                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR

                          August, 1987

                    Kenneth Jernigan, Editor


     Published in inkprint, Braille, on talking-book disc, 
                        and cassette by 


              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 
                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT 
 


                         National Office
                       1800 Johnson Street
                   Baltimore, Maryland 21230 

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made payable to National Federation of the Blind and sent to: 
 

                National Federation of the Blind
                       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

                  NFB NET BBS:  (612) 696-1975
               WorldWide Web:  http://www.nfb.org
CONTENTS

AUGUST 1987

MORE TROUBLE WITH THE AIRLINES by Dorothy Grubb

LETTER ABOUT THE AIRLINES FROM CONGRESSMAN TED WEISS

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

CATHERINE HORN RANDALL ELECTED ALDERMAN

ATTEMPT TO COMBINE KANSAS SCHOOLS FOR BLIND AND DEAF FAILS
  by Kenneth Jernigan

WHAT DO I GET OUT OF NFB?  by Peggy Chong

SID ALLEN--PORTRAIT OF A FEDERATIONIST by Ramona Walhof

SO YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS BUT MIGHT LIKE TO
NIBBLE
  by Mary Ellen Reihing

APRIL PROCLAIMED BRAILLE MONTH IN MINNESOTA

BLIND AUTHOR'S STORY IS TALE OF WAR, LIFE by Mike Mulvey

LEADERSHIP PROFILE
NORMAN GARDNER

HOW MUCH PROGRESS ARE WE MAKING IN OUR PROGRAM OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION
  by Kenneth Jernigan

PUBLICITY FOR BRAILLE READERS ARE LEADERS

ALL I EVER REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN
  by Robert Fulghum

A TASTE OF RAREBIT
  by Kenneth Jernigan

THE JOB
  by Betty Pacelli

BOSTON INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

PROCLAMATIONS

RECIPES

MONITOR MINIATURES

     Copyright, National Federation of the Blind, Inc., 1987
MORE TROUBLE WITH THE AIRLINES

by Dorothy Grubb


  (This article appeared in the April, 1987, Michigan Focus, the
publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan.)

  On December 26, 1986, my seven-year- old daughter, Nicole, and
I had plane reservations to fly from Marquette to Lansing,
Michigan, to spend a week with friends and relatives.  Our
reservations were made and our tickets purchased a month ahead of
time, so there should have been no problem.  However, when we
arrived at the Marquette Airport, we were told there definitely
was a problem.  It was explained to us that there were three
blind people who wanted to get on the same plane, and we were
informed that only one of us could board the plane since it is a
rule that there should be a stewardess or flight attendant on
board for each blind person so they could "watch us."
  The supervisor would not come out of the office to talk to us,
and the poor ticket agent kept running back and forth between us
and the supervisor.  I asked if the trouble was that they thought
we couldn't get to and from the plane, but I was told that they
weren't concerned about us getting on or off the plane but that
someone needed to "watch us" during the flight.  I explained that
there was certainly no need for anyone to "watch us," and I
repeatedly asked why it was felt we needed to be watched but got
no straight answer to my question.  Finally, the ticket agent
said that if there was an emergency, there had to be someone to
lead us out.  As we had discussed this issue for quite some time,
I was getting annoyed, and I stated that if the plane crashed, it
would be dark and difficult for anyone to see.  However, we would
remember how we got on the plane and probably would be the first
people off.
  To make matters worse, there were five unaccompanied children
who also had reservations on our flight.  My patience ran out
when I discovered that the airline personnel considered my
daughter to be one of the unaccompanied children.  When I stated
I was accompanying Nicole, I was told I could not take care of
her--that I needed to be accompanied by someone.  Now, it takes a
lot to get me angry, but that did it!  I said that I had been
taking care of Nicole for the past seven years, and they had no
right to tell me that I was not capable of taking care of her.
  After forty-five minutes we were told that we could board the
plane and take our trip as long as we agreed to board early so we
could be shown where the emergency exits were located.
  I have been flying unaccompanied since I was six years old, and
I have never had such a frustrating, degrading, and humiliating
experience.
  This incident proves that the fight for respect and first-class
citizenship has not yet been won.  We must continue together to
educate the public so that blind people can live independent and
productive lives.


LETTER ABOUT THE AIRLINES FROM

CONGRESSMAN TED WEISS


                        Washington, D.C.  March 2, 1987

Mrs. Elizabeth Hanford Dole Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C.

Dear Madame Secretary:

  I am writing on behalf of thousands of blind victims of airline
discrimination to urge you to begin the rule-making procedure for
P.L. 99-435.  In the absence of rules for implementation,
airlines are blatantly disregarding the law.  This flagrant
violation must not continue.
  I am aware that promulgating effective rules can take some
time; however, blind citizens cannot and should not be forced to
wait any longer to receive the equitable treatment they are fully
entitled to.  Therefore, I respectfully request that you use the
informal powers of your office to persuade airline officials to
cooperate in a voluntary initiative to reverse the pattern of
hostile incidents against the blind; and that you direct DOT
personnel to strengthen enforcement of existing regulations as an
interim step to carry out the will of Congress and the President
in approving P.L. 99-435.
  Thank you for your prompt and careful attention to this matter.

I look forward to your response on this important issue.

                              Sincerely, Ted Weiss
                      Member of Congress


HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND


  (This article appeared in Joyce Scanlan's Les Affaires column
in the spring, 1987, Minnesota Bulletin, the publication of the
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota.  As Monitor
readers know, Joyce Scanlan is President of the NFB of Minnesota
and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation
of the Blind.)

  Long, long ago, when I believed I was the most intelligent,
"together," independent blind person in the whole wide world,
before I became a member of the National Federation of the Blind,
I received information or "input" about the National Federation
of the Blind-- although it was not named openly but referred to
in veiled and sinister, yet clear, terms--from those around me. 
Counselors from State Services for the Blind (SSB) or any other
rehabilitation professional, such as the staff from the
Minneapolis Society for the Blind (MSB), would say, "Some blind
people want to associate only with other blind people; they
aren't well-adjusted."  Or, "Blind people who belong to 'those
organizations' just sit around and complain; they don't want to
do anything."  Or, "Organizations of the blind condone begging;
they support white cane drives."  Or, "Fun and games, music and
dancing--that's all blind people do with their organizations." 
Then, they would say to me, "You are different from 'those other
blind people.'"  And as they all hoped, I construed that to mean
that I was better than "those other blind people."
  All of us--brilliant, free thinkers though we be--are
influenced by those around us.  We hear what they say; we
understand what they want us to do or not to do.  We want their
approval; we do what they want.  I understood that the
professionals did not approve of the organized blind movement,
the National Federation of the Blind (NFB).  I wanted them to
like me; otherwise, they probably wouldn't treat me very well as
a client, and I needed their service.  They were also saying that
I should stay away from other blind people.  Joining up with
other blind people meant I was dependent, inferior, maladjusted,
weak- minded, and stupid.  Certainly no one would want to fall
into those categories.
  I did exactly as they wanted--stayed away from other blind
people and didn't go near the NFB.  And guess what?  The
professionals didn't like me anyway; they still didn't approve of
me.  They still gave me the same lousy treatment they gave to
other clients.  I had gained absolutely nothing.
  Today, I see professionals playing the same mind games with
blind people, trying to control their thoughts and actions.  Many
times their statements are misleading; too often they are more
than deceptive; they are downright untrue.  Their message is
always the same: Don't go near the NFB; don't associate with
other blind people.  I also see some blind people trying to
emulate the behavior of the professionals, whom they see as
authority figures, putting down the NFB and treating
Federationists with disrespect and disdain.
  Fortunately fewer and fewer blind people are falling into the
trap I was caught in so many years ago.  Perhaps there are really
more intelligent people in the world today.  However, I believe
the truth is that more of us have a better understanding of our
own capacity to think for ourselves, a sophistication concerning
rights and behavior, a realization of the influences that others
can have on our lives, only if we permit it.  While we are
constantly gaining in self-confidence, we must remember all the
little traps that may be set for us.  How do we respond to
others?  How do we want them to respond to us?  If we are
influenced by others, doesn't it stand to reason that they are
influenced by us?  That's why I ask you, "What do you say to your
friends and others about the NFB?"
  As I go about the community working on NFB activities, I have
contact with many people, blind and sighted.  On the city bus I
hear others discussing public policies, current issues of the
day.  If one of the individuals is blind, very often the NFB  is
mentioned.  As I listen to the conversation, I am often saddened
to hear how some of our own members represent us, the
organization of which they are a part.  If both individuals
happen to be blind and one is not a Federationist while the other
is, I cringe at the impressions of NFB which are given.  The
nonFederationist makes all manner of negative statements about
NFB, hostile statements of how the NFB "hurts" the blind, is a
"militant" outfit.  All kinds of ratty and off-the- wall
statements pour out of the nonmember, usually in a very loud
voice, so that all can hear.  Perhaps the member is intimidated
by that behavior or is embarrassed or wishes to win favor with
the other individual, or something.  But in any case, the member
falls silent or makes a few timid remarks, denying much contact
with the NFB, passively agreeing with the disparaging comments
being made.  "I don't know much about 'them,'" or, "I'm not very
active," the member might say, while the other rails upon blind
people or the Federation in general.  Sometimes I have later
asked the member, "Why didn't you try to straighten your friend
out about the NFB?  Why did you let him get away with saying such
untrue things about us?" The answer usually is, "Oh, I knew I
couldn't change his mind, and I was so embarrassed with his
behavior that I didn't want to set him off worse than he already
was."
  The effects of remaining silent or failing to "take the bull by
the horns" and deal with the matter directly are that the
nonmember remains a nonmember.  He has received the impression
that all the things he has said are okay with his friend, and
acting boorish on a bus is acceptable.  Since nothing he has said
has been contradicted, the nonmember probably thinks, "Well, this
Federation isn't very important to my friend; I must be right
about it."  The other passengers on the bus hearing the
conversation probably come to the same conclusions about the NFB.
  All of us need to be better ambassadors for NFB.  We have
influence on others, and we are responsible for seeing that the
influence is positive and constructive.  We should be proud to
tell others that we belong to NFB, that NFB is the most
constructive force in the field of blindness and has the most
beneficial impact on society today.  We must also let others know
that we do not condone hostility toward NFB or false statements
made about it.  It is not fashionable or acceptable to malign NFB
in our presence or anywhere else.  We must not pet those who
attack our organization.  We will not win their respect or curry
favor with them by behaving as though they are right when they're
not.  We cannot make it possible for others who criticize NFB to
feel comfortable doing so.  They must know that we will not be
intimidated, controlled, or embarrassed by unseemly public
behavior.  We must let others know that we want them to know
about NFB, know it truthfully, and be a part of it.
  When the nonFederationist happens to be with the American
Council of the Blind (ACB), his behavior is absolutely
predictable.  ACB president in Minnesota, Tom Heinl, can be
counted on to oppose everything and anything initiated by NFB. 
At State Services for the Blind advisory meetings he brings no
issues of his own; he simply "reacts" to what the NFB
representative proposes, and he can be relied upon to be negative
to the extreme, no matter what the substance of the matter might
be.  If we say "The sky is blue and the sun rises," Heinl will
try to say how that isn't so.  Heinl is a big guy with a loud,
authoritative-sounding voice.  He intimidates many of the other
council members, including the chairman, and the agency people
present as well.  Federationists in the room understand what
Heinl is doing and are not affected or put down by him.  We all
stick to the principle of what is true and right for blind
people; we will not back down, and we will not compromise.  The
Advisory Council is still quite new.  Some of the philosophies of
its members are still being formulated.  We'll see in the months
and years to come whether Heinl has much credibility with anyone.

He likely will not change--not as long as he is rewarded and
petted for being "against" everything.  We can have a positive
effect upon the other Council members and the State Services for
the Blind staff by showing openly and proudly that we believe in
what we're doing, and no matter what, we're going to adhere to
our principles and not be swayed away by others who want us in
their power for their personal gain.
  The best public relations for sighted and other blind people
comes from ourselves.  The fact that NFB is often the central
topic of conversation on a bus or at an Advisory Council meeting
means we have made great progress.  No longer are State Services
for the Blind or the private agencies the sole entity in the
public mind when it comes to blindness.  All of us have helped
that to happen.  Let's recognize our power to change others.  We
can influence them to join the NFB, just as, if we allow them,
the professionals can influence them not to join.  Professionals
are carrying on today as they always have, struggling to control
blind people and keep them from gaining strength and belief by
joining up with other blind people.  No one likes being lied to,
and when blind people learn that they have been told falsehoods
about NFB, they are outraged.
  I will never forget what agency people said to me long ago. 
While I am not proud that I succumbed to their wishes as long as
I did, I am certainly pleased that I finally did have the correct
information and the good sense to check out what was really going
on.  Now, quite honestly, if some of my friends had shown more
positive convictions about the NFB at the time, I might have seen
more reason to question the professionals' statements.  Today, I
hope more of us are coming up to the line and using the power of
our beliefs to attract others to the Federation.  If anyone tries
to tell us our "baby" is ugly, he or she must be prepared to pay
the consequences.  The Federation is ours.  We have built it. 
Now, we must make it strong.  Others will listen to us as long as
we lead honestly and fairly.  We can be as predictable for
supporting NFB and fighting for its principles as others might be
for opposing.  In the end we will prevail.  That's exactly what
is already happening.


CATHERINE HORN RANDALL ELECTED ALDERMAN


  (This article, which was headlined "Quincy Native Finds A New
Way to Serve," appeared in the April 19, 1987, edition of the
Quincy, Illinois, Herald- Whig. In a letter to the Monitor Editor
Mrs. Randall said: "I will be sworn in as 6th Ward Alderman on
May 4, 1987.  I am excited about my part-time career and wanted
to share it with you.  I will look forward to seeing you and Mrs.

