedding. He replied that, "I enjoyed her 
company and thought it would be appropriate to share the day." Mr. Tripp also 
indicated that he did not invite any other BESB employees to ride with him to 
the wedding.
     Many of the BESB employees in their depositions testified that Mr. Tripp 
and Ms. Urciuoli went to lunch together on numerous occasions and that those 
lunches normally were in excess of one hour. Mr. Tripp testified that he and Ms. 
Urciuoli went to lunch together alone on two occasions between January and May, 
1997. Mr. Tripp did not recall going to lunch with Ms. Urciuoli frequently. 
However, several employees under oath testified that they observed Mr. Tripp and 
Ms. Urciuoli have lunch together three or four times a week during a two-year 
period, beginning early in 1997. The employees further indicated that the 
lunches often exceeded one hour and sometimes even two hours. Ms. Urciuoli's 
current supervisor indicated to Mr. Tripp, "if Karen is going to spend time 
away, we've got to make sure we have coverage down there."
     When questioned whether he went out to lunch with any other clerical staff, 
he indicated that he had gone to lunch with Ms. Lisa Tanquay, his Executive 
Secretary at that time; he did not recall, however, if there were other people. 
When questioned if he had eaten lunch with Ms. Urciuoli in her office, Mr. Tripp 
indicated that he had. He further elaborated that Ms. Urciuoli often picked up 
take out and that he would simply eat it in her office. When questioned whether 
it was just he and Ms. Urciuoli having lunch in her office, he indicated, "yes". 
When questioned whether he had eaten in any other female clerical staff's 
office, he replied, "no." Mr. Tripp indicated that he had eaten lunch with Ms. 
Tanquay and other clerical staff, but the lunch was in a conference room and not 
in their offices.
     Allegations were made that Mr. Tripp spent an inordinate amount of time 
frequenting Ms. Urciuoli's office. Mr. Tripp denied being in Ms. Urciuoli's 
office frequently. Numerous BESB employees under oath who worked in the 
Executive Director's Office, Children and Adult Services Divisions testified 
that over a two-year period, roughly from late 1996 through 1998, Mr. Tripp was 
at Ms. Urciuoli's desk or she was in his office daily for numerous hours 
laughing and socializing.
     Several employees made allegations that Mr. Tripp would visit Ms. 
Urciuoli's office with the office door locked. Allegations were also made that 
the glass partition in the door would be covered with paper so as to obstruct 
the view. Mr. Tripp denied ever intentionally being in Ms. Urciuoli's office 
with the door locked. He admitted that he could have been in Ms. Urciuoli's 
office with the door locked and not known it. Mr. Tripp did not recall if he had 
been in Ms. Urciuoli's office with the glass partition in the door covered with 
paper. The glass partition could have been covered, and he was unaware of it. 
Numerous employees testified that Mr. Tripp was in Ms. Urciuoli's office in many 
instances with the door closed.
     When questioned whether he had ever touched Ms. Urciuoli at work, Mr. Tripp 
responded negatively. Mr. Tripp was further questioned if he had massaged Ms. 
Urciuoli's neck during working hours, and he further denied any touching of her 
neck. BESB employees testified that they had seen Mr. Tripp touch Ms. Urciuoli 
during the work hours at BESB. Specifically, employees said it was quite common 
to observe Mr. Tripp in Ms. Urciuoli's office, standing behind her and massaging 
her neck. Another employee testified that she had observed Mr. Tripp put his 
arms around Ms. Urciuoli's waist on several occasions and touch her buttocks, in 
one instance during business hours. The time frame the employees gave for the 
touching instances was as early as the winter of 1997. Furthermore, one of Mr. 
Tripp's managers testified that roughly in July, 1997, he observed Mr. Tripp 
holding Ms. Urciuoli's hand and also observed Mr. Tripp touching her shoulders 
at work.
     Mr. Tripp was asked if he had ever called Ms. Urciuoli at her private 
residence. He indicated that he had. He was given a copy of his state cellular 
telephone log record with two entries specifically highlighted. He examined the 
log and indicated that it was, in fact, his telephone log, and that the two 
calls in question were made by him to Ms. Urciuoli. Mr. Tripp was also asked to 
identify the date and time that the calls were made. The telephone log indicated 
that Mr. Tripp called Ms. Urciuoli at her private residence on May 23 and May 
24, 1997. The first call was at 7:46 p.m., on a Friday evening, for six minutes 
and the second call was at 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday evening for fifty minutes.
     Mr. Tripp was asked why he, as the Executive Director, would call a 
clerical staff, who was a Secretary II and not working directly with him, at 
home in the evening on a weekend. He replied that his relationship with Ms. 
Urciuoli was platonic and that they shared a commonality of experiences, mainly 
their children. Mr. Tripp was asked if he telephoned any other female BESB staff 
at home after work hours between May, 1997, and December, 1997, and he indicated 
that he did not. Mr. Tripp also added that he had called his former Executive 
Secretary at home and that, although the call was for business purposes, some 
personal items were discussed.
     When questioned, Mr. Tripp acknowledged that he had attended several social 
functions with Ms. Urciuoli away from the office. Specifically, he testified 
that he and Mrs. Urciuoli, along with another BESB employee, went to Foxwood 
casino. Another BESB employee indicated that she attended the Foxwood casino 
with Mr. Tripp and Ms. Urciuoli in March of 1997. Mr. Tripp also acknowledged 
going to another gambling casino after May, 1998, with Ms. Urciuoli and her 
cousin, Susan Mannix, who later became Mr. Tripp's Executive Secretary. Mr. 
Tripp testified that he had gone to a baseball game with Ms. Urciuoli and her 
family which included her own children, her sister and brother-in-law, and their 
children. Mr. Tripp indicated that this would have been in 1998, during the 
baseball season.
     Allegations were made that Mr. Tripp gave Ms. Urciuoli gifts of candy, 
flowers, and jewelry. When Mr. Tripp was questioned concerning gifts that he had 
given to Ms. Urciuoli, he acknowledged that he had given her gifts. He was 
specifically asked if he had given Ms. Urciuoli a pair of diamond earrings, a 
ruby and diamond ring, and ruby and diamond earrings. He testified that he had 
given her all three jewelry items. Mr. Tripp was asked if these items were given 
before May of 1998, when he had indicated that a romantic relationship began 
between him and Ms. Urciuoli. He responded that he gave the gifts of jewelry to 
Ms. Urciuoli when the relationship was still platonic.
     When questioned why he would give such expensive gifts in a platonic 
relationship, Mr. Tripp responded that, "I am generous to a fault when I give 
gifts." Mr. Tripp was asked if he had given jewelry to any other employee at 
BESB since his tenure, and he replied that he had not. Mr. Tripp further 
indicated that he had given flowers, a musical CD, and candy to Ms. Urciuoli on 
various occasions. Specifically, Mr. Tripp testified that he gave Ms. Urciuoli a 
box of candy, a musical CD, and poinsettia for Christmas, 1997. He also stated 
that he gave Ms. Urciuoli flowers in the spring of 1998 and that he sent them to 
her in the capacity of a romantic relationship.
     Mr. Tripp was asked if he had given flowers to any other clerical staff, he 
indicated that he had given flowers for Christmas and other notable holidays to 
the clerical staff that worked for him in his own office. He was asked if he had 
ever bought a musical CD for any other clerical staff and indicated that he had 
not. . . .
     [Allegations concerning delivery of a computer to a rehabilitation client 
were found to be groundless.] Mr. Tripp indicated that the timing of the 
delivery of the computer coincided with a trip to Washington, D.C. that he had 
planned with Ms. Urciuoli and her sisters. Mr. Tripp stated that, in February, 
1998, they traveled to Washington, D.C., and spent three days and two nights 
before traveling to Delaware to deliver the computer to [the agency client]. Mr. 
Tripp indicated that he stayed in the same hotel room overnight with Ms. 
Urciuoli and her sisters. When questioned whether the relationship was platonic, 
Mr. Tripp indicated that it was. Mr. Tripp was asked if he had ever delivered 
any other BESB property outside the state, and he responded that he had not. He 
was asked if he had ever gone on a trip out of state with another female BESB 
employee and stayed overnight in the same hotel room, and he replied that he had 
not.
     Ms. Urciuoli's immediate supervisors, Mr. Tom Grossi, former Chief of Adult 
Services, and Mr. John Whitham, Director of Operations and Acting Chief of Adult 
Services, were questioned regarding her promotion to administrative assistant. 
Mr. Whitham indicated that Ms. Urciuoli was promoted because she was the most 
qualified person to take the job. He further stated that Ms. Urciuoli had an 
extensive knowledge of the computer client databases, as well as an 
understanding of the operation of Adult Services and that this set her apart 
from other clerical staff.
     A review of BESB's organizational chart for the spring of 1997 indicates 
that there were numerous clerical staff that would have been qualified for a 
promotion or lateral move to the position of administrative assistant. Many of 
the clerical staff deposed indicated that, given the opportunity, they would 
have applied for the promotion that Ms. Urciuoli received. They were, however, 
not given an opportunity to compete for this position because Ms. Urciuoli was 
promoted by reclassification.
     Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat.   5-227a, an employee may be promoted by 
reclassification when the following items are met: (1) The employee meets the 
minimum qualifications established by the Commissioner of Administrative 
Services for the career progression level of the reclassified position; (2) the 
employee has maintained an adequate performance record and received a 
satisfactory appraisal on his two most recent consecutive performance 
evaluations; (3) the employee has worked at his existing level in his current 
position for a minimum period of six months; and (4) the reclassified position 
is approved by the Commissioner of Administrative Services. . . .
     [Quite a long passage follows providing the details of Ms. Urciuoli's 
several promotions without having met the specified time working at each level. 
Mr. Shapiro, director of personnel, even audited her job and gave her his notes 
to incorporate into her application.] It would appear that Mr. Shapiro's actions 
were not inadvertent but intentional. Mr. Shapiro was asked if he was aware of 
Mr. Tripp's romantic relationship with Ms. Urciuoli when he processed her 
promotion for office supervisor. Mr. Shapiro testified that he was aware of 
rumors of Mr. Tripp's involvement with Ms. Urciuoli when she was promoted to 
office supervisor in May, 1998. He also testified that he was not concerned with 
Ms. Urciuoli's promotion to office supervisor at Mr. Tripp's request, even with 
the rumors of a romantic relationship occurring.
     As indicated earlier, both Ms. Lawson and Mr. Shapiro determined that Ms. 
Urciuoli did not possess the requisite requirements for promotions to 
administrative assistant and office supervisor. Ms. Lawson was asked what 
measures the State could take when such improper promotions had been made. Ms. 
Lawson indicated that in the absence of additional information indicating that 
Ms. Urciuoli was qualified for the administrative assistant and office 
supervisor positions, Ms. Urciuoli should be reclassified back to a secretary II 
and required to repay the state for all monies that were paid to her in error. 
Based on Mr. Tripp's involvement with Ms. Urciuoli and her promotions, it may 
appear to other female employees that, in order to get some job opportunities, 
you need to be involved in a personal relationship with the boss or connected 
with the girlfriend of the boss. This can be viewed as a form of sexual 
harassment because the message is, "promotions are given because of sex." . . . 
[The following passage describes the qualifications of another employee who had 
passed the examination for office supervisor six months before but who was not 
considered for the job when it was clear that Ms. Urciuoli was on the fast 
track.]
     When questioned about Ms. Urciuoli's reclassification to administrative 
assistant, Mr. Whitham and Mr. Shapiro indicated that Ms. Urciuoli was promoted 
by reclassification because she was already performing the duties at the higher 
level. Their rationale is questionable given the reasoning that Ms. Urciuoli, as 
a secretary I, worked in Children Services and was promoted to a secretary II in 
Adult Services. These are different units serving a different population. If 
BESB management did not consider that working experience in Adult Services was a 
necessary factor for a secretary II in the Adult Services Division, then it 
would follow that the clerical staff in other divisions should have been 
considered, either for the reclassification, or the position should have been 
posted for a competitive process.
     In August, 1997, Ms. Urciuoli was promoted by reclassification from a 
secretary II in Adult Services to an administrative assistant in Adult Services. 
A historical review of the administrative-assistant position in Adult Services 
indicates that Sally Ross, a state employee for approximately twenty-seven 
years, served as the administrative assistant in Adult Services until June, 
1995, when she retired. From June, 1995, until February, 1996, Diane Dawson, an 
employee from the SEBAC 2 list, was hired as an administrative assistant to 
replace Ms. Ross. Approximately one year later it was determined that Ms. Dawson 
had not worked long enough as a secretary II to meet the qualifications of her 
current administrative-assistant position. Subsequently Ms. Dawson was 
transferred to BESB's personnel office.
     The administrative-assistant position remained in Adult Services and 
unfilled, and Ms. Urciuoli was promoted by reclassification from a secretary I 
to a secretary II and transferred to Adult Services. Despite the fact that Ms. 
Dawson was a secretary II with extensive experience in Adult Services, Ms. 
Dawson was transferred out of Adult Services, and Ms. Urciuoli was promoted and 
reclassified into a secretary II position in Adult Services. Both Mr. Grossi and 
Mr. Whitham were asked why Ms. Dawson was transferred out of Adult Services. Mr. 
Grossi responded that Ms. Dawson did not meet the qualifications for the 
administrative-assistant position. On the same point Mr. Whitham responded that 
Ms. Dawson was incapable of performing the responsibilities of an administrative 
assistant and was insensitive to blind people and their issues.
     Mr. Whitham's explanation as to why Ms. Dawson was transferred is 
inconsistent with Mr. Grossi's explanation. These diverse opinions are 
particularly interesting because Mr. Grossi, who is legally blind, was Ms. 
Dawson's immediate supervisor and had the opportunity to interact with her on a 
daily basis and never testified that she was incompetent or insensitive to blind 
people. Mr. Grossi's testimony that the personnel manager at that time, John 
McMahon, and Mr. Tripp made the decision to transfer Ms. Dawson would further 
indicate that he was not displeased with her level of performance.
     A review of all the testimony and a review of Ms. Urciuoli's personnel 
records would indicate that Ms. Dawson, having served in the position of an 
administrative assistant, would be more knowledgeable of the workings of Adult 
Services than Ms. Urciuoli, who transferred from a different unit at two levels 
lower, that of secretary I. Given that they were aware that Ms. Dawson did not 
meet the qualifications for administrative assistant, it appears that Mr. 
Grossi, Mr. Whitham, and Mr. Tripp should have been aware that Ms. Urciuoli also 
lacked the qualifications for the subsequent promotion to administrative 
assistant.
     At the time that Ms. Urciuoli received the administrative-assistant 
promotion, there were two secretary II's and three administrative assistants in 
other divisions that were not given the opportunity to compete for that 
position. Many of them testified that, if given the opportunity, they would have 
applied for the position. It should also be noted that other office positions 
were manipulated to allow Ms. Urciuoli to be promoted to administrative 
assistant by reclassification rather than by competitive exam. The 
administrative-assistant vacancy in Adult Services was transferred to the 
Business Office shortly before Ms. Urciuoli was reclassified to the 
administrative-assistant position. Without the transfer of the actual 
administrative-assistant position in Adult Services, Ms. Urciuoli's secretary II 
position could not have been reclassified to an administrative-assistant 
position. Instead, Ms. Urciuoli would have been required to take a test and 
compete for the existing position. It appears that the administrative-assistant 
position was intentionally transferred to another division to accommodate Ms. 
Urciuoli's reclassification from a secretary II to an administrative-assistant 
position.
     Finding: Because of Mr. Tripp's romantic involvement with Ms. Urciuoli, she 
was improperly promoted to the positions of administrative assistant and 
subsequently to office supervisor. Mr. Tripp was assisted by Mr. Whitham, Mr. 
Grossi, and Mr. Shapiro in violating the Connecticut Personnel statutes and 
regulations in the promotions of Ms. Urciuoli. Based upon the testimony of DAS 
personnel, she should be reclassified back to a secretary II and be required to 
pay back the additional money that she was paid in error.
     
