                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 42, No. 4                                          May, 1999

                     Barbara Pierce, Editor


      Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by

              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


                         National Office
                       1800 Johnson Street
                    Baltimore, Maryland 21230
                   NFB Net BBS: (612) 869-4599
              Web Page address: http://www.nfb.org



           Letters to the President, address changes,
        subscription requests, orders for NFB literature,
       articles for the Monitor, and letters to the Editor
             should be sent to the National Office.




Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about twenty-five
dollars per year. Members are invited, and non-members are
requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be
made payable to National Federation of the Blind and sent to:


                National Federation of the Blind
                       1800 Johnson Street
                    Baltimore, Maryland 21230





   THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
 SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES





ISSN 0006-8829




Vol. 42, No. 4                                          May, 1999
                            Contents

The Monica Stugelmeyer Case, the United States Senator, and the
     Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
     by Marc Maurer

Exploring Atlanta
     by Alfred Falligan

Local Organizations of the Blind: How to Build and Strengthen
     Them

Open Letter to New Chapter Presidents
     by Barbara Pierce

Keeping Sight of the Vision: Leadership in the NFB
     by Bruce Gardner

Making the Vision Come True: An Open Letter to Arizona
     Federationists
     by Bruce Gardner

Public Relations: A Tool for Chapter-Building
     by David Milner

ATM Accessibility
     by Chris Kuell

Review: Privileged Hands: An Autobiography
     by Brian Buhrow

Fredric K. Schroeder, a Man of Confidence
     by David Bolton

Sewing
     by Ramona Walhof

Recipes

Monitor Miniatures

       Copyright (C) 1999 National Federation of the Blind


Caption for lead photo:
     A new five-story building to house the National Research and
Training Institute for the Blind is planned for construction
early in the next century. Here is a photograph of the model of
this building showing the new construction as it will stand on
the southwest corner of the National Center for the Blind
complex.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Marc Maurer]
                  The Monica Stugelmeyer Case,
                 The United States Senator, and
           The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                         by Marc Maurer
                           **********
     Monica Stugelmeyer has been a member of the National
Federation of the Blind for more than fifteen years. She has held
a number of jobs and is presently employed in the mailroom at the
Spokesman Review newspaper. She might not have known about her
rights as a blind person, but she joined the National Federation
of the Blind, and she has learned that she should be treated with
fairness. When her employer denied her a promotion because she is
blind, she came to the Federation to find out how to protect
herself. A complaint has been filed with the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The agency investigated and found
good cause to believe that discrimination had occurred. But the
Spokesman Review would not even consider the proposition that
treating a blind employee differently from any other is a
violation of the law.

     Because the newspaper refused to discuss the matter, the
case has been filed in federal court. I asked Scott LaBarre to
represent Monica Stugelmeyer. Apparently our advocacy on her
behalf made a real difference. Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport,
and Toole, the law firm representing the Spokesman Review,
decided to try to avoid the judicial system and to bully the
EEOC. It wrote a letter to Senator Slade Gorton complaining that
the Federation had been behind the case, and it said that the
EEOC had succumbed to undue pressure. However, the EEOC is not to
be easily cowed. It responded to Senator Gorton with the facts
and said it expected to win the case in federal court. The
Spokesman Review asked Senator Gorton to peddle a little
Washington influence, but the ploy backfired. Here is the
relevant correspondence. First is the letter from the newspaper's
law firm to Senator Gorton.
                           **********
                                              Spokane, Washington
                                                 January 18, 1999
                           **********
Catherine O'Connell
Office of U.S. Senator Slade Gorton
Spokane, Washington
                           **********
                    RE: Cowles Publishing/EEOC
Dear Ms. O'Connell:

     This letter summarizes the situation I described to you on
the phone last week involving Cowles Publishing and the suit
brought against it by the EEOC for disability discrimination.

     In April, 1996, the Spokesman-Review/Cowles Publishing hired
Monica Stugelmeyer to work as a trucker/inserter in the company's
mailroom. The mailroom packages advertising inserts in daily and
weekend papers. Ms. Stugelmeyer is legally blind, but she did not
notify Cowles of that fact when she was hired, nor did she ask
for any accommodation to her vision impairment.

     After several weeks and though she was barely adequate at
performing some of her duties, Ms. Stugelmeyer was, as all
mailroom employees were then, given the opportunity to work on
the inserting equipment. There was an hourly pay differential of
$1 per hour more for working on the inserter, which all the
employees wanted. After several hours other employees came to the
mailroom supervisor complaining that Ms. Stugelmeyer could not
keep up with the other employees and that it was unsafe for other
employees to be working with her because she could not see the
equipment controls or mechanical parts well enough to act quickly
if necessary. She was taken off the inserter and assigned to
other tasks in the mailroom. She continued to work as many shifts
as she had before working on the inserting equipment, and the
company tried to find extra shifts for her to make up for the pay
differential.

     Ms. Stugelmeyer complained to management and to the Mailers'
Union that in not working on the inserter she was being
discriminated against because she is blind. The union declined to
pursue a grievance filed by Ms. Stugelmeyer. The management,
after consultation with the company's insurer, [the] Department
of Labor and Industries, and the inserting equipment manufacturer
about the unsafe nature of the equipment, reaffirmed the initial
decision to remove Ms. Stugelmeyer from inserting duties. The
union concurred.

     Ms. Stugelmeyer enlisted the assistance of an attorney for
the Washington Federation [of] the Blind, the state branch of the
National Federation [of] the Blind. With the attorney's input,
Ms. Stugelmeyer filed a complaint with the EEOC, which concluded,
in large part, we believe based on the Federation for the Blind's
pressure, that Cowles had discriminated against Ms. Stugelmeyer
in not putting her on the inserting equipment, despite the input
from a number of sources about safety concerns. The attorney for
the Federation for the Blind refused Cowles' invitation to come
and see the mailroom and the inserting equipment.

     Cowles attempted to conciliate with the EEOC, offering to
permit Ms. Stugelmeyer to train and be evaluated on new inserting
equipment that was installed in late 1997. The new equipment has
many safety features lacking on the old equipment, and management
believed it was possible to give Ms. Stugelmeyer an opportunity
to train on it without unduly threatening her or her fellow
employees.

     The EEOC initially agreed to such training but then, without
discussing the matter with Cowles again, unilaterally decided,
midway through the agreed-upon training period, that Ms.
Stugelmeyer was completely qualified to work on the equipment and
therefore entitled to a full-time job. The EEOC also demanded for
Ms. Stugelmeyer back pay from 1996 and punitive damages for
Cowles' allegedly "egregious" conduct in not permitting Ms.
Stugelmeyer to insert. When Cowles objected to the EEOC's bad
faith in reneging on the training and evaluation arrangement, the
EEOC brought suit against the company. The National Federation
for the Blind now seeks to represent Ms. Stugelmeyer and
intervene on her behalf in the lawsuit, though the Federation
has, thus far, refused to explain to Cowles why the EEOC is not
adequately representing Ms. Stugelmeyer's interests. Despite the
unwillingness of the EEOC to participate in a final determination
as to Ms. Stugelmeyer's qualifications, Cowles has determined she
is qualified to work part-time as an inserter, although she is
not sufficiently skilled and proficient to work in one of fifteen
full-time positions, all of which are currently filled. She is
currently working one or two shifts per week as a part-time
inserter. She is also assigned shifts as a trucker.

     Far from having discriminated or acted in bad faith, Cowles
has an exemplary reputation for efforts to employ a diverse
workforce, including disabled people. Further, in 1991 the
Spokesman Review/Spokane Chronicle was presented with the
Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest Employer of the Year
award for employment of people with disabilities. Aside from
acting in bad faith in its negotiations with the company, the
EEOC appears to have succumbed to political pressure from an
advocacy organization that has an axe to grind with employers.
This should not be the motivation for a government agency
supported by the taxpayers and supposedly acting for the good of
the public.

     We appreciate your interest in this situation and your
efforts to assist. Please do not hesitate to call if you have
questions. I have included a more detailed summary of the facts
in the case for further background.
                           **********
                                                 Sincerely yours,
                                                 Duane M. Swinton
                           Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole
                           **********
     There you have the letter written by the law firm to Senator
Gorton. Mr. Gorton responded by making an inquiry to the EEOC.
Here is his letter:
                                                 Washington, D.C.
                                                 January 28, 1999
                           **********
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Congressional Liaison
                           **********
Dear Congressional Liaison:

     I am writing on behalf of the Spokesman Review/Cowles
Publishing in Spokane, Washington. The Spokesman Review is the
premier regional newspaper and has become involved with an EEOC
suit for disability discrimination. The Spokesman and Cowles
Publishing are concerned with this suit and feel that they have
not discriminated against their employee. I am referring this
inquiry to you for your consideration and response.

     Please provide the necessary information in duplicate to the
attention of Catherine O'Connell in my Spokane office.

     In advance, thank you for your prompt attention to this
matter.
                           **********
                                                       Sincerely,
                              Slade Gorton, United States Senator
                           **********
     That was Senator Gorton's inquiry, and no federal agency
would ignore such a missive. This is what the EEOC wrote in
reply:
                           **********
                                              Seattle, Washington
                                                February 17, 1999
                           **********
The Honorable Slade Gorton
United States Senator
Spokane, Washington
                           **********
Dear Senator Gorton:

     This is in response to your January 28, 1999, inquiry on
behalf of Cowles Publishing concerning a lawsuit we recently
filed against the organization.

     The lawsuit is the result of a charge of employment
discrimination filed by Ms. Monica Stugelmeyer, a resident of
Spokane, Washington, and an employee of Cowles Publishing's
Spokesman Review newspaper, alleging discrimination based on
disability. Ms. Stugelmeyer is legally blind; her vision is
20/200 and has been since birth. Her charge stems from the
Spokesman Review's refusal to allow her to work in a higher-
paying position with the company.

     Ms. Stugelmeyer works for the Spokesman Review as a
trucker/inserter. The positions of trucker and inserter are
separate, but are performed by the same group of employees.
Inserters load stacks of newspaper inserts, such as the
advertisements, onto an inserting machine which separates the
inserts and drops them into slots containing the newspapers.
Truckers stack and sort completed packets of newspapers and
prepare them for loading onto trucks. Inserters receive a $1.50
per hour higher wage than truckers. Truckers are assigned to
rotate into the higher-paying inserter position. The company's
job description states that the company will endeavor to allow
truckers to have equal opportunities to perform the inserter job.

     The company assigned Ms. Stugelmeyer to work on the inserter
machine for the first time in May, 1996. She reported having no
difficulty while working on the machine for approximately two
hours. Without explanation the Spokesman Review never assigned
Ms. Stugelmeyer to work as an inserter again. When Ms.
Stugelmeyer approached her supervisor to express her interest in
continuing to work as an inserter, she was told that her vision
was too poor. This was the first time her vision had become an
issue on the job. Ms. Stugelmeyer responded that she believed she
was capable of performing the job, but the supervisor refused to
reassign her to the inserter position again. The Spokesman Review
claims that managers and co-workers were and are critical of Ms.
Stugelmeyer's job performance; however, our investigation did not
support such claims. No objective evidence of deficient job
performance has been produced.

     As you know, when Congress enacted the Americans with
Disabilities Act in 1990, it sought to eliminate the prejudice
and other barriers which prevent qualified individuals with
disabilities from fully participating in our society as they
deserve. The law contemplates that a person with a disability
will be evaluated on the basis of his or her individual
capabilities, and not on the basis of society's biases or an
employer's preconceptions.

     Because Ms. Stugelmeyer believed she was capable of
performing the higher-paying, inserter job duties, she sought
help from her rehabilitation counselor and arrangements were made
to consult the Washington State Department of Services for the
Blind. The state agency offered the services of Mr. Bronson Goo,
a machine shop instructor who has twenty-five years of experience
in training blind and visually impaired people to operate complex
machinery.

     In August, 1996, arrangements were made for Mr. Goo to
travel from Seattle to Spokane to visit Ms. Stugelmeyer's
workstation, at no cost to the Spokesman Review. Mr. Goo wanted
to view the inserting machine operation and observe Ms.
Stugelmeyer at work to determine whether she was qualified to
operate the machine, with or without reasonable accommodation.
The Spokesman Review refused to allow Mr. Goo to observe Ms.
Stugelmeyer at work on the machine, notwithstanding the fact that
Mr. Goo had the necessary expertise to determine whether Ms.
Stugelmeyer could effectively operate the inserter. Mr. Goo did,
however, observe other employees operating the machine. Based on
his observations and experience, Mr. Goo concluded that Ms.
Stugelmeyer could be trained to work safely on the inserting
machine. The Spokesman Review, however, refused to consider Mr.
Goo's assessment. Instead, the company made the decision to deny
Ms. Stugelmeyer the right to work as an inserter and refused to
consider any objective information about how to accommodate Ms.
Stugelmeyer in this position.

     After we issued our decision that there is reasonable cause
to believe that the Spokesman Review had violated the Americans
with Disabilities Act, we invited the company to engage in
efforts to conciliate a resolution of the matter short of
litigation. This process began in March, 1998. At no expense to
the Spokesman Review, we again arranged for Mr. Goo to make a
second trip from Seattle to Spokane. This time he was permitted
to work with Ms. Stugelmeyer on the inserter machine. He
subsequently reported that Ms. Stugelmeyer is capable of working
as an inserter, and, indeed, she has continued to work in that
capacity to this date.

     Our reasonable settlement proposal to the Spokesman Review
included a request for damages and injunctive relief, such as
training for staff on relevant disability issues. Unfortunately,
although requested, we have never received a specific counter-
proposal from the company. We believe that, among other things,
training is required to remedy the discrimination which has
occurred. We are particularly troubled by the hostile attitudes
displayed toward Ms. Stugelmeyer in this case. For example,
counsel made the remark that Ms. Stugelmeyer "seems to be the
only one" who does not believe she is disabled.

     We regret the Spokesman Review's purported dissatisfaction
with our handling of the charge to date. While the company may
disagree with our assessment of the case and is free to present
its own arguments during litigation, it is clear that our actions
in processing Ms. Stugelmeyer's charge to date have been proper
and consistent with the relevant evidence and our statutory
mandate. It is not uncommon for the parties to a charge of
employment discrimination to assert strong views that their
versions of the facts support their respective positions. Still,
notwithstanding their views and any pressure they seek to apply,
our final determinations must comport with our own independent
interpretations of the evidence and the laws we enforce. We
firmly believe that the Spokesman Review has subjected Ms.
Stugelmeyer to egregious, unlawful discrimination based on her
disability, and we expect to prevail in the litigation we have
initiated. We also know that Ms. Stugelmeyer is entitled to
present her own case in court and to be represented by a pro bono
attorney, to the extent she seeks further relief for which we
cannot provide representation.

     Thank you for your expression of interest in the case. We
hope this information is helpful to you.
                           **********
                                                       Sincerely,
                             Jeanette M. Leino, District Director
                     U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                           **********
     That's what the EEOC wrote, and one could hardly ask for a
clearer response to a Senate enquiry. The final piece of
correspondence in this series is my letter to Senator Gorton.
Here it is:
                           **********
                                                    March 9, 1999
                           **********
The Honorable Slade Gorton
United States Senator
Spokane, Washington
                           **********
Dear Senator Gorton:

     I have received an exchange of correspondence regarding the
Monica Stugelmeyer case, consisting of a letter from Mr. Duane
Swinton of the law firm Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport and Toole
addressed to your office; a transmittal letter from your office
to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); and a
response from the EEOC to you (copies enclosed). Mr. Swinton
offers the National Federation of the Blind quite a compliment.
In his letter dated January 18, 1999, he says that the National
Federation of the Blind has the power to determine what cases the
EEOC will pursue. Although I serve as the President of the
Federation, I was unaware that the organization was in a position
to decide for the EEOC what it would do. Mr. Swinton apparently
believes that the only way to defeat the Federation in its
support of the claim brought by Monica Stugelmeyer is to seek
intervention from a prominent member of the Senate.

     I met Monica Stugelmeyer in the 1980's. She is not a
radical, militant hell-raiser. She is a blind woman trying to get
along in life. She joined the National Federation of the Blind so
that she could share experiences with other blind people and
learn what she could. She is part of the American workforce that
helps to make this country what it is. All she asks is an equal
opportunity to earn her daily bread. We in the National
Federation of the Blind are trying to help her get it.

     I do object to the characterization in Mr. Swinton's letter
of the National Federation of the Blind. He says we have an axe
to grind against employers. Apparently Mr. Swinton doesn't know
of the decades of work we have done to find competent blind
employees who are prepared to serve employers in every aspect of
the business community. I could think of names for the
carelessness demonstrated in Mr. Swinton's letter, but I will
refrain from the name-calling he has used in his letter.

     Senator Gorton, we in the National Federation of the Blind
have great respect for you. Consequently, if you want further
information about the activities of the Federation, we would be
only too happy to supply it.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                           Marc Maurer, President
                                 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
                           **********
                           **********
                        Exploring Atlanta
                        by Alfred Falligan
                           **********
     From the Editor: Al Falligan lives and works in Atlanta. He
is working hard to make the best convention arrangements yet for
our first ever visit to Atlanta. Here is what he has to say this
month:
                           **********
     We trust that you are coming to Atlanta expecting a great
time. We are anxious to get together with the family again and
catch up on the news since we were in Dallas, Texas. Of course
there will be new people to meet and opportunities to deepen
existing friendships. This article provides additional
information to make your stay even more enjoyable. But first here
are a few reminders.

     By the time you read this article we expect to have only a
few tickets left for the Tuesday evening, July 6, Atlanta
Braves/Florida Marlins baseball game. They are $12 each and can
be ordered by sending checks for the number of tickets ordered to
Al Falligan, P.O. Box 2124, Atlanta, Georgia 30301. Be sure to
make checks or money orders payable to the NFB of Georgia, not to
me.