Jernigan in Phoenix."  In her daily life and accomplishments
Catherine Horn Randall gives tangible form to Federationism in
action.)

  A Quincy native, Catherine Horn Randall, this month
successfully traveled the political trail as a Jacksonville
aldermanic candidate, even though she couldn't see the path.
  Being a novice at partisan politics, her victory April 7 over
an eight-year incumbent alderman was an upset.  Overcoming
obstacles is characteristic of Randall's life.
  Randall, 40, First Vice President of
the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, calls her
blindness a "nuisance, but not a disability."
  She was born three months premature, a daughter of Catherine
Horn, now Mrs.  Charles Barnum of Quincy, and the late Frank
Horn, a Quincy architect.  She weighed about two pounds at birth
and oxygen was administered to save her life.  The oxygen caused
retinal damage, which blinded her in the left eye and severely
limited vision in her right eye.
  With the aid of thick glasses, she was able to see through her
youth.  She graduated in 1965 from Quincy High School and in 1969
earned a degree in secondary education from MacMurray College in
Jacksonville, where she met her husband Robert.
  About eight years ago her vision worsened so that all she could
see was bright colors.  She was determined not to let blindness
get the best of her so she learned Braille and mobility skills.
  "Blindness creates a need to find alternate ways to get things
accomplished," says the advocate of better opportunities for the
blind.
  The former English teacher edits the Federation's monthly
newspaper and is President of the Ferris Wheel Chapter, which is
the Jacksonville affiliate of the blind Federation.  She also is
the President of the Jacksonville Theatre Guild.
  She remains involved in business and last week was in Quincy to
attend a board meeting of the State Street Store, a position she
assumed upon her father's death.  She and her husband also own a
landscape nursery in Jacksonville.
  In March, when Jacksonville Republicans were looking for a
candidate to fill their aldermanic slate, they turned to Randall.
  Jacksonville Mayor Helen Foreman, a former teacher of President
Reagan, asked Randall to run.  The three precinct committeemen in
Jacksonville's 6th Ward all suggested Randall.
  Foreman thought Randall's varied activities would make her an
excellent candidate.
  Foreman, whose father was deaf and taught at the Illinois
School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, knows the misconceptions
about handicapped persons.  The mayor recalls how angry her
mother got when her mother was asked if her husband could read
and write.
  Foreman also remembers a conversation she once had with Randall
about public misconceptions of handicapped persons.  Randall told
her that "people forget that just because one (body) part doesn't
work, it doesn't mean none of them do."
  Jacksonville, where state schools for the deaf and blind are
located, is more accustomed to handicapped persons than most
communities, Foreman says.
  When Randall agreed to run for alderman, she made a
wholehearted commitment.  She walked house-to-house through all
of Jacksonville's 6th Ward, the largest ward in the city.
  She won 411-283 over the Democratic incumbent, getting 59
percent of the vote.  Her victory maintained the 7-7 partisan
division on the city council.
  Randall says her blindness has forced her to become a good
listener, an asset for an alderman.  Her aldermanic term begins
May 4, and she plans to take notes in Braille and uses a tape
recorder to help keep track of council discussions.  Volunteers
will read to her the newspaper accounts of meetings.
  Randall says she never considered herself a partisan
politician.
  "I'm a person who loves to serve and who happens to be blind,"
she says.  "If I can be a good role model (to other blind
persons) that would be humbling."
  She says blind persons should have more to say about laws
pertaining to them and about the use of government funds intended
to help them.  She speaks adamantly of the ability of the blind
to hold competitive jobs.  She advocates teaching Braille to
students with severe sight limitations, instead of only to the
blind.
  Randall will discuss her aldermanic campaign at a national
convention for the blind this summer in Phoenix.  She says she
will tell her audience the campaign was a "no-lose situation"
because she was assured of meeting new people and confronting a
new challenge.


ATTEMPT TO COMBINE KANSAS SCHOOLS FOR BLIND AND DEAF FAILS

by Kenneth Jernigan


  In 1970 I wrote an article called:  "The Separate Agency for
the Blind--Why and Where."  An attempt was being made in several
of the states to achieve so- called "integration" of what were
termed "human services," and the blind were prime targets.  In
the first paragraph of that article I said:
  "A very disturbing trend is becoming increasingly apparent
throughout the country with respect to the organizational and
placement structure of programs for the blind--a trend which may
be more ominous than anything we have seen in the past twenty
years.  It is nothing less than the total obliteration of
separate agencies for the blind by combining them into larger
catchall departments of government."
  Later in the article I said:  "Historically, the first services
to
blind people in this country were educational.  Toward the middle
of the last century schools for the blind began to appear
throughout the nation.  For the most part they were separate
entities with the single purpose of educating blind children.  In
some instances, however, an attempt was made to combine them with
schools for the deaf.  Apparently the notion was that since both
deaf children and blind children had sensory deprivations, their
needs were similar and their education should be 'integrated.' 
The experiment was a failure.  In reality the two groups had to
be educated separately with different techniques to meet the two
distinct problems.  Although located on the same campus and
combined under one administration, the two entities had to
function separately.
  "Further, the blind necessarily got the short end of the stick.

The deaf were always in the majority, and the orientation and
planning were slanted toward the larger group.  There are
comparatively few such combined institutions left and almost
nobody would advocate going back to the 'integrated' setup."
  A lot has happened since 1970, and the blind have made
tremendous progress.  However, with respect to throwing the blind
into giant mishmashes and calling those mishmashes "integration
of human services" we are about where we were.  In fact, I think
it is safe to say that we have lost ground.  In 1970 I said that
almost "nobody would advocate going back" to the outdated setup
of combined schools for the deaf and blind, but in 1987 that
statement cannot be made.
  As a case in point, consider what happened in Kansas earlier
this year.  Some of the members of the state legislature decided
to save money by eliminating the Kansas School for the Blind.  As
Monitor readers would expect, there was immediate and tremendous
opposition--led by the National Federation of the Blind.  Dick
Edlund, President of the NFB of Kansas, and other Federation
leaders were in Topeka almost daily.  They coordinated their
efforts with Ralph Bartley, Superintendent of the School for the
Blind, and brought the matter to public attention.  In March and
April the battle to save the School was featured in the press
repeatedly:

--------------------

THE OLATHE DAILY NEWS Sunday, March 8, 1987

KSD In Merger Discussion

by A. Scharnhorst

  A Kansas House subcommittee has recommended closing the Kansas
School for the Visually Handicapped in Kansas City, Kansas, and
moving the school's 60 students to the Kansas School for the Deaf
campus in Olathe.
  Under an appropriations subcommittee report, attached to
funding proposals for the state schools, a plan should be
implemented to move KSVH services to the KSD campus over a three
year period, beginning July 1, 1988.
  The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Rex Hoy, R-Fairway, cites
declining enrollment at the two schools, needed capital
improvements at both campuses and the state's poor financial
situation as reasons for consolidating the schools.
  The purpose of the consolidation is to "maximize investments in
educational services for the visually impaired and deaf students
and even enhance such services in the long run," the report
states.
  Considerations for the proposal include:
  * The enrollment at KSVH has declined from 72 students in
fiscal year 1978 to an estimated 62 students next year.  KSD's
enrollment has dropped from 278 in 1978 to 206 estimated for
1988.
  * Capitol improvement expenditures will be necessary at both
schools in the next few years.  Modifications to, or replacement
of, Emery Hall at KSD are estimated to cost $1.4 million to $4.4
million.  Roofing replacement at KSVH and construction to make
both schools handicapped accessible will be additional capital
improvement expenditures.
  * The consolidation would provide long-term savings in the
areas of administrative, maintenance, utilities, meal delivery
and infirmary services, according to the recommendation.
  The campus of KSVH would be sold, generating money for the
state, according to the subcommittee recommendations.
  Gerald Johnson, KSD superintendent,
and Ralph Bartley, KSVH superintendent, oppose the
recommendations, on the grounds that KSD does not have the space
for the additional students and programs and that cost savings
would not necessarily be inherent in the move.
  "Although I can see the perception on the part of the public of
this being two special schools with two similar missions, you
really couldn't find two less similar groups to try to come up
with a program for," Johnson said.
  "The educational methodologies are different in the extreme, so
it's hard to imagine deaf children and blind children being
compatible either educationally or socially," he said.
  Therefore, completely separate programs would have to be
maintained, the superintendents said.
  "My students can't see them signing and his students can't hear
them speaking," Bartley said.
  The issue, then, is whether the KSD campus has room for the two
schools to operate independently, Johnson said.  He believes
there isn't.
  KSD's enrollment has declined from the 1960's and 1970's, he
said.  But during that period, KSD was overpopulated by 40-60
students.
  "We simply had them crowded in here.  We bumped them in four to
a dormitory room when two would have been advisable and twelve to
a classroom when six would have been advisable," Johnson said.
  Any extra space KSD has is in small, unusable areas, Johnson
said. Completely new buildings would be required to move the KSVH
to Olathe.
  "It's not like I could give up a big section of my dormitory
for their students.  I'm using my dormitory now.  Outside of the
need to economize, it doesn't make sense to combine the two
schools," Johnson said.
  According to Bartley, numerous studies have been done providing
that the two schools are economically sound.  Three studies in
the last five years have shown that the two schools are cost-
efficient and not out of line with other schools in the Midwest. 
One study showed that 10 schools operated dually were more
expensive than what KSD and KSVH were doing on separate campuses,
he said.
  "It's not a position supported by our board of governors or by
any of the previous studies," Bartley said.  "It's not
cost-efficient. . .and it's not in the best interests of blind
children."
  Bartley is also concerned that the consolidation might be
slipped under the noses of legislators because it is attached to
the funding bill for the schools, he said.  The actual bill that
would pass out of committee and on the House floor could include
consolidation provisions, but those would not necessarily show up
on the bill voted on by legislators, he said.
  Rep. Vince Snowbarger, R-Olathe, said the move would be good
for Olathe and KSD in the long run.
  "In terms of jobs in the area it's great," he said.  "But
whether (Johnson) can accommodate them all is another thing.  It
might mean upgrading of facilities out there.
  "I think the exciting thing about this is that Olathe will gain
not only new taxpayers because of new employees, but new
facilities, new dormitories."

--------------------

KANSAS CITY KANSAN
March 8, 1987

KCK Could Lose School for Blind

by Bob Friskel

  Kansas City, Kansas, could lose the Kansas State School for the
Visually Handicapped--a school that has been a part of the city
for 120 years.
  "It's gone to Olathe in three years if a bill before the
Legislature passes," said Richard Edlund, Kansas City, Kansas,
President of the National Federation of the Blind in Kansas. 
"Absolutely.  It would be a disaster."
  Edlund said the bill would merge the state school for the
visually handicapped (SSVH) at 1100 State with the School for the
Deaf in Olathe.
  The bill, No. 2225, was passed by the House Appropriations
Committee Wednesday and now goes to the full House for a vote. 
That vote is expected within 10 days, a legislative official
said.
  "Some states have merged the schools in recent years," Edlund
said, "and in every event the costs have been about four times as
much.  There are about four times as many deaf students, and the
blind kids get little out of it.  It's all geared to the deaf. 
The two disabilities are totally different."
  The bill actually is a financial bill and does not mention the
school.  However, a subcommittee report gives recommendations for
the bill, and those recommendations would be part of the
implementation if the bill passes....
  But locally the bill has drawn strong comment.  SSVH
Superintendent Ralph Bartley agreed with Edlund that the move
would be "a disaster.
  "Basically I guess they're trying to raise money for the
state," Bartley said.  "But I don't know who they'd sell it to. 
The only real serious efforts I'm aware of for buying it have
been by state agencies.
  "Social Rehabilitation Services has been wanting to take us
over to put the Rainbow Mental Health here and move from near the
KU Medical Center.  They want to use our campus for a place for
the mentally ill.
  "The other interest is by the Department of Corrections, which
wants to put prisoners here.  It was being considered and I have
no idea if this is in the back of somebody's mind or not.
  "The Legislature three years ago gave $100,000 to a Wichita
engineering firm to look at state facilities for a corrections
facility.  They've had people in here getting sewer sizes and
everything.  One made the comment, 'This would make a real nice
prison facility.' I told him Wyandotte County is really not crazy
about having a corrections facility in the county, and certainly
not at 11th and State.  But I've had people in here measuring
since then.  It's more than talk.  I never got a final report,
but an official in corrections told me, 'You're just ideal for
taking care of the overcrowded corrections problem.'  I really
don't think that would work."
  Bartley said the state's Department of Education has made
studies showing the present system is most equitable to
taxpayers, largely because of the low number of blind students. 
Consultants and other experts outside Wyandotte County were used
for the studies.  The only local consultant, former Kansas City,
Kansas, school superintendent Dr.  O.L. Plucker, also concluded
that the present system is most equitable to taxpayers.
  Only about 200 of the state's 400,000 students are blind while
about 800 are deaf.  The SSVH enrollment has been as high as 130
but has leveled off to 64 students and usually is in the 60's....
  Bartley noted that the school began in 1867 in the same 11th
and State location.  The land was given by the Wyandot Indians to
the City of Wyandotte, which deeded it to Kansas for the purpose
of serving the blind.
  The school now has a budget of about $2 million a year....