     2. The Executive Director hired Susan Mannix, who is the cousin of Ms. 
Urciuoli, the employee that he is romantically involved with, as a clerk typist 
and within six months promoted her to Executive Secretary.
     Allegations have also been made regarding favoritism in the hiring process 
of Susan Mannix. Ms. Mannix and Ms. Urciuoli are cousins. Ms. Mannix testified 
that in early 1998 Ms. Urciuoli, her cousin, told her of clerical openings at 
BESB and sent her a job application. Ms. Mannix further testified that she 
applied for the job and was hired in May, 1998, to work as clerk typist in Mr. 
Tripp's office. Mannix worked as a clerk typist for six months until November 
20, 1998, when she was reclassified and promoted to a secretary I.
     Two weeks later on December 4, 1998, Ms. Mannix was promoted to executive 
secretary for Mr. Tripp. The allegations of favoritism in the hiring and 
promotion process go to Ms. Mannix's relationship to Ms. Urciuoli and following 
therefrom, Ms. Urciuoli's romantic involvement with Mr. Tripp. It should be 
noted that Ms. Mannix was hired in the same month that Ms. Urciuoli and Mr. 
Tripp acknowledged the beginning of a romantic relationship between them. Ms. 
Mannix was deposed and testified that three months after she was hired in May, 
1998, Mr. Tripp approached her and told her that he was going to promote her to 
become his executive secretary. As indicated, Ms. Mannix was promoted to a 
secretary I and, shortly thereafter, promoted to Executive Secretary.
     We asked Ms. Mannix why she was in a secretary I position for two weeks. 
She could not explain the reasoning and referred those questions to Mr. Shapiro, 
the Principal Personnel Officer. . . . [The following text explains that Ms. 
Mannix's promotions were opposed by the Affirmative Action office, and there was 
no good explanation for their speed.] Under questioning, Mr. Shapiro testified 
that the decision was Mr. Tripp's. Mr. Shapiro further testified that he thought 
that the promotion process for Ms. Mannix's tenure as a secretary I for two 
weeks was unusual. Mr. Shapiro was asked whether he thought that Ms. Mannix's 
promotion to executive secretary was appropriate in light of her relationship to 
Ms. Urciuoli, and he replied that it was not appropriate.
     As with Ms. Urciuoli's promotions, significant manipulation of the 
personnel system within BESB was necessary to enable Mr. Tripp to hire and 
rapidly promote Ms. Urciuoli's cousin, Ms. Mannix. Specifically, Mr. Tripp 
reclassified an open secretary I position in his office to a clerk-typist 
position, a lower position, in the spring of 1998, shortly before Ms. Mannix 
applied for the position in May, 1998. The clerk typist was a non-competitive 
position which allowed Ms. Mannix to be hired. The secretary I position was made 
available when Uma Arun, who had been functioning in Mr. Tripp's office as a 
secretary I, was reclassified and promoted to a secretary II and transferred to 
BESB Industries.
     Mr. Tripp was asked about the specific downgrading of the open secretary I 
position to clerk typist. He responded that the decision to proceed in this 
manner was a management tool used to save dollars and to assess the candidate's 
abilities and qualifications. A recitation of the facts indicates that Ms. 
Mannix was hired in May, 1998; she was promoted to secretary I on November 20, 
1998, and two weeks later was promoted to Mr. Tripp's executive secretary.
     As a clerk typist Ms. Mannix would have worked for the then executive 
secretary, at that time Lisa Tanquay. Ms. Mannix would have had very little 
interaction with Mr. Tripp as a clerk typist. Therefore, it is questionable 
about Mr. Tripp's opportunity to assess Ms. Mannix's skills for a 
reclassification to secretary I. Mr. Tripp's former executive secretary, Ms. 
Tanquay, testified that, when Ms. Mannix was hired, Mr. Tripp instructed Ms. 
Tanquay to train Ms. Mannix to be the executive secretary.
     Mr. Whitham, Director of Operations, testified that he told Mr. Tripp that 
Ms. Mannix was not qualified for the position because she lacked the demeanor 
needed to competently function in such a position. He further testified that Mr. 
Tripp promoted Ms. Mannix despite his objection. Ms. Mannix, as a clerk typist 
and a secretary I, also was not required to participate in the telephone 
rotation. . . . [All clerical employees in these jobs were supposed to take 
turns doing these tasks, but Tripp kept Ms. Mannix out of the rotation.]
     Finding: Mr. Tripp manipulated the personnel process to hire and promote 
Ms. Mannix because she is the cousin of Ms. Urciuoli.      
     3. The Executive Director touched female BESB employees in an unwelcome and 
offensive manner, and the Executive Director made unwelcome and sexually 
offensive remarks to female BESB employees.
     A BESB female employee testified that Mr. Tripp grabbed her buttocks with 
both hands during a volleyball game at a BESB agency picnic. The employee 
further stated that, based on the grip of his hands on her buttocks, it did not 
appear to be accidental. Another BESB employee, through sworn testimony, 
corroborated the incident. Mr. Tripp acknowledged that he may have touched the 
employee during the volleyball game but testified that he did not grab her 
buttocks; he said he merely touched her buttocks and that it was purely 
accidental.
     In another incident a blind former BESB employee testified that Mr. Tripp 
touched her buttocks at a work conference. The blind employee stated that she 
asked her sighted guide, another BESB employee, to assist her in identifying who 
touched her and was told that it was Mr. Tripp. The BESB employee, who witnessed 
the alleged touching, testified that Mr. Tripp was the only person who had 
passed the blind employee at the time of the touching and that she assumed that 
it was him.
     In addition, at least four female employees have indicated that Mr. Tripp 
massaged their necks and shoulders without their permission. Another employee 
testified that she observed Mr. Tripp, in his office, massaging the neck of a 
female BESB employee. She testified that he jokingly said to her, "I can get in 
trouble for sexual harassment about this [massaging necks] because of the way I 
touch people, and I have to be careful who I do this to."
     When these women were asked why they did not tell Mr. Tripp that they were 
uncomfortable with him touching them, they all indicated that they were afraid 
that their jobs would be made unnecessarily difficult, that they would fall in 
disfavor and receive retaliation from management and after all Mr. Tripp was 
"their boss," the Executive Director. It should be noted that many of the female 
employees cried and became very emotional when they testified about Mr. Tripp's 
touching of them and offensive remarks made to them or in their presence. Other 
employees viewed Mr. Tripp's touching as unwelcome but did not find it 
offensive. These employees were still reluctant to tell Mr. Tripp because of 
intimidation and possible retaliation.
     Mr. Tripp was asked if he ever touched his female employees or gave them 
neck massages. He responded that he did not give them neck massages. He would 
manipulate a point on their necks with his index finger, if he thought that they 
were experiencing some neck pain or tension.
     In addition to the physical contact, many female BESB employees testified 
that Mr. Tripp made sexual and offensive statements to them or in their 
presence. One female employee testified that Mr. Tripp stated to her, while she 
was standing at her desk, in the presence of other employees, that she needed to 
wear panties to a BESB event that was held in the evening. Mr. Tripp's panties 
remark was heard and corroborated, in sworn testimony, by another employee. The 
corroborating employee stated that, when she heard Mr. Tripp make the remark, 
she was outraged that anyone, particularly a manager, would make such an 
offensive remark. Both employees were asked why they did not tell Mr. Tripp that 
his comment was inappropriate. One responded that she was afraid of retaliation. 
The other employee responded that she thought that it was very disrespectful but 
did not say anything to him. Mr. Tripp was specifically asked if he made a 
statement about a female employee's panties, and he replied that he did not.
     In another instance a female employee testified that she was walking past 
Mr. Tripp and two or three of the male managers (Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Acayan, and 
Mr. Whitham) and that Mr. Tripp yelled to her down the hallway, "Is that the way 
you walk on your part-time job at night?" The employee stated she thought Mr. 
Tripp was implying that she looked like a prostitute. She further testified that 
she felt humiliated and embarrassed and went home after the incident and cried. 
She stated that she felt dirty and wondered if the other gentlemen thought of 
her like a prostitute too. The employee further stated that she felt harassed. 
Mr. Tripp was asked if he made the statement regarding a part-time evening job, 
and he replied that he did not.
     Female employees alleged that Mr. Tripp has made a myriad of sexually 
offensive remarks, such as, but not limited to, "She's so hot, she will make you 
come in your pants"; "I wonder what it would be like to do her?"; comments about 
a blind, double amputee man, reading Braille with his tongue and indicating that 
the women must love him; "I can say nice tie, but not nice thigh"; called a 
female employee a "fat ass." Mr. Tripp was asked specifically about each of the 
above statements and denied making them. He did, however, indicate that there is 
a blind, double amputee man on the BESB board, but he had never made any 
derogatory remarks about him.
     Mr. Tripp was asked specifically if BESB had a sexual harassment policy. He 
responded yes. Mr. Tripp was also asked if he had attended sexual harassment 
training during his tenure at BESB. He indicated that he had attended sexual 
harassment training on March 11, 1998. Mr. Tripp was also asked if he had any 
sexual harassment training prior to his employment at BESB; he responded that he 
had sexual harassment training when working for a nonprofit organization in 
Fairfield, as well as with the telephone company. Mr. Shapiro, the Principal 
Personnel Officer responsible for administering BESB's sexual harassment policy, 
testified that BESB does have a sexual harassment policy and that it is updated 
annually on October 15. Mr. Shapiro was asked if BESB's sexual harassment policy 
was posted in any location in the agency. He indicated that the policy was 
posted on BESB's main bulletin board in the agency. Mr. Shapiro testified that 
he was aware of rumors of a romantic relationship between Mr. Tripp and Ms. 
Urciuoli. Mr. Tripp requested Mr. Shapiro to perform an audit for a promotion 
for Ms. Urciuoli to an office supervisor. Mr. Shapiro should have known that she 
did not qualify. Therefore Mr. Shapiro should have known that he was 
contributing to an atmosphere of sexual discrimination due to favoritism. Both 
Mr. Tripp and Mr. Shapiro testified that no employee had told them that they 
were being sexually harassed. Based on the testimony of Mr. Tripp and Mr. 
Shapiro, BESB had an annually updated sexual harassment policy. The policy was 
posted at BESB. A review of the policy indicates that all of the behavior 
alleged to have been made by Mr. Tripp would be considered violations of the 
policy.
     Finding: A review of the sworn testimony of numerous female BESB employees 
indicates that Mr. Tripp engaged in unwelcome and offensive touching of these 
employees during the performance of their jobs. This office further concludes 
that Mr. Tripp did make unwelcome and sexually offensive statements to BESB 
female employees.
     
     4. The Executive Director's use of loud, profane, and abusive language, 
coupled with inappropriate behavior of some of his managers and Ms. Urciuoli, 
intimidated employees and created a hostile work environment.
     Many of the female employees and some male employees testified that Mr. 
Tripp speaks in loud, profane, abrasive, and abusive tones, creating an 
atmosphere of harassment and intimidation. One employee testified that Mr. Tripp 
stood very close to, nearly on top of her, pointed his finger in her face, and 
ordered her to "shut up." The employee testified that she felt afraid and 
threatened. Another employee testified that many of the female clerical staff in 
particular were singled out for jokes and teased. The employee testified that, 
in many instances, she felt harassed and humiliated. She further testified that 
Mr. Tripp and his managers were often together and that they made insensitive 
jokes directed to the clerical staff about their clerical abilities.
     Many of the BESB employees in their sworn testimony indicated that Mr. 
Tripp spoke in loud tones that they found threatening. Mr. Tripp was asked if he 
raised his voice or spoke to employees in loud or yelling tones, and he 
responded that he did not. In individual depositions a large number of the 
employees indicated that there is a pervasive atmosphere of unprofessionalism, 
which is the accepted modus operandi of not only Mr. Tripp but also some of his 
managers. This unprofessionalism is marked by unwelcome touching by Mr. Tripp, 
sexual jokes, offensive remarks, harassing and intimidating behavior. Based on 
the collective testimony of employees that the managers were present when many 
of the statements were made indicates that the acceptance of this behavior has 
permeated the management staff. The managers collectively were not seen as 
buffers between Mr. Tripp's unprofessional behavior and the employees, but 
rather were facilitators.
     Many of the employees testified that Ms. Urciuoli walked around BESB and 
gave orders and directions to the other employees as if she were the executive 
director or a manager. One employee who managed a BESB project testified that 
Ms. Urciuoli spoke to her in a manner as if Ms. Urciuoli was her supervisor, 
when she clearly was not. The employee testified that she told Ms. Urciuoli that 
her tones were inappropriate, and, even if Ms. Urciuoli was involved with Mr. 
Tripp, she still could not speak to her in those tones. Other employees 
indicated that Ms. Urciuoli was always using Mr. Tripp's name and indicating 
that she would have to report certain incidents to him. Many employees testified 
that they feared saying anything unfavorable to Ms. Urciuoli for fear of 
retribution by Mr. Tripp. Ms. Urciuoli's behavior of acting like a manager, when 
she was not, only fueled an already hostile work environment.
     Finding: Based on the sworn testimony of some BESB employees, including 
some BESB managers, we find that Mr. Tripp's use of profane and abusive 
language, coupled with inappropriate behavior by some managers and Ms. Urciuoli, 
has intimidated BESB employees and created a hostile work environment.
     