     Also, if you have not yet made your travel arrangements and
room reservation for the convention, you should do it today. This
year's gathering with its memorial events for Dr. Jernigan, its
plans for the future, and its opportunities to get your hands on
tomorrow's technology will be absolutely unforgettable. It won't
be the same without you, and you will always regret your absence
if you don't decide to join us. To make your travel arrangements
and take advantage of our special airline rates, contact Sue
Kable at Glyndon Square Travel, (800) 875-9685. Convention room
rates this year are singles, $57; doubles and twins, $59;
triples, $61; and quads, $63. The room tax is 14 percent, and
nothing will be charged for children in the room with parents if
no extra bed is requested.

     For 1999 convention room reservations write directly to
Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta,
Georgia 30303, or call (404) 521-0000. Do not use Marriott's
national toll-free number. Reservations made through this
national number will not be valid. They must be made directly
with the hotel. The hotel will want a deposit of $60 or a credit
card number. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be
charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case
with a $60 check. If a reservation is cancelled prior to June 4,
1999, $30 of the $60 deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds
will not be made.

     The Marriott Marquis Hotel is at the northern end of an area
of Atlanta filled with hotels, restaurants, and shops. The north
boundary of the Marriott property lies along Baker Street. The
south side is bounded by Harris Street; south of Harris and also
running east and west is International Boulevard, then Ellis
Street. East of the hotel is Courtland Street, running north and
south. The Hilton, our overflow hotel, is straight across the
street from the Courtland Street entrance of the Marriott. West
of the Marriott and parallel to Courtland is Peachtree Center
Avenue, not to be confused with Peachtree Street, which is one
block further to the west. Resign yourself to finding that you're
standing on Peachtree something-or-other just about any time you
turn a corner in Atlanta. This Peachtree Street is the city's
main thoroughfare.

     The Peachtree Center Mall is located in the square block
southwest of the Marriott. It is bounded by Harris, Peachtree
Center Avenue, Ellis, and Peachtree Street. But it is not
necessary to walk out into the steamy Georgia summer to reach
this shopping Mecca. You can get there directly from the lower
level of our hotel, and the Georgia affiliate is preparing
directions for you in print and Braille for doing just that. Here
are a few of the things you will find in the Peachtree Center
Mall:

Food Court, Gallery Level, includes the following:

     American Lunch, Atlanta Bread Company, Auntie Anne's, Big
Easy Cajun, Blue Chip Cookies, Cafe du Jour, Chick-Fil-A, Coffee
Station, Cosimo's Pizza, Dairy Queen, Dressed to Grill, Dunkin'
Donuts, Gorin's Homemade Ice Cream, Gyro Wrap, J. Brenner Grill,
Kameel's Cafe, KFC, Oriental Express, Roman Delight Pizza,
Subway, TCBY, and Wall Street Deli. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner,
everyone will find something here that hits the spot.

     But maybe you are in need of a little more substantial
evening meal before you hurry back for an important meeting. The
Mall has several restaurants you'll want to know about.

     Azio Downtown, a popular upscale Italian bistro, (404) 222-
0808, Peachtree Street Level.

     Benihana, entertaining tableside presentations of Japanese
cuisine, (404) 522-9627, Avenue Level.

     Charlie & Barney's Bar and Grill, casual atmosphere
featuring its famous chili, a fully stocked bar, and a dance
floor, (404) 688-0928, Gallery Level.

     For those necessary souvenirs and remembrances you will want
to take home, try Touch of Georgia, offering a variety of Georgia
food products, theme gifts, T-shirts, mugs, and potpourri, (404)
577-6681, Gallery Level.

     Everyone who travels knows the occasional necessity of
finding a drugstore, grocery store, hair salon, etc. Here are
some shops you may want to find:

     Continental Hair Design, a full-service men's and women's
salon, also offering manicures and pedicures, (404) 577-6511,
Gallery Level.

     Executive Shoe Shine, complete leather care service for
ladies' and men's shoes, briefcases and other accessories,
Gallery Level.

     The Flower Garden, a full-service flower shop with
traditional and tropical blooms, plants, and balloons. (404) 522-
5212, Avenue Level.

     La Grande Convenience Store, assorted grocery items
including beer, wine, fruit, snacks, and general merchandise,
(404) 688-2254, Avenue Level.

     The Pharmacy, a complete drugstore for prescription and
personal needs, (404) 522-1492, Gallery Level.

     Ticket Pros, memorabilia from and tickets to the hottest
seats in town for sport, theater, and special events, (404) 614-
1766, Gallery Level.

     Wolf Camera and Video, one-stop shop for cameras, video
equipment, accessories, and one-hour photo processing, (404) 614-
1766, Gallery Level.

     If you want to travel world-famous Peachtree Street and
visit places like Planet Hollywood, the Sundial Restaurant
(seventy-two stories up), the Hard Rock Cafe, Macy's department
store, or McDonald's, you can leave the Marriott from the main
entrance on Peachtree Center Avenue and turn right. Walk to the
corner, which is Baker Street. Cross Peachtree Center Avenue. If
you then cross Baker, you will find yourself facing a cluster of
restaurants at the northwest corner of the intersection. If you
travel one block west to Peachtree Street instead, you can turn
left and walk south on Peachtree Street. There you will find
McDonald's and the rest. Those exiting the hotel onto Courtland
Street should turn right and walk to the corner. Turn right on
Harris, walking west for two blocks, and take a right onto
Peachtree Street. In that two-block stroll you will find Steak
and Ale; Hoops, a soul food restaurant; Mick's; Sho's, an
Oriental restaurant; and a number of other restaurants.

     One of the truly memorable areas of Atlanta is Buckhead,
about six miles north of the Marriott. Take a taxi or the MARTA
rail system to this up-scale city within a city. Youthful
recreation and sophisticated charm are to be found in this
community, which is now 160 years old but looks practically new.
You will find twenty-four-hour night life, all the major retail
chains, exquisite dining, some of the largest churches in
America, beautiful homes shaded by an extensive tree canopy,
places to visit like the Atlanta History Center and the
Governor's Mansion, and much more. Residents are a mixture of
old-timers and new kids on the block from throughout the country
and around the world.

     Here's a quick Buckhead fact: There are more than 100
restaurants and nightlife spots within the two and a half blocks
surrounding the intersection of Peachtree Road and West Paces
Ferry Road. If you're looking for entertainment day or night,
Buckhead is the place to be. At the northern end of Buckhead, on
Wieuca Road, Chastain Memorial Park is a favorite Atlanta
gathering spot. It's home to Chastain Park Amphitheater, where
touring jazz, rock, and adult contemporary artists play during
the summer.

     Buckhead truly sparkles after dark, and the choices for
entertainment are endless. Stroll through the Village, the
intersection of West Paces Ferry and Peachtree Roads, and see
what catches your fancy--there are lots of bars and clubs on the
east side of Peachtree, and you can club-hop to your heart's
content. On weekends the area resembles a giant block party as
thousands of people crowd the sidewalks. You'll find food,
drinks, darts, and of course pool at Buckhead Billiards at 200
Pharr Road. Try Fado Irish Pub for the ambience of an authentic
Irish pub; visit John Harvard's Brew House at 3039 Peachtree Road
to experience a mellow brewpub; or head to Havanan Club at 247
Buckhead Avenue for live Latin music in a cigar-bar atmosphere,
with more than 100 brands of stogies available.

     Tongue & Groove at 3055 Peachtree Road is a great place to
celebrity-watch. Open Tuesday through Saturday, this nightspot
resembles an upscale cocktail lounge and attracts a slightly
older crowd. Just a short drive away is the plush Goldfinger at
3081 East Shadowlawn Avenue, where you can choose from twenty
martinis--all named after James Bond movies.

     Swing dancing is as much of a craze in Buckhead as it is
across the nation. Romantic duos have several venues to choose
from, including Swingers at 3449 Peachtree Road, which offers
free dance lessons nightly at 10:00 p.m. Sambucca Mediterranean
Cafe & Jazz Bar at 3102 Piedmont Road also plays swing on Monday
nights.

      A couple of long-standing establishments are perennial
favorites among an older crowd. The elegant Otto's at 265 East
Paces Ferry Road is a singles club featuring contemporary dance
music, while the more casual Johnny's Hideaway at 3771 Roswell
Road caters to a more mature audience, with dancing to mellow Big
Band dance music and tunes from the past sixty years.

     Buckhead is served by three MARTA transit rail stations:
Lenox, Buckhead, and Lindbergh.

     The Fourth of July is a memorable day of celebration in
Atlanta, and this year the holiday falls on our convention's half
day. The Peachtree Road Race begins early. First staged in 1970
with 110 runners, the ten-K race has grown to 50,000
participants. The event is popular, not only with the athletes it
attracts from around the world, but with the more than 200,000
spectators that line Peachtree Street; call (404) 231-9064 for
more information. That night at around 6:00 p.m., guests start
arriving at the Lenox Square parking lot to enjoy a picnic and
live music and to await one of the country's top fireworks shows
at dusk. The twenty-minute choreographed display is set to top-
forty and patriotic music and includes more than eleven tons of
fireworks.

     With all this and more to choose from, Buckhead is
guaranteed to keep you entertained. Hurry on down!
Georgia, Georgia, no peace I find.
Just an old sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind.
                           **********
                           **********
                Local Organizations of the Blind:
                How to Build and Strengthen Them
                           **********
     From the Editor: Federationists who can count silver threads
among the gold may well remember the title of this article. In
the early seventies it was the title of a publication written by
Dr. Jernigan recommending ways to build strong, effective local
chapters of the NFB.

     Through the years Dr. Jernigan came to the conclusion that
some of the ideas he had outlined and the situations he was
responding to were no longer relevant to the current needs and
challenges facing local chapters. But the requirement that the
Federation build vital local chapters and state affiliates has
never been more compelling than it is today. Our national
organization is engaged fully in breaking new ground and dealing
with problems and needs that are truly nationwide in their
implications and scope. The advocacy, education, and problem-
solving within the Federation are broader, more extensive, and
more demanding than ever before in our history. These tasks,
which were once managed largely by individuals in our National
Office, have expanded to such a degree that they necessarily fall
to state and local chapter representatives working together with
advice from our National Office. This is a natural and healthy
development of our efforts to train leaders at every level of the
organization who are equipped to help blind people and represent
the organized blind movement in all sorts of situations. At one
time, only the very most experienced of us could be counted upon
to do the job right. Dr. Jernigan traveled the country in the
1950's writing testimony and preparing Federationists to stand up
and deliver it when necessary. Today state and local officers and
members think nothing of stepping up to the witness table and
providing testimony to legislative committees and state agencies.

     This is all as it should be, but the need to develop healthy
and vital local chapters is even more important than it was when
no one expected them to do much more than get together every
month to talk about the spirit of the Federation, to keep the
hope of a better future alive, and to raise public awareness and
needed funds for our organization. Recognizing the importance of
this task, the Braille Monitor has published articles from time
to time through the years that address the question of developing
strong chapters and affiliates. But they have appeared hither,
thither, and yon, and it is difficult to pull them together to
assist new chapters, newly elected officers, and experienced but
over-burdened leaders.

     I thought it would be useful to bring several of these items
together so that they are readily available. Consequently, we are
reprinting in revised form four articles published in these pages
during the past few years. The following group of articles is not
definitive. A number of other good pieces have appeared from time
to time, but these four seem to have been particularly helpful to
those who have had them to turn to.

     We urge you to hold on to this issue for later reference. If
you let it slip away, try to remember May, 1999; that's the issue
you want to order in future for members eager to build and
strengthen local organizations of the blind. Enjoy the following
articles, and when they inspire you to go in new and exciting
directions, write down the accrued wisdom and send it along for
the rest of us to profit from.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Pierce]
              Open Letter to New Chapter Presidents
                        by Barbara Pierce
                           **********
     From the Editor: This article was first published in 1990.
It has been slightly revised.
                           **********
     Recently the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio had
occasion to organize a new chapter. The young woman who was
elected president had no past experience as a Federation officer,
so I wrote her a long letter setting forth ideas, projects, and
principles that we in the organized blind movement have found
useful in building our local chapters. Lots of good ideas are not
mentioned here, but perhaps it is useful for new chapter
presidents, and for us all from time to time, to spend a few
minutes thinking about the fundamentals of chapter-building.
Here, in significant part, is the letter I wrote:

Dear New President:

     Sometimes in a burst of democratic zeal new chapters and
their officers make the error of believing that every decision
made for the organization must be considered (too often
exhaustively) by the entire membership. Remember that the chapter
as a whole does not need to make all the decisions that clamor
for attention in the early weeks of the chapter's existence.
There are some organizational matters that you or the board
should decide without bothering the general membership. These are
things that individuals can and should express opinions about but
on which chapter meeting time should not be wasted. I am thinking
of transportation arrangements and meeting location, for example.
Such discussions will always expand to fill the available time,
and when you are finished, the decisions are likely to be less
satisfactory and more divisive than they would have been if a
smaller group had been responsible for making the arrangements.

     Generally speaking the meeting location should be central,
free or inexpensive, and accessible by public transportation. If
you are paying more than a few dollars a month rent, you are
pouring money down the drain--money that we could otherwise spend
on Federation projects. I would discourage efforts to look for a
place with kitchen facilities in order to serve elaborate
refreshments. We do not gather in Federation meetings to eat and
drink together, pleasant as that is. We have work to do, and
every way that we can find to communicate this message to members
should be taken.

     Transportation problems must be worked out with an eye to
the particular complications in a given situation. Obviously,
getting someone who is already coming to the meeting to pick up
people more or less on the way is the best solution. Service or
church organizations may be able to find volunteers who would be
willing to drive for you, or neighbors, family, or friends of one
of the members in the area affected might do so. If necessary the
people getting the ride could share the cost of the
transportation, or the chapter could reimburse the driver for
mileage, assuming there are funds available.

     You should work these arrangements out as rapidly and
efficiently as possible so that they do not drag on, consuming
meeting time and energy. Chapter members will find it instructive
to observe such problems being resolved quietly and efficiently.
The important thing is to be seen to be taking the complications
in stride. Too many blind people see such matters as constituting
major problems in their lives instead of the logistical
annoyances they should be. You can begin to teach them something
about blindness as a nuisance by the way in which the Board
handles these matters.

     It is important to spend time at the beginning working with
your officers and eventually your committee chairs on ways of
making meetings run smoothly and interestingly. An inexperienced
secretary may begin by writing minutes that are either too
detailed or too brief. Minutes should record all decisions made
by the organization and list all matters discussed. It is not
advisable to expect the minutes to record what was said in the
course of the discussion. The chapter needs a record of the
substantive actions of the organization.

     This record must be in print whether or not it is also
maintained in Braille or on cassette tape. Auditors frequently
wish to see minutes, and they mean print. For this reason also
the treasurer must maintain records in print. Your written order
to the treasurer to pay expenses must also be in print and must
have the appropriate receipts attached to it for the treasurer's
records. The secretary's and the treasurer's reports at each
meeting should be relatively brief and as lively as they are
capable of making them.

     One ongoing responsibility, usually assumed by the chapter
secretary, is notifying the National Office of the names,
addresses, and phone numbers of new members whose names should be
added to the Braille Monitor mailing list. It is critically
important to mark such correspondence clearly as information for
the Monitor list. Each name should also have the magazine format
clearly marked. The choices are large print, Braille, e-mail, and
cassette. Each member should have the Monitor available in a
format which he or she will use. A sighted member should not
necessarily be expected to read his or her spouse's recorded
magazine just to save expense. On the other hand, a blind couple
does not usually need two recorded editions.

     Remember that the Braille edition is much more expensive
than any of the others. People who will make good use of the
Braille should not hesitate to request it, but we should all work
to make our resources go as far as possible. So those who would
be happy with the cassette edition, for example, should not order
the Braille edition merely in an effort to demonstrate their love
of the code. Individuals who are inclined to pay for their
subscriptions should be encouraged to do so, but your aim should
be to have every member of the chapter reading the entire
magazine every month whether or not the family can afford the
subscription cost.

     Many chapters make a practice of presenting to each new
member an NFB pin when he or she joins the Federation. Then when
the roll is called at the beginning of each meeting, everyone who
is not wearing a pin or other NFB insignia (jewelry, tie clasp,
etc.) must pay a small fine. This kitty is then used for some
special purpose for the whole group. Some chapters do a split-
the-pot raffle at each meeting. People throw in their loose
change or buy tickets for some nominal amount, and at the end of
the meeting one name is pulled, and the proceeds in the pot are
split between the chapter treasury and the winner. Sometimes
members take turns in providing an object for an auction to be
conducted during the meeting at a moment when a little lively
activity would lift the spirits of the group. Again the proceeds
go to the treasury or to some special project fund.

     Before you arrive at the meeting, you should have planned
your agenda. This of course should include old and new business
so that other people can bring up things that they would like to
discuss. You should run through the agenda at the beginning of
the meeting so that people know what to expect. This may help
them to refrain from time-consuming discussion early in a meeting
that they can see will be packed with agenda items.

     The first thing on your agenda (after the roll call, the
reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, and the
treasurer's report) should be playing the presidential release if
you have one. As the chapter president your name has been placed
on the presidential release list, so you should receive each one
as it is mailed from the National Office. If you do not receive
one within a month or so, call the National Office (410-659-9314)
to inquire about whether or not your name is on the list. You
should listen to the tape before the meeting so that, if there is
information that you need to know more about, you can get a
briefing from a state officer before people begin asking you
questions you can't answer.