--------------------

  Another article appeared in the Kansas City Kansan on March 9. 
As had been the case in the March 8 articles, Dick Edlund and
Ralph Bartley (along with a growing number of others) were quoted
as opposing the merger.  On March 11 the Kansas City Kansan
reported that the bill to merge the schools had been sent back to
Committee, and on March 12 Dick Edlund was again extensively
quoted in the Kansas City Kansan, saying in part: "The Governor
probably could kill the proposal with one phone call.  We have to
persuade him to oppose this.  The more calls he gets on this the
better."
  Ralph Bartley was also quoted in the March 12 article: "It
sounds like a real easy way to save money, just combine the two
schools.  But the studies show it would be more expensive to
consolidate than to leave them separate." Bartley said.
  Evidence that the efforts of the team of Edlund and Bartley
were achieving results was indicated by the fact that the state
board of education voted to oppose the merger and recommended
that the Governor also oppose it.  The Mayor and City Council of
Kansas City, Kansas, and the county's legislative delegation took
a public stand against the measure, and a bandwagon atmosphere
began to develop.  Articles were appearing daily in the press
throughout the entire state, and there was also widespread radio
and television coverage.
  On March 16 the Kansas City Kansan
came openly into the battle in opposition to the merger bill with
a strong editorial:

--------------------

Blind, Deaf Kids Wouldn't Be Served

  The Kansan here adds its voice to the loud chorus of dissent
against the proposed consolidation of the Kansas State School for
the Visually Handicapped (KSSVH) and the Kansas State School for
the Deaf in Olathe.
  The proposal already has drawn protests from the leader of the
Federation of the Blind in Kansas, the superintendents of both
schools, city council and county commission members, and local
legislators.
  A primary reason given for the proposal by Democratic
legislators from Wichita is that the consolidation could save
money.  The KSSVH building could be sold to make more money for
the state.  But local officials fear the state only wants to put
a prison or home for the mentally ill into the facility at 11th
and State near the downtown area.
  Officials opposing the change, those who work most closely with
the blind and deaf, say the two types of students would not be
compatible.  They also say the up-front cost of the move would be
so high that the move would not save money.
  A further reason the proposal has drawn such outraged reaction
is that the KSSVH has been a part of this community for 120
years.  The land was given by the Wyandot Indians in 1867
expressly for the purpose of a school for the blind.  In all
those years it has been a good neighbor, it has never caused the
city difficulty, and it has been a valued and even admired part
of Kansas City, Kansas.  The school has been a source of
community pride.  We do not want to see an old friend uprooted,
forced out.
  There are many arguments against the move; but perhaps the best
one is that voiced by a neutral observer, the consultant hired by
the state board of education to report on the matter.  He is
former Kansas City, Kansas, School District Superintendent Dr.
O.L.  Plucker.
  He said the first question to be asked is: Is consolidation of
the two schools the best way to serve children.  He concluded
that the answer, quite simply, is no.

--------------------

  By March 17 the comments in the Letters to the Editor column of
the Olathe Daily News were hitting the sponsors of the bill where
it hurt most, threats of not voting for them and marshalling
unfavorable public opinion:

--------------------

Teaching the Blind Not the Same As Teaching the Deaf

  After reading the article in the March 8 Olathe Daily News I
felt I must write you and hope it will let the powers that be
know they are wrong.
  "KSD in merger discussion," is hopefully just a discussion, and
not a serious one at that.
  I don't know Rep. Rex Hoy or his qualifications in the
education field, but I believe that I have as much knowledge as
he, from your article.  I assume the rest of his committee are of
the same caliber.
  I also doubt the judgment of Rep.  Vince Snowbarger.  He has
very short sight in seeing only the taxes Olathe would gain from
a merger of two dissimilar schools.  I am very proud to say that
I never have, nor will I ever, vote for him.
  It only takes common logic to see that there is nothing similar
in the teaching methods of blind and deaf children.  I believe
Supt. Gerald Johnson is correct in that KSD is at the enrollment
level that was intended, and that more students would overcrowd
KSD.
  What is wrong with providing the best education for all
children, whether they attend a special school or a public
school?  Are we to believe that KSD and KSVH children are other
than first-class citizens?  Can't our elected officials look to
the future and see that the better educated children are, the
greater potential for income and thereby more taxes in the
coffers, if that is what they really are thinking about?
  I say, and I imagine there are lots more like me, that we
should not spare any expense to educate all children in public
schools.

                         Cecil M. Howard Olathe

--------------------

  As the momentum built in the press, Edlund and Bartley kept up
the drum fire.  On April 6 the Kansas City Kansan could report:
"The mayor and city council received assurances today from
members of the Wyandotte County Legislative delegation that a
House committee recommendation which would move the Kansas School
for the Visually Handicapped from Kansas City, Kansas, to Johnson
County has been rejected by the Senate."
  So the bill to merge the Kansas Schools for the Blind and Deaf
was killed, but the blind of the nation should not take this as a
signal to relax.  What happened in Kansas is symptomatic of what
is beginning to occur with increasing frequency throughout the
country.  We must be vigilant, and we must be prepared to take
strong and decisive action whenever and wherever the next attack
occurs.
  This does not mean that the National Federation of the Blind
will unquestioningly support every program in the nation which
calls itself an agency for the blind.  Agencies and schools must
earn our respect and deserve our support, but all other things
being equal (which they frequently aren't), we will get better
services from a separate agency than from a large conglomerate
which claims to take care of the needs of more than one group. 
The Kansas experience underscores again the fact that the
Federation is effective and that when the crunch comes, we must
either lead the battle or see it lost.


WHAT DO I GET OUT OF NFB?

by Peggy Chong


  (This article appeared in the Spring, 1987, issue of the
Minnesota Bulletin, the publication of the National Federation of
the Blind of Minnesota.  Peggy Chong is one of the leaders of the
NFB of Minnesota.)

  Curtis and I have invested our money in many ways.  We have a
checking account, savings accounts, an IRA, insurance policies,
our home, and so on.  Why am I telling our financial secrets, you
ask?  Well, I'll be glad to tell you.  We want financial security
for ourselves and our daughter in our old age or if, heaven
forbid, something happens to one or both of us, our daughter will
be able to continue in school, et cetera.
  What does this have to do with fundraising?  A LOT!  At our
recent fundraising committee meeting, the discussion centered
around how much money, or what percentage, a chapter should
contribute to our state and national treasuries.  Someone
commented, "Well, I give a good deal on the Pre-Authorized Check
(PAC) Plan, and I don't get anything back."  How untrue!  First
of all, there is the Braille Monitor, which every member receives
whether he or she is a PAC contributor or not.  There is Jim
Gashel.  He has repeatedly helped Minnesotans with Social
Security or Randolph-Sheppard problems.  His expertise cannot be
matched by any "advocate for the blind."  We in Minnesota call
him from our state office on behalf of our members many times. 
Also, we cannot forget the vast amount of Federation literature
and sales service items we all take advantage of.
  What about all the money our National Office has put into
Minnesota on behalf of just a few people?  During the 1970's
there was the battle with the Minneapolis Society for the Blind. 
That lawsuit was brought by a few Minnesota residents.  Our
National Office helped defray some of the cost of the lawsuit,
and our other fifty affiliates were there to help us collect the
proxies so we could secure eight seats on the MSB board.  In 1984
Judy Sanders was arrested on a People Express airplane for
sitting in an exit row.  Should Judy have paid for her lawyer and
all the extra transportation?  She would have if she could have,
but she couldn't.  Once again, our National Office came to the
rescue.  Then came 1985 when Steve and Nadine Jacobson were
thrown in jail after being arrested for sitting in their assigned
exit row seats on a United jet.  This time we were up against the
big one, and the National Office came over the hill, just like
the cavalry in the old movies.
  Why didn't Minnesota foot the whole bill in all these cases,
you ask?  Good question.  Minnesota had been putting money into
Mary Hartle's suit against the Human Rights Department.  We had
been holding seminars for parents of blind children.  We had been
working with blind parents.  We had been travelling around the
state on behalf of blind vendors and other blind people with
specific grievances.  And we had been trying to help blind people
become employed.  Should we have put all that aside?  Of course
not.
  So what has all this to do with my checkbook?  I look at our
chapter treasury, and I see my checkbook.  The money is in my
checking account to pay the day-to-day things, the little
things--postage, travel, printing, entertainment, groceries, the
rent, et cetera.  My savings account is for vacations.  That
account is like the state treasury.  It is available if our
chapter wants a seminar or needs a lawyer to represent a member
in court in a minor case.  Then, there are our house and our
insurance policies--our disaster funds, if you will.  These are
like our national treasury.  Federationists want to invest our
money in the national treasury in case we are arrested for
sitting in an exit row, have our children taken away because
we're blind, or need to fight an agency on a long- term basis. 
We Minnesotans have taken advantage of our national insurance
policy a lot in the past few years.
  So which treasury is most important?  All three are equally
important.  Just as we set money aside in different places to
insure our futures, so, too, must we set aside money in different
treasuries to insure our future as blind people.  We also must
insure the future for generations of Federationists to come.
  The PAC Plan and the Associates program are not just status
symbols for the most active and committed members.  They are
insurance policies against gross discrimination.  We receive our
dividend monthly, the Braille Monitor.  Money in the state
treasury brings the Minnesota Bulletin and the state office.  Our
chapter benefits are only as great as you and I make them.  A
chapter with a large treasury may never accomplish what a poor
chapter does.  A chapter can draw on donated services and people
power that are badly needed to get our message out and our tasks
completed.  But best of all, when a blind person is in trouble,
the NFB is there to help.  We'll find the expertise somewhere;
we'll find the money somewhere, because we're all one movement, a
family.  As long as one person gets away with discriminating
against a blind person, all of us are in danger of losing our
rights.
  I know we have many members who are active in fundraising
projects.  I'm glad for that.  But I don't want to hear people
say, "I'm on the PAC Plan, and I don't expect to get anything in
return for that."  Or, "I don't use the state office, so I
shouldn't have to pay for it."  If these thoughts do cross your
mind, think of the times Joyce Scanlan has been at your chapter
meetings; think of the vendors or parents in your chapter she has
helped.  Then, think of the Monitor.  I think you'll see what I
mean.  All those little things add up.


SID ALLEN
PORTRAIT OF A FEDERATIONIST

by Ramona Walhof


  Sid Allen was born in 1926 in Hinton, West Virginia, the son of
a railroad engineer.  After high school graduation in 1943 Sid
enlisted in the armed forces.  He served in the Philippines,
Guam, and Okinawa.  In June of 1945 Sid Allen was seriously
wounded.  He says he feels fortunate that he received good
treatment and regained good health, but he did not regain his
eyesight.
  The Veteran's Administration sent him to Avon near Hartford,
Connecticut, for training and the adjustment to blindness, which
turned out to be a good thing.  He was one of the first to learn
the Hoover straight cane technique, which has since
revolutionized independent cane travel for the blind.  Even
though in 1945 the Hoover technique was in its infancy, Sid says:
"Getting that cane was a major step back toward independence for
me.  It brought back hope." Another thing that helped was the
constant attention of nurses and volunteers.
  After training, Sid returned to West Virginia to attend
Marshall University in Huntington, where he received a bachelor's
degree in 1951.  During college Sid married Marjorie Nickels, and
they now have two grown daughters and three grandchildren.
  In 1951 no one outside the Federation thought in terms of
attitudes toward blindness causing problems, and Sid Allen had
had no contact with the Federation.  Nevertheless, he determined
that going into business was the best way to develop a career. 
Other people did not believe in him as a blind person, but he
knew he could run a business.
  Sid's Answering Service was the first in Huntington, and it
grew steadily for the next twenty-five years.  When it was sold
in 1977, fifteen persons were employed, including two who were
blind.  The purchaser kept them all, and the business has
continued to prosper to the present.
  Sid first became interested in restoring old cars as a
teenager.  During college it was his hobby to work on antique
cars.  He laughs when he says, "Part of the fun was finding girls
to drive them."  Since that time Sid has always had a few cars
around to work on.  "Sooner or later," he says, "someone would
make me an offer I couldn't turn down."  Not only did he enjoy
working on cars, but he also liked meeting "car people."  So cars
remained a hobby.
  When Sid Allen decided to sell the Answering Service in the
1970's, he wanted to take some time off to work on his house and
property.  He had made no decision about another business.  Then
a friend of his, who was an automobile dealer, died.  It seemed
right for him to take over the business and convert it into used
automobiles--antiques and others.  The business restores all cars
it handles.  He reports that he comes across some nice
collectors' cars.  He hires nine full-time staff and others as
needed.  Anyone who talks with him can tell that he thoroughly
enjoys and understands what he is doing.
  Sid Allen first joined the National Federation of the Blind of
West Virginia in 1959 and first attended a national convention in
Detroit in 1962.  He served as Treasurer of the NFB of West
Virginia from 1963 until 1983.  He was President of the
Huntington Chapter for several years during the 1970's.  He calls
himself the general handyman of the affiliate.  He owns a 1976
cadillac convertible, which he provides for parades in all parts
of the state.  It makes a good impression on watchers, with blind
people marching in front and waving from its seats.
  Of his experience in the Federation Sid Allen says: "The NFB is
the thing that puts me in contact with others that think as I do
about blindness, even though our interests, beliefs, and values
are different.  I find it very constructive in this self-help
group to compare notes and experiences as we do in the
Federation."


SO YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS AND MIGHT LIKE TO
NIBBLE

by Mary Ellen Reihing


  (As Federationists know, Mary Ellen
Reihing is the Assistant Director of Job Opportunities for the
Blind--JOB.  This article is taken from an address which she gave
at the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of
Georgia May 16, 1987.)