     5. The Director permitted the Director of Operations to give state property 
to a BESB employee for her personal use in violation of Title VII,   .005 of the 
State's Property Manual. . . . . [Ms. Urciuoli was inappropriately given 
permission to take home a chair which was state property.]
     6. The Executive Director is insensitive to blind BESB employees and the 
client base served by BESB.
     Mr. Tripp has been alleged to be insensitive to blind BESB employees and 
the blind clientele served by BESB. Specifically, Mr. Tripp has been accused of 
being engaged in a conversation with a blind person, then walking away from that 
blind individual without acknowledging his departure. Two employees testified 
that, on different occasions, they saw Mr. Tripp walk away from a blind person 
in such a manner.
     One employee testified that she had observed Mr. Tripp do this on at least 
five occasions. She also testified that, in one instance, she walked over to the 
blind person to inform her that Mr. Tripp had departed. The employee went on to 
say that the blind individual that had been in conversation with Mr. Tripp was 
very upset to learn that he had walked off from her without acknowledging his 
departure. After witnessing Mr. Tripp walk away on numerous occasions, she 
informed Mr. Tripp that a blind person does not know when you are walking away, 
and you should tell them or excuse yourself so that they are aware that you are 
leaving. The employee said Mr. Tripp thanked her and that she did not observe 
him repeat that type of behavior thereafter. Mr. Tripp denied walking away from 
a blind person and not acknowledging his departure. In another instance Mr. 
Tripp was alleged to have removed a blind person from the front receptionist 
desk for BESB because he thought that she was unattractive. Specifically, a BESB 
employee gave sworn testimony that Mr. Tripp stated that "they don't look well; 
they are ugly." The witness testified that shortly thereafter the blind 
receptionist was transferred to another department within BESB. Mr. Tripp was 
asked whether he made a statement concerning the appearance of a blind 
receptionist at BESB. He denied making any such comments and further testified 
that a blind receptionist was removed from the front desk because of security 
reasons. Specifically, he stated that the BESB receptionist needed to be sighted 
in order to make a security assessment for entry into the BESB agency; a blind 
person is not capable of making that assessment.
     Mr. Tripp was accused of referring to a blind BESB board member as a "blind 
bitch." Mr. Tripp denied making any such statement. Mr. Tripp has also been 
accused of making jokes about blind people. When asked specifically about this, 
Mr. Tripp denied that he had ever made jokes about blind people. One former BESB 
employee who is blind testified that she was at a conference in September, 1997, 
where Mr. Tripp was also in attendance. She testified that during the coffee 
break she was standing talking with Mr. Tripp and another BESB employee. She 
stated that she was drinking coffee and eating coffee cake when Mr. Tripp stated 
that the employee had crumbs on the top of her blouse and asked her how she 
would get them off. She indicated that she attempted to brush the crumbs off of 
her blouse, only to be told by another BESB employee who was standing next to 
her that there were no crumbs on her blouse. The blind employee stated that the 
joke or prank made her feel embarrassed.
     The employee further testified that, if a blind person spills something on 
their clothes, they would like to be told discreetly about the spill and not be 
embarrassed about it.
     Mr. Tripp also has been accused of not being receptive to the blind 
employees, clients, and advocacy groups. Specifically, one BESB board member and 
several former blind employees testified that Mr. Tripp has missed several 
Agency Consumer Advocacy Committee (ACAC) meetings and has not been overly 
responsive to the Connecticut Council for the Blind. One employee went further 
to state that when members of the Connecticut Council for the Blind attempted to 
contact Mr. Tripp about meetings, he either did not respond or had his secretary 
call with an unsatisfactory response.
     Both blind and sighted employees testified that the BESB Windsor facility 
is designed in such a way that makes it very difficult for blind employees and 
visitors to navigate.
     Specifically, one blind employee testified that there are no Braille signs 
for direction; there is no color differential in the carpet, which would assist 
visually impaired people; there was a lack of mobility training for blind 
employees. This employee also stated that a mobility instructor did a report on 
the building and safety and determined that the building was on a street with 
the most unsafe crossing to get on a bus that he had seen. When asked about the 
floor plan and mobility concerns for the blind in the BESB Windsor facility, Mr. 
Tripp replied that a comprehensive review of both the physical site externally 
and internally was done by his trained staff to make sure that the building was 
in compliance with both building, fire, life safety codes and the ADA.
     Both blind and sighted employees have alleged that Mr. Tripp replaced 
positions that had been traditionally held by blind employees with sighted 
employees. One employee testified that, when blind employees left, they were 
replaced with not only sighted people, but sighted people without experience 
dealing with blindness. This employee went on to say that the management was 
insensitive to blind or visually impaired employees in other ways; specifically, 
managers would edit a visually impaired person's document in illegible markings. 
The visually impaired person would be unable to read the edits.
     The employee further stated that in another instance management made the 
decisions that employees could not call information or 411 for telephone 
listings. Employees were asked to look up telephone numbers in the telephone 
book. The employee thought that this was insensitive to the blind employees 
because they could not see listings in a telephone book and there were no 
Braille telephone books.
     A large number of the employees deposed--sighted, visually impaired, blind, 
both current and former employees--testified that Mr. Tripp was not an advocate 
for the blind community. The employees based this on his lack of interaction 
with the blind community and insensitivity to the blind, as discussed above. Mr. 
Tripp was asked, specifically, if he had ever made the statement that BESB is 
not an employment agency for the blind. Mr. Tripp responded that he did make 
that statement. Mr. Tripp went on to testify that he has also said that BESB is 
not a welfare agency. He commented further that BESB is about empowerment of its 
client base. When asked specifically about a practice of hiring sighted people 
in positions that were held in the past by blind employees, Mr. Tripp responded 
that he hires the most qualified person for the job. He concluded that his 
preference between a blind and sighted candidate is the blind candidate, if the 
candidates are equally qualified.
     Finding: This office has found that Mr. Tripp has shown a lack of 
sensitivity to BESB's blind employees. This finding is based on the numerous 
incidents as observed and testified to by both blind and sighted BESB employees.
     
     . . . [The final three allegations were not corroborated.]
     
     CONCLUSION
     
     The Office of the Attorney General's findings are based on a thorough 
investigation into the allegations that were raised in whistleblower complaints 
sent to this office. The depositions that were taken by this office, coupled 
with the review of hundreds of documents, allowed this office to conclude that 
many of the allegations raised were found to have occurred. Our findings 
indicate that Mr. Tripp has engaged in numerous acts of mismanagement at BESB.
     Specifically, he has taken personnel actions that were in violation of 
Connecticut Personnel statutes and regulations and as a result has undermined 
the very integrity of the personnel process. Mr. Tripp's actions, which require 
immediate redress, are the promotions of Ms. Urciuoli and the recovery of the 
state property converted for personal use. The Department of Administrative 
Services should make a determination if any remedial personnel actions are 
warranted as regards Ms. Urciuoli's current position and whether Ms. Urciuoli 
should be made to repay all monies to the state which she received from her 
inappropriate promotions. This Office has determined that Ms. Urciuoli's 
promotions go to the heart of many of the personnel actions that were made in 
violation of the statutes.
     Mr. Tripp has engaged in abusive conduct by inappropriately touching and 
making unwelcome and offensive comments to female employees at BESB. This 
abusive conduct created a hostile work environment for BESB employees. BESB had 
a sexual harassment policy in effect during Mr. Tripp's tenure; Mr. Tripp and 
his managers received sexual harassment training; Mr. Tripp commented on at 
least one occasion that he thought his touching of female employees may be 
considered a form of sexual harassment. Based on the posting of BESB's sexual 
harassment policy and Mr. Tripp's sexual harassment trainings, both at BESB and 
in the course of previous employment, he should have known that his behavior was 
not appropriate.
     This Office is particularly concerned with Mr. Tripp's mismanagement of an 
important state agency. As indicated earlier, BESB has been established since 
1893 and is one of the oldest state agencies. The very core of its mission is to 
serve the blind and visually impaired citizens of Connecticut. When that mission 
becomes difficult to accomplish because of poor management and violations of 
state law, then a sector of the population that is in great need of BESB's 
services--the blind and visually impaired--goes unmet. The employees, both 
sighted and blind, were found to be very committed to BESB's mission. However, 
because of the offensive and harassing behavior of the Executive Director and 
some managers, their productivity in meeting BESB's mission was challenged. BESB 
is an agency that is in need of professional leadership. With such leadership, 
BESB can continue to serve some of our most vulnerable citizens.
     This Office also determined that violations of the Connecticut State 
Property Manual occurred when Ms. Urciuoli was allowed to convert State 
property, belonging to BESB, for her personal use. At the conclusion of Mr. 
Tripp's deposition in November 1999, the property had not yet been retrieved 
from Ms. Urciuoli and returned to the state. BESB should retrieve this property.
     
     There you have the report, and it reminds us that even in these enlightened 
times, public officials can behave with a shocking lack of propriety and 
incredible arrogance. We conclude this article with an editorial which appeared 
in the February 16, 2000, edition of the Hartford Courant. It expresses the 
outrage that has characterized public comment about this scandal across 
Connecticut.
     
     The Blind Deserve Better
     
     Governors, like most other top elected officials, are known to provide 
loyal political associates with government jobs. But the time-honored tradition 
gets a bad name when appointees are unqualified and their performance turns out 
to be disappointing or worse.
     Examples of poor choices are Governor John G. Rowland's selections for 
executive directors at the Board of Education and Services for the Blind. Mr. 
Rowland has twice named political associates with no expertise to head the 
agency, which has a $25 million budget and employs 100 people.
     The governor's first appointee, Kenneth R. Tripp, resigned under pressure 
last month after a report by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal accused him of, 
among other things, belittling and poking fun at blind people. Mr. Tripp was 
also accused of sexual misconduct with subordinates and having an affair with a 
female staff member whom he promoted three times in fifteen months.
     Mr. Tripp's qualifications for the job: he was Mr. Rowland's political ally 
and had directed a Food Share program in Fairfield County.
     To make matters worse, Mr. Rowland's staff knew of the allegations as far 
back as December, 1998, but that didn't prevent him from reappointing Mr. Tripp 
to a new term in early 1999. Moreover, upon learning that Mr. Blumenthal had 
corroborated the charges, the governor transferred Mr. Tripp to a higher-paying 
job in another agency. Mr. Tripp didn't resign until the attorney general's 
investigation was made public.
     Mr. Rowland's continued loyalty to Mr. Tripp as he remained accused of 
mistreating the people he was supposed to be serving was inexcusable. Typically 
an employee so charged would have at least been transferred to a position where 
he was less likely to cause harm and referred for counseling. As a political 
appointee he could have been fired on the spot. Mr. Rowland did neither.
     One would think that the governor would be extra careful in appointing a 
successor to Mr. Tripp. Apparently not. Mr. Rowland quickly chose another 
political ally with no experience, Lawrence Alibozek, to head the agency.
     Advocates for the blind advised the governor to take time to find a 
director who is familiar with issues affecting blind people.
     Mr. Alibozek, who has a business background, seems to be trying to 
understand the agency and the services it provides. But it's hard to believe 
there was no one else in the state with the expert credentials to run the 
agency.
     Incredibly, Mr. Rowland, through a spokesman, declined to accept 
responsibility for the consequences of having named Mr. Tripp. Of course the 
governor is accountable. His appointees can make him look good or bad. More 
important, taxpayers deserve better than they were getting from the executive 
director of a $25 million state agency that performs a valuable service.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Walker]
Fueling the Fire
     by Barbara Walker
     
     From the Editor: The following moving article appeared in issue 4, 1999, of 
News and Views of Blind Nebraskans, the publication of the NFB of Nebraska. It 
was originally a speech delivered at the meeting of the Nebraska student 
division during the 1999 state convention. Barbara Walker is a long-time leader 
of the National Federation of the Blind and a Federationist whose words often 
inspire us all. This is what she said:
     
     When President Clark called me a couple of weeks ago to ask if I would 
speak at the Student Division Luncheon today, I hesitated, as I nearly always do 
when asked to do something conspicuous. But when I suddenly realized she was 
handing me a chance to fulfill a pledge I had made to myself at our National 
Convention this past summer, the only viable answer I could give was, "Yes. And 
thank you for the opportunity."
     I hope each of you--for we are all sometimes students, whether or not we're 
currently attending a school of formal education; and we are all sometimes 
teachers, whether or not we hold an academic degree--will be willing to help me 
keep my promise.
     As I made sure my ticket was in my purse in preparation for the banquet of 
the National Federation of the Blind in Atlanta, I wondered if it would be the 
high point of the convention for me this year. Since the time I began attending 
National Conventions in 1975, I had thrilled many times to the magical spirit of 
the banquet. But this one, my twenty-fourth (I missed the convention in 1981 due 
to the birth of my daughter, Marsha), wouldn't be the same. Dr. Jernigan, who 
had been the catalyst of the vibrant Federation spirit for more years than I 
have attended conventions, wouldn't be making sure his ticket was on his person 
tonight. And he never would again. He was dead.
     I sat down on my bed and let myself cry. Then I remembered how, ten years 
ago at banquet time in Denver, less than three weeks after my beloved husband 
Jim had died, I couldn't imagine walking into the banquet without him. But I 
did. And I was glad I had. I would go this time too, beginning by summoning the 
advice our first First Lady, Mrs. Hazel tenBroek, widow of our Founder, Dr. 
Jacobus tenBroek, had passed along to me nine years ago when I was struggling to 
keep my composure.
     I had been on my way back to my room after the 1990 Fiftieth Anniversary 
Banquet in Dallas. A close friend had just said to me, "I thought this banquet 
was just perfect. Didn't you?"
     "It was great," I sincerely replied, fighting back tears. "But perfect?" my 
inner self said, "Certainly not."
     One of the living ingredients of anything approaching perfection for me was 
tangibly missing. True, it had been a year since Jim had died. And my friend, 
who had also known Jim well, had learned to experience life without feeling the 
constant void of his physical absence. I, at that time, still hadn't.
     As my friend and I parted and I reached the hall outside the ballroom, Mrs. 
tenBroek, who had undoubtedly heard our conversation and empathized with me, 
said that her husband, who had been dead for over twenty years by then, had 
shared with her something she continued to find useful when dealing with hard 
times: "Sometimes, the only thing to do is to keep putting one foot in front of 
the other."
     It got me to my room that night and to many places since then. It would 
also get me to the 1999 banquet hall.
     Soon I was there--one of the over two thousand present at our largest 
banquet ever. As I sat down, those on either side of me urged me to look inside 
my mug. (Since 1974 everyone attending our banquets has received a complimentary 
mug with the Federation logo and something specific to the Convention site on 
it.) Usually there is nothing inside. This year was different. Della Johnston 
handed me one item--a replica of the bust of Dr. Jernigan, which had been 
unveiled at the Memorial Service the previous day. I was interrupted from my 
exploration of this treasure by another of my tablemates. "Keep looking. There's 
more."
     I knew there was. I had already found something that disturbed me--a book 
of matches.
     "I noticed," I said, trying not to sound upset. But I was remembering the 
time, at the school for the blind, when we were all asked to light a match and, 
from that, a candle, in order to pass some class. To my relief, we had used 
wooden matches. When my turn came, I braced myself, stuffed down my fear, and 
performed the task flawlessly. I hadn't willingly done it since.
     And book matches? Those were too dangerous for blind people. That's what I 
had been told until I met the National Federation of the Blind. And then, 
although I learned that it wasn't really unsafe for blind people to use them, I, 
well, I just preferred not to. I mean, why do that when there are obviously 
superior ways of getting the job done?
     "Did you find the candle?" someone asked.
     "Yes," I said, too quickly, and with an edge in my voice which I hoped 
hadn't revealed the emotion I was trying to conceal.
     "Are you concerned about lighting a match?" Jeff Altman asked. "If so, I 
can show you this nifty way I learned where you can't burn yourself."
     "Concerned," he had said. Afraid was more like it. He probably knew that, 
"but concerned" did sound kinder and less confrontational. Of course he knew. He 
hadn't even paused between the initial question and the offered assistance. 
Figuring that whatever we were going to do with the candles would be a tribute 
to Dr. Jernigan and knowing that I wouldn't want to look back on the event not 
having tried to participate, I accepted his offer.
     Inviting me to put my hands on his if I wanted to, he explained that you 
fold the cover of the matchbook back so that the front cover touches the 
striking bar. After taking a match out, you place the head between the covers, 
far enough in that it will rub across the bar, but not in so far that you can't 
hold onto its other end. Holding the covers firmly together with your thumb and 
forefinger anchoring the head, you grasp the protruding end of the match between 
the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand and pull the match out. He 
mentioned in passing that it's important to keep track of where things are so 
that you don't bring the lit match into contact with the exposed heads of those 
remaining in the open book.
     On my first attempt I was gripping the match head so tightly that my other 
hand slipped off of the stick. My second try released the smell of sulphur, but 
no spark. I had loosened my hold too much. With Jeff's calm encouragement, I 
tried again. The match sizzled victoriously. Before my fear could cry 
"exception," I lit another and another. And there it was--the magical Federation 
spirit--mentor and student sparking a flame, putting out fear.
     Although Dr. Jernigan hadn't directly taught me this technique, nor did he 
teach it to Jeff, he had nurtured our Federation family in such a way that we 
knew that, when it's done with love and respect, as one who knows teaches one 
who doesn't, both become stronger.
     As I was thanking Jeff for helping me, President Floyd informed me that I 
was supposed to be at a different table. Flushed and apologetic, but also 
excited about the prospect of sharing my newest joy in learning, I went as 
directed. Sitting now between Aloma Bouma and Ardyce Earl, I proudly 
demonstrated the new skill Jeff had taught me.
     Shortly thereafter we honored Dr. Jernigan by lighting our candles. When 
mine almost immediately went out, I triumphantly lit it again, reveling in the 
spirit of all who had made this fearlessly exuberant moment possible for me.
     And later, as President Maurer was reaching the crescendo of another 
stellar banquet address, he put into words the glow I continued to feel from the 
candle-lighting tribute we had paid to Dr. Jernigan and, in my mind, to all of 
those, especially Jim, who had physically gone from our midst, but whose spirit 
and love were among us still: "The spirit they kindled," Dr. Maurer said, "can 
never be extinguished, because we will fan the flame. We will add fuel to the 
fire. And we, the members of the movement, will cause a great conflagration."
     Those weren't just fancy words to me. They were the expression of a very 
intimate moment we in that room had shared. I made a personal vow to take both 
the spirit and the experience with me and to pass them on to others.
     I intend, very soon, to make good on that promise. But first, I want to 
give you, again in Dr. Maurer's words, the reason I hope you'll accept not only 
the spirit of my offer but also the physical act of carrying it out, whatever 
your current level of confidence may be.
     Dr. Maurer said: "We are the blind of more than a single generation and of 
every segment of society and of every part of the nation. We have the capacity 
to think and the mental discipline to reach conclusions that will alter the 
future for us all. We possess the confidence to bring those conclusions to 
reality. Nobody else can do it for us. We must do this for ourselves, and we 
will. Our future is bright with promise, because it belongs to us. And there is 
no force on earth that can stop us."
     I said earlier that I had not willingly lit matches, even wooden ones, 
since that time in Nebraska City when I did what it took to get out of that 
class. How had I managed that, especially having directed an Orientation Center 
for the Blind for a number of years and having also been a parent?
     A few times, when duty called, I made myself do it. But mostly I gave 
others the privilege. Between the time when Jim was alive to light candles for 
such things as birthdays and Advent and the time when I thought the children 
were old enough to do it themselves, we pretended the little lights in the 
chandelier above the dining room table were candles. (Both Marsha and John had 
said they looked like candles when they were dimmed.) I also discovered the 
existence of the torch lighter, something I continue to find useful.
     In all of these instances I don't think my choices were necessarily bad or 
even detrimental to others. But inside I always knew I was hedging. And it was, 
as so often it is for me, the National Federation of the Blind that not only 
called my bluff but also gave me the chance to grow beyond my fear.
     Please don't get me wrong. I haven't become a book match lover. I still 
would choose, when given options, another method of lighting a candle. But I no 
longer feel like fleeing the premises if something needs to be lit and book 
matches are the ready source of a spark.
     I encourage you to participate in lighting a match and a candle today 
whether or not it frightens you. If it doesn't, you may be the one, like Jeff 
was for me, who releases someone else from fear. If it does, I hope you'll have 
the courage to let someone help you.
     Please join me now in doing the kind of thing I believe Dr. Maurer meant 
when he talked in Atlanta about fueling the fire and fanning the flame. Let's 
add some sparks to that great conflagration!
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: The spectacular fifty-story atrium of the Atlanta Marriott 
Marquis Hotel, headquarters for the 2000 Convention of the National Federation 
of the Blind]
     A Visit to the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel
     by Barbara Pierce
     