     The release is very important because the chapter must feel
itself to be an integral part of the whole tightly knit
organization that reaches across the nation. Part of your job as
president is to help every member of the Federation in your area
understand that Dr. Maurer is a real friend. Everyone should
recognize his voice and understand that the issues that affect
the organization as a whole must be recognized as important in
your city.

     I must say a word here to you about finances. It is
important that the chapter get started early raising money, but
it is equally important that the habit be formed of passing the
funds through the books so that it can do the most good. There is
a strong temptation among us mortals to hang on to what we earn,
but the Bible is right when it says, "Where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also." More than one chapter has
contracted a terminal illness by acquiring a fat savings account.
In my view a local chapter, if it is very active, can spend five
to ten thousand dollars a year without trying very hard. But I
mean that this much money can pass through its books. A chapter
that has established this kind of record will be working hard at
fund raising and supporting state and national programs liberally
in addition to contributing to the Washington Seminar and the
national and state convention efforts and assisting local members
to attend these events. The chapter will also be conducting
various programs in the community: distributing literature;
educating the public, including providing Braille cards to each
child in the classes addressed; organizing seminars of various
types for chapter members and the community; etc.

     You will notice that I emphasized that such funds should be
passing through the books. Pools of money at the local or state
levels are not likely to encourage health in the Federation.
People are less likely to scramble to make money if the savings
account is significant and there are certificates of deposit
squirreled away in the bank. They will be inclined to see efforts
to vote contributions to the state or national organizations as
attempts to "get our money away from us." Though it is certainly
true to say that our organization, like most others, is only as
strong as its local chapters, it is equally true that a dollar
spent at the national level will do tenfold the good that the
same dollar can do at the state level and one hundredfold the
good that it can do at the local level. Money must, of course, be
spent at the chapter level, and there are many programs that
cannot work except at the grassroots, but if we want to change
the climate of public opinion and the quality of life for blind
people everywhere, we must work nationally. If we ever hope to
improve services to the state's blind, we must work at that
level, and such efforts must be undertaken by entities beyond the
local chapter.

     There are a couple of very useful projects that local
chapters can undertake that provide good outlets for chapter
funds and assist the organization in the most efficient way
possible. The first is to have the chapter enroll in the Pre-
Authorized Check (PAC) Plan. This project must be undertaken very
carefully because it must not dissuade individual members from
becoming PAC members personally. The PAC Program allows an
individual or organization to have a specified amount
automatically deducted from a checking account each month. The
chapter should provide this service for members who wish to
contribute on PAC but who do not have checking accounts.
Individual PAC members should not be discouraged from
contributing to the chapter PAC collection if they wish to, but
it should be made clear that their personal PAC commitment is
their primary focus. The chapter can decide how much money to
contribute monthly to PAC, and then those who wish to do so can
contribute at the meeting to cover the PAC contribution each
month.

     Two other extremely useful programs that chapters can
participate in are Shares Unlimited in NFB (SUN) and the Jernigan
Fund. SUN shares ($10 each) constitute a long-term investment in
the National Federation of the Blind. These contributions in any
amount over $10 are invested with the understanding that only the
interest will be used for current operations unless the
organization faces a true emergency. The Kenneth Jernigan Fund
was established at the 1998 annual convention and is dedicated to
educational efforts like scholarships. Contributions to either of
these funds should be made payable to the National Federation of
the Blind and the name of the fund placed on the memo line of the
check. You can receive further information about these funds or
send contributions to National Federation of the Blind, 1800
Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

     One of your first tasks as president will be to appoint
committees. Some of these should be standing committees, and some
should be ad hoc. An ad hoc committee might look into notifying
the appropriate state offices of the chapter's existence and
preparing and filing the appropriate forms and documents. They
might also take responsibility for notifying the libraries,
social service organizations, and telephone company of the
chapter and its services to the community. You might consider
devising a small flyer informing them of the existence of the
group and of its ability to help blind people and their families.

     Typical standing committees include Ways and Means, to do
fund raising; Nominating, to recruit a slate of board and officer
candidates when appropriate; Legislative, to work with the state
organization on educating your local representatives in the
Legislature and the Congress; Public Relations, to do local PR
and to help with state and national projects; Associates, to
encourage chapter members to recruit family, friends, and
acquaintances as members at large who will become Associates of
the NFB; and Membership, to build the organization by recruiting
new members.

     The chapter may need to establish standing committees to
deal with local causes or organizations that involve the blind.
For example, many chapters have a committee composed of those
members who sit on the board of the local service-delivery
agency. If you establish permanent fund-raising projects, you may
wish to appoint standing committees to work with each of those
rather than doing it all through the Ways and Means Committee.

     I would not try to appoint all committees immediately. Like
a juggler, you must get them launched one at a time and learn to
keep the ones already appointed working well before starting
another project. Your aim is to make everyone feel that he or she
is playing an important part in the ongoing functioning of the
chapter. Some will be more effective committee members than
others. You must decide how to divide the chapter talent among
the committees so that no group has too much weight to carry and
too few people to carry it. Some people will be able to give good
service on more than one committee; others will be happiest
putting all their effort into one activity. You must balance the
needs and the preferences as best you can. This task will get
easier as you get to know the people with whom you are working.
Try to establish the kind of relationship with your committee
chairs that will enable them to turn to you with their problems
for advice and encouragement. Your job as president is not to do
everything but to enable others to get it done.

     The question naturally arises of what kinds of projects
would be best to begin right away. There are lots of things that
cry out to be done everywhere. Again your job is to strike a
balance for your chapter. Some projects at the beginning should
be chosen because they are easy to do or because the starting
point is obvious. Literature distribution is a good example. We
have several pieces of literature that are ideal for distribution
in local areas. You should have a rubber stamp made including the
name of the organization, the chapter phone number, and an
address so that these pieces of literature can be stamped (a good
job for someone with some sight at a chapter meeting) and then
distributed.

     The pieces I am thinking of are "What is the National
Federation of the Blind?" "Do You know a Blind Person?" and The
Voice of the Diabetic. The first two are available from the
National Center for the Blind, Materials Center. Sample copies of
the third can be obtained from Ed Bryant, Editor, Voice of the
Diabetic, 811 Cherry Street, Suite 309, Columbia, Missouri 65201-
4892. Doctors' offices, libraries, and public places of any kind
where literature is available are good places to leave stacks of
these pieces. Your state affiliate may also have brochures about
the affiliate or local NEWSLINE(R) service that are also useful
to circulate.

     Other projects that come to mind include the following:

     * Notifying the blind students at local institutions of
higher education about the Federation's scholarship program and
perhaps conducting a seminar for them in the application-writing
process. They will be inclined to come because it is to their
financial advantage to do so, and you will have a chance to
educate them about the Federation and what we can do for people.
You will then have names of blind students for your own chapter
and for the student division.

     * Chapter education. Members can take it in turn to lead a
group discussion of one piece of Federation literature like a
banquet address or an article from a recent Braille Monitor.
Everyone should know beforehand what is to be discussed at the
next meeting, and, if necessary, copies should be made and
distributed so that they have a chance to read or reread it. This
is an excellent way of encouraging people to read our information
with attention and of familiarizing members with the reservoir of
useful NFB literature.

     * Fund raising. It almost doesn't matter what you do here as
long as you are doing something. You may have trouble persuading
people to jump into this one. The chapter will need money
immediately, but some of us instinctively feel that we are above
such mundane things. Others are so conditioned as blind people to
steer clear of anything that smacks of begging that they balk at
pitching in to participate in projects that they would happily
help with if it were for a church or community service club like
the Lions. Try making the point that nothing is more important in
helping blind people everywhere than the work of the National
Federation of the Blind. We are experts in this field, and the
fact that we are committed to helping blind people through the
Federation is merely an indication of how justifiable our fund
raising is.

     It may be advisable to set a special goal for some of the
funds raised, like sending chapter members to the National
Convention next summer. The group as a whole had better discuss
what they are most willing to do in fund raising. Some chapters
would rather sell tickets themselves than staff a booth to sell a
product. Some like raffles, and others would rather tackle a big
project like a hike-a-thon. Some groups buy blocks of tickets for
a community theater production and sell the tickets at a profit.
But the principle must be established early on that money must
come into the organization if it is to go out again, and you must
do everything you can to teach each member to expect that the
money will go out.

     * Distributing our television and radio spot announcements
to local stations. It is important for those folks to know who we
are and what we stand for. Someone should go to visit the Public
Affairs or Public Service Director to discuss the organization
and to hand him or her the announcements and several small pieces
of our literature. The person in charge of this project or the
chair of the committee should maintain accurate records of each
station's personnel, the spots they have taken, whether or when
the spot announcements were aired, and what affirmative response
the chapter has made to the station. A full discussion of this
and many other important public relations responsibilities
appears in the Federation's public relations handbook, The Media
and the Message, available in print or Braille from our National
Office for $6.

     * Assisting chapter members with their personal problems. As
people come to know and trust one another, they will volunteer
their troubles. The newly blind have many issues to grapple with.
Others will have problems with the state rehabilitation agency,
Social Security, employers, schools, or over-protective family
and friends. You may want to form a Human Rights Committee to
work intensively with these people, or you may wish to use a
general discussion of one person's dilemma (having previously
checked with the individual to insure that he or she is happy to
discuss it) to educate everyone about these issues and to bring
the group together in a caring relationship with each other. This
is tricky to achieve but valuable when it works.

     * Establishing a Calling Committee. This is or can be
different from the Membership Committee, which seeks to build the
chapter by finding new members. The Calling Committee builds the
chapter from within. Its members call everyone with a reminder
about the coming meeting. The members keep tabs on who is ill,
who is bereaved, who is just having a hard time for some other
reason. Cards and calls can help at times like these. It is also
nice to celebrate together graduations, births, marriages, and
the other happy milestones in people's lives. We say we are a
family because we really are one and because we care about one
another. The Calling Committee makes sure that we don't let
things slip between the cracks.

     It is also a good idea from time to time to plan for
presentations at chapter meetings. Talking with state or national
legislators about matters of concern to the blind is a very good
use of chapter time. Having a presentation by a teacher of
visually impaired children and then talking about our concerns is
also important. If members are unsure about the services of local
agencies that purport to serve the blind, invite someone from the
agency in to explain the programs and answer questions. Anytime a
member has trouble with being denied service because he or she is
blind, you have an excellent opportunity for a program devoted to
that problem.

     Arranging for exchange visits between the chapter and other
Federation chapters is both fun and instructive. There are any
number of program ideas floating around out there. But don't fall
into the trap of thinking that you have to have a program item at
every meeting. We have lots of internal business to conduct month
in and month out, and if the chapter spends all its time dealing
with outside issues, we will have trouble keeping the ongoing
work moving along. The committees of a chapter are usually the
hands and feet of the outfit. The chapter meeting is the time
when everyone learns what people have been doing since the last
meeting.

     The board is charged with working out the details that will
make everything move along smoothly, and the president has the
day-to-day responsibility for seeing that glitches do not occur
or are corrected as soon as possible and that people are working
well together. You set the tone, listen with an open mind and a
compassionate heart, and guide as wisely as you know how to. You
should also make a point of keeping in touch with others in the
state who can help and encourage you.

     I am afraid that you may be feeling panic at the scope of
what you have taken on. Spelled out, it takes a lot of paper, but
much of this you probably already know. Much, too, you will have
to initiate as you have time, energy, and bodies to do it. The
most important part is always to take the next step. You can
almost always see what that one step is, even if you don't know
clearly what you should do after that.

     We are all here to help each other. Our goal is the full
integration of the blind into society on terms of equality. To do
this we must support each other, the newly blind, the parents and
families of blind children, and the public, which knows next to
nothing about the capacity of blind people. If you stop to think
about it, you know quite a lot about this whole subject. You will
make a wonderful president. Everyone in the state and national
leadership is here to help you. Good luck.
                           **********
Cordially,
                           **********
Barbara Pierce, President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Bruce Gardner]
                  Keeping Sight of the Vision:
                      Leadership in the NFB
                        by Bruce Gardner
                           **********
     From the Editor: In the July, 1996, issue of the Braille
Monitor we published the following article by Bruce Gardner. In
addition to being a very effective state president, Bruce is also
now a member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation
of the Blind. Here is the article, beginning with the editor's
headnote:
                           **********
     From the Editor: Bruce Gardner was elected last September as
President of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona. He
is Senior Attorney with the Arizona Public Service Company. Bruce
and his wife have six children, and he is very active in his
church. In short, Bruce Gardner is a busy man. During the weeks
preceding his first affiliate Board of Directors meeting as
President, Bruce did a good bit of thinking about and planning
for the organization under his administration. The following
article is a distillation of his thinking and the discussion that
took place at the October, 1995, board meeting. It should be
helpful to the members of every other Federation chapter and
state affiliate. Here it is:
                           **********
     Dr. Kenneth Jernigan began his 1976 National Convention
banquet address entitled, "Blindness--of Visions and Vultures,"
with the following story:

     "Behold a king took forth his three sons to judge their
fitness to govern the kingdom, and they stopped by a field, where
a vulture sat in the branches of a dead tree. And the king said
to the oldest son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'

     "And the son replied: 'I see the earth and the grass and the
sky...'

     "And the king said, 'Stop! Enough!' And he said to the next
son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'

     "And the son replied, 'I see the ground and a dead tree with
a vulture sitting in the branches...'

     "And the king said, 'Stop! Enough!' And he said to the
youngest son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'

     "And the young man replied, his gaze never wavering, 'I see
the place where the wings join the body.' And the shaft went
straight--and the vulture fell."

     Dr. Jernigan, referring to the National Federation of the
Blind throughout his banquet address, said, "A vulture sits in
the branches of a dead tree, and we see the place where the wings
join the body." His message was clear: as members of the NFB we
must keep sight of our vision of the future and not become
distracted from our true purpose.

     With this in mind, as the newly elected President of the NFB
of Arizona, I decided that, in order to capitalize on the
strength of past leadership in the state and help our affiliate
reach new heights, it was important that we be united in our
understanding of the purpose of the NFB and of basic leadership
principles. Additionally it is important that we set goals and
organize ourselves to reach those goals. Therefore our first
Board meeting following our state convention was dedicated
entirely to these topics. All members of the affiliate were
encouraged to attend.

     I have now been asked to share my notes of that meeting with
other Federationists. With the addition of some further thoughts,
here is what we discussed: (1) What Is the NFB and What Is Its
Purpose? (2) Leadership in the NFB; (3) Goals and Objectives; and
(4) Specific Committee Assignments.

            What Is the NFB and What Is Its Purpose?

     What is the National Federation of the Blind? In order to
understand the NFB properly, we must recognize that it consists
of two parts: an organization and a philosophy.

     The organization is made up of blind people working with and
for blind people. That is significant. However, without the
philosophy the organization would not be much different from the
ACB or, for that matter, the Lions Club or dozens of other
organizations. Without the philosophy it would simply be another
group of volunteers who have come together for the common purpose
of doing good. Fortunately, the NFB is not just another blind
organization--it has a philosophy.

                     What is the philosophy?

     * That blind people are normal people--simply a cross
section of society--who just happen to be blind.

     * Given real opportunity and effective training, the average
blind person can do the average job in the average place of
business as well as his sighted neighbor and can participate
fully in the affairs of family, community, and nation.

     * The real problem of blindness is not the lack of eyesight
(because there are alternative ways to do what you would have
done with eyesight if you had it), but the public's (and often
the blind person's) attitude about blindness.

     * With real opportunity and effective training, blindness
can be reduced to the level of a nuisance.

     In other words, NFB philosophy is nothing more or less than
the truth about blindness. It is not speculation, wishful
thinking, or fantasy. Tens of thousands of NFB members over the
last fifty-nine years have proven the truth of this philosophy.
Unfortunately, the truth is not widely known, and misconceptions
about blindness abound. However, the truth is no less true for
its relative obscurity, but rather more valuable.

     What is the purpose of the NFB? The overall purpose of the
NFB is to help blind people to be successful and to enable them
to live and manage their lives normally, independently, and
freely. According to Dr. Jernigan, a blind person needs three
specific things in order to be truly independent, self-
sufficient, and successful:

     * He must know the truth about blindness--that is, he must
come emotionally as well as intellectually to believe that he can
be truly independent and live a productive, normal life. It is
much easier to learn the truth intellectually than it is
emotionally, but the emotional belief is key.

     * He must acquire competence in the alternative skills which
enable a blind individual to be truly independent. These are
skills such as Braille, independent travel, and personal
management.

     * He must develop a complete understanding of public
attitudes about blindness and why those negative attitudes are
what they are. And he must get to the point where society's
attitudes (and the things which will happen because of those
negative attitudes) do not bother or upset him so that emotions
do not get in the way of success. You can't do what you need to
do when you lose your temper.

     How can the NFB fulfill its purpose of helping as many blind
people as possible to become successful? Once we understand the
NFB's overall structure, philosophy, and purpose and once we
understand the three ingredients which it takes for a blind
individual to be truly successful, we can more easily envision
how the NFB can fulfill its purpose. I believe it can do this by
focusing its efforts in the three areas that constitute our
three-fold mission. They are sharing our philosophy (the truth)
about blindness, strengthening our members, and advocating for
the blind.

     * Sharing the philosophy: Although we of the NFB know the
truth about blindness, we gain nothing by keeping it secret; it
must be shared. Our first responsibility is to share it with
blind people who do not know the truth about blindness or about
the NFB. As we have already discussed, a critical need of any
blind person is to come to believe the truth emotionally. Since
we know it, we have a moral obligation to pass it on to others.

     Second, we must share the truth with the general public. We
of the NFB are seeking the complete integration of the blind into
society, and in order for us to accomplish this objective, the
general public must become aware of the normality and
capabilities of the blind so that they can accept blind people
and make a place for us once we have been trained and have
emotionally accepted our own blindness.