  If you want to raise the blood pressure of the people around
you, start talking about computers. Whether you believe they're
the road to salvation or ruination, they're here to stay, and
almost no one is neutral about them.  More and more jobs are
becoming computerized.   In some companies typewriters have been
almost totally replaced by computers.
  For those of us who are blind, computers have the potential of
opening up jobs which were once closed. If we cannot find a way
to use them efficiently, they also have the potential of slamming
the door to opportunity in our faces.
  I approached my first computer  with awe, fear, and excitement.
I was awed because I thought those machines were too smart for
me. I was wrong. Computers are actually quite  stupid, but
they're incredibly quick! They can add numbers, sort things,
correct typing errors, and do a number of routine jobs with
incredible speed. But they have no intuition, no creativity, and
no ability to do anything except precisely what they're told. In
other words, they can work fast, but they can't think at all.
  I was afraid of computers because I didn't know if I was
technical enough to hook one up, rich enough to  afford  to buy
one, or bright enough to learn to use one if I got it.
  I  was excited about computers because I thought they would
open up a whole new world of print information to me and to other
blind people.
  I would probably be classified as "a computer semi-literate." 
Though the intricacies of operating systems are still unsolved
mysteries to me, I have learned to distinguish computer fantasy
from fact.  Here are some of the things I've learned.
  Fantasy: You have to know how to program a computer to use one.
  Fact: Most people who use computers don't know the first  thing
about writing a program. They use programs someone else has
written.
  Fantasy: Somewhere there is a speech or Braille or large print
access device or program which is "the best."
  Fact: There are several systems on the market--eight or nine
for the IBM PC alone--and each has strengths and weaknesses. Just
as some people like  Fords while others prefer Chevys, people who
use computers have strong, sometimes almost  violent,  opinions
about  which is best. It's mostly a matter of taste and depends
on the work the computer will be doing.
  Fantasy: All you have to do is plug in your computer, and it'll
be the answer to your access prayers.
  Fact:  Every speech, Braille, or large print method for getting
information from computers requires the user to learn an extra
skill above and beyond the skills sighted people need. Blind
people must know more to get the same work done.
  Fantasy: Blind people must go to agencies for the blind to
learn what they need to know about computers.
  Fact:  Hundreds of blind people have taught themselves, and one
another, without specialized training programs for the blind.
  Fantasy: You will have to mortgage the homestead and promise to
give away your first-born child to get enough money to buy an
accessible computer.
  Fact: Computers that talk cost less than many used cars. 
Computers with Braille displays cost less than many new cars. 
Computers with large print displays cost something in between.
  Fantasy: If blind people only had the right computer, we'd be
sure to get jobs.
  Fact: Employers don't hire tools.  They hire people. If  the
computer was so wonderful that it could make a person able to do
a job, employers would forget the person and hire the computer
instead.  The major barrier to employment for the blind is still
attitudes.  Technology can help, but it is not the answer.
  Imagine a carpenter walking onto a construction site and
saying, "You ought to hire me.  I've got this great hammer!" Some
blind people think that way about computers.  One Job
Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) applicant wrote a letter to an
employer which said "I have a computer that makes me capable of
doing the job." He wanted to work as a writer and went on to
describe a Braille word  processor, a computer that makes it easy
for a typist to correct mistakes  and edit work. He was correct
when he said the machine would help him produce perfect print
copies of whatever he might write, but he missed the point
entirely.  Just as a carpenter is not a master craftsman because
he owns a good hammer, a blind writer is not a master craftsman
because he owns a Braille or talking word processor.  Would
Shakespeare have written better sonnets on a computer? Would a
word processor make a Shakespeare of you or me?
  On the other hand, a carpenter without a hammer would have a
hard time  nailing boards together. A blind person without access
to computers will have a hard time doing many modern jobs.  It's
a matter of perspective and balance. We need tools, but we must
never forget that we are the workers and that our tools are
tools.  We run them.  It's not the other way around.
  With that perspective firmly in  mind, here are a few questions
to  answer before navigating the technology maze. I apologize for
some of the jargon here.  You won't need to remember any of it
until you're ready to take the  plunge.  I mention it only to
help you begin asking the questions that can save you time,
money, and trouble when it's time to make a purchase.
  1. Why do you want the computer and what do you intend to do
with it? This seems like a silly question. Who  would buy a
computer without a plan for its use?  Many people do, and they
frequently regret their choice because they didn't address this
simple  question. If you want a word processor only, you can buy
a computer that will do word processing and nothing more. If you
want to do other things, too, or if you think your needs will
change, you'll pick another computer.
  2. Will you be working alone, or do you want to tie into a
larger system?  If you're the only person using your computer,
you have a wider choice and fewer technical problems to solve. 
If you want your computer to be a terminal in a larger system,
you may need to work with a skilled technician to get it done. 
You'll make the technician's job easier if you find out the name
and model number of the larger system. Does it use the ASCII (or
standard) computer code?  (Some systems use other  codes, but
ASCII is becoming the standard.) Is it compatible with the IBM
PC? (More has been done with PC-Compatible systems than any
others, but don't despair if your system is different.  Solutions
can be found.) Does it have a serial or RS- 232c port?  (This  is
technical jargon for the plug in the back of the machine, which
is used to  connect most speech and Braille  devices.)  What
software (or programs) will you need to use? Some programs don't
work with Braille or speech.  Graphics are a big problem. 
Computer voices will not explain pictures.  The Apple Macintosh
is particularly hard to use because it  depends heavily on
graphics. Some  word processors "paint" pictures of letters on
the screen instead of using standard computer codes, and speech
or Braille devices can't cope.
  3. How much are you able to spend? The price tag for the
speech, Braille, or large print adaptationscan be as low as $700
or as high as $10,000.  This is in addition to the cost of the
computer, but at the $10,000 end of things the computer may be
included.
  4. Do you want speech, Braille, or large print?  Would a
combination work best for you?
  5. Do you want something you can learn in a hurry, or are you
willing  to take extra time to learn to use a more complicated,
but more flexible, system?  The simpler a system is to learn, the
more limiting it is likely to be. On the other hand, you may not
need a lot of bells and whistles.  If not, there's no need to
bother with learning a complex system.
  6. Is the voice quality extremely important to you? Most people
can learn to understand most speech synthesizers within two to
three hours. Before you decide you must have an expensive
synthesizer with a human-sounding voice, give the others a
chance.  Some of the cheaper models make up for their unappealing
vocals with their ability to respond instantly to commands.
  If this last set of questions has thoroughly overwhelmed you,
don't worry about it.  The best news about computers today is
that there is a lot of help out there for the novice.  Because
you are part of the National Federation of the Blind, you can
draw upon the knowledge of some of the most capable blind
computer users in America. The members of the NFB in Computer
Science, the Research and Development Committee, and the
Committee for the  Evaluation of Technology collectively have
more knowledge about computers than most of us will ever need.
Some of them can even talk about technology in plain English!


APRIL PROCLAIMED BRAILLE MONTH IN MINNESOTA


  (This article appeared in the April, 1987, issue of the
Minnesota Bulletin, the publication of the National Federation of
the Blind of Minnesota.)

  On April 2, in the office of Governor Rudy Perpich, in the
presence of some twelve or more individuals representing various
groups, the following proclamation declaring April to be Braille
Month in Minnesota was signed by the governor.  A Braille copy of
the proclamation was read by Joyce Scanlan, President of the
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, to all those
assembled for the official signing ceremony.  Here is the
proclamation:

--------------------

  WHEREAS, the ability to read and write is recognized as
indispensable for any American to compete in today's society; and
  WHEREAS, this right to read is essential for blind Americans,
as well, to obtain an education, compete for employment, and
fully participate in society; and
  WHEREAS, Braille, a system of raised dots developed by Louis
Braille in the early 1820's, represents the means by which blind
people are able to achieve the same level of literacy as the
sighted; and
  WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota through its Communication
Center, Services for the Blind, with support from the Hamm and
Minnesota Foundations and in cooperation with the many dedicated
individual volunteers and volunteer organizations such as the
Volunteer Braille Services and Temple Israel Braille Program and
organizations of the blind such as the National Federation of the
Blind, will continue to promote literacy through Braille for all
blind Minnesotans; and
  WHEREAS, all educational institutions and agencies of and for
the blind should be encouraged to recognize the importance of
Braille and promote literacy through Braille training; and
  WHEREAS, employers and the public should be encouraged to
utilize the available skills of competent blind persons and to
open new opportunities for the blind in a rapidly changing
society;
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rudy Perpich, Governor of the State of
Minnesota, do hereby proclaim the month of April, 1987, to be

Braille Month In Minnesota

  In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the
Great Seal of the State of Minnesota to be affixed at the State
Capitol this fourth day of March in the year of our Lord One
Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty-Seven and of the State the Hundred
Twenty-Seventh.

Rudy Perpich
GOVERNOR


BLIND AUTHOR'S STORY IS TALE OF WAR, LIFE

by Mike Mulvey


  (This article appeared in the November 23, 1986, Lincoln
(Nebraska) Star.  Anyone wishing to purchase copies of her book
should contact Mrs. Franz at: 416 12th Street, Aurora, Nebraska
68818.)

  AURORA - Ingeborg Franz's story isn't just about her survival
in the troubled and torn Germany of World War II, but how she
came to record the tale as an aging, blind woman transplanted in
Nebraska.
  Her self-published book "Let There Be Peace. . ." is subtitled
"Ingeborg's Memoirs."  In it she traces her life from the early
years in a German port town through young adulthood in the
prosperous and then ravaged Berlin and finally to her settlement
here.
  "I dedicated the book to everybody who has lost a loved one in
a war because I lost my mother and my aunt in a bomb attack,"
said Franz, who speaks with a slight accent.
  Blue-eyed Franz, 67, told of her birth in the German town of
Stettin at the end of World War I.  She spoke of her parents'
divorce and how at age 10 she moved to Berlin with her mother,
sister, aunt, and grandmother.
  As she grew from adolescence into womanhood, she benefited from
Germany's newfound prosperity under the rise of Hitler and his
Third Reich.  She worked as a bookkeeper in a Berlin jewelry
store, where business boomed as people flocked to buy gems and
precious metals to protect their assets as war approached.

The War Years

  Franz remained apolitical during the early years of the war,
devoting her free time to romance, picnics, and skiing trips. 
Then she began hearing of the horrors of concentration camps
where Jews and others were slaughtered.  Refugees from the east
flooded in as the war with the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front
intensified.
  By the time she came to recognize the evil of the war, she
said, it was knocking at her door.
  On a November night in 1943, air-raid sirens and the sound of
British or American planes overhead sent Franz, her mother, and
aunt to the shelter of a crowded basement.  As fate would have
it, Franz stepped out into a corridor to smoke a cigarette.
  "I do not remember whether I was through smoking that cigarette
or not, when the drone of airplanes became so loud and the
whistle of bombs was right overhead," she writes in her book. 
"Instinctively I bent down my head and counted the whistles:
one--two the light went out; I heard splintering of wood. 
Suddenly there was an immense draft blowing through the corridor.

I tried to reach after my head scarf which had been tied under my
chin, but was blown off my head by tremendous force.  It had
vanished.  All I could grab was rubble.  Then there was nothing."

"It was Horrible"

  When she regained consciousness, she and others nearby were
buried up to the chest.  Rescue workers pulled them to freedom. 
Just a few steps away, however, her mother and aunt perished with
50 others beneath a collapsed building.
  Then, Franz said, phosphorus bombs fell, igniting the remains
of her entire neighborhood.
  "We saw people crawling out of burning buildings through their
sixth-floor windows and jumping to their deaths," she said.  "It
was horrible."
  With nothing but the clothes on her back, Franz spent the next
several days searching for her sister and grandmother, who were
elsewhere in the country.  Later the three reunited and returned
to Berlin, where they stayed for the remainder of the war.
  In 1948 Franz applied to come to America to live with relatives
in New York.  Three years later she arrived.

Living in America

  She soon met and married Paul Franz.  They farmed in the
Hampton area until the early 1970's, when they moved to Aurora.
  About that time Ingeborg's sight began failing because of an
untreatable, degenerative eye disease.
  "I've been nearsighted all my life," she said.  "My eyes got
worse and worse.  But I've only been blind the past 10 years."
  She learned Braille at home and began writing her book in 1977.
  "I always had the idea I should tell my story because the
people here were so lucky to never have a war waged in their own
country," she said.  "It took me seven years.  I worked every
morning for two or three hours.
  "I had never written anything in my life.  And there was a
problem with the language."

Beginning in Braille

  Franz first composed on a Braille writer, filling volumes with
bulky brown pages on which perforations denoted words.  In the
editing stage, she read the first draft with her fingers and
dictated into a tape recorder.  She then replayed the tape and
wrote a draft with a regular typewriter.
  Finally, a friend corrected her typing errors and typed the
final copy.  The result is a 165-page softcover book that was
published in September, 1985.  Franz printed only 300 copies,
which she has been selling on her own.
  The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Lincoln
has recorded the book as an audiocassette tape.
  Franz said she knew she wouldn't make money on the book or win
any literary fame.  Childless, she wanted to record her story for
nieces and nephews and anyone else who might be interested.
  She wrote at the end of her book: "To prove to myself and
others that blind people are still able to do things if they want
to, I wrote these memoirs."