     From the Editor: Last year, in the June issue of the Braille Monitor, we 
published an article discussing the layout of the Marriott Marquis Hotel. When I 
sat down to write the piece, I had never entered the hotel and was working from 
small, rather imprecise maps, so the article contained a few errors. But by and 
large those who studied the text reported that it had helped them understand 
where things were and how to navigate a fairly complex set of public areas. To 
the best of my knowledge I have now corrected the mistakes in the original 
article, so here it is again this year for your consideration and for whatever 
assistance it may be to you.
     
     I don't know about you, but I always find it helpful to know something 
about a convention hotel before walking into it for the first time. Several 
people who have already visited this year's convention headquarters hotel have 
pooled their information to give you a preview of the beautiful Atlanta Marriott 
Marquis, and I have tried to shape the material in a way you will find useful. I 
am grateful to them for their help, and I take full responsibility for any 
errors or confusion that may have crept in.
     The main entrance of the Marriott faces Peachtree Center Avenue, which is 
west of the hotel. To reach the Marriott from the street, you walk east through 
a covered courtyard formed by the Marquis One Office Tower on the south and the 
Marquis Two Office Tower on the north. At the east end of the courtyard are the 
main entrance doors.
     The hotel lobby is long and narrow along its east-west axis. The bell stand 
and hotel registration desk are on the north side of the lobby at the west end, 
and the concierge desk is between the main entrance doors on the west end. On 
the south side at that end is access to the Executive Center, a complex of 
meeting rooms named for wines and wine-growing regions--Bordeaux, Rhine, 
Chardonnay, etc. To the east of this area are the health center (free to hotel 
guests and open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) and a locker area. At the east end 
of the building on the south side of the lobby are more meeting rooms, this time 
named for rivers--Tigris, Danube, Thames, etc. Along the north wall of the lobby 
are hotel offices. Two elevators connecting the lobby level with the Convention 
and Exhibit Levels and the parking garage are located at the east end. Stairs 
and escalators leading down to the Convention Level and up to the Garden Level 
can be found in the west end of the lobby (south of the hotel registration 
desk).
     The elaborate set of glass elevators in the spectacular fifty-story atrium 
pictured in the accompanying photograph occupies the center of the lobby and can 
be reached on every floor by crossing any of up to four balustraded bridges. A 
word should be said about the elevators. All fifteen are located in the center 
of the atrium and stop at the Convention, Lobby, Garden, and Skyline Levels, but 
it is important to board the one traveling to the guest-room floor you are 
hoping to reach. They divide like this: floors 1 to 17, 18 to 30, 31 to 41, and 
42 to 47. If you should find yourself heading to the wrong part of the hotel, 
press the button for the Skyline Level, which is the tenth floor. Stairs connect 
the Skyline Level with both the ninth and eleventh floors.
     The Garden Level is immediately above the lobby. Several restaurants are 
located on this floor. The west portion of the Garden Level is connected to the 
larger east side by walkways on both sides of the escalators and stairs that 
lead down to the main entrance. The courtyard in front of the hotel is beneath 
this west end. Access to the two office towers is from the south and north sides 
of this central space. Several retail shops, including a gift shop, are located 
in the center of this west end, and a group of four meeting rooms occupies the 
far west end and northwest corner of the space. These rooms are named for 
glamorous get-away spots--Shangri La, Riviera, South Hampton, and Monte Carlo.
     The entrance to the Peachtree Center Mall is on the south side of the west 
section. Access to the food court, a number of shops, and the Metropolitan 
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system is from this point on the Garden 
Level.
     If you walk east a bit you will come to the two curving staircases leading 
to the Grandstand Lounge, which is partially suspended over the west end of the 
atrium. You can enjoy a casual drink while viewing the fifty-story atrium from 
this comfortable lounge. Hours: 4:30 p.m. to 12:00 midnight.
     On the south wall of the Garden Level at about this point is Champions, the 
American Sports Bar. Choose from a wide assortment of appetizers, burgers, 
sandwiches, and salads. Champions is open for lunch, dinner, and late-night 
entertainment. It also offers wine, cocktails, and beers from sixteen countries. 
Entertainment includes twenty-six televisions with satellite technology, two big 
screens, basketball, football, and eighteen-hole putting games, pool tables, and 
more. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
     At the north side of the Garden Level at the west end of the atrium is the 
entrance to the Marquis Steakhouse: great steaks with a southern flair. Dinner 
is served nightly from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and features traditional 
steakhouse fare with southern culinary accents complemented by an outstanding 
wine list.
     One of the most attractive features of the Marriott Marquis is the Atrium 
Express, located southeast of the Steakhouse. Quick fare includes specialty 
coffee drinks, breakfast pastries, juices, fresh fruit, sandwiches, and sweets. 
Hours vary. You can order quick-to-prepare items and carry them to nearby 
tables.
     Almost in the northeast corner of the Garden Level is Allie's American 
Grille: traditional American cuisine, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It 
features a hearty breakfast buffet every morning. The hours are breakfast: 6:00 
a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; dinner 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 
midnight. In the southeast corner of the Garden Level is the indoor/outdoor 
swimming pool, but please note that access to it is from the health club on the 
Lobby Level.
     The Convention Level is one floor below the lobby. The west end contains 
several meeting rooms named for world cities--Sidney, Bonn, London, and Zurich. 
The State and Cabinet Rooms are also in this area. The Marquis Ballroom occupies 
the north wall of the Convention Level across most of its west-to-east length. 
The smaller Imperial Ballroom, which divides into Ballrooms A and B, occupies 
the south wall across from Marquis Ballroom 2. Two smaller meeting rooms (the 
Consulate and Summit Rooms) extend a bit to the north at the east end of 
Imperial Ballroom B, forming a shallow alcove at this entrance.
     The southeast area of the Convention Level contains a number of meeting 
rooms named mostly for Canadian and European cities. An escalator connecting the 
Convention level with the lobby of the Exhibit Level is at this east end of the 
hotel along with the two elevators already mentioned.
     The Exhibition Level is immediately below the Convention Level, on the 
hotel's east and south sides. The Courtland Street entrance is also in the 
Exhibit Level lobby.
     If you are among those who made your room reservations early, you will be 
glad to know that guest rooms at the Marriott are equipped with irons and 
ironing boards, coffee makers, and hair dryers. If all the information about 
this year's convention opportunities has convinced you to join us in Atlanta but 
you haven't yet made your reservation, there may still be space at the Marriott 
by the time you read this, but there is certainly room at our overflow hotels, 
the Hilton Atlanta and Towers, just across Courtland Street, and the Atlanta 
Hyatt, across Peachtree Center Avenue. The rooms at the Hilton and Hyatt are 
beautifully appointed. They are also equipped with hair dryers, coffee makers, 
and irons. These hotels, too, have wonderful restaurants (five of them, 
including Trader Vick's, at the Hilton and three at the Hyatt), and their 
elevators are likely to be less crowded.
     To make your room reservation at any of our hotels, call their direct 
numbers: for the Marriott, (404) 521-0000, for the Hilton Atlanta and Towers, 
(404) 659-2000, and for the Hyatt, (404) 577-1234. Like those at the Marriott, 
NFB convention room rates at the Hilton and Hyatt are singles, $57; doubles and 
twins, $59; triples, $61; and quads, $63, plus tax of 14 percent. All three 
hotels will want a $60 deposit, for which you can use a credit card, and the 
charge will be made against your card immediately and then applied to your hotel 
bill. Please note that all three hotels have designated guest rooms for smokers 
and a lounge in which smoking is permitted, but otherwise they are smoke-free 
facilities.
     The 2000 convention will be like no other we have ever conducted. You won't 
want to miss the event, and it won't be the same without you. So call Glyndon 
Square Travel, (800) 875-9685, to make your travel arrangements and the hotel of 
your choice for your room reservation, and join us July 2 to 8 for the most 
exciting and informative gathering of the blind to take place in 2000. See you 
in Atlanta.
     
     
     Convention Transit Information:
     MARTA to the Marriott Marquis
     
     If you are planning to fly to Atlanta to attend the 2000 Convention and you 
have a manageable amount of baggage, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit 
Authority (MARTA) offers convenient door-to-door service between Hartsfield 
International Airport and the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Enter MARTA'S Airport Rail 
Station on its North-South rail line, which is located immediately outside 
airport baggage claim, purchase a fare card, go up one level to the platform, 
and take any northbound train to Peachtree Center. At the top of the stairs the 
northbound platform is to the right. Because this station is the south end of 
the line, the train sometimes pulls up to the southbound platform to unload, 
sits and waits, then proceeds north from the southbound side. If a train is 
sitting on the airport platform, get on. It will head north. If you need further 
directions or help purchasing a fare card, the station attendant will be glad to 
assist you.
     The Airport and Peachtree Center stations both have escalators, elevators, 
and stairs. Both stations have center platforms between the northbound and 
southbound tracks. The ride from the Airport to Peachtree Center takes seventeen 
minutes.
     Peachtree Center is the first station north of Five Points, the downtown 
subway station at which the north-south line crosses under the east-west line. 
Five Points is easy to recognize because, when the train stops, the doors open 
on both sides of the car. When you get off the train, turn left (south). The 
first pillar you come to houses the elevator, which opens on the pillar's south 
side. The second pillar houses the stairs and an escalator coming down. The 
third pillar houses two escalators, one going up and one going down. Go up one 
level to the mezzanine. At the top of either the stairs or escalator, walk 
straight ahead, angling slightly to the right to locate the fare gates. After 
passing through the turnstile, turn right (east), walk to the end of the hall, 
then turn left (south). Walk straight ahead to the escalators at the end of this 
hall and go up. At the top of the escalator turn right, walk to the end of the 
hall, and turn right again. Begin looking for the mall doors on the left.
     Enter the mall and go up two short flights of stairs to enter the mall food 
court. If you come into contact with the tables, go around them to the right. At 
the second major hallway, turn left and walk to the end of the hall. There you 
will find an enclosed bridge turning forty-five degrees to the left. This bridge 
goes over the intersection of Peachtree Center Avenue and Harris Street. At the 
end of the bridge is a small down ramp. At the bottom turn left and walk to the 
end of the hall. Turn right and look for recessed double doors on the left. 
Through the double doors is another hallway. At the end of this hallway turn 
right. You will pass several shops on your right. The first hallway to the right 
beyond the shops leads to the hotel.
     Go straight down that hallway and under an overhang until you reach a 
railing from which you can look down into the lobby. Follow this railing to the 
right (south) and around a turn to the left. Work your way around three large 
planters and contact the railing again. If you continue walking east, you will 
pass the Grandstand Lounge suspended from above and can reach the elevator bank 
in the atrium. If instead you follow the railing around another turn to the 
left, begin looking and listening for the escalators connecting this Garden 
Level with the Lobby Level. The down escalator will be the first opening in the 
railing.
     To reach the hotel registration desk, descend to the lobby and turn right 
at the bottom of the escalator. Walk to the north wall of the lobby. Turn right 
again and walk east to the registration desk, which is on the north wall.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Don Capps]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dr. Nell Carney]
     Nell Carney Appointed
     to Direct South Carolina Commission for the Blind
     by Donald C. Capps
     
     From the Editor: For several years now the South Carolina Commission for 
the Blind has been in turmoil. The board was divided, and the director was 
pretty clearly engaged in some fairly unsavory activities. Eventually the 
governor stepped in and replaced the entire board and told them to go find an 
effective person to administer the Commission for the Blind. That is what they 
have now done. Here is the report of their action as Don Capps explained it in 
the Winter, 2000, issue of the Palmetto Blind, the magazine of the National 
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina:
     
     Monday, January 31, 2000, the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina 
Commission for the Blind offered the agency's top post to Dr. Nell Carney, and 
she accepted. Her appointment was the culmination of a seven-month national 
search, which attracted some forty-three applicants. We commend the board for 
their outstanding work and selection of Dr. Carney. Because the NFB of South 
Carolina has an abiding interest in the affairs of the Commission, including the 
credentials of the individual who heads the agency, we applaud the Commission 
Board. It could not have chosen a more qualified person than Dr. Carney. Because 
of the Federation's great respect for and confidence in the current Commission 
Board, we did not seek to take part in its effort to select a Commissioner. 
Unlike the previous Board, which performed poorly, making unwise and 
irresponsible decisions which hurt the agency, the present Board has 
demonstrated its capacity carefully to think through serious matters affecting 
the Commission.
     Dr. Carney has a lifetime of dedication and commitment to her fellow blind. 
She has a distinguished track record both as a highly competent blind person and 
as a professional recognized nationally. A native Tennessean, Dr. Carney 
attended the Tennessee School for the Blind. It was there that she first met the 
late Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, who was a young teacher at the school at the time. 
Thus Dr. Carney was Dr. Jernigan's student. Dr. Carney, whose life was greatly 
enriched by Dr. Jernigan, whom she greatly admired, attributes her philosophy 
and faith in the blind to Dr. Jernigan's influence.
     At an early age Dr. Carney determined that she would get the very best 
education she could and use it and her training to improve the quality of life 
of blind Americans. In 1989 Dr. Carney achieved the nation's highest office in 
the field of rehabilitation, being appointed by President Bush and confirmed by 
the Senate as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the 
U.S. Department of Education. In this high office Dr. Carney had the 
responsibility of working with state agencies for the blind and with all state 
programs of vocational rehabilitation, which included supervision of numerous 
federal employees and oversight of millions of dollars appropriated by Congress 
for vocational rehabilitation programs.
     Then, at a time when the New Mexico School for the Blind was in turmoil, 
Dr. Carney was chosen by its Board to serve as superintendent of the School and 
restore order. She accomplished this goal successfully and was head of the 
school when offered the Commissioner's position at the South Carolina Commission 
for the Blind. A Monday, January 31, 2000, article in the State newspaper 
reported that some people in the blind community, not named in the article, were 
not pleased with Dr. Carney's appointment. These are probably the same small 
number, including Willie Driggers, Solomon Bradford, and John Warren, who 
participated in last June's Senate Committee hearing attacking the current 
Commission Board as well as the NFB of South Carolina. They are continuing their 
attacks, including attacks against Dr. Carney.
     While Dr. Carney's prime objective will be to restore order to the 
Commission, improve services to the blind, and exercise fairness and 
consideration for all, she is a strong leader and will not be a doormat for 
anyone. I know this absolutely because I have known Dr. Carney for more than 
thirty years, closely following her career during that time. I also served on 
the Board of Directors of the NFB with Dr. Carney in the late 1960's and early 
1970's. Again we salute the Commission's Board in acquiring the services of Dr. 
Carney, whose credentials are not surpassed by anyone in this big program of 
serving the blind. Here is the article that appeared in the State on January 31:
     