     * Strengthening our members: The members of the NFB are at
different stages of development--society is continually eroding
our understanding of and commitment to the truth about blindness.
Therefore it would be as foolish to assume that a member of the
NFB needs no additional philosophical help and support as it
would be for a good Christian to assume that, because he read the
Bible fifteen or twenty years ago, he does not need to read and
study it any more. We should be constantly working to develop a
deeper intellectual and emotional understanding of the truth
about our blindness. Therefore we must constantly strengthen our
own members.

     * Advocating for the blind: Our third broad mission is
advocacy. We must advocate for the protection of civil rights,
for quality educational programs for our blind children, and for
quality rehabilitation services for blind adults. This involves
state and national legislation, grievances, hearings, and
demonstrations.

     Everything we do in the NFB should fulfill one or more of
these major objectives or be a supporting activity (such as fund
raising) which leads to successful implementation of these three
major objectives. Overemphasis on one of these objectives will
result in insufficient emphasis on another. The NFB strives for a
balanced approach to fulfill its three-fold mission.
                           **********
                      Leadership in the NFB

     In the management of any business or governmental or private
organization there are four basic styles of leadership, which are
helpful to understand. First, there is the command style. In this
the administrator makes the decisions and tells others what will
be done and who will do it. Second is the input or counsel style.
Here, after receiving input from others, the leader makes the
decisions and announces them to others. Third is the democratic
style. Here, the leader allows a majority vote to rule. And
fourth is the consensus style. In this one the leader continues
the discussion until all agree upon a plan--possibly a plan which
was no individual's first or second choice, but something
everyone can live with.

     In an organization such as the NFB, each of these four
styles is appropriate at different times, depending upon the
circumstances and issues involved. It is generally understood
that the consensus and democratic styles are effective in
building unity, team spirit, and membership support. However, the
more critical, far-reaching, or visionary the decision must be,
the less effective the consensus or even the democratic style is
likely to be. The role of a true leader is to have a vision of
where the organization needs to go and the ability to employ a
combination of the various leadership styles to make the vision a
reality.

     Three old adages can be instructive in illustrating the need
for a mentoring approach to leadership in the NFB. (1) "A lazy
mother does everything for her children." (2) "If you give a man
a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you
feed him for a lifetime." And (3) "He who can do the work of ten
men is great. But he who can get ten men to work is greater."

     In the NFB leaders must be mentors. We must be willing to
set the example and say, "Come, follow me," but we must also make
sure that we strive to enrich and empower others to learn to do
for themselves and to do their share of the organizational work.
It is inappropriate for the elected leaders to think that it is
their responsibility to do all of the work. Also it is important
for us to tap all of the resources which we have available in the
organization, and we must help all of our members develop their
talents and potential (even when they think they don't have any)
by giving each of them the opportunity to serve in some capacity
in the organization. NFB leaders must delegate, spread the work,
mentor, and follow up because members need to experience and live
the philosophy, not just hear it.

                      Goals and Objectives

     When a chapter or state affiliate is setting its goals and
objectives for the coming year, conducting a brain-storming
session with members can be very helpful. It is important to keep
in mind the mentoring approach to leadership and the four
leadership styles and to remember that our ultimate objective is
to assist blind people. We should also keep in mind the three-
fold mission of the NFB as we make our plans.

     The major 1996 goals and objectives for the NFB of Arizona
are 1) establishing NEWSLINE(R); 2) getting a large Arizona
attendance at the 1996 National Convention in Anaheim; 3) putting
on a major fiftieth-anniversary state convention in September;
and 4) strengthening our own members and the NFB of Arizona so
that we can help more blind people be successful and also have
more legislative clout.

                 Specific Committee Assignments

     Once we understand the organization, its philosophy, the
three things which every blind person needs in order to be
successful, and the three-fold mission of the NFB, our work and
the committees needed to do the work can be clearly envisioned.
Most of the committees fall directly under the three main
purposes, and several others support the basic mission.

     (Note: It would not be wise or even possible to have each
committee reporting directly to the State President. Accordingly,
for efficiency of operation many of the following committees will
report directly to other Executive Officers.)

        Committees Charged with Spreading the Philosophy

     Public Relations Committee: one major effort must be to
reach the public effectively through the media. This includes
airing radio and television spot announcements about the NFB,
broadcasting our films on television, and placing articles and
stories about the Federation in the print media.

     Public Speaking Committee: Members of this committee give
speeches at schools, civic organizations, employment or church
groups, and teachers' or parent groups. This committee should
prepare white papers to help rank-and-file members make effective
presentations. The committee also conducts training sessions in
successful public speaking.

     Dissemination of Publications Committee: This committee sees
that our literature--"Do You Know A Blind Person?" "What Is the
National Federation of the Blind," If Blindness Comes, etc.--gets
into the hands of the public. We can also create our own local
and state informational materials. All these materials should be
placed in doctors' offices, libraries, bank lobbies, utility-
company mailings, etc.

     Information and Referral Committee: This committee will
handle the NFB of Arizona's telephone message machines, return
calls, make appropriate referrals, and identify potential new
members.

     (Note: The major purpose of these first four committees is
to educate the public and to find blind people who need our help
or who wish to join with us in our work.)

     New Member Mentoring Committee: Once we have identified new
blind people, we must have a way of retaining information about
them so that they do not inadvertently slip away, and we must
have a mechanism to communicate the truth about blindness to
them. Whenever possible, the one-on-one approach is best. Give
them copies of banquet addresses. Talk about their experience
with blindness. Invite them to dinner. This committee should
prepare new-member packets and assign an experienced mentor to
each new contact.

     NEWSLINE(R) Committee: This committee's task is to obtain
the financial and public support necessary to make NEWSLINE(R) a
reality in Arizona. Although NEWSLINE(R) will greatly benefit our
own members, it is mentioned here under Spreading the Philosophy
because establishing NEWSLINE(R) will require extensive outreach
into the community.

        Committees Charged with Strengthening Our Members

     Philosophy Committee: This committee has two primary
functions. First, it will conduct a statewide philosophy seminar
at least once each year. Second, it will work steadily with local
chapters to develop ways to get members to read and study NFB
literature--banquet speeches, Federation periodicals, Kernel
Books, Walking Alone and Marching Together, etc. One possible
approach is to establish a contest with points and prizes for
those who read NFB literature. Each chapter meeting should
contain philosophical meat--substantive discussion about what
distinguishes us from other organizations.

     Telephone Committee: The state affiliate must help chapters
and members stay well informed about NFB issues and develop a
strong network of close relationships. This committee must get
the word out quickly. Each chapter is encouraged to develop a
similar plan so that information flows quickly and accurately
throughout the organization.

     New-Chapter-Organizing Committee: As we learn of new areas
where organizing can be done or as existing chapters get so large
that they should be split up into smaller geographic areas, this
committee will be available to spearhead the work.

     National Convention Arrangements Committee: One of the most
important things we can do to strengthen our members is to get
them to National Conventions. This committee has two main
functions: to work out the logistics of getting members to the
National Convention and to work with the Philosophy and other
committees to help motivate and inspire members to want to go.

     Convention-Planning Committee: This committee has one
function each year: responsibility for organizing the state
convention--finding the site; choosing the dates; and negotiating
the rates for rooms, meals, equipment, etc. During anniversary
years the committee should also plan special activities and
programs.

     Braille Literacy Training for Adults Committee: This
committee will participate in the Braille Literacy Training
Project established by our national organization. The project
matches Braille-using mentors with adults wishing to learn
Braille and assists the mentors in their teaching.

     Awards Committee: This committee identifies candidates for
the affiliate's special merit awards, makes selections, arranges
for plaques, etc.

     Scholarship Committee: This committee circulates state
scholarship applications, reviews candidates, makes selections,
and arranges for the winners to attend and participate in the
state convention.

     (Note: A vital part of strengthening our membership is to
encourage each chapter to hold discussions of NFB philosophy at
each chapter meeting. Also each chapter should appoint a
librarian to circulate NFB literature like the Kernel Books among
members so they will have constant access to good training
materials.)
                           **********
        Committees Charged with Advocating for the Blind
                           **********
     National Legislation Committee: This committee works with
the National Office on needed action, contacts chapters or
individuals to notify them of needed action, and participates in
the annual Washington Seminar.

     State Legislation Committee: This committee works on all
facets of state legislation and plans and coordinates annual
legislative events.

     Grievance Advocate: The advocate handles complaints,
grievances, and hearings involving problems blind people are
having with either state or federal agency programs.

     Governor's Council on Blindness: The NFB of Arizona holds
three positions on the Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness
and Visual Impairment. These three individuals represent the NFB
of Arizona at Council meetings, advocate for NFB of Arizona
positions, and remain vigilant to make certain that the Council
does not take positions or actions harmful to the blind
community.
                           **********
                      Supporting Activities
                           **********
     Materials Inventory Coordinators: Just as modern business
practice requires just-in-time inventory, we need to have the
materials available from our National Office closer to home. Our
state coordinators should have commonly requested and needed
items on hand so that local members and committees don't have to
keep their own stock pile of materials or contact Baltimore each
time something is needed. The coordinators might also keep a few
canes, cane tips, and other aids and appliances on hand.

     Fund-Raising Committee: This committee will deal with two
broad areas--preparing grant applications and traditional fund-
raising projects such as walk-a-thons, yard sales, or other new
projects through which our own members can help to raise funds
for the organization.

     Newsletter: This committee is responsible for writing and
editing the state newsletter, gathering information from chapters
and divisions, and producing and distributing the final product.

     Computer Committee: This committee keeps track of membership
and other computer lists, prepares mailing labels, and carries
out similar organizational duties.

     PAC, Associates, and SUN Committee: The chairman of this
committee is responsible not only for reporting on the
affiliate's rank in these National fund-raising programs, but
also for devising ways of encouraging broader participation from
all members of the affiliate.

     (Note: Local chapters and divisions will need to appoint
representatives to work with the state committee chairmen for
many of the committees listed.)

     Do we expect to staff all of these committees immediately
and have them functioning efficiently? No. We do not intend to
run faster than we are able or to take on so many things at once
that we cannot do anything well. We know implementing this plan
will take time, but we have a vision of how the NFB can and will
operate in Arizona. "A vulture sits in the branches of a dead
tree, and we see the place where the wings join the body."
                           **********
                           **********
                  Making the Vision Come True:
            An Open Letter to Arizona Federationists
                        by Bruce Gardner
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article has never before
appeared in the Braille Monitor. It was first printed in the
Spring, 1997, issue of News and Views of Blind Arizonans, a
publication of the NFB of Arizona.
                           **********
     This open letter to Arizona Federationists is a follow-up to
the article entitled "Keeping Sight of the Vision--Leadership in
the NFB." I strongly encourage the NFB members in our Arizona
affiliate to study that article and this open letter carefully.

     At our state convention in September, 1995, you elected me
president of the NFB of Arizona. My acceptance remarks reflected
on the fact that NFB philosophy (the truth about blindness), like
good music, can motivate, inspire, and heal the soul and that the
NFB is like an orchestra which produces that music. Each member
of the orchestra has unique talents to share and a special part
to play. The sounds produced by the violins, cellos, clarinets,
and tubas are blended together to produce beautiful, inspiring
symphonies. The orchestra conductor does not produce the music
but leads, organizes, draws together, and elicits the music from
the group.

     Likewise, each member of the NFB has unique talents and a
special role to play in the organization. The NFB state
president, like the orchestra conductor, can do very little by
himself. His role is to lead, organize, encourage, and draw out
of the members the inspiring, motivating, healing truth of the
Federation. Therefore the success of our affiliate will come as a
result of our working closely together.

     On October 28, 1995, we held a special board meeting which
all Federation members were encouraged to attend. At that meeting
we established a vision for our future in Arizona and identified
a threefold mission of the Federation. As we discussed it that
day, it is: 1) strengthening our members; 2) sharing NFB
philosophy (or the truth about blindness); and 3) advocating for
the blind.

     Additionally we discussed leadership principles such as: a
lazy mother does everything for her children; if you give a man a
fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish,
you feed him for a lifetime; and he who can do the work of ten
men is great, but he who can get ten men to work together is
greater. In other words we discussed the fact that NFB leaders
need to be mentors, teachers, and role models, not just
workaholics and service providers.

     With these leadership principles in mind, we next identified
and organized committees within the threefold mission of the
Federation. In the area of strengthening our members, we
established committees in philosophy, telephoning, new-chapter
organizing, national convention arrangements, state convention
arrangements, awards, scholarships, and Braille-literacy training
for adults.

     Within sharing NFB philosophy, we established committees in
public relations, public speaking, dissemination of information,
information and referral, new-member mentoring, and NEWSLINE(R)
for the Blind.

     In advocating for the blind, we established committees or
positions in national legislation, state legislation, grievance
advocacy, and the Governor's Council on Blindness.

     Additional supporting committees and activities are material
inventory coordinators, fund raising (PAC, associates, and SUN),
computer data, newsletter, and Braille production.

     Did we then or do we now expect each of these more than two
dozen committees immediately to be fully staffed and functioning
efficiently? No. We do not intend to run faster than we are able
or to do so many things at once that we do not do anything well.
But we have a vision of how the NFB can and will be in Arizona,
and we intend to make it come true. The affiliate working
together has made numerous and substantial strides towards that
vision during the past year.

     Did we randomly select which activities to work on first? Of
course not. There is a critical priority in which the committees
must be established in order to get the whole effort working. If
the proper priority is not followed, we will get the cart before
the horse, and little if any progress will be made. In fact it
will be impossible for some of the committees to be effective
unless other activities have first been accomplished.

     Although he used different terminology, in his 1985 national
convention banquet address Dr. Jernigan spoke of the threefold
mission of the NFB and outlined the proper priority. We must
begin with strengthening our members, which of course means that
we first strengthen ourselves. Next we must share the truth about
blindness with the public, including other blind persons. Then,
and only then, can we be effective in advocating for the blind.

     We have a natural tendency to focus on advocacy, but as an
organization we will never be truly effective advocates if we do
not first focus significant efforts on strengthening our members
and sharing NFB philosophy. Then we must make sure we continue
working on these two priorities as we go about our advocacy. We
need an ever-expanding army of well-informed and well-prepared
members who know the truth about blindness to serve as excellent
mentors, teachers, and role models as well as advocates.

     In order to build that army, our state board decided at its
November, 1996, annual planning meeting that for the coming year
(and probably longer) there are two committees on which we will
focus our efforts. The first is the Philosophy Committee, which
is the basic committee in the area of strengthening our members.
The second is the New-member Mentor Committee, which is the
fundamental committee in the area of sharing NFB philosophy.
Following is a synopsis of what we have done during the past year
and what we have planned for the coming year in these two areas.
                           **********
         Philosophy Committee--Strengthening Our Members

     Background: When I first joined the NFB twenty years ago, I
read all the material I could get my hands on. I was like a
starving man at a banquet--I could not get enough. I drank up all
the refreshing, invigorating truths in each article and speech.
However, with the increasing pressures of practicing law, raising
a family, and participating in church and community activities, I
gradually found myself too busy to do all that NFB reading.

     Fortunately, about two years ago, when I agreed to serve as
state president, I again began reading each issue of the Braille
Monitor and re-reading all the banquet speeches. I even started
reading the Kernel Books. That old and wonderful feeling of
satisfying a powerful hunger and quenching a deep and substantial
thirst returned. I simply could not get enough. I discovered that
the banquet speeches, Kernel Books, and other NFB material were
similar to the Scriptures in that, no matter how many times you
read them, you can learn something new and be strengthened by
reading them again. I realized that, if I was too busy to read
NFB material, I was simply too busy and needed to re-evaluate my
priorities. I came to realize that reading some NFB literature--
some truth about blindness--each day (or at least each week) to
counteract the constant barrage of negative, inaccurate, and
demeaning misconceptions about blindness we face is one of the
most important things I can do for my family and for me.

     What We Did Last Year: At our October, 1995, board meeting
in which we established our vision of the future, we of course
discussed NFB philosophy. I was amazed and somewhat disappointed
at the difficulty our members had when they tried to articulate
our philosophy. Mr. Omvig commented that readers of the Braille
Monitor, banquet speeches, and Kernel Books should be able to
repeat three or four sentences which summarize and encapsulate
the truth about blindness. It was clear that many of our members,
including long-time members, had fallen into the same trap I had
and were not regularly reading NFB material.

     As a result, in the area of strengthening our members, the
Philosophy Committee conducted a special statewide philosophy
seminar in March of 1996. We have also encouraged each chapter at
every monthly meeting to discuss NFB philosophy. The chapters
have begun listening to an excerpt from a banquet speech or a
Kernel Book story and then discussing the truth about blindness
contained in the excerpt.

     Additionally the Philosophy Committee established an NFB
literature-reading contest to encourage our members to read
banquet speeches, Kernel Books, the Braille Monitor, Voice of the
Diabetic, and Future Reflections. The first contest began on May
15 and ended September 14. Dozens of members participated in
reading approximately 1,000 speeches, Kernel Books, and monthly
magazines during those four months. The contest prize winners
were announced at the state convention, but the real winners were
those members who enriched their lives by reading, pondering, and
absorbing the truth about blindness.

     In an effort to facilitate this increase in reading, the
chapters established librarians with multiple copies of NFB
materials for circulation among the members.

     Plans for the Coming Year: In the coming year we will focus
on encouraging our members to read, study, understand, and
internalize the truths about blindness contained in our NFB
literature by:

     (1) Seeing that each member in the affiliate has access to
NFB literature, including the Braille Monitor, banquet speeches,
the Kernel Books, and Walking Alone and Marching Together. It
would be helpful for each chapter to have a complete set of NFB
materials available for referral, study, and the education of new
members.