LEADERSHIP PROFILE

NORMAN GARDNER


  Born in New Mexico, raised in Arizona, Norm Gardner grew up as
one of nine children, eight boys and a little sister.  He and two
brothers (Ron and Bruce) were affected by macular degeneration. 
They had limited vision from early childhood, and it diminished
gradually as they grew older.  Family and friends were uncertain
about this eye condition, since playing ball seemed to present
little problem but reading was nearly impossible.  Were these
kids avoiding homework, or could they really not see?  Perhaps
the former was more acceptable to parents.  Norm and his brothers
depended on other family members and friends to get studying
done.  Norm enjoyed books and learning, but at an early age
reading for himself became more trouble than it was worth. 
Still, he graduated from high school valedictorian of his class. 
After one year of college he went to Mexico representing the
Mormon Church on a mission.  Upon his return he began his second
year of college and came face to face with problems because of
blindness.
  He says, "I well remember the day I went to the library and
mentioned my problem.  The librarian gave me the incredible news
there was a room where students who could not see could go to
have materials read to them."  Norm Gardner completed his
bachelor's degree cum laude in Spanish in two and a half years at
Brigham Young University.  He was then employed for several years
in business and continued studying for his Ph.D. in business
administration, which he received from the University of Utah in
1974.
  It was then that Dr. Gardner accepted a position as Professor
of Finance at Boise State University in the School of Business,
where he has continued to work ever since with increasing
responsibilities.  He does a variety of other work, such as
leading study tours to Mexico and conducting business seminars
for companies.
  Norm met and married his wife, Maggie Matheson, during
undergraduate school, and the Gardners now have six children. 
The oldest, Norm, is in Argentina on a mission for the Mormon
Church.  The second, Anne, is completing a two-year course of
study at the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City.  David is a
sophomore in high school; John is in junior high; Edith (Dee) is
eleven years old; and Emily is nine.  All of the members of the
Gardner family pitch in to help with the work of the National
Federation of the Blind, and they are an asset to the
organization.
  Dr. Gardner first joined the Federation in 1974 and says that
discovering the organization was one of the most meaningful
events in his life.  He says, "I was thirty-one years old with
four children, a Ph.D., and a job.  If anyone had told me I had
not adjusted well to my handicap (I didn't regard myself as
blind), I would have been offended.  The truth is, however, that
I had been playing blind man's bluff all my life.  As I look
back, I know that a large part of my waking hours were spent
trying to avoid having my blindness discovered.  I wanted to be
'normal.'  I sometimes took material into the men's room to read
it.  I didn't want others to see that I had to hold it very close
to my eyes.  I discovered a system of memorizing large amounts of
information, such as my class rolls of over one hundred students,
in order to impress others and to convince myself that I could do
things that I thought persons with my 'handicap' ought to be able
to do.
  "When I heard about a meeting of blind students on the campus
of Boise State University, I thought I might be able to help them
out.  They needed a faculty advisor.  I went and was delighted
and surprised to find several intelligent and articulate blind
individuals.  I began to learn about the Federation.  In the past
when I had been treated unfairly, because of my blindness, it had
seemed unreasonable to me.  These students were saying that
discrimination against the blind was unreasonable and (even
better) 'We can change it.'  I realized that the trail had been
blazed.  The NFB had helped me, even if I hadn't known what it
was doing.  It was high time I got into the traces and helped to
pull."
  Norm Gardner has worked very hard ever since.  In 1975 (less
than a year after his first contact with the Federation) Dr.
Norman Gardner was elected President of the NFB of Idaho and has
been re- elected to that position every two years since that
time.  Under his leadership the organization has become stronger
and more knowledgeable about the work that is so important to the
blind.  From 1975 until 1984 he served ably on the Board of the
Idaho Commission for the Blind.  From 1979 until 1985 he served
on the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the
Blind.
  In spite of his very heavy load of work and other activities,
Dr. Gardner insists that work must be high quality, and it is. 
In 1984 he was presented an award by the Governor of Idaho
honoring him as one of the top ten faculty members of Boise State
University.  Students must agree.  He is regarded as tough, fair,
and an excellent instructor.  NFB of Idaho members have expressed
their opinion of his leadership by re-electing him to the top
position in the state organization six times.  It is members and
leaders like this that make the Federation what it is.


HOW MUCH PROGRESS ARE WE MAKING IN OUR PROGRAM OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION

by Kenneth Jernigan


  Ever since the founding of the National Federation of the Blind
in 1940, one of our prime objectives has been the education of
the public.  We have worked to remove legal, economic, and social
barriers; and we have tried to increase our own
understanding--but none of this can be of much use unless we can
change the outlook of the average man and woman in the total
society.
  The NFB came into being forty-seven years ago.  Since that time
Federation leaders have made countless radio and television
appearances (including our public service announcements), given
speeches at lunches and dinners, issued a constant stream of
pamphlets and articles, talked with everyone we could reach, and
mailed and distributed millions of pieces of literature.  What
has been the result of all of this activity, this barrage of oral
and written persuasion?  The answer, of course, is mixed, but
there are definite signs of emerging patterns.
  Recently we received in the National Office an envelope from
Van Nuys, California, addressed to Mr. Duane Hertenberger--only
this, and nothing more.  There was no indication as to who had
sent it and no letter inside--just a page from a newspaper. 
Moreover, it was not clear where the newspaper was located.  As I
have said, the envelope came from Van Nuys, but internal evidence
suggests that the newspaper may be printed in Long Beach.
  The column which was meant for our attention appears to be the
general Ann Landers type, but the resemblance ends with that
generality.  If the columnist is not one of our members or
intimately acquainted with one of us, she is either extremely
intelligent and perceptive or she has learned a great deal from
our sustained educational programs.  Whichever it is, we win. 
Even if she is one of us or closely associated with us, she shows
an understanding of blindness which would have been hard to find
in a newspaper article twenty years ago--or, for that matter, ten
years ago.  In former times the columnist would not have known
about it or felt comfortable in writing it; the editor would not
have printed it; and the public would not have believed it.
  Whoever the sender may have been, wherever the newspaper may be
located, and whatever the identity and background of the
columnist, I for one found the article a delight and a proof of
the success of our efforts.  Yes, I know that there are things
which she said that I would have changed (the item about the
clock, for instance), but this is quibbling.  The overall thrust
is straight to the point and right on target--just about as good
as you could possibly want.  Judge for yourself--and when next
you despair of humanity or meet intolerable custodialism,
remember this column and take heart.  We are making progress.  We
are winning the battle for first-class status in society:

-------------------

PRESS-TELEGRAM
Tuesday, January 27, 1987

How The Blind Wish to be Treated Living With A Disability

Diane B. Piastro

  Q: I hope you can help me with this dilemma.  There's a man who
happens to be blind and I want to get to know him better.  I'd
like to ask him out to dinner, but before I do, is there anything
I should know regarding proper etiquette?
  A: The best general advice I can give you is to behave exactly
as you would with any other man, but do ask questions if you are
unsure of anything instead of just assuming he needs assistance
because he is blind.  Also, be up front about never having gone
out with someone who is blind before.
  Through getting to know your friend better, you will learn a
lot.  For instance, you will realize that a blind person has
skills equal to your own.  You may also have to learn to deal
with the fact that others who are sighted may react to your
friend as if he were unintelligent, dependent, unproductive, or
useless.  But the adventure of getting to know someone who is
different on a more than superficial level will be very
rewarding.
  Something to think about is today's less rigid male and female
roles.  It's okay for a woman to give assistance, but you will
want to discuss how he feels about it.  There are some thoughtful
courtesies you can be aware of when dining out.  Ask him if he
would like you to place his hand on the back or the armrest of
his chair when being seated, so he can seat himself more easily. 
Suggest that you would be happy to read the menu aloud, including
the prices.  Ask if he would like you to use the clock method to
tell him the position of condiments on the table and food on his
plate.
  The National Federation of the Blind also points out the
following general suggestions that blind people have for sighted
people:
  -- I'm an ordinary person.  You don't need to raise your voice
or address me as if I were a child.  Don't ask someone I'm with
what I want--ask me.
  -- If I am walking with you, don't grab my arm.  Let me take
yours.  I'll keep a half step behind to anticipate curbs and
steps.
  -- I want to know who's in the room with me.  Speak when you
enter and introduce me to others, including children.  Tell me if
there's a dog or cat.  Guide my hand to a chair.
  -- Tell me when you leave the room, even if it's just for a
short time, so I won't continue talking to you.
  -- The door to a room, cabinet, or car left partially open is a
hazard to me.
  -- At dinner I will not have trouble with ordinary table
skills.
  -- Don't avoid words like "see" and "look."  I use them, too.
  -- I don't want pity, but don't talk about the "wonderful
compensations" of blindness.  My sense of smell, touch, and
hearing did not improve when I became blind.  I rely on them more
and may get more information through them than you do, but that's
all.
  -- If I'm your houseguest, show me where the bathroom, closet,
dresser, window, and light switch are.  I also like to know
whether the lights are on or off.
  -- I'll discuss blindness with you if you're curious, but it's
an old story to me.  I have many other interests.
  -- Don't think of me only as a blind person.  I'm just a person
who happens to be blind.
  Send your questions to Dianne Piastro, Fitness, Press-Telegram,
604 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, California 90844.  For a personal
reply, enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.


PUBLICITY FOR BRAILLE READERS ARE LEADERS


  For the past three years the National Federation of the Blind
(through its Parents Division and the National Association to
Promote the Use of Braille) has conducted the "Braille Readers
are Leaders " contest on a nationwide basis.  The contest has
stimulated blind children to become proficient in the use of
Braille.  It has also been the vehicle for a considerable amount
of positive publicity about blindness and the organized blind
movement.
  A typical example occurred this spring in Portsmouth, Virginia,
spearheaded by Federationists Stewart and Debbie Prost.  The
March 16, 1987, Virginian Pilot/ Ledger Star carried an article
entitled "Braille Whiz: Blind Boy, 10, Seeks Reading Record." 
The accompanying story told of the activities of Dominique Artis,
who read 7,054 Braille pages during the three-month period
December 1, 1986, through February 28, 1987.  There were quotes
from Dominique's teacher, Deborah Prost, and a description of the
method of reading and writing Braille.
  On April 24, 1987, the following article appeared in the same
newspaper:

Blind Reading Champion, 10, Likes the Feel of Words

by Robin Scott

  PORTSMOUTH - Dominique Artis, a blind 10-year-old from
Portsmouth who likes the feel of words under his fingers, is the
1987 national champion Braille reader in his age group, the
National Federation of the Blind announced Thursday.
  In a contest to see which blind or partially sighted students
could read the most, Dominique ran away with the title in the
second- through fourth- grade division, a Federation official
said.
  He read 7,054 pages during a three- month period ending
February 28.  That was far more than his closest competition in a
field of more than 50 finalists, said Betty J. Niceley, President
of the Federation division that promotes reading of Braille.
  That equals about 5,000 pages of regular print, or five novels
the length of the Civil War epic "Gone With the Wind."
  The Federation started the contest three years ago, Niceley
said, because blind people who can read and write Braille have a
better chance of getting into professional careers.
  Dominique is a fourth-grader at Portsmouth's James Hurst
Elementary School.  Most of the blind children in the city's
public schools attend regular classes at Hurst, where specialists
in teaching the blind are also available.
  Dominique moves about the school on his own, using a cane.  He
uses the same texts as other students, only in Braille. He can
write Braille by hand, using a stylus to punch holes in paper. 
He has a Braille typewriter and is also a touch typist on regular
typewriters.
  He lives in Portsmouth's West Park
View section with his mother, Emily L.  Artis, a brother, and a
sister.
  For winning the reading contest, Dominique will get $50, a
"Braille Readers Are Leaders" T-shirt, a certificate, and a
ribbon.
  In an interview, Dominique said he was excited to win the
contest and intends to keep reading as much as he can.
  "I don't have any more books," he said.  "I've read them all."
  Deborah Prost, a blind teacher who works with Dominique at
Hurst, said getting enough Braille books to keep up with
Dominique's reading speed has been a problem.
  But Dominique did not seem overly concerned about his book
supply on Friday.  He was more interested in quizzing the
reporter about newspaper computer systems and printing presses.


ALL I EVER REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN

by Robert Fulghum


  (Comment from the Editor: I wish I had written this
article--but I didn't.  I even wish that I had dug it out of some
obscure book--but I didn't do that either.  I just read it and
liked it and thought you would like it, too.  It appeared in the
Spring, 1987, Minnesota Bulletin, the publication of the National
Federation of the Blind of Minnesota--which, incidentally, was a
whopping good issue, one of the best.)
  Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what
to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten.  Wisdom was not
at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the
sandbox at the nursery school.
  These are the things I learned: Share everything.  Play fair. 
Don't hit people.  Put things back where you found them.  Clean
up your own mess.  Don't take things that aren't yours.  Say
you're sorry when you hurt somebody.  Wash your hands before you
eat.  Flush.  Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.  Live
a balanced life.  Learn some and think some and draw and paint
and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
  Take a nap every afternoon.  When you go out into the world,
watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.  Be aware of
wonder.  Remember the little seed in the plastic cup.  The roots
go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why,
but we are all like that.
  Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed
in the plastic cup--they all die.  So do we.
  And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first
word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK.  Everything you
need to know is in there somewhere.  The Golden Rule and love and
basic sanitation.  Ecology and politics and sane living.
  Think of what a better world it would be if we all--the whole
world--had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon
and then lay down with our blankets for a nap.  Or if we had a
basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things
back where we found them and cleaned up our own messes.  And it
is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into
the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.