     State Agency for Blind Selects New Director
     by Kenneth A. Harris
     
     A New Mexico woman with an extensive background in assisting the visually 
impaired was tapped Monday to become the Director of the South Carolina 
Commission for the Blind and restore public confidence in the troubled state 
agency.
     Nell Carney, superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Visually 
Handicapped, accepted the post, which will pay her $84,000 a year, during an 
afternoon conference call with board members. Carney, selected from a nationwide 
field of forty-three candidates, is tentatively expected to begin March 6.
     "Dr. Carney has experience in dealing with diverse groups and situations," 
said Jacqueline Brown, board chairwoman. "We think she'll bring that to the 
agency and help us to continue to strive to serve the needs of the blind in the 
state of South Carolina."
     However, not all are delighted with the board's decision. Privately some 
within the blind community have lobbied against Carney, raising concerns that 
stem from her stint as executive director of the Mississippi Department of 
Rehabilitation Services.
     "Mrs. Carney had a very rocky experience here," said Mississippi state Rep. 
Daniel "Steve" Holland, a Democrat who was one of Carney's biggest detractors. 
"It was not very positive."
     In a 1996 published report Holland called Carney "an incompetent idiot." 
That same year Mississippi lawmakers voted to slash her salary by nearly 
$20,000, but the governor vetoed the pay change. Carney's legislative woes 
emanated from grant actions she took against a nonprofit agency of which Holland 
was a board member. Carney's actions came amid a federal audit of the government 
funds.
     Carney, citing health reasons, resigned at the end of 1996.
     Donald Capps, President of the National Federation of the Blind of South 
Carolina, said Carney was a "political casualty" while in Mississippi.
     "I think she will be a good commissioner," Capps said of Carney. "This lady 
will have the overwhelming support of the state's blind. But she won't please 
everybody."
     "Things were checked out, and we feel comfortable, quite comfortable with 
Dr. Carney coming on board," Brown said.
     Patsy Jones, President of the American Council for the Blind of South 
Carolina, said she believes the board is trying to do what's best for the 
agency.
     "It is extremely important that the agency get back on track and provide 
quality services to the people it serves," Jones said.
     Carney will be the agency's first permanent director since Donald Gist, who 
was fired in the spring of 1998. In a dramatic turn of events, Gist was rehired 
in June, 1999. Less than a month after being reinstated, Gist resigned.
     
     
     A deferred charitable gift annuity is a way for donors to save taxes and 
make significant donations to the National Federation of the Blind. (The amounts 
here are illustrative, not precise.) It works like this:
     James Johnson, age fifty, has decided to set up a deferred charitable gift 
annuity. He transfers $10,000 to the NFB. In return, when he reaches sixty-five, 
the NFB will pay James a lifetime annuity of $1,710 per year, of which $179 is 
tax free. In addition, James can claim a charitable tax deduction of $6,387 of 
the $10,000 gift in the year the donation is made.
     For more information about deferred gift annuities, contact the National 
Federation of the Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
21230-4998, phone (410) 659-9314, fax (410) 685-5653.
     
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Norm Gardner]
     And A Child Shall Lead Them
     by Norman Gardner
     
     From the Editor: Norm Gardner is the Treasurer of the NFB of Utah and a 
long-time leader of the Federation. He reminds us here how important it is to 
take the time to educate children about the truths of blindness. This is what he 
says:
     
     The philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind is simple and 
straightforward. Even a child can understand its logic and reason. We know that 
the blind are simply normal people with all the abilities and capacities of 
normal people. We know that, through the use of appropriate alternative 
techniques, the blind can accomplish the important tasks of daily living as 
efficiently as their sighted peers. We know that with proper training blindness 
can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance. Even though the public at 
large usually assumes that the blind are incapable of doing almost everything, 
we have shown this to be false. We have shown the truth about blindness in the 
lives of thousands of our members across the country. If they keep an open mind, 
members of the public can come to understand our philosophy and the truth about 
blindness. Even a child can come to understand this truth.
     Recently a neighbor asked if I would come to her first grade class and talk 
to her students about Braille and blindness. I had visited several times in her 
home, and we were well acquainted. I had made it a point, when my wife and I 
visited in their home, to show her children Braille, the long white cane, the 
Braille 'n Speak, and other alternative techniques which the blind use to 
accomplish various tasks of daily living. I thought she understood the points I 
was trying to make about blind people's being truly independent through the use 
of such alternative techniques. As I found out later, I had apparently not been 
very effective in helping her understand the truth about blindness.
     On the appointed day my wife and I drove to the school. We were met at the 
door by two darling little first-grade girls who took turns speaking lines which 
they had obviously memorized. They welcomed us and introduced themselves. A few 
feet away sat a lady whom I presumed to be a teacher. Periodically she prompted 
the girls on their lines.
     After a moment or so one of the girls asked if I would like to place my 
hands on their shoulders so that they could lead me to their classroom. When I 
said that I could simply walk along beside them to the classroom, they seemed 
confused. Their prompter reassured them, so we began walking down the hall. They 
clearly had not anticipated that I might be able to walk down the hall without 
being led.
     After we had gone only a short distance, the prompter, who was following a 
few steps behind, said in a clear, controlling tone, "Now we are passing the 
trophy case." This was apparently a prearranged signal for the 2 little girls 
immediately said in unison, "Please turn left at the next door." Soon after we 
turned left and went through the door, the prompter said, "Now what do we say?"
     The little girls said, "Now you will turn right and go down twelve steps."
     I was to speak in an auditorium arranged like a pit with concentric 
semicircles of seats leading down to a smaller area, where the speaker could 
stand to address the class. I had been told that about 100 students would be 
attending my lecture. As I descended the stairs, my friend, who was already 
standing at the speaker's position, spotted me and came to meet me. She said in 
a loud, clear voice, "Hello, Dr. Gardner, you are now on the next to the last 
step. You have two steps left to go."
     I was somewhat taken aback. I paused for just a moment, returned her 
greeting, and stepped down one step. To my amazement she then said in an even 
louder voice, as though she wanted to make certain that all in the room could 
hear, "Now you are on the last step. You have only one step left to go." I began 
to feel like a public spectacle, like a rat that was being used to demonstrate 
the correctness of a certain procedure.
     When I was seated, my friend turned and introduced me to the class. She 
said, "Dr. Gardner has come to speak to us about Braille and about how we can 
help blind people." The picture was now very clear to me. I had visions of what 
my friend and her fellow teachers must have said to prepare the students for my 
visit. The emphasis had clearly been on how much help blind people need. They 
had been taught that a blind person could put his hands on their shoulders so 
they could lead him around. They had been taught that they should tell the blind 
person about everything around him like how many steps there were and which step 
they were on and how many steps were left. Perhaps they also wanted to learn 
something about Braille, but mostly it seemed they wanted to practice helping a 
blind person. I modified my lecture to emphasize the abilities of the blind. I 
talked about how a blind person gets across the street by just using his cane 
and listening to what is around him. I then asked the class, "So if you see a 
blind person standing on the street corner, does he need help?" They all shouted 
in unison, "Yes!"
     I then told about an experience that happened to me when I lived in Boise, 
Idaho. I was standing on a corner in the downtown area when I heard someone jump 
out of a car on the opposite side of the street. The person slammed the car door 
and began running toward the corner opposite me. He was shouting something as he 
ran. I did not pay much attention to him. When he reached the corner, he turned 
and came running across the street toward me, still shouting as he came. I then 
realized, to my horror, that he was shouting at me. He was shouting, "Hang on! 
I'll be there in a second! Just hold on!" He reached me, grabbed my arm, and 
began hauling me across the street.
     I said to him, "Mister, I don't know where you're going, but I'm waiting 
for a bus on that corner."
     After relating this story and several other examples of the way the blind 
travel efficiently with the long white cane, the students in the class seemed to 
be getting the picture. Then I asked again, "So, if you see a blind person 
standing on the street corner, does he need help?"
     Most of the students shouted, "No!" A few said "Maybe." I asked how they 
might determine whether the blind person needed help or not. With only a 
moment's hesitation, most of the children in the class shouted, "Just ask him!" 
Even a child can understand the simple truth about the normality and the 
abilities of the blind.
     During my lecture I was vaguely aware that my friend the teacher was acting 
somewhat uneasy and uncomfortable. At some point she left the front of the 
class, and that was the last I saw of her that day.
     As I was about to end my lecture, one little boy, apparently now quite 
convinced that blind people could do about anything, asked "So how do you drive 
a car?" The whole class got quiet as I prepared to give my answer. I said this 
was a good question, and I thanked him for asking it. I told him that blind 
people cannot drive cars. The room was very quiet. I told them that my wife, 
whom I had introduced earlier, had driven me to the school that day. Then, in 
order to test their reaction, I said, "I am very lucky that I have a wife who 
can drive me around because otherwise I would not have been able to come to the 
school today, right?"
     A few of the students said, "Right!" but then some began to think and to 
suggest alternatives. One said I might have taken a bus. Another said I might 
have found a friend to drive me. Still another suggested that I might just have 
walked if I did not live too far away. It was clear that the students had 
listened to what I had been saying. Just as I was about to wrap it all up, 
another little boy shouted, "What about a taxi? You could have taken a taxi!" I 
congratulated them all on their good responses and ended my lecture.
     There seemed to be no teachers around as I climbed the stairs to leave. I 
was relieved that no one shouted directions or information about how many steps 
were left. As I reached the top of the stairs, I was met by two more little 
girls who seemed a bit uncertain about what they should do. Finally one of them 
asked, "Do you need any help to find the front door of the school?" I thanked 
her for asking and said that I would be pleased if she wanted to walk with me to 
the door. She happily skipped along beside me to the door. It was clear that the 
children had little trouble accepting the simple, straightforward logic that the 
blind are capable, normal people who rely on simple alternative techniques to 
accomplish most tasks which sighted people accomplish through the use of sight. 
Our philosophy is sound. It is based on pure and simple logic which even a child 
can understand.
     Unfortunately somewhere along the way logic and reason are often set aside 
in favor of myth and superstition about what a blind person is capable of doing. 
Perhaps it comes about as a result of that age-old experiment which is all too 
often encouraged by teachers and workers with the blind. Students are 
blindfolded and invited to perform some simple tasks. Within a few minutes most 
people who try this experiment will come to the conclusion that, if they were 
blind, they would be unable to accomplish almost anything. This can be a 
powerful message which can linger at the emotional level for many years. 
Whenever they meet a blind person after that, they treat him or her as 
incompetent because they remember their experience with the blindfold and recall 
how helpless and incompetent they felt when they were deprived of their sight.
     If we keep doing our work as a Federation and keep educating the public and 
keep talking to those students across America, little by little we will change 
what it means to be blind.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Chuck Young]
     Overcoming Employers' Doubts About the
     Capabilities of People With Disabilities
     by Charles E. Young
     
     From the Editor: Charles Young has served as Director of the Oregon 
Commission for the Blind since 1979. He reports that one of the most satisfying 
parts of his job is working with consumers to enhance their abilities to find 
satisfying jobs. Here is a short article that summarizes some of the most 
important matters for job seekers to keep in mind:
     
     Research indicates the greatest barrier to employment of people with 
significant and observable disabilities is the employer's doubts regarding the 
capabilities of such an employee. Employers usually have limited experience with 
job applicants who have significant disabilities. Therefore employers are often 
ignorant of the capabilities of this population. Take a moment to imagine from 
the employers' perspective the concerns or barriers they might perceive 
regarding hiring someone who has such a disability. If you imagine the concerns 
of employers, you can learn how to bring up and address these concerns in a job 
interview. Otherwise these concerns will become barriers to employment.
     In order to identify the most common stereotypes and concerns that 
employers have, you may want to brainstorm with vocational rehabilitation 
professionals, employers, and employed friends. Consumer groups of persons with 
disabilities, the library, and the Internet might also offer additional 
information about employers' concerns. Here are examples of some common employer 
concerns:
     
     * How would a disabled person get to work?
     * Will insurance rates increase?
     * Will a disabled person get along with co-workers?
     
     Once you have identified possible employer concerns, you then need to 
develop a strategy for dealing with them in a job interview. The key is to 
extinguish or resolve these concerns by using positive means to bring up and 
answer the hidden questions that employers don't know how or are afraid to ask.
     Describe to the interviewer the ways a disability has provided many 
opportunities to develop alternative effective ways of dealing with situations 
or people. Always close with a sentence that will refocus the discussion on your 
job qualifications.
     Practice these strategies with friends or employment mentors to determine 
how successfully you resolved perceived concerns. The use of humor often helps. 
The following are two examples of how to address common (blindness and low 
vision) disabilities in positive ways to overcome employer concerns:
     Blindness--"Growing up as a blind person has enabled me to perfect great 
organization and communications skills such as using the public transit system 
to be punctual, coordinating class schedules, and supervising readers to ensure 
that I could access and use materials to become a top student; but most of all 
I've honed my listening skills to be sensitive to the needs of others. This has 
enabled me to develop great friendships. Combined with my knowledge of 
computers, these skills make me exceptionally qualified for this job."
     Low vision--"My visual condition has enabled me to problem solve ways of 
enlarging print using inexpensive and simple magnification devices: I've 
mastered our city's transit system to be prompt. Most important, I'm always 
aware of details which help me avoid mistakes. I'm continuously anticipating 
problems, devising solutions so I can get the job done. This, coupled with the 
work experience I received from volunteering and my love of working with people, 
makes me exceptionally qualified for this position."
     Here are some points to keep in mind when developing a response or turning 
perceived weaknesses into strengths:
     1. The statement must be true.
     2. The statement must sound natural and be in the person's own words.
     3. In our culture you need to look the employer in the eye (even if you 
can't see him or her) when addressing difficult issues. Looking away or down 
sends a message that the statement is not entirely true.
     4. Demonstrate or explain disability-related accommodations in a way that 
uninformed employers can understand.
     If you put yourself in the employer's position and understand his or her 
concerns, you'll understand how difficult it might be for someone to risk hiring 
you if these questions remain unanswered. The best way to resolve these issues 
and to reduce the employer's perceived risks is to take control of the situation 
by dealing with these hidden questions. Take the initiative to explain your 
disability in the most positive terms. When you anticipate employer fears, 
concerns, or unanswered questions by providing relevant information, you 
establish your credibility and increase your chances of being hired.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Tonia Trapp]
      Of Mice and Refrigerators
     by Tonia Trapp
     
     From the Editor: The following story first appeared in Remember to Feed the 
Kittens, the sixteenth in our Kernel Book series. It begins with President 
Maurer's introduction:
     
     Regular readers of the Kernel Book series will find the following story to 
be a marked change of pace. It contains no special insights about blindness, 
exposes no wrongs to be righted, seeks to teach no lessons. Why then do I 
include it? I do so merely because I thought you might enjoy this young woman's 
fanciful account of cleaning out the refrigerator as much as I did. Here it is:
     