     (2) Encouraging our members to participate in this year's
NFB literature-reading contest. This year our contest will
involve reading all of the Kernel Books and Walking Alone and
Marching Together. Each member is encouraged to read, ponder, and
absorb the truth contained in our literature.

     (3) Continuing increased chapter focus on meaningful
philosophy discussions at every chapter meeting. Our chapters
will continue to insure that each meeting contains meaningful and
inspiring philosophical meat to strengthen our members.

     (4) Continuing to conduct statewide philosophy seminars.
These seminars are designed to compare the myths and
misconceptions about blindness with the truth about it and help
our members come to understand what this truth can mean in their
lives.

     (5) Getting as many people as we can to our national and
state conventions. The NFB national convention has been described
as a family reunion and has been compared to a gathering of the
Scottish clans. It has just as aptly been described as an intense
week-long training seminar of unequaled significance and
importance to the blind. Our state convention is the same thing
in miniature. I know of nothing more beneficial or important to
the blind or to parents of blind children than attending the
state and national conventions of the National Federation of the
Blind.

     (6) Encouraging our members to write their own Kernel Book
stories. As we discussed at our 1996 state convention in the
segment entitled "Kernel Books: Kernels of Truth," the Kernel
Books, which contain true-life stories of blind people, are a
vital part of the NFB literature. They should be read and re-read
again and again. Our NFB reading contests have been established
as a fun way to encourage individuals to discover the Kernel
Books so that they can benefit from them.

     You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Please don't horse around--drink in the refreshing, invigorating,
inspiring truths contained in the Kernel Books. The simple,
sincere, common-sense stories can warm your heart and help heal
your soul.

     It has also been said that he who gathers firewood is twice
warmed. That is true whether the wood and warmth are physical or
spiritual. I hope you will read, enjoy, and absorb the warmth in
each of the Kernel Books. But more than that, I hope you will be
twice warmed. I hope you will gather spiritual firewood by
writing your own Kernel Book stories.

     As you read the Kernel Books and banquet speeches, or at any
old time, think about your own life. Are you reminded of a time
something of particular significance happened to you? If so, jot
it down. Make a list of little happenings or ideas. Then go back
and add some of the facts to one of the ideas, and before long
you will have written your own Kernel Book story. If it is never
shared with anyone else, at least you will have been twice warmed
by it. And from my experience the warmth and growth that come
from pondering, organizing, and writing a personal story are
greatly magnified and extremely therapeutic.

     But like a cowboy's campfire the light, truth, and warmth of
your story can also bless the lives of other weary travelers. To
paraphrase the Bible, let your light so shine that others may see
your good works and be warmed thereby.

     Don't worry that you are not a polished writer, and don't
tell yourself that no one would be interested in what you have to
say. Begin writing your stories. We want you to experience the
growth that comes from pondering, organizing, and writing your
own memoirs. Additionally we want the editor of News and Views of
Blind Arizonans to be flooded with articles. If they are never
published, at least you were twice warmed. But it may be that
your article will be published in our newsletter, the Braille
Monitor, or even a future Kernel Book. If so, you will have
warmed, inspired, and blessed the lives of others as they read
and absorb warmth and strength from your kernels of truth. (Note
that the East Valley Chapter has decided that it will gather
Kernel Book stories from its chapter members and compile them in
its own publication.)

       New-member Mentor Committee--Sharing NFB Philosophy

     Under sharing NFB philosophy (or the truth about blindness),
the most important committee is the New-member Mentor Committee.
The other committees and activities under sharing NFB philosophy,
such as public relations, public speaking, dissemination of
information, NEWSLINE(R), etc., mostly reach out to find new
contacts; but once they are found, it is the New-member Mentor
Committee that primarily must keep track of the new contacts and
share with them the truth about blindness. Therefore it is the
New-member Mentor Committee that will:

     1) Assign an active NFB member as mentor to each new contact
it receives from all sources.

     2) Send out the initial packet of NFB literature to the new
contacts.

     3) Keep track of new contacts and how well mentors are
following up by contacting mentors and entering status reports
into a computer database.

     4) Work with the mentors to teach them how to mentor new
contacts.

     In this way new contacts will be given more frequent,
timely, and personalized information regarding the truth about
blindness.

     Of course, the New-member Mentor Committee cannot function
without an army of well-informed and well-prepared members who
know the truth about blindness to serve as excellent teachers,
role models, and mentors. Therefore, our motto should be "every
member a mentor." We should all prepare ourselves to be effective
mentors by reading, pondering, internalizing, and living the
truth regarding blindness contained in our NFB literature. As it
says in the Bible, "When thou art converted, strengthen the
brethren." In order to be most effective as role models, mentors,
and advocates, we must be, as Dr. Jernigan explained in his 1993
article entitled "The Nature of Independence," beyond rebellious
independence and well on the way to normal independence.

     In an orchestra not all of the members are the principal
violinist, the first-chair clarinet player, or the conductor.
However, each member is a musician and has a special part to play
in the orchestra. Likewise in the Federation not all of our
members are the chapter presidents, board members, or state
president; yet each member can and should be a mentor with a
special role to play in the organization. As an affiliate we have
established our vision for the future. Working together, we will
make it come true.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: David Milner]
                        Public Relations:
                   A Tool for Chapter-Building
                         by David Milner
                           **********
     From the Editor: This article originally appeared in the
June, 1991 issue of the Braille Monitor. It has been slightly
revised for accuracy.
                           **********
     From the Associate Editor: David Milner is an energetic
member of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas. He
recently had occasion to talk with several Federationists about
the importance of public relations. They asked him to put his
ideas on paper so that they could refer to them again. Here is
the letter he wrote; its advice is useful for us all:
                           **********
Austin, Texas
January 12, 1991
                           **********
Dear Friends:

     You have told me that you want to increase your chapter
membership and that you could use some ideas on public relations.
Three things are necessary for the successful waging of a public
relations campaign. They are dedicated people, time, and money.
You should begin by finding people to work with you who are
dedicated to the principles of our movement. Time is sometimes
even more precious than money. And like money, the more time you
are willing to put into your PR project, the more benefit your
chapter will receive from it.

     Now all you need is funding. It does not require a large
investment of money to run a successful public relations
campaign. However, if you limit your PR budget, you will limit
the number of techniques at your disposal. Public relations, as a
means of attracting new members, raising funds, or simply
informing the public about the organized blind movement, is well
worth any reasonable expenditure, and you should have little
difficulty justifying chapter support.

     Once you have your funding, all of your basics will be in
place. Begin by assembling press kits. These can be given to
radio and television station news directors, station managers,
newspapers, etc. In fact they should be given to all contact
people with whom you plan to deal regularly. A reasonably good
kit can be assembled by including a selection of the following
material in a plain file folder or an NFB document folder,
available for $1 from the Materials Center at the National Center
for the Blind: (a) a chapter business card if you have one (the
NFB folder has slits on one pocket designed to hold a card); (b)
our pamphlet, "What Is the National Federation of the Blind"; (c)
"Do You Know a Blind Person"; (d) your chapter or state
affiliate's public outreach pamphlet--if there is one (or you can
prepare one); (e) copies of the latest state and national
legislative agendas; (f) copies of the most recent state and
national annual reports; (g) copies of the latest state and
national NFB resolutions; and (h) a copy of a Kernel Book or the
most recent Braille Monitor.

     This is a lot of material to read, but it will answer almost
any question a contact person has about the Federation. A well-
compiled press kit provides a thought-provoking overview of the
movement available more or less at a glance. The material in
these kits should be updated at least once a year. They can be
quite helpful in establishing and maintaining contact between the
public relations person and local media representatives.

     Other material will be needed from time to time. Get a
literature order form and place an order to the Materials Center.
Order and read our public relations handbook, The Media and the
Message. This public relations primer will advise you in general
terms and in specific situations better than I can in one letter.
Also get a good supply of materials for handouts. Besides the
items mentioned for use in the kit, you can also distribute such
literature as If Blindness Comes, Future Reflections, Voice of
the Diabetic, and your state newsletter. These are only a few of
the publications suitable for distribution.

     Your most difficult task could be deciding what to order
because there is so much to choose from. You should not order
more material than you believe will be used, but certainly order
a reasonable amount. In my opinion NFB chapters and members
should always have materials on hand to distribute when the
occasion demands. Bear in mind that there may not always be time
to order PR materials before an event. (It takes at least three
weeks from the time the order is received to get material unless
you want to pay the cost of overnight shipping.) Be prepared for
the unexpected.

     You will need a current press list. In Austin we have an
organization called American Women in Radio and Television. They
have put together a package called "Public Service: An Inside
View." This is a complete listing of all radio and television
stations, newspapers, and periodicals in the Austin area. This
list also details community affairs programs through which a
given organization can inform the general public about itself. It
might be productive to inquire about a branch of that
organization in your area.

     Other sources for prepared press lists are the convention
bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, the local Republican or
Democratic party offices, or the League of Women Voters. I draw
your attention to these possible sources of prepared press lists,
because compiling one yourself can involve much time and
drudgery, and they become outdated almost immediately. But if you
must do it yourself, I would suggest starting with your local
Yellow Pages directory. If you are going to wage a successful
campaign, you must know the territory you wish to conquer.

     You now have everything you need to begin. A good start
would be to find out what public service announcement (PSA)
formats are used by your local radio and television stations and
order the right ones from the Materials Center. When they arrive,
distribute them in person to your local stations. This is a good
opportunity to get to know your contact people. Depending on the
size and management style of the station, the person you will
deal with may be called the program director, the news director,
the manager, or the public affairs or public service director.
Whatever the title, almost every station has a person whose job
includes dealing with community groups, and an acquaintance with
these folks is invaluable. See that they are informed about the
National Federation of the Blind. They have the power to keep our
PSAs on the air, which is important. If they come to know us and
believe in what we stand for, they can do other helpful things as
well. Contact people are good friends to have.

     Do not forget that your local radio and television stations
may run short announcements as a public service. These are useful
for advertising chapter meetings, membership drive get-togethers,
fund raisers, etc.

     Your local cable television operator may offer public-access
television service. If this is available, it may be possible for
you to produce or appear on local-access television programs.

     Once you begin making contacts, you will find that more
opportunities reveal themselves. In large measure this is due to
the organization's increased visibility. If people have heard of
us, they will think to contact us when matters concerning
blindness come up. But it is also true that the more you think in
terms of public relations, the more opportunities you will spot
for yourself. Like so much else in life, successful public
relations is a matter of forming good habits.

     Be willing and ready to give interviews at any time and
appear on all types of community affairs programs whenever
possible. Remember that a good media representative for the NFB
should be one who is knowledgeable about the movement, its goals,
its programs, and its philosophy. He or she should also be
reasonably attractive, intelligent, and articulate. In a perfect
world the message would have more appeal than the messenger, but
the mass media audience has been conditioned to the point where
it places more importance on the package than the contents. As a
result the person who appears for the Federation on radio or
television must have enough personal appeal to make an audience
stay tuned and the ability to deliver our message at the same
time. Actually I make this individual's job sound more difficult
than it really is. It is important, but far from unmanageable.

     If you are short of time, personnel, or money (and who
isn't?), you might want to narrow your field somewhat and
concentrate on a few specific markets. This frugal technique is
used by advertising agencies to sell everything from insurance to
the latest miracle wrinkle treatment. Let us say, for example,
that you wish to attract new members between the ages of eighteen
and twenty-five. You would concentrate your efforts on the radio
and television stations and print media that appeal to that age
group, such as your local FM top forty station. Believe me, this
technique works well.

     Local newspapers and magazines might be persuaded to donate
space for local chapter promotion. Also you might consider
purchasing advertising in these for the promotion of chapter
activities such as fund raisers. One should hesitate before
taking this step because it is very difficult to persuade the
media to donate time or space once they have been paid for it.
But there are times when immediate need overrides the luxury of
waiting until donated space is available.

     A very effective means of informing the public about the
Federation is the handout method. Get whatever permits are
needed, and pass out NFB information along with our Braille
alphabet cards ($3 a hundred), or tuck pamphlets in with things
that your chapter may be selling to raise funds. Doris Henderson,
the President of our Dallas Chapter, once told a group of us that
Dallas chapter members pass out our pamphlets when they sell
candy. In her words, "We wrap each bar up in a `What Is the
National Federation of the Blind' pamphlet to keep the candy nice
and warm." Discount stores and malls are usually good places for
this technique.

     Speaking of malls, check with your local ones. Many of them
host public events sponsored by their stores. When they do, it
might be a good idea to staff a booth at these activities. This
is a good way to interact personally with large numbers of the
general public. I have participated in these efforts, and they
can be a great opportunity and lots of fun besides.

     Consider posting NFB information on bulletin boards, such as
those found in grocery stores, churches, shopping centers,
laundromats, and public buildings and libraries. These bulletin
boards are usually free for the use of the community, and you
might as well take advantage of them. Doing this takes a certain
amount of time and footwork, but it is well worth it. You never
know how far our information will travel before it reaches a
blind person. On the way it will educate people about blindness
and the National Federation of the Blind.

     Finally, be ready to capitalize on any and every chance to
promote the Movement. Opportunities may present themselves at any
time, and visibility is one of the keys to public relations.

     Above all, have fun. Yes, ours is serious business, and we
have much important work to do on our path to first-class
citizenship. But remember to have fun. Public relations can be
dull, boring, and tedious if you approach your PR activities with
the attitude that they will be dull, boring, and tedious. But if
you think about the good that you are about to do, if you think
about the people whose lives you are about to enrich through the
Federation, you will view all your public relations activities as
the fulfilling events that they truly are.

     Whether you are promoting your chapter, recruiting new
members, or raising funds to finance the organization, you can
turn these activities into times of joy. Make a day of it, if you
can. Recruit as many of your chapter members, family, and friends
as possible. You have the ability to transform a mundane task
into a productive team effort which will not only get the current
job done but will also create a sense of unity, pride, and
purpose in chapter members. Doing PR for the National Federation
of the Blind should not be considered a chore, but a chance to
help change the meaning of blindness. I find this exciting, and I
am sure you will too.
                           **********
                           **********
                           **********
     A deferred charitable gift annuity is a way for donors to
save taxes and make significant donations to the National
Federation of the Blind. (The amounts here are illustrative, not
precise.) It works like this:
     James Johnson, age fifty, has decided to set up a deferred
charitable gift annuity. He transfers $10,000 to the NFB. In
return, when he reaches sixty-five, the NFB will pay James a
lifetime annuity of $1,710 per year, of which $179 is tax free.
In addition, James can claim a charitable tax deduction of $6,387
of the $10,000 gift in the year the donation is made.

     For more information about deferred gift annuities, contact
the National Federation of the Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998, phone (410) 659-9314, fax
(410) 685-5653.
                           **********
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Chris Kuell and his wife, Christine Dimeglio]
                        ATM Accessibility
                         by Chris Kuell
                           **********
     From the Editor: For close to a decade now the Access Board
has been talking about the problem of making automatic teller
machines (ATMs) accessible to blind customers. Representatives of
banking organizations and ATM manufacturers periodically make
reports about how difficult and expensive the problem is to
solve. Everyone shakes their heads, and the Access Board goes
back to think some more about the problem. Meanwhile blind people
listen to wisecracks about Braille on drive-through machines and
head for the teller's window to conduct their banking business.

     The Danbury Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Connecticut has had enough. Its members set out to inform
themselves about the problem and work on finding a solution. At
the very least they have discovered that a good bit of inertia
has so far prevented a solution. Perhaps if other chapters take
up the challenge, we can begin to bring the kind of pressure that
may help to get things moving. Dr. Chris Kuell is a new member of
the NFB. This is the way he describes what happened:
                           **********
     Recently I began attending NFB meetings at a new chapter in
Southern Connecticut. While reviewing old business at the
December meeting, an issue concerning banking practices in our
state caught my attention. Maureen Carr, a fellow Federationist,
detailed her encounters with Webster Bank.

     The trouble started in the spring of 1998. The local news
reported that several banks in our area were instituting new
policies, which included charging a fee for using a live bank
teller. The banks want to encourage customers to use their
Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) because they are cheaper for the
bank than paying a teller to conduct transactions.

     ATMs have text displays for instructions and keypads for
entering transaction information. However, without the help of a
sighted assistant a blind person can't read the text display in
order to enter the required information. Various banks offer
different models of ATM machines, and there is little consistency
among them. While blind users may be able to memorize the
instructions and commands for a specific machine, we are not free
to operate the multitude of other ATMs independently. So, having
no alternatives, most blind people are forced to do their banking
at a counter with a live teller.

     When Maureen brought this to the attention of Webster Bank
in June of 1998, they agreed to waive all transaction fees made
for use of a teller, encoded her account to reflect this
decision, and considered the matter resolved.

     By now this had become a hot topic at the NFB chapter
meetings, and the chapter president, Jeff Dittel, became
involved. When pressed as to why their ATM machines were not
accessible to blind people, Webster Bank replied that the
manufacturers of the ATMs did not offer accessible models, so
there was nothing the bank could do. They also pointed out with
obvious pride that their machines had been equipped with Braille
touch pads since 1993. Maureen and Jeff wrote letters and made
phone calls to the bank, pointing out the futility of these
Braille key pads since a visually impaired person had no way to
read the screen's text display so could not know what keys to
push. Along with this information Maureen submitted a list of
suggestions regarding banking policies and blind customers. The
list included the need for bank officials to consult visually
impaired customers before making banking accessibility decisions.

     The bank's attitude was dismissive to say the least, and the
final pronouncement was that "maintaining standards for security,
reliability, and performance" are of top priority, and
alternative technologies are not available. When the manufacturer
of Webster Bank's ATM machines was contacted, it claimed there
was no demand for blind-accessible machines from banks, and hence
it did not produce such equipment. This is the never-ending wheel
of blame and excuse in which blind people get left behind.