A TASTE OF RAREBIT

by Kenneth Jernigan


  Before I came to Maryland in 1978, I had never had the pleasure
of meeting Dr. Richard Welsh, the Superintendent of the Maryland
School for the Blind.  That deficiency in my social experience
has now been remedied.  On more than one occasion during the past
nine years Dr.  Welsh and I have occupied the same platform, sat
in the same room at meetings, and shared with one another such
wisdom as each of us possessed.
  Last fall at the convention of the National Federation of the
Blind of Maryland Dr. Welsh was a speaker.  He did not come
willingly or with good temper but only after a number of contacts
had been made with members of his board to suggest that it was
inappropriate for the superintendent of the state School for the
Blind to refuse to attend.  After all, the NFB of Maryland is the
largest organization of blind people in the state, and the School
has (or should have) a certain degree of accountability.
  Dr. Welsh's segment of the agenda was not characterized by
placidity.  In fact, one might call it tempestuous.  He said,
among other things, that it might be a bad thing for a growing
child to try to learn both print and Braille since it might slow
both processes.  I got the impression that he was saying that a
child had a certain amount of reading capacity and that if you
split it between print and Braille, you would probably come out
with around fifty percent efficiency in each.  It was certainly a
novel theory, but novelty was about all that it had to recommend
it.
  When some of us pointed out to him that children sometimes
learn two languages simultaneously and seem to have increased
proficiency in each because of the experience of having learned
the other, he only answered with emotion instead of logic.  He
seemed to feel that Braille was vastly inferior to print and that
a child should, if possible, read print at all costs, even if
Braille would be faster and more efficient.  I got the definite
impression that Dr. Welsh felt that print was "normal" and that
Braille was subnormal.
  He said that if a family really felt that their child should
learn Braille, that this should be taken into consideration, but
it was made very clear that the School would discourage it.  He
also made a great point of the fact that all children are
different and that they should not be treated alike or fitted
into a rigid mold.  It sounds good, but what does it mean?  To
Dr. Welsh it meant that blind children should not be (as he put
it) pressured or forced to learn Braille.  We asked him whether
sighted children should be put into a rigid mold and forced to
learn print.  He thought this was different.  It is "normal" to
read print.
  In the circumstances it is not surprising that Dr. Welsh did
not believe that teachers of blind children (even those who teach
reading) should be required to have proficiency in Braille.  We
asked him whether a teacher of French should be required to know
French.  He thought this was not relevant.  We asked him whether
a teacher of math should be required to know math.  He didn't
think that was relevant either.  Certain legislators who were
present thought it was extremely relevant.  Dr. Welsh was not
happy.  Federationists are trouble makers.  They are militant,
too.
  Not surprisingly, a bill was introduced into the Maryland
legislature early this year to require that Braille be made
available to every blind and severely visually impaired child in
the state.  Also not surprisingly, the special education teachers
and Dr. Welsh (some of the very people who certainly should and
often don't know Braille) came out in force to oppose the bill. 
Dr. Welsh's performance was not only in poor taste but also
possibly even worse than that.  He brought small children and
their parents to the legislature to talk about how terrible it
would be if they were forced into the rigid mold.  It was enough
to make one cry, and a number of people did--some for one reason,
and some for another.  Temporarily Dr. Welsh got his way.  For
another year blind children in Maryland will not be "forced" to
learn to read.  They will avoid the evils of literacy.  But the
battle is only beginning.
  Under date of April 15, 1987, a letter from Mary Ellen Reihing,
President of the Baltimore Chapter of the National Federation of
the Blind of Maryland, appeared in the Baltimore SUN:

--------------------

Literacy Crisis for the Blind

  Editor: A whole generation of blind children in Maryland is in
grave danger of becoming functionally illiterate.  Special
education teachers certified to teach blind children, both at the
School for the Blind and in public school programs, are
discouraging their students from learning Braille.  Of the 120
children in academic programs at the Maryland School for the
Blind, the school reports that only 33 are learning Braille.
  Why?  Poor teacher training programs account for part of the
problem.  It is possible to become certified to teach blind
students in Maryland without being able to read Braille fluently.

Volunteer Braille transcribers, who often do not have college
degrees and are not accorded "professional" status, must
demonstrate a knowledge of Braille to be certified which is
greater than that required of a teacher of the visually impaired
seeking a master's degree.
  The root of the literacy crisis for blind children goes beyond
the poor quality of teacher preparation.  At its heart is the
notion that the techniques used by blind people are inferior to
those used by the sighted.  It is "normal" to read print.  It is
"abnormal" to read Braille.  Therefore, a blind child with
residual vision, no matter how poor that vision may be, is taught
to read print even when Braille would be more efficient.
  Joe can see well out of the corner of his eye, but he can't
focus on any detail work.  He can't read the banner headlines in
a newspaper.  If he uses a closed circuit television system, he
can read print so enlarged that four or five letters will fit on
a twelve-inch television screen.  Since he has not learned
Braille, he has no way to read any of the notes he has written
until he can return home to use his closed circuit television.
  Jane was born with cataracts which were removed when she was a
baby.  She also had a condition that caused her eyes to jump
uncontrollably.  Focusing caused her pain, but she could read
regular print very effectively--for about ten minutes.  If she
tried to read longer, tears rolled down her face, and she was
unable to focus on anything at all for several hours.  Her
teachers told her she was being lazy when she said that she
couldn't read any more.  As she got older, and reading demands
increased, she fell farther and farther behind.  Jane became
convinced that she was stupid and dropped out of high school. 
Jane has come to understand that her reading problems are visual,
not mental.  Even so her attitudes about reading are fixed. 
Though she could read books that have been recorded on tape, she
structured her life to avoid books in any form.
  Lynn read large print when she was a child.  She had friends
who were totally blind, and she wanted to learn Braille so she
could write letters to them, but her teachers refused to help her
learn it.  In fact, they punished her for trying to read Braille
because she wasn't "blind."  Shortly after she graduated from
high school, Lynn lost the rest of her vision.  She had to quit
her job as a secretary to learn Braille.  Fortunately for Lynn,
she was able to find another secretarial job after her training. 
If she had known Braille from the beginning, she would not have
had to interrupt her career.
  Expense has been given as a reason for denying literacy to
blind children.  No one is suggesting that regular classroom
teachers become proficient in Braille.  The only teachers who
would be involved are the special education instructors who are
already supposed to be fluent in Braille.  The Library of
Congress offers a free course to anyone who wants to learn
Braille transcription.  Those who talk about expense should think
about the life-long cost of illiteracy and noncompetitive
functioning for blind people.
  Administrators say that many blind students at the Maryland
School for the Blind see too well to need Braille.  One is left
to wonder what such students are doing in a specialized program
for blind children if they really do not need any of the
techniques of blindness.  Perhaps the real problem is that those
charged with the responsibility of teaching our blind children
really do not believe that blindness is respectable.--Mary Ellen
Reihing, Baltimore.

--------------------

  Under date of April 25, 1987, Dr.  Welsh replied.  He said that
it was perfectly proper for blind children in Maryland not to
know Braille since blind children in the rest of the country
don't know it either.  If only fifteen percent of the blind
youngsters in the country can read Braille, Maryland's thirteen
percent is only two percentage points worse.  In other words
illiteracy is all right if you can just prove that other people
are almost as uneducated as you are.  One has to wonder if Dr.
Welsh really understands the implications of what he is saying.
  He went on to say that some ninety- five percent of the
students at his school had other handicaps besides blindness,
from which one was presumably meant to reason that it is all
right to push a multiply handicapped child toward reading print
but not all right to push him or her toward reading Braille. 
Besides, the argument about multiple handicaps is always trotted
out by anybody and everybody with a weak case--the sheltered
workshops, which don't want to pay decent wages; the airlines,
which don't want to let blind persons sit in exit rows; the
schools, which don't want to teach Braille.
  Next Dr. Welsh said that current state and federal laws require
that the program for a handicapped child's education must be
based on an assessment of that particular child's individual
needs and abilities.  He jumped from this to the conclusion that
blind children need not be taught Braille.  He then threw in a
few words about his rigid mold and topped it off with some
comments about how bad it was that the schools of twenty years
ago taught visually impaired students under blindfold.  Twenty
years ago is always bad.  Blindfolds are bad.  By implication,
Braille is bad.
  In the rest of his letter Dr. Welsh talks about the damage
which was done to the blind children of a generation ago who were
forced to learn Braille.  I know a great many of those people,
and my observation contradicts Dr. Welsh's theories.  I believe
the people to whom he refers were neither educationally nor
psychologically damaged by being taught Braille.  Toward the end
of his letter Dr. Welsh says: "Respect for blind people begins
with the recognition that each blind person is an individual, and
each should be treated as such."
  "Bravo!" one cries.  But what does this have to do with
learning to read?  I favor the flag and the Bill of Rights.  Does
this mean that sighted children should not be taught to read
print?  I have always thought that freedom and literacy went hand
in hand, that liberty and education were almost synonymous. 
Apparently Dr. Welsh thinks otherwise.  But let him speak for
himself.  Here is his letter:

--------------------

Braille Isn't For All Sight-Impaired Kids

  Editor: On April 15 you published a letter from Mary Ellen
Reihing, President of the local chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind, which pointed out that most visually
impaired students in Maryland do not use Braille.  The writer
concluded that the reasons for this are that teachers are poorly
trained, that it is too expensive to teach Braille and that
administrators do not believe that blindness is "respectable";
therefore, the techniques used by blind people are considered to
be inferior, and are not taught.
  The 1986 report of the American Printing House for the Blind
indicates that only fifteen percent of all visually impaired
children in the United States use Braille.  This is very close to
the thirteen percent of the students at the Maryland School for
the Blind who use Braille.  But the reasons for these facts are
very different than those suggested by Ms. Reihing.
  First, ninety-five percent of the children who attend the
Maryland School for the Blind have additional handicaps to their
visual impairment.  Forty percent have severe and profound
developmental disabilities which make them incapable of reading,
regardless of the medium they are using.  Many have orthopedic or
neurological impairments which make it impossible to read
Braille.  Most have some degree of usable vision which they can
use efficiently to read print.
  We have many teachers who are proficient in reading and
teaching Braille, and we capably provide this instruction when it
is needed.  We also teach other special techniques and
adaptations which are used by blind people, not only for academic
learning but also for independent mobility, vocational training,
daily living skills and leisure activities.
  Current state and federal laws require the educational program
provided each handicapped child to be based on an assessment of
that child's needs and abilities and to be approved by the
child's parents.  This is an improvement over past educational
practices, which were influenced by general theories about what
was best for all children in a particular category, regardless of
the needs of the individual child.  Fortunately, most schools do
not operate that way anymore.
  Thirty years ago, it was the general belief that all visually
impaired children should learn Braille, whether they needed it or
not.  Children who had enough vision to learn to read print were
blindfolded and forced to read Braille with their fingers.
  The vast majority of these children never used Braille again in
any functional way, and many had to teach themselves how to read
print after they left school.  It is the position of the Maryland
School for the Blind and most educators that, in general, if a
child has the cognitive ability required for reading and is able
to recognize print symbols, then strong consideration is given to
print as the reading medium for that child.  Print is the more
common communication system used in the community, and more
information is available in print than in any other medium.
  If a child is unable to use print as an efficient reading
medium then Braille, along with auditory and/or multiple media,
is considered as a possible reading and learning mode.  In some
cases, a child whose primary medium is either print or Braille
may also be taught to read in one or more of the other media,
when that child's visual prognosis or personal interest suggests
that learning to read in multiple media may be of value.  This is
particularly true when the child is clearly going to lose all
useful vision.
  During each of the last two legislative sessions, the National
Federation of the Blind has requested that legislation be
introduced which would change state law to reflect their
philosophy on the use of Braille.  Both times, the responses of
visually impaired students and their parents, blind adults and
educators who are trained in this specialty have led to the
defeat of this proposed legislation.
  We cannot return to the practice of treating all people in a
given category as if they are the same.  We do not educate
children without handicaps in this matter, and we should not
allow it for handicapped children.  Respect for blind people
begins with the recognition that each blind person is an
individual, and each should be treated as such.-- Richard L.
Welsh, Baltimore.

--------------------

  As one reads Dr. Welsh's letter, various emotions compete for
ascendancy.  Perhaps the only appropriate response is a piece of
doggeral:

A kiss is dry without a squeeze;
So is a rarebit without some cheese.


THE JOB

by Betty Pacelli


  (Betty Pacelli is one of the leaders of the National Federation
of the Blind of Connecticut.)

Here I sit at a great big desk Waiting for the phone to ring.
I bought a new blouse and skirt for this job.
I'm ready to go--don't need a thing.

How long has it been, God only knows, Since I have been employed.
When I got the word they needed help I was positively overjoyed.

I've raised five kids--no time for a job And not much time for
me.
Couldn't work anyway, I'm blind you know.
Then I joined the NFB.

Now here I am at an oil company, Four days a week, eight to five.

"I've run out of oil," "Come fix my
 furnace,"
Is how this place survives.

These men hustle from morning 'til night With propane, kerosene,
and fuel oil, Tanks, tubing, filters, nozzles, and
 valves
And speedy dry for Oily's oil.

Each day I learn a little bit more About my job and the people
here.
I'm glad to be out in the working world again,
A Federationist going in full gear.