     Two days ago, at about 12:30 p.m., I bounded up the basement stairs from my 
bedroom and into the kitchen. It was lunchtime--time to scrounge something up 
from amongst the dizzying array of containers cooling in our refrigerator. Mom 
was not home, so I was on my own. Sighing, I attempted to prepare myself 
mentally for the task ahead of me.
     Flinging open the refrigerator door, I began to examine the contents of the 
shelves, opening one container after another. Since I cannot see, I conducted my 
examination in two ways: first I would sniff. If that did not clearly indicate 
to me what was inside, then it was time to reach into the container, poking and 
prodding--at clear risk to myself--to find out what was there.
     For a while things were going well. I discovered that we had one piece of 
lasagna left, just enough for me. How grand! This was just what I had been 
looking for. I also found some pickles and a leftover fish mixture that might be 
a fine complement to my lasagna.
     Satisfied and happy, I surveyed the containers sitting on the counter that 
held my soon-to-be-eaten lunch. And then it occurred to me. Mom had not cleaned 
out the refrigerator in weeks. It was time for me to help her out. I am the only 
one who is usually brave enough to do this. Perhaps that is because I cannot see 
what lurks stealthily behind closed lids and therefore have no conception of the 
risks that I take when I decide to fulfill my self-inflicted duties of Kitchen 
Executor.
     Now why I didn't just stop there, zap my lunch in the microwave, and leave 
the refrigerator clean-up chore for someone else, I have no idea. But something 
within me compelled me to continue to probe the depths of what I instinctively 
knew would disgust me. So I plunged in.
     I started with the bottom shelf. Aha! That plastic bag with two rolls in it 
was still tucked cozily into the back corner. Last time I had pulled these out, 
three weeks ago, my mother had insisted that we were definitely going to eat 
those. Didn't happen. "These must be moldy by now," I thought. So out they came.
     Then I moved to the next shelf above that. I found the same cylindrical, 
screw-top contraption that had been there a month and a half ago. Then its 
contents had smelled like liver--something I absolutely despise. Now, I pulled 
out the container and sniffed it again. Hmm . . . doesn't smell like anything. 
Oh no! No smell, no clue--that means I'll have actually to touch what's in 
there.
     "OK, Tonia," I pep-talked myself, "you must be brave, now. Think of the 
good you are doing, the lives you are saving." I reached in and found a hardened 
mass of what felt like hamburger meat but which, surely, was not. "Interesting," 
I mused, "that fascinating mass of inedible glop seems to have shrunk over the 
past six weeks." And so it had.
     I continued my painstaking work, which soon led me to extract a dozen or so 
tiny plastic vessels that could each hold only enough to feed a mouse family of 
four. When I stuck my hand into one of these, I found, to my utmost horror, a 
solidified, slime-ified substance at the bottom that repulsed me so much that I 
threw down the vessel and cried out in agony, "No, no, no! Yuck! That's nasty. 
Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?" I marched to the 
garbage pail with container in hand and shook out the slime creature inside. But 
wait, part of it hadn't quite made it into the bag but was hanging over the 
edge! I had to slide it all the way into the bag, and as I did so, I lamented 
loudly that now part of the bag was covered with the slime that I wished so much 
to escape. "Please," I whispered to the uncomprehending slop in the pail, "don't 
hurt me."
     As I opened more of these mouse-feast-sized containers, I came to the 
conclusion that over time their contents do indeed solidify and, in some cases, 
slime-ify. I realized something else, too. The smaller containers are the ones 
that tend to get emptied last in my house, so they stay in our refrigerator 
longer than anything else.
     It must be, I thought to myself, that my mother, poor dear soul, is under 
the delusion that the smaller the container, the longer its contents will last. 
Because of this we own a bewildering profusion of tiny vessels of all shapes and 
sizes--and these, needless to say, are constantly crowding and filling our 
refrigerator.
     I wonder, now that I think about it, if there isn't some kind of conspiracy 
going on. Perhaps several thousand mouse families living in our house 
periodically tuck snacks away for themselves in our conveniently sized mouse-
feast containers. This would explain why these receptacles fill our fridge, and 
it would also explain why their contents shrink and slime-ify so quickly. 
Everyone knows that mice are slimy little slicks, isn't that right?
     So what if my theory is true. What then? Well I was just going to go 
shopping soon, so while I'm at the grocery store, I'll just pick up some more 
cold cuts. Oh, and we're running out of small containers. They're all filled up 
at the moment. Better get some more.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Peggy Elliott plays with Sheriff]
     It's A Cat's Life
     by Peggy Elliott
     
     From the Editor: Having just enjoyed a little story that talks about mice, 
you now have an opportunity to consider cats. The following story is reprinted 
from Remember to Feed the Kittens, the sixteenth in the NFB's Kernel Book series 
of paperbacks intended to educate the public about blindness. Peggy Elliott 
tackles the job from a slightly different perspective. The article begins with 
President Maurer's introduction.
     
     Doug and Peggy Elliott are both blind and live in Grinnell, Iowa. When they 
invited a tiny blind kitten to join them and their two sighted older cats awhile 
ago, they told Kernel Book readers about little Sheriff and her insistence on 
being left alone to explore and do for herself. Now Peggy, who also serves as 
Second Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind, brings us up to 
date on the growing blind cat, Sheriff.
      Although it's hard to say for sure what Sheriff's adventures tell us about 
blindness, there is no question what they tell us about the Elliott household: 
it's a great place to be a cat! And perhaps it only stands to reason that a 
blind cat would try to make the same adaptations to cat life as a blind human 
does to human living. In any case, for cat lovers it is a delightful story. Here 
is what Peggy has to say:
     
     Our little blind kitten has grown into a nine-pound teenager, tomboy, and 
endless source of amusement and pleasure. When we last reported about Sheriff, 
she was a newcomer to our house, recently retrieved from the vet who had cured 
all her outside-kitty parasites and given us soothing ointment for her infected 
eyes. Soothing is all we could do; Sheriff cannot see.
     This has never bothered Sheriff. She's constantly busy. Most cats play with 
an object for a while and then lose it. Sheriff picks favorite toys and keeps 
them around for weeks. The most recent one is a mouse with a bell on its tail. 
She'll smack it, chase it down, capture it, and smack again. When the game is 
over for a time, she'll leave it.
     The thing about her, though, is that she remembers where. Later you'll see 
her carrying it in her mouth to a new hockey area or hear the bell jingling in 
another room. Now we think one of the older cats has finally stolen and hidden 
the mouse. But Sheriff always finds another toy.
     Cellophane packages are another favorite, and Wednesday grocery day with 
all the fresh sacks on the floor is a highlight of the week for Sheriff. She 
hasn't done this for awhile, but she used to find a sack, put her front paws and 
shoulders in, lie down, and push herself and the sack forward while making a 
prrt prrt prrt sound for all the world like a little feline motorboat. When the 
sack would hit the cabinets and stop, she would go to find another and repeat 
the process.
     Toys are an important part of Sheriff's day. Of course anything she plays 
with has to make or create sound. I think it's fair to say her very favorite 
toys are Doug and me.
     When she was tiny, Sheriff spent hours climbing up and down the ladders on 
our ladderbacked kitchen chairs. When she would reach the top, she would balance 
there, all four feet on the top rung, very pleased with herself and sometimes 
bold enough to bat at a passing human toy.
     She's too big now to do this climbing act; she'd just knock the chair over 
if she tried. So she's modified the game. Now she puts her back feet on the seat 
of an empty chair and her front paws on the top rung. She positions herself 
there when a human toy is going to pass and then bats out at you, swatting 
accurately at Doug or me as we pass.
     It's amazing what Sheriff can find that fits the sound-making toy bill. One 
of us got a small electrical appliance, a tape recorder or something, that came 
packed in Styrofoam peanuts. We already knew about Sheriff's love of peanuts. 
They make nice scratching sounds as they move across a surface.
     This particular box with the peanuts got set under the bed in our bedroom 
and forgotten. Little Sheriff is always looking at her world and the details of 
her world with her paws. She goes places and finds stuff the two older cats 
never do. One day she found the box.
     The first we knew about Sheriff's discovery was when she arrived on the bed 
with a peanut and began hitting it around, chasing it, pouncing, hitting, all 
while two humans were trying to get a little sleep.
     One of us took the peanut away and put it under a pillow as a temporary 
fix. Sheriff followed the sound of the peanut and looked with her paws on and 
then around and then under the pillow. The peanut was too far under for her to 
find.
     A little dejected (we thought) Sheriff hopped off the bed and, after a 
little time had passed, began batting another Styrofoam peanut around the floor. 
I can't even begin to tell you how annoying the sound of a Styrofoam peanut and 
a joyful cat can be in the middle of the night. This went on for days.
     I don't know how many times she kept us awake playing on the floor and how 
many times we got bounced by her frisking on the bed and how many Styrofoam 
peanuts we confiscated before we found the forgotten box.
     And the little creep was clever enough to get the next one only after a 
pause so that we weren't sure what the distance was from her supply to the 
torture chamber that the bedroom had become while she had access to the endless 
supply. It's gone now, and we're careful to throw all peanuts away the minute 
they come in the house. She loves them as toys, but we like our sleep more.
     It is constantly interesting to watch Sheriff exploring her environment. We 
got a new couch and love seat a few weeks ago, and Sheriff was immediately 
there, feeling, jumping, using her paws to see the outlines.
     She's the first cat of our three that found that the backs are wide and 
padded enough to accommodate a sprawled, sleeping cat comfortably. She's 
appropriated the love seat as hers, and I've never seen either older cat up 
there.
     When she was still a kitten, Sheriff showed us that she has a clear map of 
the world around her in her mind. We had a recliner set at right angles to a 
couch, with a coffee table in front of the couch. Sheriff would get on Doug's 
knee in the recliner, reach out with her paw to find the edge of the coffee 
table, hop to the table, and then hop to the couch.
     After a while, we decided the coffee table was too much in that setting and 
removed it. For weeks thereafter Sheriff would get on Doug's knee, reach for the 
edge of the coffee table, reach farther, lean way out, wave around with her paw. 
She was convinced for a long time that she just wasn't reaching far enough since 
she knew there was a surface there. She's stopped doing it now, but she did it 
so many times we had to conclude that she really remembered the table.
     Sheriff is not afraid to try new routes. In an area she is not sure about, 
she checks with a paw before stepping. But then she remembers the pattern for 
later. Our front stairs turn twice, and our back stairs turn once. At the top 
and bottom of both, one must pick angles to arrive at different locations.
     Sheriff has taken to racing people up and down the stairs and winning. In 
the morning she waits at the top of the front stairs, usually used by the first 
person up. When one of us starts down, she leaps into motion, races ahead, and 
invariably beats us to the kitchen. She's running all the way.
     We tied a string on a knob of my dresser as a cat toy. Neither older cat 
has to my knowledge so much as looked at the string. For about nine months the 
string formed part of Sheriff's morning ritual. She would flop down on the floor 
under the string and commence to swat, bite, kick, and roll in reaction to and 
activation of the string.
     The game would last for ten to fifteen minutes a day, and she kept this up 
for about nine months. She's tired of that game now and doesn't do it anymore. 
But it's clear that she intentionally went to the string each morning, knowing 
where it was and how to play the game.
     Once Sheriff got caught in a little dead-end hallway off the main upstairs 
hall. GirlKitty (one of the older cats) was standing at the mouth of the dead-
end, growling at her. I stepped over GirlKitty and started downstairs.
     Then it occurred to me that there was a reason why GirlKitty, the only 
Sheriff hater I know, was growling. She was penning Sheriff in the dead-end. I 
stopped about three steps down and reached through the widely-spaced rails into 
the dead-end. Sheriff was sitting right on the edge. I petted her and went on 
down a few more stairs. Then I heard Sheriff flop onto the stairs. She had 
figured out that, if I was there, she could be there too.
      She didn't quite know the distances, but she did know that she had been 
trapped and that I had showed her, she thought, a way out. She hasn't taken that 
route since, but she was braver at trying than I probably would have been with 
the same information she had.
     Speaking of how Sheriff thinks reminds me of the shrimp. We were having 
boiled shrimp one night, and we decided to put an empty bowl over the tails in 
the tail bowl as a protection against marauding cats. All three know they are 
not supposed to be on the table and steal food, but, well, you know cats.
     If you leave an unusually juicy morsel unguarded, you have to take your 
chances. So we devised the tail bowl protector to save ourselves the trouble. 
First we heard the bowl being investigated and moved a bit, followed by a 
disappointed Bobby (the other older cat) leaving the table with his trademark 
"prrrt" as he jumps. Then the sounds were repeated followed by the more clumsy 
and non-verbal exit of GirlKitty. Then no sound for awhile.
     Doug reached over to put a tail in the bowl and discovered little Sheriff 
industriously working on uncracking the puzzle. She had examined the container 
with the good smells very carefully with her front paws and had gotten one paw 
in between the lips of the two bowls. When Doug happened to reach over, Sheriff 
had the two bowls separated and was working her nose into the widening gap.
     She had unlocked the puzzle neither older, sighted cat had had the patience 
or persistence to deconstruct and was about to graze upon the ambrosia easily 
withheld from both older cats. Though I don't specifically remember, I can guess 
that either Doug or I rewarded her persistence after we removed her from the 
table.
      Then there are the dropped things in the kitchen. When a human is in the 
kitchen, Sheriff is usually there too, just in case. She wouldn't want to 
withhold an opportunity from a human to give her treats. To be fair, she usually 
hangs around one of us wherever we are. But back to the kitchen.
     Anything you drop, from an ice cube to a spoon to a few kernels of frozen 
corn escaped from the bag, anything--if Sheriff is in the kitchen, she will 
probably find it more quickly than we do. The minute something hits the floor, 
she leaps into action, using her ears and her knowledge of the kitchen to run 
right to the dropped thing and kill it.
     She seems to understand that these things are not usually subject to the 
game of cat hockey. It's just a mere matter of finding. And she likes to race to 
the dropped object, being the first to find it. She's even come tearing in from 
the dining room, around the refrigerator and into the end of the kitchen to find 
something.
      Now that we know the game, it's a matter of pride to find the dropped 
thing before the cat does. But I would say that the score is about fifty-fifty, 
even though the human doing the dropping is usually closer when the drop occurs. 
Sheriff's good.
      The most fun thing of all about Sheriff, though, is her intense conviction 
that she can communicate. Some of the communication, of course, deals with food. 
We recycle cans after washing them in the dishwasher and store them in the back 
hallway for the weekly city pick-up. When Sheriff was quite little, she dug an 
empty, dishwashed tuna can out of the recycling bin and carried it over to 
Doug's feet, dropping it there as a statement of desire.
      Sheriff has never repeated that ploy since it didn't work. But when 
someone opens the refrigerator, you may find Sheriff there, standing on her back 
legs and touching the tuna can sitting on the second shelf at the left. She is 
always ready to let us know just where it is.
      Sheriff also knows that her bell gives her away. Most of the time you can 
hear the bell merrily ringing as Sheriff trots along or rolls over during a nap. 
Sometimes you'd swear she's intentionally ringing the bell louder when she's 
happy and running around. But there are other times when the bell goes silent. 
Then you find a little cat nose or paw where it's not supposed to be.
     As I say, Sheriff is certain she can communicate her wishes. She likes to 
snuggle down in bed against one of us for the night. She has a favorite place 
next to Doug, and she's sometimes ready for sleep before we are. Every now and 
then we'll be talking, and a sleepy paw will appear very gently on Doug's mouth. 
The message is clear.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Richard Ring demonstrates Humanware's Braille Companion to a 
group from the Overbrook School.  They are standing at a station in the 
International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind.]
     Finding Best Ways for Blind in Computer World
     by Kevin Washington,
     
     From the Editor: the following story appeared in the Plugged-In Section of 
the Baltimore Sun on Monday, February 28, 2000.
     