     Automatic Teller Machines are everywhere in our society
today. Airports, banks, malls, grocery stores, and even
convenience stores have them. They are easy to use, fast, and a
regular banking mechanism for sighted people today. An article in
the January 25, 1999, Newsweek detailed how ATMs are now being
used for dispensing gas, stamps, airplane tickets, and ski-lift
tickets. All indications are that the trend of more goods being
available through ATM purchases will continue.

     In our quest for independence blind people deserve this same
convenience. According to reports by the Lions Club there are
approximately 1.3 million visually impaired people over the age
of twenty-five in the United States. It is safe to assume that
nearly all of these people have bank accounts, surely a
significant enough number to be considered valuable customers.
While I can understand the banking industry's commitment to cost
reduction, the price of accessibility to the banks would be
minimal. Furthermore, the cost would be offset by attracting
additional customers and would generate invaluable public
relations benefits. The bank's argument that accessible machines
are not available is weak and refutable. Along with the Braille
keypads already in use, it would seem simple enough to add
inexpensive telephone headsets for audible instructions to ATM
machines.

     Perhaps Webster's vendor does not offer accessible teller
machines, but an ATM manufacturer in Canada does. In 1997 NCR, a
Canadian company that specializes in data and financial
transaction processing equipment, made available what they claim
is the first audio banking machine. They are currently being
installed in Canada. Curtis Chong, Director of the Technology
Department of the National Federation of the Blind, forwarded a
press release to me. It was dated October, 1997, and said that
NCR's banking machines were designed and developed in conjunction
with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the Royal
National Institute for the Blind as consultants. Apparently these
ATMs have headphone jacks available for anyone who wishes to use
personal headphones to conduct audio-assisted electronic
transactions.

     This article is not intended as an endorsement of NCR's
product line; I have never used one of its ATMs. But this press
release demonstrates that access technology for ATMs is currently
available. I trust that, when a few large banks begin using
audio-assisted electronic banking machines, it won't be long
before other banks follow.

     While the actions and attitudes of Webster Bank devalue the
blind customer, they are not atypical. I called four other banks
in Connecticut (Fleet Bank, Peoples Bank, Chase Manhattan Bank,
and Nutmeg Federal Savings and Loan) as well as three in New York
(Bank of New York, Chase Manhattan Bank, and Putnam Valley
Savings and Loan), and none offered blind-accessible banking
machines. I did have some very entertaining discussions about the
logic and value of Braille keypads on drive-through ATMs, but
found no answers to accessibility issues. Clearly the technology
is now available for blind access to electronic teller machines.
So call your local banks and ask about accessible ATMs and why
they don't have them. Repeated requests will encourage and
motivate banks to bring about the changes that we must insist on.
                           **********
     That's what Dr. Kuell sent the Monitor Editor. I turned to
Curtis Chong for a bit more background. We conclude this article
with Mr. Chong's comment:

     "My discussions with NCR indicate that building in voice-
output is not a trivial task, given the way the current crop of
ATMs is designed. However, what NCR does have available is a
voice toolkit which facilitates the incorporation of voice-output
into custom ATM applications. This is extra work, which the local
banks would have to arrange to have done.

     "Should we wait for standards from the Access Board? My
sense is that we should not. The problem is fairly simple to
solve technically. However, so far no one has had the will to
solve it."

     Perhaps if the organized blind begin putting pressure on
banks across the country to solve the ATM-access problem,
everyone will discover that there is good reason to purchase the
Canadian technology or develop alternatives. We certainly have
nothing to lose by trying.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Brian Buhrow]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dr. Geerat Vermeij examines shells in a display
box]
           Review: Privileged Hands: An Autobiography
                         by Brian Buhrow
                           **********
     From the Editor: For several years now I have been looking
for one of our scientifically inclined members to review Geerat
Vermeij's wonderful autobiography, Privileged Hands. Even if one
knows little about shells and expects to care less, this book is
riveting. Dr. Vermeij addressed the 1988 convention of the
National Federation of the Blind and has clearly embraced the
NFB's philosophy of capacity and independence, as he acknowledges
in one passage of his autobiography, in which he commends the NFB
for its work and attitudes.

     Finally this winter I approached Brian Buhrow, Chairman of
the NFB's Research and Development Committee, and he cheerfully
agreed to read the book and reflect on it for us. Like me, Brian
found Privileged Hands a fascinating and inspiring read. Here is
what he says:
                           **********
     As many readers of the Braille Monitor already know, one of
the primary tenets of NFB philosophy is that blindness can be
reduced to the level of a mere nuisance and that the physical
characteristic of blindness itself does not prohibit a person
from living a full and productive life in society and
participating on terms of equality with his or her sighted peers.
Instead the social limitations placed on those who happen to be
blind by sighted society often put them in a position where they
limit themselves, not through physical inability to accomplish
what they want, but because they come to feel, as society does,
that they can't.

     Geerat Vermeij, in his autobiography Privileged Hands: A
Scientific Life (Br10669 and RC 42911), describes in vivid and
entertaining prose just how he broke out of the bonds of society
as a blind person and into the world of ecology, malacology, and
biology. He tracks his history from his days as a young blind boy
growing up in post-World War II Holland through his current
appointment as professor of geology at the University of
California at Davis. His story serves as a guide to younger blind
folks with an interest in science and sighted folks who want to
know what blind people are capable of doing, and it serves as a
reminder to everyone that blind people are just about like
everyone else in society, except that they happen to be blind.

     As Vermeij takes us through his childhood, he keeps us aware
of his blindness by describing his surroundings in vivid detail--
that is, from the perspective of a blind person. His descriptions
of his days in Gouda are filled with smells, sounds, textures,
and specific street addresses. No colors, descriptions of the
surrounding countryside from a sighted perspective, or
descriptions of what people wore are to be found in these pages.
Yet I do not believe that readers of this book will feel strongly
that significant details were left out of the description of
Vermeij's environment. Rather I think people will do what they
always do and fill in the blanks using their imaginations and
forget that Vermeij uses sounds and smells to paint landscapes
rather than sight and color.

     This point is significant because it reminds us again that
sight is not needed to enjoy the full human experience, nor is it
needed to convey that experience to readers. As Vermeij describes
the "...sweet aroma of decaying leaves and the fermenting crab
apples...interrupted briefly by car fumes" as he walks to
elementary school, one can picture the quiet country road where
occasional cars pass through the autumnal atmosphere.

     Another tenet of NFB philosophy shows up early in this book
as well. The author stresses the support he received from his
family and teachers from a very young age. "...My family
effectively broke through the information barrier by making
available the full richness of the print media to me." He also
talks of how his parents took him out into the country and
exposed him to nature. His father, who was very interested in
horticulture, enabled his children, Vermeij and his older brother
Arie, to experience the full richness of their European
countryside. Through long walks, bicycle rides, collecting
natural objects, and a desire to have Vermeij touch everything
possible, his parents were able to instill a sense of curiosity
and a love of nature at the same time.

     Another aspect of this support was the expectation that
young Vermeij would be as responsible as the other members of the
family or class for daily chores. If Vermeij fell down and
skinned his knee while performing some family chore, oh well,
he'd just have to be more careful next time. Vermeij summed it up
in the old Dutch proverb which says, "Ik ken niet, zei de dwas,
en daarom kon hij niet" (I cannot, said the fool, and that is why
he could not.)

     In addition to support from his family, Vermeij received
excellent Braille and scholastic instruction from the Prins
Alexander Stichting Boarding School in Huis Ter Heide. This
instruction, along with his love of reading and his family's
willingness to Braille all they could, meant that Vermeij was
widely read for his age by the time he left boarding school and
moved to the United States, where he finished growing up in New
Jersey.

     Once Vermeij introduces us to the building blocks of his
life as a blind child and the various techniques he learned in
order to function, he turns to the task of showing us how he
applied those techniques toward his interest in natural history
as he worked his way toward college in the United States. He
takes us through the process of collecting, sorting, and
cataloguing various collections of shells, plants, and rocks;
through days of fishing with his brother Arie; planting and
measuring the growth of various plants and herbs; and finally
deciding on Princeton University as a place to get his foot in
the door and begin his career as a malacologist.

     Throughout this journey Vermeij details simply and clearly
the alternative techniques he used to get the job done. He
describes how he learned to work with readers, develop working
relationships with lab partners, and earn the trust and
confidence of his professors.

     What makes this journey interesting, however, is not so much
how he was able to break into a new scientific field in the mid
1960's, but rather that blindness was not, and should not have
been, his overriding concern. For every page Vermeij spends
discussing aspects of the way blindness affected his progress
into and through his career, he spends at least ten times that
many discussing the various theories, questions, scientific
puzzles, and his own personal development as an academic in the
process of becoming a full-fledged professor. Through these pages
we learn his theories on the reasons shells differ in various
environments around the globe; what it's like to work as a
scientist in Guam, the Philippines, the Galapagos Islands,
Canada, Hawaii, and the Aleutian Islands; how he developed his
ideas on evolution and adaptation; and, through it all, how he
dealt with the few barriers presented by his blindness. In short,
we meet a man who is obsessed with science and the full life it
has to offer and who happens to be blind.

     Although Vermeij admits that he spent little time developing
a social life in high school and during his undergraduate career,
he more than made up for it later by traveling around the world
performing field work as a scientist, meeting and marrying his
wife Edith, and raising his daughter Hermine.

     In short, Privileged Hands: A Scientific Life is a book
which describes the life of a shining role model of the NFB's
philosophy. It documents how to apply that philosophy to everyday
living, where to place it in the context of getting on with one's
life, and it details how the NFB helps with the process of making
blind people successful, first-class citizens. In addition, it is
a fascinating view into the mind of a leading scientist in his
field and gives a glimpse into the depth and richness of a
discipline which involves applying highly technical and political
skills in a variety of innovative ways.

     I would recommend this book to any blind person who wants to
know if he or she can succeed in a competitive environment,
whether it be law, science, or letters. I would also recommend it
to anyone sighted who doubts whether or not blind people can make
it on terms of equality in a sighted world. The prose is written
with clarity, feeling, and a fervor which makes it clear that the
author speaks from real-life experience and that he believes not
only that blind people are capable of competing on terms of
equality with the sighted but that they must compete. He recounts
the way he did it and leads the reader into the exercise of
determining how he or she will do it. Read what Geerat Vermeij
has to say, and I believe you'll agree that he's right. The blind
have an absolute right to be admitted as first-class citizens
into society and an absolute responsibility to take that role
seriously by working to first-class standards of competition and
responsibility. In addition, you'll meet a humorous punster who
lays out innumerable tidbits for his readers to savor and enjoy.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dr. Fredric Schroeder, Photography by Breton
Littlehales]
            Fredric K. Schroeder, a Man of Confidence
                         by David Bolton
                           **********
     From the Editor: David Bolton is the Editor of the National
Buyers Group Magazine. The following profile of Dr. Fredric
Schroeder appeared in the first issue of the publication. Here it
is:
                           **********
     Fredric K. Schroeder, Ph.D., has spent his adult years
fighting the misperception over the capabilities of blind people,
that they are somehow limited in what they can achieve. As
Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration,
overseeing a multi-billion-dollar agency in the Department of
Education, he is particularly dedicated to widening their
entrepreneurship opportunities; he believes that the Randolph-
Sheppard program has great potential.

     But long before he began breaking down the barriers to blind
achievement, he first had to defeat his own demons.
                           **********
     Fred Schroeder describes growing up in a New Mexico
household as "eclectic." Born in Lima, Peru, he was adopted at
nineteen months. Along with his brother, he joined a family of
two Pueblo Indian children, also adopted, and a University of New
Mexico education professor, a single woman with a strong sense of
purpose.

     From the beginning Fred's mother instilled in him a powerful
work ethic, an appreciation for the value of education, and a
strong sense of giving back to the community.

     He lost most of his vision when he was seven and became
totally blind at sixteen. He had what he describes as "a common
experience" with his blindness. He assumed that for the rest of
his life he would have to be cared for by his family.

     People brought to his and his mother's attention stories
about blind people who had done remarkable things, recalls
Schroeder. Those stories did not inspire him; rather they made
him angry. He felt anything but remarkable. Either he was even
more inferior than originally thought, or those blind people had
not accomplished anything of note. "They hadn't really climbed a
great mountain or sailed a great ocean. Their achievements were
artificial . . . propped up."

     What did inspire him were blind people with high academic
credentials; blind people who had achieved a great deal in
business; blind people who were teachers, social workers, or
guidance counselors; who were factory workers, secretaries, and
farmers. He learned about the National Federation of the Blind.
The speeches of its president, Dr. Jernigan, drew the young man
away from cynicism and defeat. Dr. Jernigan became his hero.

     Recalls Schroeder: "Dr. Jernigan articulated that blindness
is not all-encompassing, that a blind person is not just a blind
person, that you are first and foremost a human being with a
combination of strengths and abilities. Yes, blindness has a
clear impact on the way you function. You can't drive. You can't
pick up a newspaper and read it. But it's really not much more
than that. . . . That difference doesn't in any way speak of your
capacity to succeed. . . . If you fail, it's not because of
blindness."

     Armed with that philosophy, he earned a degree in psychology
at San Francisco State University in 1977 with a dual major in
psychology and elementary education, completing his undergraduate
program in just two and a half years. "It was very important to
prove my ability to compete," says Schroeder. Ironically, his
oldest brother said he understood how Fred could go through
school so quickly; after all, he was blind. He had nothing else
to do but study all day.

     Schroeder realized he was up against, not his own
limitations, but the "underlying assumptions about blindness." He
set about proving those assumptions wrong, earning next a
master's degree in special education. He wanted to teach blind
children. Instead of teaching children, however, he ended up in
Nebraska, at an adult orientation and adjustment center. He
taught cane travel to newly blind adults. He became the first
blind person to earn a master's degree in orientation and
mobility. There he met his future wife, also blind. She wanted to
be a computer programmer.
                           **********
                Expedience vs. Quality Employment
                           **********
     In 1994 the Senate confirmed Schroeder as the ninth
Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration the
same day he was notified of completion of his doctorate.

     His dissertation was a study on the use of Braille among
legally blind adults. He investigated the way Braille readers
versus non-Braille readers functioned. Those completely blind
tended to embrace Braille, whereas those visually impaired tended
to orient themselves around visual methods. The Braille readers
ended up going farther in school and getting better jobs. The
visually impaired gravitated toward jobs that required little
reading.

     Schroeder says his biggest challenge as RSA Commissioner is
maintaining a focus on quality employment. He understands that
the taxpayer wants to ensure that the program funds ($2.4
billion) are spent wisely on the one million recipients. The
greatest danger, he believes, would be to oversimplify, to
measure the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program according
to "the number of people who go to work, how quickly they go to
work, and how cheaply they go to work."

     These are not necessarily bad measures, he adds, but they
would tend to "drive the program toward expedience" rather than
help the individual pursue the most appropriate employment. "If
people have an interest in teaching, law, or some other
profession, then they need the training and skills to pursue that
profession."
                           **********
                 The Future of Randolph-Sheppard
                           **********
     Schroeder believes there are many opportunities for growth
in the R-S program. "The Randolph-Sheppard program historically
has battled the assumption that blind people can't function as
competently as sighted people. So very often the expectations for
the Randolph-Sheppard program by state and municipal governments
have been fairly low."

     He cites as an example the state rehabilitation agency that
he ran in New Mexico. "We continually had to battle for Randolph-
Sheppard priority when it came to large food service operations.
. . . If it was a little building that had a handful of employees
and couldn't generate money, then we'd get called by the agency
and asked if we couldn't put in a Randolph-Sheppard facility to
provide coffee and donuts.

     "But if you talked about a large-scale cafeteria, we were
still confronted with the question of whether a blind person
could, in fact, operate a complex food service operation. That
continues to be the challenge to blind people generally . . . the
lack of information about their capability."

     Schroeder says the R-S program is becoming more
sophisticated. "Vendors as a group have taken very seriously the
need to modernize practices, to develop state-of-the-art business
procedures to deliver high quality products at a good price. As
that work continues, the opportunities for facilities that yield
better incomes will increase."
                           **********
                    The Fight for Mess Halls
                           **********
     Schroeder says there has been "some conflict" over certain
federally-operated food service operations, particularly in the
military. "The question has been whether Randolph-Sheppard
applies to certain military food service activities, specifically
military troop dining facilities. Second, if it does apply, then
where does the Randolph-Sheppard program step in, and where does
the JWOD [Javits-Wagner-O'Day] program step in?"

     The RSA has been working with the Committee for Purchase
along with other federal agencies to resolve these conflicts. "It
makes no sense to have two very important employment programs
postured against one another....

     "We just rescinded a policy issued by my predecessor; it had
attempted to clarify when a facility met our definition of a
cafeteria. In practice the RSA policy guidance didn't help with
the situation at all. . . . We have been working particularly
with the Department of Defense to issue clear policy direction so
that appropriated-fund activities, such as military troop dining,
are in fact subject to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. We are now
working with the Defense Department on some additional policy
guidance that would be aimed toward the people who handle
military procurement. We are also working with an interagency
work group to work out other issues that have been put forward as
impediments to the further expansion of the Randolph-Sheppard
Act."

     And what about the conflict between R-S and JWOD? The way
Schroeder sees it, there should be no conflict. The law is quite
clear. "The Randolph-Sheppard priority is a specific priority,"
he explains. "Once you get past the hurdle of recognizing that
the Randolph-Sheppard Act applies to military troop dining as
well as other food service operations, then the priority would be
triggered." Those facilities would thus fall under the domain of
the state licensing agency.