BOSTON INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

by Kenneth Jernigan


  For several years Mohymen Saddeek (the President of Boston
Information and Technology, better known as BIT) has been coming
to National Federation of the Blind conventions.  Mr. Saddeek
sells a useful product (the BIT Talkman cassette player and
recorder), but he is not overly aggressive.  That is another way
of saying that, although he has attended our conventions, I had
never talked with him.  One day this spring I changed all of that
by a long-distance telephone call.
  Mr. Saddeek told me a number of interesting things.  He said
that BIT was first established by some of his university
students, who were interested in seeing if they could develop and
market an improved type of small car.  He said they were
engineering students and that they were quite good at developing
the car, but not so good in working harmoniously with each other
and handling the business end of things.  They asked him if he
would buy controlling interest in the company and try to make a
success of it.  He agreed, and the result is Boston Information
and Technology (BIT).
  Mr. Saddeek said that he had been president of the company
since 1983 and that he was concentrating on products of interest
to the blind.  He told me that he was now working on a money
identifier, which he thought he could sell for less than $200 and
would have ready for market before the end of 1987.  He is also
working on a hand-held magnifying camera, which (if successful)
will help people with low vision in magnifying printed matter and
putting it onto a screen.  Mr. Saddeek said that he hopes he can
have the camera ready for market in a few months at a price
somewhere in the neighborhood of $400.  He is also developing
ideas for other products for the blind in the high tech field.
  For several years I had heard of the BIT Talkman cassette
recorder and player, but I had never used one until a few months
back when I went on a long train ride and wanted to listen to
cassettes but didn't want to carry a lot of bulky equipment. 
Some people say that I take a perverse delight in being computer
illiterate and very nearly as uninformed about other recent
advances in technology.  Whether this is true or not, I found the
BIT Talkman a pleasure to work with, and only moderately complex.
  Mr. Saddeek has now begun marketing the BIT Talkman II.  I
asked him to tell me about it, and he sent me the following
material:

--------------------

The BIT Talkman II

  Boston Information and Technology, better known as BIT
Corporation, has been committed to serving blind and partially
sighted people since 1983.  As the developer of the first
compact, portable cassette player for Talking Books, BIT is a
leader in distributing useful and innovative electronic products.

The company's goal is to provide quality merchandise at prices
within reach of the consumer.
  The Talkman II, BIT's most recent model, incorporates the best
of the Talkman I while introducing several new features Talkman I
users requested.  Among the new features are:
  -- an AM/FM radio with built-in antenna for excellent
reception;
  -- an auto-reverse feature allowing continuous play of tapes on
either two tracks or four tracks without the inconvenience of
removing and turning them over.
  The Talkman II also has the many convenient and quality
features known to those who own the original Talkman:
  -- The high quality Panasonic earphones included with the unit
allow the listener to enjoy both the FM radio and standard 1-7/8
speed tapes in stereo.
  -- The user may play both regular two- track tapes and Library
of Congress format four-track tapes on the Talkman
II.  A variable speed function permits flexibility in the
playback of four- track, 15/16 ips recordings.
  -- A built-in condenser microphone allows monaural recording at
two speeds.
  -- The user may purchase an external stereo microphone and
record in stereo on two tracks.
  -- The Talkman II can record on two tracks at the standard
1-7/8 speed or on three tracks at the Library of Congress 15/16
speed.
  -- The user may record radio broadcasts directly from the
unit's own radio.
  You may operate the Talkman II on household current using the
AC adapter which comes with the unit, or you may use two AA
batteries, which are not included.
  BIT offers several economical and useful accessories for the
Talkman II:
  -- A rechargeable battery kit with two nickel-cadmium batteries
is economical for people who frequently use battery power.
  -- Micro speakers are small, portable speakers on a Y patch
cord which plugs directly into the earphone jack in the Talkman
II.  They are useful for a single individual or two persons who
want to listen to tapes in a quiet environment without having to
use headphones.
  -- Stereo speakers, larger but still portable, play music
quality tapes.  They require battery or AC adapter power.
  BIT offers all accessories as well as its other talking
products in a catalog available free of charge.  Although
presently in printed format only, Braille and audio cassette
versions will soon be available.  BIT invites you to request a
copy in the format you prefer.  Contact BIT at: 143 Albany
Street, P. O.  Box 70, MIT Branch, Cambridge, Massachusetts
02139; (617) 661-9555.


PROCLAMATIONS


Office of the Governor State of Oregon

  WHEREAS, it is imperative that Oregon utilize to the fullest
abilities and talents of all its citizens; and
  WHEREAS, through its program of education, civil rights,
scholarships, and other assistance to blind Oregonians, the
National Federation of the Blind of Oregon has worked ceaselessly
to change public attitudes about blindness, so that blind men and
women can participate fully in society on the basis of equality
with their sighted peers; and
  WHEREAS, it is recognized that our blind citizens comprise an
important resource and talent, and we wish to assist them in
their efforts to encourage employers and others to utilize their
abilities; and
  WHEREAS, the National Federation of
the Blind of Oregon will be holding its annual convention the
weekend of March 27 through 29, 1987, in Salem, Oregon.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, Neil Goldschmidt,
Governor of the State of Oregon, hereby proclaim the week of
March 28 through April 4, 1987, as

National Federation of the Blind Week

in Oregon in recognition of the efforts of this state-wide
organization of blind people, who, together with their sighted
peers, are truly changing what it means to be blind.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and cause the Great
Seal of the State of Oregon to be affixed.  Done at the Capitol
in the City of Salem and the State of Oregon, on this day, March
26, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred
Eighty-Seven.

                        Neil Goldschmidt GOVERNOR


--------------------


State of Tennessee
By the Governor

  WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind was founded in
1940; and
  WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest
organization working for the good of blind persons; and
  WHEREAS, the Federation's primary goal is to insure that all
blind persons achieve first-class status as American citizens;
and
  WHEREAS, the Federation works to find suitable job
opportunities and to help overcome the myths about blind persons;
and
  WHEREAS, the Federation has as daily goals education,
legislation, and litigation when needed for blind persons; and
  WHEREAS, the Tennessee affiliate of the Federation is meeting
in its annual meeting on Saturday, March 14, 1987, in
Chattanooga, Tennessee;
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ned McWherter, as Governor of the State of
Tennessee, do hereby proclaim March, 1987, as

National Federation of the Blind Month

in Tennessee, and do urge all our citizens to join me in this
worthy observance.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Tennessee
to be affixed at Nashville on this 12th day of March, 1987.

                           Ned McWherter GOVERNOR


RECIPES


  This month we are featuring dishes from Alaska.  In response to
our request we received a veritable avalanche of suggested
recipes from the members of the state affiliate.  Some of these
unusual delectable treats were offered by Kay Porth  (NFB of
Alaska President), some by Sharon Omvig, some by Gwen Canham, one
by Charles Evans, and some by other members.  We could not use
them all, but here is a representative sample.


HOMESTEADER'S HONEY

5 pounds sugar
2-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon alum
48 clover blossoms
18 fireweed blossoms
1/2 cup white Karo

  Combine sugar, water, and alum, boil ten minutes.  Add clover
blossoms, fireweed blossoms, Karo.  Let stand five minutes. 
Strain through fine sieve and bottle.


ESKIMO DONUTS

3-1/2 cups warm water 9 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons salt
9 tablespoons shortening 1 package yeast

  Stir and let stand ten minutes.  After yeast is bubbly add
flour.  Keep adding flour until it forms dough.  Let rise two
hours.  Fry in two to three inches of grease.  Optional: One-half
cup of raisins.


APRICOT JAM

1/2 pound apricots
1 cup grated pineapple
2 cups sugar

  Grind and cook apricots.  Then, mix cooked apricots, grated
pineapple, and sugar and cook until this mixture gels.  Put into
jars.


LOTUS CREAM ICE CREAM

2 cups cream, 1-1/2 cups milk (or 3-1/2 cups evaporated milk
works great)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 lemon, grate peel and squeeze juice 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds

  Mix all ingredients except egg.  When well blended, beat egg
with one-quarter of the total mixture and then add to the
remaining mix.  Blend well.  Add to ice cream maker and crank
until firm.  Let sit (or freeze) for about fifteen minutes, then
eat and enjoy.


SNOW ICE CREAM

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bowl clean snow

  Beat egg into milk, add sugar and vanilla; combine all and
beat.  Run outside and get clean snow in a bowl and pour mixture
over snow and eat.  Vanilla and sugar may be increased or
decreased to taste.


SWEET AND SOUR CARIBOU ROAST

3- to 4-pound caribou roast 2 tablespoons shortening 1 medium
onion, chopped 1 bay leaf
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar 3 tablespoons
catsup 1/3 cup raisins
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

  Melt shortening in heavy pot.  Brown meat on all sides.  Add
onion, bay leaf, salt, and 3/4 cup water.  Cover and simmer one
hour.  Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, catsup, raisins; and
add to caribou.  Cover and continue simmering one and a half
hours until meat is tender.  Remove roast and make gravy.
  To make gravy, skim off excess fat from broth.  Gradually
combine one cup cold water with cornstarch.  Mix until smooth. 
Add to broth and stir until gravy is clear and thickened.


SALMON NAMOK

1 tablespoon sour cream 1 tablespoon butter
1 (1/2 pound salmon) steak, approximately 3/4 inch thick
1/8 teaspoon sweet basil
1/8 teaspoon (or less) dill weed dusting of pepper (to taste)
1/2 bay leaf (left whole if you like strong flavor; crushed for
guests)
1/4 cup or less mild cheddar cheese lemon slice for garnish

  Melt sour cream and butter in tiny saucepan, being careful not
to boil.  Make depressions in raw salmon steak and puddle sauce
on top after placing steak in baking dish.  Use all sauce. 
Sprinkle the basil, dill, and pepper on the steak, then add bay
leaf.  Grate just enough cheddar cheese on the salmon so that
when it melts there is a network of cheese, salmon, sauce, and
spice on top--not solid cheese.
  Bake covered in 400-degree oven for ten minutes, then uncover
for remaining five minutes of cooking time.  Actual time will
depend on doneness of fish.
  Serves one.  Serve with tartar sauce of mayonnaise and green
relish.  (If you use red, it looks like thousand island
dressing.)  Garnish with slice of lemon.  But if your guest uses
the lemon on the fish, throw a tantrum!


MONITOR MINIATURES * * * * * * *

**Stock for Sale:
  Ray and Beth Graber, Federationists from Kansas, write:
  "We have 24 shares of Aids Unlimited stock for sale at $600. 
Please contact Raymond Graber at 1603 Quail Ridge, Hutchinson,
Kansas 67501; (316) 665- 5463."

**Subsidized Technology:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  "If an Optacon, VersaBraille, TeleBraille, speech synthesizer,
or Braille output device will help you get a job, keep up in the
classroom, increase your effectiveness as a volunteer in your
community, improve your present work situation, reduce your need
for sighted assistance in managing you personal affairs, and/or
otherwise make a significant difference in your life, you may
qualify for a partial subsidy through the Electronic Aids program
at Associated Services for the Blind.
  "Limited funding is available to assist serious, aspiring,
visually impaired users in the purchase of helpful high-tech.  To
receive a large print or Braille application to the program, call
or write: Electronic Aids Program, Associated Services for the
Blind, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107; (215)
627-0600."

**Jaycee of the Month:
  Many Federationists throughout the country know the name of
Charles Biebl of Maryland.  He has been tireless in his efforts
to place our public service announcements on radio and television
and to line up radio and television appearances for the
Federation, not only in Maryland but in other parts of the
country as well.  Mr. Biebl is active in the civic and community
life of Baltimore.  In token of this, he was recently voted
Jaycee of the Month by the Towson, Maryland, Chapter, of which he
is a member.

**Tennessee Convention and Organizing:  The 18th annual
convention of the
National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee was held at the
Howard Johnson Executive Inn March 13-15, 1987, in Chattanooga. 
Prior to the convention Joyce Scanlan and Nadine Jacobson of
Minnesota did organizing and membership recruitment in the state.

President Maurer was present at the convention, which was well
attended.  Mattie Seay, Hazel Moore, and Hank LaBonne were
elected to positions on the state board.

**Elected:
  Connie Ryan, Secretary of the National Federation of the Blind
of Arizona, writes:
  "Today, Saturday, April 4, 1987, the National Federation of the
Blind of Phoenix held their annual election of officers.  Elected
were the following:  Art Dinges, President; Terri Ewers, First
Vice President; Tom Johnson, Second Vice President; Connie Sheila
Ryan, Secretary; and Harlene Stone, Treasurer.  We also elected
two board members, who were Fred Rockwell and Cary Taylor."

**Dies:
  Bert Stone, Secretary of the National
Federation of the Blind of Arizona, died on March 17, 1987.  Bert
and his wife Harlene had attended a seminar at the National
Center for the Blind, where they endeared themselves to all who
were present; and the Stones have consistently provided stability
and energetic leadership in the NFB of Arizona.  Bert Stone was a
man of character, who will be greatly missed.

**Cooperative Library Project:
  Susan Povinelli, Second Vice President of the Potomac Chapter
of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, writes:
  "The Potomac Chapter, National Federation of the Blind, has
created a volunteer group of NFB members and other concerned
blind patrons to assist in resolving inadequate library services.

Three nights a week volunteers check records, machines, and
cassettes for defects, clean records, rewind cassettes, and make
sure that all records and tapes are in their proper cases. 
Although it has only been a few months, library services have
improved.  We plan to Braille patrons' files so that we can send
them their requested books.  The project has been so successful
that we have been asked to prepare and publish a library
newsletter.  We hope through our efforts a blind individual will
become a paid employee of the library."

**Alexander Scourby:
  A radio document called "Narrated by Alexander Scourby" has
been produced in recorded form by the American Foundation for the
Blind.  The tribute is told largely in Scourby's own words
tracing his career from the early thirties and including accounts
from friends, colleagues, and fans. Alexander Scourby was
probably one of the greatest assets the AFB ever had.  He was
loved and respected by the blind of the entire nation.

**Preschool Amendments:
  The following item appeared in the December, 1986, issue of the
Pacesetter:

  Newly passed amendments (PL 99-457) to the Education for All
Handicapped Children Act will require all handicapped children
ages 3-5 to receive special education services by 1990 if the
states in which they reside are to continue receiving any of the
funds available for preschool programs.  (The new mandate is
known as Section 619, the Preschool Grant Program.)
  Additionally, the legislation authorizes new program funding
for providing services to handicapped children from birth through
age two (Part H-- Handicapped Infants and Toddlers Program).
  The newly authorized programs were matched by additional
funding in the appropriations measure which approved spending for
special education programs in fiscal year 1987 (FY87 began in
October of 1986; education spending approved for that fiscal year
actually reaches schools in school year 1987-88.) The
appropriation, which increased federal special education spending
by $400 million over FY86, provided for an additional $150
million for Section 619, the Preschool Grant Program, and a new
category of $50 million for Part H, the initiative for states to
serve handicapped children from birth through age two.