     People with sight seem fixated on the mouse as an aid to blind computer 
users. But Richard Ring and Curtis Chong say those who can see are looking in 
the wrong direction.
     "We get a lot farther with the keyboard," says Ring, who tests hardware and 
software at the National Federation of the Blind's technology center.
     Chong, the NFB's technology director, and Ring, supervisor of the 
International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind, are both blind and 
spend their days making side-by-side comparisons of devices and programs 
designed to help others who can't see.
     On the second floor of a warehouse on Johnson Street in South Baltimore 
they rate the voices of screen-readers that translate written text displayed on 
a monitor, measure the speed of Braille printers (called embossers) that print 
on both sides of paper, and find out what programs work best with Windows 98 and 
NT.
     "We're not as extensive as Consumer Reports," says Chong, "but we will find 
out the good things about something and the bad things about it."
     The center has samples of about 200 devices worth $2 million and publishes 
a thirty-two-page catalog of hardware and software, augmented by advice that 
Chong and Ring dispense on the phone to anyone who calls.
     Some of the gadgets are fairly common, such as voice- and keyboard-based 
note takers, while others are rare and expensive. For example, there's a 
Belgian-made Interpoint 55 embosser, which can output up to 800 Braille 
characters per second and costs about $77,000. NFB has one of three in the 
country: the others are owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower Bible and 
Tract Society in New York.
     Chong and Ring decline offers of free devices from vendors to maintain the 
integrity of the testing process. While they say most vendors are doing a good 
job, occasionally they get strange offerings from inventors.
     "Someone came up with the crazy idea of a cane with a wheel on the end that 
would have a detector to tell people when they were coming to a puddle," Chong 
says. "It was a dumb idea."
     While he frequently gets suggestions for Braille keyboards and voice-
recognition systems, Ring said a standard computer keyboard, properly designed 
with nibs on the "F" and "J" keys to guide the fingers, works just fine.
     "We can input to our heart's content," Chong says. "It's getting the 
information out of the computer that's the problem."
      Chong said the center's most important work revolves around Microsoft 
Windows because so many blind people use computers at work. While the operating 
system is friendly in some respects, he said, it needs auxiliary programs to 
unlock its potential for the blind. For example, the testers say the best of the 
half-dozen screen readers they've tested is JAWS for Windows, which costs about 
$800 and tells the user what selections he has made on the Windows desktop, 
opens an application, or gets on the World Wide Web.
     JAWS depends upon the same keyboard shortcuts that any sighted user would 
turn to if he didn't want to use the mouse, and its synthesized speech can be 
adjusted for pitch and speed.
     Screen readers can also translate Web pages, which many advocates see as a 
great equalizer for the blind because the underlying HyperText Markup Language 
can be deciphered easily.
     Another important computer tool is the Braille display machine, a flat box 
that sits under a keyboard and duplicates the screen text in Braille characters 
produced by plastic pegs that poke up through tiny holes. The machine can even 
display a flashing cursor by popping the proper pegs up and down.
     Chong and Ring also preach to agencies that serve the blind: This year 
they'll teach three classes to show rehabilitation counselors what's available 
for their clients.
     "It's surprising how limited knowledge of technology is" among those who 
work at agencies to help the blind, Ring said.
     Still Chong worries that prospective employers focus so heavily on the 
technology a blind person needs that they don't consider what's really 
important--the qualities the person can bring to a company regardless of his 
vision.
     When they're not dealing with computers, the two often discover that other 
gee-whiz consumer technologies aren't friendly to the blind.
     Chong went shopping for a stove recently and discovered to his horror that 
the latest fashion in expensive equipment is a smooth glass top with embedded 
burners and no protrusions to tell a blind person the location of the stove's 
eyes. He's also found that his satellite TV receiver has a program guide and 
instructions on-screen, processes he can't use. Nor, he said, are touch screens 
on computers, televisions, and bank machines an advancement for the blind.
     "Everything is digital now," Chong says. "With the old analog television, 
you could feel the dial changing the channels. Now you can't feel the channel 
change.... "What we're trying to get people to think about is nonvisual 
technology when they're designing."
     For information call the International Braille and Technology Center for 
the Blind at (410) 659-9314. The National Federation of the Blind's Web address 
is <www.nfb.org>.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Don Morris]
     First You Have to Ask . . .
     by Donald J. Morris
     
     From the Editor: Don Morris serves as President of the NFB's Merchants 
Division. He is a longtime leader of the Federation and a businessman with a 
flare for selling. In recent months he has been helping with our capital 
campaign. His experience is instructive and should encourage us all as we invite 
others to help change what it means to be blind.
     
     If the program was "Jeopardy," "First you have to ask" would be the answer. 
The appropriate question with which to respond is, "What is required to achieve 
a successful Capital Campaign request?"
     One of the challenges Dr. Jernigan left us is acquiring the funding to 
build the National Research and Training Institute for the Blind, which he 
designed before his death. To accomplish this goal, we will need to raise 
eighteen million dollars. In one bite that goal seems almost unattainable; 
however, we don't have to do it all in one bite.
     Many corporate givers plan their charitable gifts over a number of years. 
By this means they can give very substantial gifts. We have learned that even 
those of us whose means are more modest can make significant gifts by spreading 
them over a period of five years. We are asking our members and friends to join 
us in a five-year pledge to help achieve this objective.
     As a Capital Campaign volunteer and as the president of the NFB Merchants 
Division, I have had the chance to work with several blind vendors in arranging 
for their participation in the Capital Campaign. We achieved the first goal set 
for blind vendors fairly early on with participation by only a limited number of 
vendors. Therefore the Vendor Goal has now been doubled, and I believe we will 
meet and perhaps exceed that target.
     To begin with, it is important to know the essentials of our project: a 
five-story building (170,000 square feet) attached to the National Center for 
the Blind. It includes a research library, technology training labs, classrooms, 
a distance-learning center, an adaptive-technology development center, and 
office and flexible meeting space. The goal is to raise the needed funds by 
summer 2001 and to complete the project in 2003.
     Through the facilities of the NRTIB, modern technology will provide 
learning opportunities to blind children, adults, and seniors. We estimate that 
more than a half-million blind people will be influenced by this new learning 
technology within the first ten years of the Institute's operation. The NRTIB 
will not provide larger and fancier offices for existing programs. All of these 
programs will be an extension into new areas of research and training.
     But first you have to ask. . .
     I saw our current building before it became the National Center for the 
Blind. My imagination was not adequate to foresee the day when the NFB could 
possibly use that much space. Fortunately Dr. Jernigan had the vision to know 
that opportunities were abundant if we only had the ability to seize them. He 
declared that the day would come when, even though we used our space at 1800 
Johnson Street prudently, we would need still more. I personally was content to 
accept the idea that we would need the new space simply because Dr. Jernigan had 
said we would, and in fact our existing building is now full to the brim. 
However, as I have heard more details about the plans for the NFB's future 
growth and expanded services to blind people, I am becoming really excited about 
the potential and possibilities that lie ahead of us.
     If you are a Capital Campaign volunteer, I invite you to adapt the letter I 
wrote to a number of vendors and send it to your colleagues and friends. Ron 
Gardner wrote a letter to members of the lawyers division which gave me an idea 
for the following letter. Vendor response has been very encouraging. Five-year 
gifts from blind vendors range from $1,000 to $100,000. The task of gathering 
the gifts we need is not difficult, but first you have to ask.
     
Blind Vendor
Xx Street
City, State Zip
     
Dear ______:
     Dr. Maurer has asked me to assist him and other National Federation of the 
Blind leaders in the important work of raising funds for our capital campaign. 
We are now in the midst of raising $18,000,000 for our new National Research and 
Training Institute for the Blind (NRTIB). I have been asked to contact blind 
business people like you who are affiliated with the National Federation of the 
Blind. The goal of blind vendors toward this $18,000,000 project is $200,000 
payable over a five year period.
     As blind vendors you and I have been extraordinary beneficiaries of the 
work of the National Federation of the Blind. The rights and opportunities in 
the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program, which we enjoy, are the result of the 
efforts of the National Federation of the Blind. Like you I have received far 
more benefit than I can possibly repay. However, I have made my pledge and 
contribution toward the building fund and I am asking that you do the same.
     Since its founding in 1940 the NFB has worked zealously to achieve the 
objectives set by Dr. tenBroek and other founders--to promote the economic and 
social welfare of the blind. Nowhere more than in the vending program has this 
goal been achieved.
     For more than half a century NFB members and supporters have sought to 
integrate the blind into American society on the basis of equal rights and equal 
responsibilities. The NFB is built on a philosophy of self-help, self-respect, 
productive employment, and independence of spirit.
     The National Research and Training Institute for the Blind will be 
connected to the National Center for the Blind, which houses NFB's national 
headquarters, located at 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore. The new building will 
not replace our national office. The new building and the NRTIB, which it 
houses, will be dedicated to five related areas:
     *Developing model programs enabling blind and visually impaired people to 
find jobs.
     *Undertaking research and developing products that allow the blind access 
to information technology.
     *Seeking to change the public's perception of the nature of blindness 
through information and resources.
     *Improving education for blind children, especially increasing Braille 
literacy.
     *Creating special programs for those who become blind as they age.
As of this writing, we have received pledges totaling about 20 percent of our 
goal. It's a great start, but we have a long way to go.
     Please do two things. First, commit to make a pledge toward this very 
important project. Second, make your pledge in an amount that lets your 
conscience say, "This is my best effort." Remember that your pledge can be paid 
over a five-year period. That is to say your $10,000 commitment can be paid at 
the rate of $2,000 per year or $500 per quarter, if that is easier. You can do 
the math. Larger gifts will result in larger annual payments, smaller gifts in 
smaller payments.
     While making our pledge, Shirley and I learned that we could give 
securities which have increased in value since we bought them. Doing this 
enabled the building fund to receive the full value of our annual pledge, and we 
did not have to pay capital gains tax on the appreciated stocks we gave. You 
might want to consider a similar strategy.
     Doubtless you will have questions. Please feel free to call me, (301) 447-
6380, home, (301) 447-2795, work, or Vince Connelly (410) 659-9314 or cell 
phone, (443) 413-6033.
     I will be contacting you personally in the near future to help you with the 
details of making your pledge. In the meantime please think back and add up the 
benefits you have received by virtue of the work of Dr. Maurer, Dr. Jernigan, 
Jim Gashel, and others who have vigorously defended the Randolph-Sheppard 
Vending Program and your rights and mine to work and earn and be responsible.
     
Best regards,
Don Morris
     
     
     Have you made your campaign pledge yet? We need everyone's help. The 
construction cost of our projected National Research and Training Institute for 
the Blind is eighteen million dollars. Please take this opportunity to complete 
your pledge form. Without you our job will be just that much harder.
     
     The Campaign To Change What It Means To Be Blind
     Capital Campaign Pledge Intention
     
Name:_______________________________________
Home Address:_______________________________
City, State, and Zip:_______________________
Home Phone: Work Phone:_____________________
E-mail address:_____________________________
Employer:___________________________________
Work Address:_______________________________
City, State, Zip:___________________________
     
     To support the priorities of the Campaign, I (we) pledge the sum of 
$___________.
     
     My (our) pledge will be payable in installments of $ __________ over the 
next ____ years (we encourage pledges paid over five years), beginning 
_____________, on the following schedule (check one): __ annually, __ semi-
annually, __ quarterly, __ monthly
     I (we) have enclosed a down payment of $ ________________
___ Gift of stock: _____________________ shares of _____________
___ My employer will match my gift.
     Please list (my) our names in all Campaign Reports and on the Campaign Wall 
of Honor in the appropriate Giving Circle as follows:
__ I (We) wish to remain anonymous.
Signed: ________________________________ Date: __________________
     
     
     Recipes
     
     This month's recipes have been provided by members of the NFB of Alaska.
     
     Indian Fry Bread
     by Carolyn Peter
     
     Carolyn Peter is the Director of the Alaska Center for the Blind. She has 
lived in Alaska since 1966 and has been a member of the NFB since 1992. She 
learned this recipe from her Athabaskan mother-in-law.
     
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
a pinch salt
water
     
     Method: Combine first three ingredients, and stir in enough water to make a 
batter the consistency of pancake batter. Pour 1/2-inch cooking oil into a black 
cast-iron skillet. Heat skillet and drop a spoonful of batter into it. Flatten 
batter with the back of the spoon and fry until it's browned and stops bubbling. 
Turn and fry on the other side until that side too is brown and stops bubbling.
     Additions: For a different taste, you can add raisins, blueberries, corn, 
or cooked salmon leftovers--anything that sounds good to you. Eat and enjoy.
     
     
     Baked Alaska
     by Cindi Martin
     
     Cindi Martin has been a member of the NFB since 1977. She currently serves 
on the board of the Alaska affiliate.
     
Ingredients:
Chocolate or chocolate fudge cupcakes
Rocky road or other flavor ice cream
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
     
     Method: Freeze cupcakes. When ready to serve dessert, preheat oven to 475 
degrees. In a large, very clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar till 
the mixture is frothy. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla until the meringue 
forms soft peaks. Set aside. Remove cupcakes from freezer, and slip off paper 
cups, if any. Arrange cakes on a cookie sheet. Place a scoop of your favorite 
ice cream on each cupcake. Working quickly, spread meringue completely over each 
cupcake and ice cream, being sure to seal every serving by spreading meringue 
down to the cookie sheet. Do not allow any holes in the meringue to remain.
     Bake for three to four minutes (until meringue browns slightly). Serve 
baked Alaska immediately, or you will have a mess of melted ice cream to clean 
up.
     
     
     German Pancakes
     by Laura Smith
     
     Laura Smith is a student at the Alaska Center for the Blind. She enjoys 
cooking and prepares wonderful dishes.
     
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
     
     Method: Mix all ingredients, using a fork or whisk to beat well. Add two 
tablespoons of butter to a cast-iron skillet and heat in a 375-degree oven. When 
pan is hot, pour the batter in. Return pan to oven and bake four to eight 
minutes. Pancake is done when it is lightly browned and puffed up and over the 
sides of the pan. Serve with powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. Enjoy.
     
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Larry Meader]
     Irish Potato Bake
     by Larry Meader
     
     Larry Meader currently serves as Second Vice President of the NFB of Alaska 
and has served as President.
     
Ingredients:
4 cups corn chex cereal, crushed to two cups
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 cups stiff, hot, seasoned mashed potatoes
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
dash white pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded, processed American cheese
     
     Method: Butter a 1-1/2-quart, shallow baking dish. In a bowl thoroughly mix 
corn chex crumbs and melted butter and set aside. Combine potatoes, sour cream, 
seasonings, and broccoli. Stir gently until well-mixed. Spread half this mixture 
into the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese and half the crumb mixture. 
Repeat the process. Bake in a 350-degree oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes, 
until crumbs are golden. This recipe serves eight.
     
     
     Baked Halibut with Sauce
     by Al Waldron
     
     Al Waldron is currently a member of the Board of the Alaska affiliate. He 
is an active member of the NFB and enjoys cooking. In fact, he graduated from 
the Culinary Institute of America.
     
Ingredients:
4 6-ounce halibut steaks or fillets
1 large white, yellow, or red onion
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dill weed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
     
     Method: Peel onion and cut in half. Slice thinly and arrange slices on 
baking sheet. Place halibut steaks or fillets on top of the onions. In a bowl 
mix the remaining ingredients together well. Spread evenly over halibut and bake 
at 350 degrees for twenty-five minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 
Enjoy.
     
     
     Hot Poppers
     by Anne Conn
     
     Ann Conn teaches home management at the Alaska Center for the Blind.
     
Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound imitation crab
     
     Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the dough into preformed 
triangles. Divide the cream cheese into ten equal parts, and place one pat of 
cream cheese on each triangle. Place one tablespoon of the imitation crab on top 
of the cream cheese, then roll the dough from the wide to the pointed end, and 
seal edges of each roll as well as possible. Shape each into a crescent. Place 
all ten rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake ten to thirteen minutes at 
375 degrees or until golden brown. You can substitute a teaspoon of chopped 
green chilies or jalapenos for the imitation crab.
     