     The SLA, however, may decline to take that facility, if
there is no blind vendor available to take advantage of the
opportunity. In that case, Schroeder says, the facility would
then be available "for issuing a contract under the Javits-
Wagner-O'Day Act."

     By viewing the R-S priority as a very specific one, you
resolve the conflict between the programs. "JWOD food service is
only one of many types of service contracts available under the
programs," he adds. "We believe there is considerable room for
both programs to live and work in harmony, benefiting
considerable numbers of people with disabilities."
                           **********
                  The Act Is Just the Beginning
                           **********
     The Randolph-Sheppard Act represents only a crack in the
door. People who make the procurement decisions must be convinced
that it is in their best interests to be served through the
Randolph-Sheppard program. "If you don't have open-mindedness,"
says Schroeder, "then you run into resistance. You run into
people looking for loopholes in the law, for ways to circumvent
what we regard as [Congressional] intent. You can fight those in
court, and if you're tenacious enough, you can likely prevail."

     Schroeder would rather see greater cooperation from federal
agencies. He cites the post office as a good example. "It has
entered into a cooperative relationship with the Randolph-
Sheppard program . . . to expand employment opportunities for
blind people. Some of the efforts go far beyond any statutory
obligation." Schroeder says that the post office--its staff and
the public that it serves--has realized some significant
benefits, in particular, service of the highest quality.

     When asked what advice he would give to blind vendors,
Schroeder listed the things they should do in reverse priority.
"Certainly they need to be vigilant about what's happening at the
federal level, and they need to be vigorous about contacting
members of Congress to educate them on the Randolph-Sheppard
program and how it benefits blind people in their home districts
and states."

     They also need to be involved with their state licensing
agencies, to be active, participating members of the Committee of
Blind Vendors. They must take an active role in guiding the
program's policies at the state level. "But the most important
thing any vendor in this country has to do," adds Schroeder, "is
provide excellent, quality service to every customer who comes
through the door. Ultimately, if this program has loyal,
satisfied customers, then no amount of political threat will ever
damage it because we'll have a constituency that will say, `Look,
this blind vendor is fantastic. We get good food. We get good
service. We get reasonable prices and clean, comfortable,
locations.'"

     Toward that end Schroeder urges vendors "to capitalize" on
every training opportunity and run state-of-the-art, competitive
food operations. "That, in my view, is the single greatest thing
that can be done to protect this program."
                           **********
                      A Sense of Obligation
                           **********
     An estimated 70 to 80 percent of blind people are wholly
unemployed. Those who are employed are often underemployed. That
realization drives Schroeder, who says that every time a blind
person enters a new field or new occupation, "never again will
there be the question of whether a blind person can perform that
type of work. . . . That collective momentum will expand
opportunities for blind people. That growth can never be turned
back. That to me is the exciting part of rehabilitation."

     Schroeder, the father of a seventeen-year-old daughter and
fifteen-year-old son, greatly admires his wife, who at the age of
ten wanted to be a computer programmer. "When I was ten, I didn't
know there were such things as computer programmers."

     His wife, blind since birth, became a computer programmer at
a time when it was "very exploratory" for blind people to do that
kind of work. "She is exceedingly good at it."

     Digital technology has been extremely helpful. "The work
that my wife does using sweep synthesis and other technological
breakthroughs would not be possible. That's true for many other
jobs."

     Schroeder cautions, however, against giving technology too
much credit. "There is a tendency for society to point to
something external to account for the competence of blind people.
Technology is not what makes us competent. It is a tool, just as
a paint brush in the hand of a great artist is a tool. The brush
does not lend itself to inspiration."

     He uses the guide dog as an analogy. Often someone seeing a
blind person using a guide dog will say, "`Isn't it wonderful
that they train these dogs to take blind people around?' . . .
Well, the dog doesn't take you around. The dog is part of your
ability to travel independently, but he's not a caretaker."

     And what is the most essential quality for a full life?
"Fundamental confidence," replies Schroeder. "Self-confidence
comes from having good training, from working hard, and from
being able to see tangible evidence of your work. But there are
other things that are part of that self-confidence ... a sense of
obligation. . . . You cannot give unless you believe that you
have something worth giving.

     "I don't mean to sound overly philosophical," he concludes,
"but a person who believes in him- or herself will succeed.
Success comes from seeing yourself as a truly integrated,
contributing member of society, somebody who benefits from
society, and a person who contributes back to society."
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Ramona Walhof]
                             Sewing
                        by Ramona Walhof
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article appeared in To Touch
the Untouchable Dream, the fifteenth in the NFB's Kernel Book
series of paperbacks. It begins with Dr. Jernigan's introduction:
                           **********
     Ramona Walhof grew up in a small farming community in rural
Iowa. She and her brother and sister were born blind. Yearning
for something to do during one long, dull summer, Ramona asked
her mother (who was an accomplished seamstress) to teach her to
sew. The story that follows is her account of a lifetime of
satisfaction and practical good--from hobby, to employment, to
family budget-stretcher--gained from this rapidly disappearing
art.

     Along the way Ramona (who was widowed in her early twenties)
also raised two children, owned and managed a commercial bakery,
taught school, and directed employment programs for the blind.
Today she operates a very successful public relations business
and is President of the National Federation of the Blind of
Idaho. She also serves as a national officer in the National
Federation of the Blind. Here is what she has to say:
                           **********
     When I learned to sew, I never thought much about blindness.
I didn't avoid thinking about blindness. It was a part of me. But
when I needed a method to do something that others did visually,
I just did what seemed most likely to work. Nobody suggested that
blindness should prevent sewing until I knew better.

     As I grew older, I came across blind girls and women who had
been actively discouraged from doing things I learned as a child.
Sewing for me has provided employment, relaxation, challenge, and
accomplishment. It has helped me to learn about fabrics, styles,
and colors. There are things I never attempted (some because of
blindness) but most because of lack of time. Perhaps one day I
may still take up some new kinds of sewing such as quilting. I
know it would be delightful to do if I ever got to it.

     When I was a young child, summers were boring. My brother,
sister, and I attended the School for the Blind during the school
year. We were very glad to go home at the end of May each spring,
but we didn't have a lot of friends in our home town, and we got
tired of not having enough to do. We took swimming lessons,
participated in local church activities, helped with cleaning and
cooking (washing dishes was the worst), visited with grandparents
and cousins. We hauled as many Braille books home from school as
we could fit in the car with all our clothes and other
possessions. My brother managed to talk our Dad into some ham
radio equipment and entertained himself with that. My sister and
I generally rationed our books some and got Braille magazines,
but there never was really enough to do.

     One summer (the one after my fifth grade year), I decided to
try to solve the problem. I announced to my mother with the
diplomacy customary for me at the time, "This summer you are
going to teach me to sew." My mother had been making clothes for
us as long as I could remember. We got some school clothes from
stores and from catalogs, but the ones she made were always nice,
and we could help decide what they would look like. Several
people in our family sew, and my mother had a buttonholer on her
machine, so people would bring their garments to our house to do
the buttonholes. So it seemed natural for me to want to sew.

     My mother didn't resist at all. She responded with a
question, "What do you want to make?" I never asked her what she
thought about it, but I really don't think she was shocked--only
a little uncertain about some of the techniques. Actually
techniques were not a problem. I told her I wanted to make gym
clothes. I figured a few mistakes could be tolerated in gym
clothes. I think that neither my mother nor I knew that blindness
was much of a factor, so it wasn't.

     We decided that the gym shirt should have a plain round
neckline with cap sleeves. This was my idea so that I would not
have to gather the sleeves and set them in. My mother cut a
pattern out of newspaper, designing it from something else she
had. I pinned the pattern on the material and cut it out. Then my
mother realized that she had forgotten the cap sleeves, so they
had to be set in after all. This made the project more
complicated for a beginner, but the gym shirt looked great to me.
I learned to guide the material through the sewing machine using
a quilting guide my mother had. I learned to pin seams and hems
closely and remove the pins just before they came to the presser
foot. I learned to move the gathers on the gathering thread and
put them where they should be when I pinned the gathered piece to
the one it needed to be sewed to. Really it wasn't as hard as I
had feared. I wore that gym shirt all through sixth grade. I
don't think we ever got to the shorts.

     Marking darts could be done with pins or basting threads.
There were so many different kinds of darts that it took some
practice to get them all figured out. Gradually I got so I could
judge the size of darts pretty accurately without having to use
the marks from the pattern itself.

     When we came home for Christmas that year, I made a yellow
skirt. It turned out all right too. This time I used the tissue
paper pattern. My cutting technique seemed obvious to me, and my
mother never commented on it. Only later did we learn that blind
people weren't supposed to be able to cut around tissue paper
patterns.

     I held the scissors with my right hand, the way most people
do. I looped my left hand over the top of the scissors with the
thumb and fingers opposite each other right at the part of the
scissors that did the cutting. If the edge of the pattern was at
the top of the bottom scissors blade, I could feel tissue paper
on one side and fabric on the other. If the scissors were not
right at the edge of the pattern, I would have paper or fabric on
both sides of the bottom blade. The more practice I got, the
better I got, but even as a beginner, I could cut reasonably well
along the edge of the pattern.

     Patterns come in an envelope in big sheets, and my mother
would cut the pieces apart and trim them on the cutting lines.
She never really read the instructions to me. Rather she taught
me basic concepts about how to set in sleeves, turn down a skirt
band over the seam, set in a zipper, assemble and attach a
collar, etc. She also taught me to identify pieces of garments by
their shapes. Sleeves tended to be round at one end and square at
the other. Blouses and dress tops had big arcs cut out where the
sleeves would be attached. The curves at the front and back of
slacks and shorts were shaped differently from sleeve curves. The
curve at the back was bigger than the curve at the front for
slacks patterns, but the curve in the front of the top where
sleeves are inset is bigger than the one at the back.

     Much later I learned that the instructions printed with the
patterns could often be helpful when taking on a new style of
garment. I am sure my mother read the instructions, because she
often used them when we were laying out fabric before we cut it
out. But we often found better ways to make efficient use of the
material than the patterns showed. I don't remember what I made
during the summer after my sixth grade year, but I am sure there
was something.

     In any case, when I enrolled in home economics in seventh
grade, I already knew some of the basics about sewing. Our
teacher was new that year and had no background working with
blind girls. Our first project was to make an apron. There was no
cutting. Everything was on a straight line and could be torn with
the grain of the fabric. The aprons had a blue border at the
bottom with a flowered print above. The bands and sashes were
straight pieces. The sashes had to be hemmed, and the aprons had
to be gathered and attached to the bands.

     There were eight girls in my class, and most of us could sew
a hem fairly straight by the time the aprons were done. The
teacher really didn't want us to run a machine without having her
present to watch. I disregarded this instruction without too much
teacher protest.

     I learned about the seam guide in that class. You can buy a
little metal hump that screws into the top of the machine
cabinet, which works better than my mother's quilting guide. For
the rest of the first semester our home economics class cooked.
Second semester was the real sewing class. My friend and I
decided to make tangerine skirts, but they were different
patterns.

     The teacher's first notion was that she would cut out all
the patterns. Unfortunately for her, I was there to object. So I
cut out my own pattern. I also offered to help other kids learn
to do it. Some of the girls really didn't have much trouble. Some
tended to place the fingers of their guiding hand at the end of
the scissors instead of where the cutting occurred. They were
constantly being warned to be careful not to cut themselves.
Since I thought everybody knew better than to close the scissors
with fingers between the blades, these warnings seemed
unnecessary. Certainly some of the students were more fearful of
scissors than they needed to be. We also learned how to assemble
all our different patterns.

     When I cut out my blouse, I made an error. I should have
laid the back on the fold, but I cut it on the edge of the
fabric, thus requiring a seam where there should have been none.
If I had not been so determined to do it myself, the teacher
would doubtless have caught this error before it happened. Some
students were much too cooperative in my judgment and did not do
as much of the work themselves as they could and should have.

     We could all thread a regular needle using a needle threader
with a fine wire loop. When the wire loop is in the eye of the
needle, the thread is brought through the loop. When the needle
threader is removed from the needle, the thread passes through
the eye. Large-eye needles made this easy. Our teacher encouraged
basting, but most of us didn't like to do it. We all learned to
baste, though, because we were required to baste zippers. We also
learned to hem garments with an overcast stitch. It was desirable
not to see the thread on the outside of the hem. With practice,
some of us got pretty good at this.

     Threading the machines presented another challenge. When
threading the machine, one needed to pass the thread through
several metal or plastic loops. No one had trouble learning where
to put the thread, but we would not notice loops of thread that
got caught in other places while we were doing the threading.

     It took me a while, but I finally realized that, if I kept
the thread taut from spool to needle while doing the threading, I
could tell if there were errors or loops where they should not
be. We always blamed the tension if something went wrong, and I
feel sure that we did inadvertently turn the dial controlling the
tension sometimes.

     With experience I learned to tell from the stitching itself
when the top and bobbin tensions were balanced. My mother was
casual about making constructive suggestions on things like this
and more helpful than anyone else before or since. She would tell
me what she looked for, and I could try to learn the same
information by touch. More often than not it worked. Everyone
(including me) tended to rely on somebody's eyesight for certain
judgments at first. If a sighted person wasn't conveniently
available to help when wanted, this became a nuisance and
provided motivation for all of us to develop techniques that a
blind person could use independently.

     It is surprising for me now to think about how difficult it
sometimes seemed to feel proper stitching. If we had expected to
be able to do it from the beginning, we all would have found it
easier. As it was, this took some time and experience.

     I continued to make clothes during vacations and in home
economics. I enjoyed the making and the wearing of the clothes. I
also enjoyed making things for others, but seldom had enough
confidence to do it. I made a shirt for my dad and a baby dress
for a cousin, and I think they were OK.

     During college I did not have access to a sewing machine and
did very little sewing. Shortly after I was married, though, a
sewing machine seemed important to have. We bought a cheap one, a
portable one that weighed a ton. It was very heavy to lift on and
off the dining room table, so it stayed at one end while we ate
at the other during many weeks. I usually put it away on
weekends.

     I took a set of big bath towels that had been wedding
presents but were not being used and made my husband a bathrobe.
He was pleased and wore it a lot, which pleased me. We still have
a picture of him sleeping in a recliner in that bathrobe with our
first baby on his shoulder, also asleep. When I got pregnant, I
knew I could save money by making maternity clothes. I did make
some, and my mother made me some too. We didn't spend much. Then
of course it is even more fun to sew for your children.

     Knits were the big thing in the early '70's, so I took a
short course at the YMCA in stretch and sew. We didn't sew during
class. We took our assignments home, so the teacher had no
occasion to worry about blindness. If she didn't explain
something, I asked, but this was easy for all. I made pants and a
shirt for my daughter, who was a toddler, and a matching set for
my son, who was a tiny baby. I also made a shirt for myself. I
offered to make my husband a shirt, but it never got done. It was
already cheaper to buy t-shirts than to make them.

     After my husband died and I returned to work at the
Commission for the Blind in Iowa, I was immediately assigned to
teach sewing along with Braille. My students all wanted to sew
with knits, so the stretch and sew class was far more valuable
than I had ever dreamed. Some of my students were beginners, and
some had far more sewing experience than I. This concerned me at
first, but I found that we could learn from each other in
wonderful ways.

     Several of my students went home and took up sewing a lot.
Others did less but enjoyed it. One young woman had been a
professional seamstress in an alterations department for a big
store. She chose to make a jacket that had three parallel rows of
top stitching for trim that were supposed to be done in three
different colors. I cautioned her about this, but that is the
kind of thing she liked. I thought that her control as a newly
blinded seamstress might not be as good as desirable for
something that showy, but it really turned out fine. I cannot say
how many students I taught sewing or how many outfits I made for
myself and my children during the next several years, but I
gained a lot of experience.

     It was during that time that people began using machines
with cams and other kinds of fancy stitches. These made sewing
even more fun. Making decorative items or decorations on clothes
was something we had to do. We just couldn't ignore these
interesting new sewing machine features.

     When my daughter was in second grade, she joined Bluebirds.
They were supposed to make red felt vests, and none of the
mothers wanted to take on this project. I thought felt vests were
not sensible for second graders. One slip of the scissors would
be ugly, and felt was expensive. I offered to have the group make
skirts at my house. Other mothers thought I was crazy, but
agreed. It was simple--use navy blue rectangular pieces of
polyester knit fabric. Turn down the top enough to pull three-
quarter inch elastic through. Turn up the bottom two inches and
sew red rickrack around at the top of the hem. Only one seam was
required and no hand sewing. The girls could use the sewing
machines if their mothers would let them. The skirts were cute as
they could be, and the girls were proud as peacocks.

     By the time my daughter was in sixth grade, it was clear to
me that she wanted more clothes than I was willing to buy. I told
her she could probably have more clothes throughout junior high
and high school if she would learn to sew. She was more than
eager. She chose to make a three-tiered white skirt with purple
trim. The gathers on three tiers wore her out, so I helped, but
she did the rest. She wore it for her sixth grade graduation and
looked great. When she was called to the front for the top award
from the school, I had tears and wished one more time that my
husband could have been there to share the moment with us.

     Anyway Laura was a confirmed sewer, although she still had a
lot to learn. We began to learn about new kinds of patterns
together. While she was in high school, she made casual clothes,
but I did the more formal ones. When kids need something for
school, you don't always get much notice. When Laura joined the
orchestra, she needed a black formal. Her friend's mother knew
the right pattern, and I made it. For her first formal dance, I
made her a long, mint green satin dress with puffed sleeves and
an inverted "v" below the bust. She had a good bustline, and the
dress looked good on her. She took it to college with her when
the time came. Now Laura does more sewing than I do. She got
practice during college and made a friend's wedding dress.