**Positive Results:
  For the past three years the National Federation of the Blind
Braille Reading Contest has been the means of stimulating blind
children to become interested in Braille and proficient in its
use.  Parents and children alike have responded with enthusiasm. 
One parent said:
  "This is the first year my son has entered your contest, and
it's the first year he's really reading his own Braille books! 
He's excited about the 'contest,' and I'm delighted to see him
motivated.  (Reading Braille has been a real trial for him.)  I'm
so glad you have something like this."
  The contest is sponsored by the National Association to Promote
the Use of Braille, which is a division of the Federation.

**Dies:
  Helen Scherzer, the surviving niece of Harry Fribush, writes to
tell us of the death on March 28, 1987, of Harry Fribush of
Albany, New York.  Mr.  Fribush, who was eighty-six years old,
was both deaf and blind.  For many years he sold Braille greeting
cards.  The Braille Monitor carried his announcements on many
occasions.

**Federation Advertising:
  The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, Inc. publishes a
newsletter called "MVLS Update."  The March, 1987, issue of this
newsletter carried the following announcement:

Law and the Blind Addressed

  Is a blind person entitled to any governmental aid?  What are
the rights of the blind in housing and employment?  What special
rules protect a blind person who applies for Social Security
Disability Insurance?
  These and other questions are answered daily by the National
Federation of the Blind, a 50,000-member organization, based in
Baltimore.  NFB President and MVLS member Marc Maurer urges
attorneys to contact them with questions.  For more information
call Mr. Gashel at 659- 9314.

**Superintendent for Iowa School Appointed:
  On June 15, 1987, W. Dennis Thurman (Administrative Coordinator
for the Blind and Vocational School at the South Carolina School
for the Deaf and Blind) became Superintendent of the Iowa Braille
and Sight Saving School.  He was hired at a salary of $53,500 per
year.  In addition, he will receive (unless circumstances have
changed) housing and certain other fringe benefits.  Thurman, 44,
replaces Richard DeMott, who was fired from the Iowa school last
November.

**Facts About Diabetes:
  The following facts are taken from a publication of the
American Diabetes Association:

  Today more than 11 million people in the United States have
diabetes.  Almost half of them don't know they have this chronic
disease, and every year 500,000 more Americans are diagnosed with
diabetes.
  Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or
properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar,
starches, and other food into the energy needed for daily life. 
It often leads to serious complications that involve nearly every
tissue of the body.  When high levels of sugar build in the
blood, heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage,
and leg and foot amputations from gangrene occur.
  There is no cure for diabetes.  But research has made exciting
progress in the treatment of people with the disease.  Self blood
glucose monitoring, pancreas and islet cell transplants, oral
medications, laser therapy to prevent diabetes-caused blindness,
and new insight into the dietary needs of people with diabetes
are just some of the recent advances that are helping many live
healthier, longer lives.
  About 1 million people have insulin- dependent diabetes, the
most severe form of diabetes, which usually hits people when they
are young children or adolescents.  In order to stay alive,
people with insulin-dependent diabetes must take daily injections
of insulin.  Although it controls the disease, insulin dos not
cure diabetes.
  The tendency for the disease can be present at birth,
especially if there is a history of diabetes in a person's
family.  No one knows what eventually triggers the onset of the
disease, though viral infections, such as the flu, are suspect.
  The warning signs of insulin-dependent diabetes include:
frequent urination accompanied by unusual thirst; extreme hunger,
rapid weight loss with easy tiring, weakness, and fatigue;
irritability, nausea, and vomiting.  These symptoms occur
suddenly.  If they do, see a doctor immediately.
  The majority of people with diabetes have non-insulin-dependent
diabetes, which usually develops in people over the age of 40 who
are overweight.  A history of diabetes in one's family increases
one's risk of developing the disease.  Proper diet and exercise
are essential to controlling non-insulin- dependent diabetes
although oral medication or insulin also may need to be taken.
  The onset of this type of diabetes is often gradual and
undramatic.  Many Americans first become aware they have the
disease after they develop one of its life-threatening
complications (i.e.  heart disease, kidney disease, or eye
problems).
  The warning signs of non-insulin- dependent diabetes may
include any of the symptoms mentioned before or the following:
blurred vision or any change in sight; tingling or  numbness in
legs, feet, or fingers; frequent skin infections or itchy skin;
slow healing of cuts and bruises; drowsiness.
  Each year about 300,000 people die as a result of diabetes and
its complications.
  Each year 5,000 people lose their sight because of diabetes. 
Diabetic eye disease is the number one cause of new blindness in
people between the ages of twenty and seventy-four.
  Ten percent of all people with diabetes develop some kind of
kidney disease.
  People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have
heart disease and two to six times more likely to have a stroke
than people who do not have diabetes.
  Direct and indirect costs for diabetes run to $14 billion
annually and account for 3.6 percent of total U.S. health care
costs.

**Elected:
  We are informed that the following people have been elected to
serve as officers of the Chattanooga Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Tennessee: Hank LaBonne, President;
June Grant, First Vice President; Reverend Morris Johnson, Second
Vice President; Carolyn Owensby, Secretary; George Grant,
Treasurer; and Board Members:  Helen Geren, Glen Ledford, Bill
Woodward, and Terry Taylor.

**Keeping the Record Straight:
  In the March, 1987, Monitor we carried an article about Playboy
magazine, saying that the 1986 issues would be available to the
blind.  Boyd Wolfe, Chairman of the NFB Committee on the
Deaf-Blind, writes to say:
  "I spoke to someone today from the NLS regarding the
availability of the 1986 Playboy issues, and she told me that
they would be made available in recorded form on cassette; so you
see those of us who either cannot use recorded tapes or who do
not wish to do so are being deprived.  Please correct this in a
forthcoming Monitor to keep the record straight and so as not to
cause confusion."

**Blind Tuners International Parley:  Stanley Oliver of Detroit
writes:

  "During July 20 to 24, 1987, the Piano Technicians Guild will
hold its annual convention at Constellation Hotel, Toronto,
Canada.  Nearly a hundred of the over 4,000-member International
Professional Society are blind tuners and technicians.  William
Vaise, Music Consultant to the Canadian National Institute for
the Blind, will speak on the future for blind tuners.  The
convention will feature nearly forty technical institutes, four
of which will deal with tuners' concerns.  Expected are numerous
successful tuners from across Canada and the United States.  Emil
Fries, founder of the Vancouver, Washington, Piano Hospital and
Training Center, will discuss his recent conference with faculty
and students of the Royal National Institute for the Blind,
London."

**Parents Organize:
  Everett Wood, Secretary of the
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, writes:
  "I am sending you a list of the officers and members of the
newly formed chapter of the Parents of Blind Children.  This
chapter was organized on April 9, 1987, at the regular monthly
meeting of the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind:  President, Eddie Lopez; Vice President,
Joann Harper; Secretary, Vera Jackson; Treasurer, Joann King; and
Board Members: Catherine Howell, Max Parker, Debra Lopez, and
James Scott.

**Talking Cash Register:
  Recently the following press release was issued:

  Mr. John Hjelm, President of R.C.  Allen Co., Inc. of Grand
Rapids, Michigan, one of the country's leading manufacturers of
cash registers, has announced that effective May 1, 1987, Aids
Unlimited, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland, a major marketer of
products for persons with disabilities, has been appointed as
exclusive national marketing agent for the new R.C. Allen Model
204T Talking Cash Register.
  This unique talking cash register, developed by R. C. Allen
Co., has wide application in thousands of businesses across the
country operated by blind and visually handicapped persons.
  In making the announcement, Mr. Hjelm said, "We are most
pleased to establish this important relationship with Aids
Unlimited.  The R. C. Allen Company and Aids Unlimited, both
leaders in their fields, have a deep commitment to product
quality and to service to the customer.  We believe that the 204T
Talking Cash Register represents a major step forward toward the
goal of independent functioning of persons in retail business who
happen to be blind or visually impaired."
  For further information, contact Aids Unlimited, Inc., 1101
North Calvert Street, Suite 405, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; (301)
659-0232.

**Baby Girls for Adoption:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

  Teri Bacall of the Children's Home Society of Minnesota has
helped find homes for many, many blind orphans.  For example, she
was instrumental in placing Chung, Dong Wook (now known as Chaz)
with Federationists John and Barbara Cheadle eight years ago, and
most recently helped Tom and Florence Blume of New Jersey get
their little girl, Melissa.  Mrs. Bacall has now asked us to
publish information about two blind baby girls in Korea who need
homes.  She says that in the past she has turned to the National
Federation of the Blind for help and is now doing it again.  For
more information about the adoption program or about the children
who are now ready for adoption contact: Teri Bacall, Senior
Coordinator, International Waiting Children, Children's Home
Society of Minnesota, 2230 Como Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota
55108; (612) 646-6393.

**Mailing Labels:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  "Big, bold, self-adhesive 'Free Matter' mailing labels.  $2.00
for 100, $8.00 for 500.  Free samples and information in print,
Braille, or tape.  J P Enterprises, Dept. M, P.O. Box 44217,
Denver, Colorado 80201."

**Hospitalized:
  Hazel Staley, President of the
National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina, writes:
  "George Best, Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind
of North Carolina for many years, is at the time of this writing
in Charlotte Memorial Hospital in serious condition.  He entered
the hospital on April 29 for what he thought would be minor
surgery.  However, tests revealed a large cancerous area where
the small intestine enters the stomach and a six-inch blockage on
the right side of the intestines.  He was on antibiotics until
Friday, May 1, when he underwent surgery for three hours.  I call
him my good right hand.  We all certainly wish him a complete
recovery."

**Sell:
  Karl Smith, President of the National Federation of the Blind
of Utah, asks that we carry the following announcement:
  "For sale: Total Talk PC from Maryland Computer Services
including speech software, Braille translation software,
Spellbinder word processing package, Personal Card File database
package, blank diskettes, dust covers, swivel base. Also, HP
2934A printer.  This printer has a 15.5-inch carriage with
adjustable trackers for printing items as small as 2.5 inches
wide, up to four plug-in cartridge print fonts.  Print speeds are
40, 67, and 200 CPS.  This is a heavy duty printer designed for
hard daily use.  This package also includes all necessary
documentation, cables, and accessories.  Asking price is $5,000
total.  Contact Karl Smith, President, National Federation of the
Blind of Utah, at (801) 364-9007 or (801) 972- 8047.  Or write to
NFB of Utah, 328 West 200 South, Suite #3, Salt Lake City, Utah
84101."

**Hitchhikers:
  Hazel Staley, President of the
National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina, writing in
the affiliate's May, 1987, newsletter, says:
  "There is something I have wanted to say to you, the members of
the National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina, for a
long time, but there never seems to be enough space.  However,
this time I am going to take the space, because I feel that this
is important.  More of you need to become more actively involved
if our affiliate is to grow and be the strong organization that
we need to protect the rights of blind people.  Right now our
state treasury is dangerously low while some chapters have money
lying in the bank not serving anybody.  We are a nonprofit
organization.  If you raise funds in the name of the Federation
and fail to use those funds, you are endangering our nonprofit
status.  Chapters need some money to operate, of course, but the
greater expense is at the state and national level.  Chapters
don't have to wait to have a fundraiser in order to contribute to
the state.  Donations can be made any time.  Unfortunately, some
of you seem to have the attitude of the hitchhiker who sticks his
thumb out and says, 'You furnish the car, the gas, attend to the
repairs and upkeep, supply the insurance, and I'll ride with you.

If you have an accident, I'll sue you for damages.'  Many members
seem to say, 'You go to the meetings, you serve on boards and
committees, you do the paperwork, you study the issues and take
care of things that need doing, and I'll just go along for the
ride.  If things don't suit my fancy, I will complain, criticize,
and probably get out and hitchhike to another group.'  Are you a
hitchhiker, or a driver?  Come on, folks.  We need drivers. 
Enlist associates.  Join PAC.  Tell other blind persons what the
Federation means to you, and recruit them as members.  Help your
chapter plan programs and activities that will attract new
members, and make the community aware of your existence."

**The Danger of Signing Forms:
  George Eltgroth, a long-time member of the Federation, is an
attorney--one with both intelligence and maturity.  In a recent
letter to President Maurer he wrote:
  "Unfortunately, I have had to deal with a number of hospitals
in different communities over the last couple of years.  They
regularly thrust forms at me for signature, saying that these are
to be signed to permit them to file claims with Medicare.  While
I cannot read the forms myself, I always demand copies at the
time of signing.  On later examination, I find that very often
the nature of the document has been significantly misrepresented.

Often the releases are much more comprehensive than I have been
told.  In one case there was a consent to submit to experimental
medicines and therapy.
  "This is a very serious situation for the blind who may be
induced to sign by the misrepresentations of hospital staff.  I
would like to see the subject dealt with in resolutions to be
taken up at the 1987 convention."

**Wedding Bells:
  Richard Gaffney, President of the National Federation of the
Blind of Rhode Island, writes:
  "On Saturday, May 2, 1987, wedding bells rang in the city of
East Providence, Rhode Island, for Howard Applegate and Laurraine
Kaiser.  Howard is a member of the Rhode Island affiliate's Board
of Directors.  Many Federationists from Rhode Island and
Massachusetts were in attendance at the wedding.  Another member
of the Board served as best man.  We all wish Howard and
Laurraine a long and happy life together."