     
     Monitor Miniatures
     
Healthcare Professionals Meeting:
     The convention meeting of the Healthcare Professionals group will be held 
on Tuesday, July 4, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Topics for discussion will be 
establishing a new division and nominating officers. For further information 
please contact Donna Balaski, phone: (203) 753-7174 or email at 
<dlb13@mindspring.com.
     
Resolutions Reminder:
     President Maurer reminds us that any member may introduce a resolution for 
consideration at this year's convention. Resolutions must be in the hands of 
President Maurer or of Sharon Maneki, the Resolutions Committee Chairwoman, no 
later than June 19, 2000, two weeks before the meeting of the committee on July 
3. Resolutions may still be brought to the committee for consideration as late 
as noon of July 3 if three members of the committee agree to sponsor it. No 
resolution will be considered by the committee, even when it has met these 
deadlines, if no sponsor is in the room and prepared to speak in support of the 
resolution at the time it is to be considered. The committee may make minor and 
uncomplicated changes to a resolution it is considering, but it will not engage 
in significant rewriting.
     Resolutions are brought to the floor of the convention for discussion and a 
vote if the Resolutions Committee votes recommend do pass; it is not brought to 
the floor for consideration if the committee recommends against consideration, 
unless five official Convention delegates agree to sponsor it.
     Send resolutions in final form to Sharon Maneki, 5843 Blue Sky, Elkridge, 
Maryland 21075-5979, fax, (410) 379-6606. Sharon's e-mail address is 
<maneki@concentric.net>. If possible, please attach resolution files to simplify 
clear reproduction.
     
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Galileo Reading Machine, two years old, asking $1,500. Also Braille 
Companion with floppy drive, one year old, asking $1,500. Call (203) 753-7174.
     
Free Cookbook Available:
     Those interested in receiving print or Braille editions of the NFB's 
Fiftieth Anniversary Cookbook free of charge should contact the Materials Center 
(410) 659-9314, extension 216, fax, (410) 685-5653. This book includes all the 
recipes published in the Braille Monitor until 1990. This offer is good for four 
weeks. Written requests may be sent to the Materials Center, National Federation 
of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
     
Cassette Albums for Sale:
     There is no better testament to the value of a thing than the comments of a 
satisfied customer: "When tapes are organized, finding the one I want is much 
easier than groping around for them in a box of mixed tapes, rattling around 
willy-nilly."
     Once again the NFB of Illinois has the perfect solution to groping "willy 
nilly" in stacks or boxes of mixed tapes. For a mere $3 each you can have your 
very own attractive, compact, white vinyl albums that accommodate a dozen 
cassettes. Our cassette albums come complete with clear sleeves front and back 
for print labels and ample space on the spine for Braille labels.      Find the 
Illinois table in the exhibit hall at this year's National Convention, and take 
advantage of an opportunity to free yourself from toppling tapes. If you are 
unable to attend this Convention, you may still avoid the dreaded cassette 
avalanche by sending a check or money order, made payable to the NFB of 
Illinois, in the amount of $3 for each cassette album, to Stephen O. Benson, NFB 
of Illinois, 7020 N. Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646.
     
Braille Code Charts Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The idea for producing this unique chart for Grade II Braille came from a 
Braille student. The items in this chart are not necessarily in alphabetical 
order but occur in dot-logic order, grouped by dot formation. Also the 
contracted-word form appears first. This helps the student quickly reference 
that mysterious dot formation never seen before while reading a book or writing 
a paper. The sections are arranged in the following order: single-letter words, 
letter combos, dots and dot combos, lower case formations, mirror images, and 
final touches. It is not necessary to memorize this chart before reading a good 
Braille book or magazine of your choice. Talk to your Braille instructor or 
another Braille user about getting a Braille book, preferably one you've been 
itching to get your hands on. Also check with your state's agency for the blind 
or state library serving the blind. NFB members in your area will be happy to 
help and advise you.
     These booklets are approximately five-by-seven inches, thirty-three pages, 
printed on durable cardstock, and bound on the side. Convenient to carry when 
you want to study or read while traveling. Final Touch can be purchased for $5 
each from Infinidot Access Services, 4303 South M Street, Tacoma, Washington 
98408, (253) 471-9248, e-mail <mailto:sunshine@integrityol.com>.
     
New Shaklee Web Site:
     Federationists Loren and Teresa Wakefield have asked us to carry the 
following announcement:
     TLC Distribution invites everyone to check out its new Web site at 
<www.shaklee.net/wakefieldtlc>.The site offers a wealth of health information 
and the opportunity to purchase Shaklee products, which include nutrition, 
herbs, skin care, environmentally safe cleansers, and water-purification 
systems. We also have a convention special in which we will donate a percentage 
of your order to the NFB if you tell us to do so. We look forward to helping 
people achieve better health and improved lives.
     
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have a Voyager CCTV Electronic Visual Aid for sale. It is Model VR2A with 
a black-and-white ten-inch screen and is in excellent condition. Asking $750. 
Price negotiable. If interested, contact Barry DeGardner at (763) 786-1372 or e-
mail him at <barryd@coolmail.net>.
     
Introducing I.D. Mate:
     We have been asked to carry the following Announcement:
     I.D. Mate is a portable electronic device that allows you to associate a 
recorded voice message with a bar code number that you scan. Bar codes (or UPC 
symbols) are already placed on virtually every product sold in stores today. But 
if a bar code does not exist on a particular item, you can simply attach one, 
using bar code labels supplied with the I.D. Mate. You don't need to locate the 
bar code label. You simply rotate the I.D. Mate's built-in scanner around the 
product to get a read. The scanner can read the bar code in any direction.
     The I.D. Mate can be used to identify cans, jars, boxes, bottles, clothing, 
prescription drugs, compact discs, albums, cassette tapes, diskettes, important 
papers, file folders, and anything else to which a bar code label can be 
attached. The entire unit weighs only two-and-one-half pounds and is stored in a 
convenient carrying case that can be worn on a belt or over the shoulder. Using 
the carrying case protects the I.D. Mate and the scanner from accidental drops 
or mishandling. Each removable flash memory card (used to store verbally-
recorded information) is about the size of a credit card. The cards come in 
sizes ranging from four to sixteen megabytes (for reference, a four-megabyte 
card has about thirty-four minutes of recording time). The cards are removable 
and can be upgraded to add additional memory as required.
     For more information, contact En-Vision America at 1013 Porter Lane, 
Normal, Illinois 61761, telephone: (800) 890-1180.
     
New Magazine by Phone:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     You can now pick up the phone and dial direct an audio magazine created and 
produced specifically for the blind and visually impaired. The USA Connection 
for the Blind has news, helpful information, interviews, and recorded voices of 
other blind individuals from across the USA. It offers many other features such 
as audiobook reviews, described-movie reviews, hiking and biking, guide dogs, 
inspiration and religion, your poems and short stories.
     All that is necessary to access this magazine is an ordinary touch tone 
telephone. Just dial and listen. You may dial, listen, and then leave your 
comments and suggestions. To participate in this interaction, dial (918) 365-
5655, listen for the table of contents, and press your selection. Listen or 
press the star button and leave your suggestions and comments. If you prefer, 
you may send your comments or submissions by e-mail to <usaconnect@juno.com>. 
You can fax messages to (918) 627-8867. You may contact the editor, Chuck Ayers, 
at 5343 South Joplin Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135, or e-mail 
<chuckayers@juno.com>.
     
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     One Alva Braille terminal model ABT-380, 85-cell refreshable Braille 
display. This unit has been used very little. It can connect by either serial or 
parallel interface and comes with carrying case and Braille documentation. 
Asking $7,000 or best offer. The list price from HumanWare is $10,595 without 
carrying case. If interested, please contact Loren Mikola, (425) 705-3394 (day), 
(425) 558-0131 (evening), or e-mail <lorenm@Microsoft.com>.
     
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sharon Maneki makes her acceptance remarks during the awards 
banquet.]
Honored:
     The Soroptimist International of Arbutus, Maryland, the Baltimore area 
chapter of a service organization active in communities across the nation, 
honored Sharon Maneki, President of the NFB of Maryland, as its Woman of 
Distinction for 2000 at a ceremony on April 13, 2000. The nominating letter for 
Mrs. Maneki said in part:
     
     Sharon Maneki is a professional writer with a published book. She has 
successfully served as President of a statewide organization. She and her 
husband (a Doctor of Mathematics with his own professional career) always 
present a united front and in other ways illustrate to the observer a well-kept 
marriage. She is pleasant and civil, even when confronted by ignorant people who 
are trampling on the rights of blind persons she is helping. She is logical, 
humorous, unselfish, and deeply sincere in her wish to assist those who have 
need of her skills (both blind and sighted). Mrs. Sharon Maneki is a wonderful 
role model for any woman who wants an example of a fulfilling life in service to 
one's family and community. As a woman who is totally blind, Sharon is also a 
wonderful role model for young girls and adult women who need to know blindness 
will not prevent them from living a full life.
     
     The nominating materials went on for pages citing examples of Mrs. Maneki's 
work through the years to assist and protect the rights of blind people. We 
congratulate Sharon Maneki on this honor and wish her luck as her nomination 
moves upward in the Soroptimist competition.
     
Music Courses for the Visually Impaired:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Don't let a visual impairment keep you from learning to play the guitar or 
piano. Intro to the Guitar for the Visually Impaired is a beginning guitar 
course that talks the student through the basics of guitar playing using no 
written materials or visual references. The course comes in an attractive 
bookshelf-quality four-cassette album that is fully Brailled (tapes and album 
spine) and includes a free "Guitar by Ear" instructional cassette tape. The 
Library of Congress has at least eighty copies of Intro to the Guitar for the 
Visually Impaired.
     Also available is Introduction to the Piano for the Visually Impaired. It 
is a beginner-level course similar to the guitar course. It too is a four-
cassette album, including a free Piano-by-Ear instructional cassette tape."
     Each course is $37, including access to a toll-free number that you can 
call during business hours if you have questions or tuning problems. To purchase 
a course with a credit card or for more information, call (912) 249-0628. You 
may contact Bill Brown, Music V.I., Valdosta Music and Publishing, 704 Habersham 
Road, Valdosta, Georgia 31602, <Bilbrown@mciworld.com>.
     
Deaf-Blind Singles Group:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I am starting a deaf-blind singles connection. Membership is free. 
Cassettes are needed. All participants provide is material in either Braille, 
large dark print, or tapes. Please send some basic information: full name, 
address, phone (if it is voice, TDD, or TTY), birth date, hobbies, and 
interests. Do you wish to be listed as a Christian? Which format do you prefer? 
Please send your information to Donna Jean Webb, 9205 Collinfield Drive, Austin, 
Texas 78758. If you have questions, you may call (not collect) between 8:00 a.m. 
and 7:00 p.m., Central Daylight Time, (512) 491-8701.
     
New Family Member:

     We recently received the following joyful news:
     Keri Stockton, Past President of the West Virginia Parents of Blind 
Children Division, writes to announce the adoption of their newest family 
member. Lavender Rose FuDong Stockton was born in July of 1999, and adopted on 
January 16, 2000. Keri was told her birthday was November 27, 1998, but that 
turns out to have been according to the Chinese way of counting from conception. 
Since the family got to choose Rose's birthday celebration day, they decided on 
July 4. Rose was twenty-three inches tall and weighed seventeen pounds when she 
met her new mom. She is now several inches taller and weighs about twenty-eight 
pounds. She has learned to sit, crawl, and walk around furniture. Rose is from 
Mi Luo, Hunan, China, and has already charmed every American she has met. We all 
welcome her into the Federation family.

     
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Juliet Classic interpoint Braille embosser, recently serviced, with the 
latest features, including enhanced Braille graphics and dynamic Braille scaling 
(prints micro to jumbo size). Selling at half price or $2,000 plus buyer's 
choice of shipping. Inquiries preferred from experienced equipment users or 
serious buyers. Send Braille or typed letters to Constance Griesmer, 836 Santa 
Barbara Street, Apt. C, Pasadena, California 91101-1233, phone, Pacific Time, 
weekends or 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays (626) 793-9684.
     
First Volume of Art History Through Touch and Sound Now Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Art Education for the Blind has released European Modernism 1900-1940, the 
first in a ground-breaking multi-volume art history series for the blind and 
visually impaired. Developed by Art Education for the Blind, Inc., Art History 
Through Touch and Sound: A Multisensory Guide for the Blind and Visually 
Impaired is the result of nine years of research, development, and testing. Each 
volume comprises a bound book of tactile diagrams and a companion audio 
narrative. The diagrams use a lexicon of seven standardized patterns, enabling 
the reader to acquire familiarity with the tactile vocabulary. The narrative 
guides the reader through the diagrams, providing art-historical information and 
detailed descriptions of the works. The success of this two-part system depends 
on these complementary components.
     Color and black-and-white photographs of the works accompany the tactile 
illustrations. Image captions--which include attribution, date, media, 
dimensions, and location or custodian of the work--are provided in both large 
print and Braille. Additionally, interpretive sound-compositions offer 
alternative ways of understanding a work of visual art's thematic essence or 
compositional dynamic. Each volume includes art-appreciation activities and a 
short bibliography. This first volume explores works by fourteen major artists 
and seven art movements in twentieth-century Europe.
     Early versions of Art History Through Touch and Sound have been used in 
courses at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Drew University, New Jersey. 
Authors for this volume are Art Education for the Blind and Paula L. Gerson with 
Virginia Hooper. Illustrator is Teresa Kardoulias. Trim size of package is 10-
1/2-by-13 inches. It includes spiral-bound soft-cover book and audio-cassettes. 
The type is eighteen-point Helvetica and transparent Braille. There are thirty-
four tactile diagrams and nineteen color and black-and-white photographs. The 
audio running time is approximately nine hours. The price for this volume is 
$99. ISBN: 1-890116-07-6.
     The innovative methodology developed by the AEB is documented in the 
brochure, Making Visual Art Accessible to the People Who Are Blind and Visually 
Impaired. It is available for $25. The brochure must be pre-paid.
     The book must also be prepaid. To order, send a check to Art Education for 
the Blind, Inc., 160 Mercer Street, New York, New York 10012. For more 
information, please contact AEB staff at (212) 334-3700, (212) 334-8721, or 
(212) 334-8723. The e-mail address is <TOKU@idt.net>, and the Web site is 
<www.arteducation.org>.
     
A Gift That Says Something:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Give the gift that says something. The new Speak to Me Spring/Summer 
Catalog features a large variety of best sellers. Featured items include talking 
VCR's, voice-recognition cordless phones, talking pedometers, talking tape 
measures, talking calendar/clocks, and a variety of digital recorders. An 
assortment of talking and musical novelty key chains, magnets, plush animals, 
and fun novelty gift ideas are also included. Also available is a large 
assortment of wall and desk clocks from funny talking Loony Tunes wall clocks to 
more serene talking and musical prayer clocks with hymns, plus plenty of fun 
games, toys, and children's products. Call (800) 248-9965 to receive your free 
spring/summer Speak to Me Catalog. Request print, cassette, or IBM floppy disk. 
To receive an e-mail copy, send your request by e-mail to 
<catalog@speaktomecatalog.com>.
     
Old Optacons for Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Several older Optacons, models R1C and R1D, are available. Accessories also 
available include Visual Display, lens module, typewrite accessory, and tracking 
aids. For more information please respond by e-mail to 
<sowokino@sendit.nodak.edu>, or write to Technology Center, NDSB, 500 Stanford 
Road, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-2799, phone, (701) 795-2720.
     
Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Reunion:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Association will hold its annual 
convention/reunion at the school during the weekend of June 2 to 4, 2000. All 
graduates, former students, and friends of the school are invited to attend. For 
more information contact Travis or Margaret Johnson, 302 Woodford Place, 
Paragould, Arkansas 72450, (870)236-8498. If you know you will not be able to 
attend this year but would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact 
us.
     
     NFB PLEDGE
     
     I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the National Federation 
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to 
support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its 
constitution.