     Today for me sewing is a hobby, but it is there when needed
or wanted. I love to share this experience with others. It is a
way of being creative and busy. One summer I went looking for
clothes and just couldn't find much. Before long I switched to
shopping in fabric stores and had the clothes I liked. Making a
work dress can be done in about the time needed for two shopping
trips, and if shopping isn't going well, sewing is more
satisfying. I also can make clothes fit the way I want them to.
If I ever have grandchildren, there will probably be things to do
for them. Time will tell.

     If I have an opportunity to teach sewing again, I will be
much more confident about what projects my students should
attempt. One more thing: for a blind person who likes to read
recorded books and magazines, sewing is one of those things you
can do while reading.
                           **********
                           **********
                             Recipes
                           **********
     The recipes this month are contributed by leaders of the
Blind Merchants Association.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Don and Shirley Morris]
                     O'Leary's Irish Coffee
                          by Don Morris
                           **********
     Don Morris from Maryland is President of the merchants
division. Although he is not much of a cook, he wins praise for
the following recipe, which is named for his business, O'Leary's
Emporium.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1 ounce Irish whiskey
1 ounce Kahlua
5 ounces strong, fresh, hot coffee
Whipped cream
Creme de menthe (green please)
                           **********
     Method: Pour coffee into large mug containing Irish whiskey
and Kahlua. Top with whipped cream. Slowly pour one-third
teaspoon creme de menthe on top of whipped cream.
                           **********
                           **********
                   Strawberry-Watercress Salad
                        by Shirley Morris
                           **********
     Shirley Morris is not herself a vendor, though as Don's wife
she volunteers lots of hours for the cause. She is, however, an
excellent cook.
                           **********
Ingredients for Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
                           **********
     Method: In a small bowl whisk together sugar, orange juice,
vinegar, shallots, oil, poppy seeds, honey, mustard, and salt
until the sugar dissolves.
                           **********
Ingredients for Salad:
2 heads Belgian endive, torn into small pieces
1 cup sliced strawberries
about 2 cups fresh watercress
2 cans (14 ounces) hearts of palm, rinsed, drained, and cut into
2-inch pieces
                           **********
     Method: In large bowl combine watercress, endive, and
strawberries. Add the sliced hearts of palm to the salad. Pour
the dressing on top and toss well. Refrigerate for five to ten
minutes before serving. Serves four.
                           **********
                           **********
               Don's Snack Bar Breakfast Burritos
                          by Don Hudson
     Don Hudson from Colorado is the merchants division treasurer
and the manager of several vending facilities at the Denver
Federal Center. Don serves hundreds of meals daily, including the
following offering. This is a breakfast favorite at his
restaurant, Don's.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1 16-ounce package hash brown potatoes, browned
6 eggs, scrambled
16-ounce can green chili sauce (Stokes canned green chili works
well)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
5 flour tortillas
                           **********
     Method: Mix all ingredients except tortillas together. Place
one-fifth of mixture in the center of each warm 8-inch flour
tortilla. Roll up from one side and serve plain or smothered with
more green chili.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Priscilla Hudson]
                       Sour Cream Potatoes
                       by Priscilla Hudson
                           **********
     Priscilla Hudson from Colorado is a member of the merchants
division although not exactly a blind vendor. Priscilla is the
manager of the Boulder County Library and is a great resource
person for many members of the division.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pint sour cream
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 pounds frozen hash browns
                           **********
     Method: Mix all ingredients and pour into greased casserole
dish. Top with one-fourth cup melted butter. You may also use
crushed cornflakes or plain bread crumbs. You can also sprinkle
with hot salt (garlic salt and cayenne pepper mixed). Bake at 350
degrees for fifteen minutes or till potatoes are heated through
and bubbly.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Lora and Joe Van Lent]
      Patchwork Quilt Country Inn Buttermilk Pecan Chicken
                        by Lora Van Lent
                           **********
     Joe Van Lent from Iowa is First Vice President of the Blind
Merchants Association. He and his wife Lora are long-time members
of the division as well as leaders in the Iowa affiliate.
                           **********
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup ground pecans
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 3-1/2 pound broiler/fryers, cut up
1/2 cup pecan halves
                           **********
     Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in large
shallow roasting pan and melt in oven. Remove and set aside. Mix
buttermilk and egg in shallow dish. Combine flour, ground pecans,
sesame seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Dip
chicken in buttermilk mixture, then coat each piece with flour
mixture. Place in roasting pan, turning to coat all sides with
butter, finishing with skin side up. Scatter pecan halves over
chicken and bake until chicken is deep golden brown, about one-
and-one-half to one-and-three-fourth hours.
                           **********
                           **********
                            Pastitsio
                          by Nick Gacos
                           **********
     Nick Gacos from New Jersey has recently joined the merchants
division and was elected to serve on the board. Nick has
organized blind vendors in New Jersey and brought them to the NFB
as well. Nick and his family have been in the restaurant business
for decades. In addition to serving hundreds of customers daily,
Nick also provides training to would-be blind vendors who seek to
enter the New Jersey Vending Program.

     Nick's family's version of this recipe is double this
amount. If you have twenty-five or so to feed, you might want to
try it in the original, using a commercial sheet-cake pan. Nick
says that Greek cooking is done to taste and favors lots of
Parmesan cheese, so don't be afraid to adjust this version to
suit yourself. And if you like cheese, use a liberal hand in
measuring amounts.
                           **********
Meat Filling Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds ground round beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
half of an 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
                           **********
     Method: In three tablespoons butter brown onion and saute
ground beef until golden brown. Add parsley, garlic, cinnamon,
nutmeg, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, and wine and simmer for
twenty to thirty minutes. Remove from heat.
                           **********
Sauce Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups hot milk
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
                           **********
     Method: Heat milk. Melt butter in large pan, add flour, and
stir until smooth. Lower heat and gradually add the hot milk,
stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Add salt and cinnamon.
Beat eggs in a bowl and slowly stir in a little sauce. When
blended, add this warmed egg mixture to the sauce. Add cheese and
reheat sauce; do not bring to a boil.
                           **********
Pasta Ingredients:
1 pound macaroni or ziti 
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter melted
more cheese and butter
                           **********
     Method: Cook macaroni as directed on package. Drain and
return to pot. Add 1/2 cup melted butter, three beaten eggs, and
3/4 cup grated cheese and toss lightly until pasta is well
coated.

     Generously butter a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish. Spread half
of macaroni mixture in an even layer. Evenly spoon 1-1/2 cups
sauce over macaroni. Then spread meat mixture. Spread remaining
macaroni over meat. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle another
1/2 cup grated cheese over surface and dot with butter. Bake for
one hour at 350 degrees.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Billie Ruth Schlank]
                          Fruit Cobbler
                     by Billie Ruth Schlank
                           **********
     Billie Ruth Schlank from Virginia is a leader in her state
as well as a member of the merchants Board of Directors. Although
Billie Ruth prepares no food on her vending facility, her family
and friends all gather around when she prepares this fruit
cobbler.
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour (white flour is okay too)
1-1/3 cups milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 quart any fruit in season
                           **********
     Method: Mix dry ingredients together. Add oil, milk, and
eggs, which you have whipped lightly, to the dry ingredients.
Stir just enough to moisten the flour. Pour into greased pan. Add
the fruit. If using blueberries or other fragile berries, be sure
not to break the berries. Use sugar to sweeten the fruit before
pouring onto the batter. Dot with butter. (Spring is the season
for rhubarb, so rhubarb cobbler would be delicious.) Bake at 350
degrees for forty-five minutes. Billie Ruth also uses this batter
recipe to make muffins. For muffins she uses one cup brown sugar
in place of granulated sugar and also mixes bran and whole wheat
flour. She says she often adds two handfuls of raisins.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Pam Schnurr]
                             Lasagna
                         by Pam Schnurr
                           **********
     Pam Schnurr from Indiana is Secretary of the merchants
division and a leader in the NFB of Indiana. She is the manager
of PJ's Snacks and an active leader nationally and in the Indiana
vending program.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound pork sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon basil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16-ounce can tomato sauce
10-ounce package lasagna noodles
3 cups fresh ricotta or cream-style cottage cheese (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese
1 pound Mozzarella cheese, grated
                           **********
     Method: Brown meat slowly. Spoon off excess fat. Add next
six ingredients. Simmer uncovered thirty minutes, stirring
occasionally. Cook noodles according to package directions until
tender; drain and rinse. Layer one quarter of the noodles in a
13-by-9-inch pan. Spread with a quarter of the meat sauce and
cheeses. Repeat this step to make four layers. Bake at 375
degrees about thirty minutes. Let stand ten minutes before
serving. Makes eight to ten servings.
                           **********
                           **********
                       Monitor Miniatures
                           **********
[PHOTO description: Pictured here is the GreaterGood.com logo.]
GreaterGood.com:
     President Maurer writes as follows:

     In the latter few days of February, 1999, the National
Federation of the Blind became a part of a growing Internet
shopping network entitled GreaterGood.com. This shopping network
offers those who are online at the National Federation of the
Blind Web site (<www.nfb.org>), to go to the National Federation
of the Blind shopping village. This is a place at which Web
surfers can select and purchase merchandise from a large number
of stores such as Amazon.com and J. Crew.

     The officials who have put this company together include
some of the most notable business people in the United States.
Some of these have been top members of the administration and
senior politicians. The agreement we have made with them is that
we will receive 5% of the purchase price for each item purchased
through our Web site. In addition, those who enter the shopping
services throughout the GreaterGood.com Web site may select the
National Federation of the Blind to receive the 5% charitable
donation from among the charities listed on the Web site.

     Some people have contacted us saying that not all of the
vendors listed in the National Federation of the Blind shopping
village have accessible Web sites. This is quite true. However,
we are working with the vendors to encourage them to increase
accessibility to their Web sites, and we hope that we will be
able to make this whole service much more usable by the blind. In
the meantime we believe that this service will be usable in many
instances by blind people and that it will raise funds for the
continuing work of the Federation.

     If you have suggestions for improving this service, please
let me know. I cannot promise that we will do everything you
might want, but we will do our best to improve the accessibility
of the service.
                           **********
Large-Print Archaeological Magazine Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Beginning July, 1999, the magazine Discovering Archaeology
will be available in large print. This edition will carry
informative articles about the latest ground-breaking
archaeological research from around the world on land and under
water. The magazine is published quarterly, and the large-print
edition will be in 17-point type on non-glare paper and will
carry the NAVH seal of approval. The annual subscription rate is
$19.95 (plus $7 if mailed to non-U.S. countries) and will be sold
on newsstands for $5.95 per issue. Readers can subscribe by
visiting the Web site at <www.discoveringarchaeology.com> or by
calling (877) 383-0878.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Type 'n Speak with a revision date of July 26, 1994, for
$700 or best offer. Also for sale, Toshiba laptop computer with
4MB RAM and a 260MB hard drive. Also included is the Keynote PC
voice card, best offer. E-mail: sklug@cyberstation.net. Call
(940) 761-3431 or write to Sharon Klug, 12 Chip-n-Dale Circle,
Wichita Falls, Texas 76303.
                           **********
APH Announces Listening to Windows 95:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Listening to Windows 95, a new training kit for users who
are blind or visually impaired, is now available from the
American Printing House for the Blind. The kit includes tactile
and large-print guides to screen layouts, a manual available in
four accessible media, and interactive auditory software in CD-
ROM format to teach Windows basics.

     Unlike other tutorials, the CD-ROM format of Listening to
Windows 95 allows random access to a structured training content.
Users can learn the main system and application features of
Windows 95, including Introduction, Desktop features, Explorer,
WordPad, Help, Control Panel, and Internet Overview. The CD-ROM
contains quality audio, produced by APH's professional narrators.
The product was developed as a joint project of TECSO, Inc.,
(Technology and Society) of Montreal and APH.

     To order, contact American Printing House for the Blind,
1839 Frankfort Avenue, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, Kentucky 40206-
0085, (502) 895-2405, (800) 223-1839, or fax (502) 895-1509. The
e-mail address is <info@aph.org>. The Web address is
<www.aph.org>.
                           **********
APH Announces Speech Expressor(TM):
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Speech Expressor(TM) is now available from the American
Printing House for the Blind (APH). It allows the audio book
listener to change the speed of recorded material without the
change in sound quality usually experienced using older
compression systems.

     Since Speech Expressor(TM) users can digitally adjust the
pitch of the recorded voice to compensate for a change in speed,
they will be able to 1) speed up audio recordings to read more
material more quickly without an increase in pitch, 2) slow
recorded material down for more concentrated listening without a
decrease in pitch, 3) compensate for hearing loss in certain
higher pitch ranges.

     Speech Expressor(TM) is compatible with any sound source
with variable-speed control, including several APH cassette
recorder/player models and National Library Service Talking Book
players. It will also work with devices that do not have a
variable speed control, such as commercial tape players and
radios. In these only the pitch of the voice can be changed, not
the speed.

     The cost is $125, and the unit can be ordered from the
American Printing House for the Blind, 1839 Frankfort Avenue,
P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085, (502) 895-2405,
(800) 223-1839, or fax (502) 895-1509. The e-mail address is
<info@aph.org>. The Web address is <www.aph.org>.
                           **********
Atlanta Lunch Link:
     Lynn Mattioli, President of the Baltimore Chapter, reports
the following:

     It's back and better than ever. Many people participated in
the Lunch Link in Dallas. We have heard rumors that some new
friendships and romances were started, so we are going to do it
again. Thanks to the feedback we received from last year's
participants, the questionnaire has been improved so that we can
link you with the best match possible.

     Don't miss out on the fun. If you are looking for a new
friendship or a bit of romance at the NFB convention in Atlanta, 
join the Lunch Link today. Here's how it works. You answer a
series of questions about yourself and the type of person you
would like to meet. The questionnaire is available in large print
and Braille. It is quick and easy to do. Then we put your
information into our computer, which will find the best match for
you. We will share your name and state affiliate with that person
and vice versa. Your name may be given to up to three additional
people. The service is confidential. Remember that we can not
guarantee that the person you are linked with is someone with
whom you are not acquainted.

     Why stand in long lines in Atlanta to get your
questionnaire? Request one today by contacting Lynn Mattioli, 817
Park Avenue, Apartment 7, Baltimore, Maryland 21210, or call
(410) 625-0076. Be sure to tell us which format you prefer (large
print or Braille). Once you have circled your answers, return it
to the above address with your payment (make checks payable to
the NFB of Maryland). The cost is $5 per submission. Or you can
get a questionnaire at our table in the exhibit hall on Thursday,
July 1, or Friday, July 2. The deadline for joining the Lunch
Link is 5 p.m. on Friday, July 2. Friday night the computer will
do its magic. You must return to the exhibit hall on Saturday,
July 3, to pick up the name of your match (which will be in a
sealed envelope). We will give you this information in person
only. Don't miss out on your link. Join the Lunch Link today. You
have nothing to lose except wondering whom you will be dining
with in Atlanta.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Julaine Arient-Rollman]
Honored:
     Karen Mayry, President of the NFB of South Dakota, reports
that Federationist Julaine Arient-Rollman, a senior
rehabilitation counselor at the South Dakota Division of
Rehabilitation Services, was honored on February 11, 1999, for
her assistance to people with disabilities. She received the NISH
excellence award. The National Industries for Severely
Handicapped is a national non-profit organization that helps
provide employment for people with severe disabilities.
Congratulations to Ms. Arient-Rollman.
                           **********
Large-Print Puzzle Books Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Enliven Enterprises announces two new Word-Hunt books
designed for the pleasure of visually impaired puzzle lovers.
Word Safari games come in two sizes of print (one-half-inch and
one-inch). These books sell for $3.49 each plus $1 shipping and
handling. (Pennsylvania residents must add sales tax.) A
quarterly magazine is in production to begin sale in the spring
of 1999. For more information contact Mari-Cay Hartman, 2330
Grove Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104-2529, (610) 439-3552,
e-mail: <enlive@enter.net>.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     I have a Betz music notation device for sale. It is a board
representation of a printed music staff, accompanied by a myriad
of music symbols, including notes and other markings, which can
be stuck onto the board to show what printed music looks like.
Includes case and Braille instructions. The case is slightly
scratched, but the device is like new; it has hardly been used.
Great for the music student. Will sell for $175. We paid much
more than this. For more information contact Olivia Ostergaard,
2740 West Olive Street, 104, Fresno, California 93728-2457, (559)
486-2126.
                           **********
Arkansas School for the Blind Reunion:
     The Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Association will
hold its annual convention/reunion at the school during the
weekend of June 4, 5, and 6, 1999. All graduates, former
students, and friends of the school are invited to attend.
Registration fees, including meals and lodging, will be $22 per
person. For more information contact Travis or Margaret Johnson,
302 Woodford Place, Paragould, Arkansas 72450, (870) 236-8498. If
you know you will not be able to attend this year but would like
to be added to our mailing list, please contact us.
                           **********
Corrections:
     In the March, 1999, issue we carried an announcement about a
number of tours available through the Campanian Society. The URL
for the organization has recently changed. The new Web site
address is <http://www.campanian.org>.

     Also, in the March issue Joe Mar invited correspondence from
those who share his interests. He now stipulates cassette letters
only and corrects his address to read 20401 Soledad Canyon Road,
Space 522, Canyon Country, California 91351-2556.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Xerox Outlook vision aid machine, 14-inch black and white
screen; magnification 5 to 25 times; dimensions are 16 inches
wide, 23 inches deep, and 20 inches high; one year old; hardly
used. Asking $1,500. Call Chris at (330) 633-0025, evenings.
                           **********
[PHOTO description: Pictured here is the National Buyers Group
logo]
Something New for Vendors:
     In the spring of 1998 the National Federation of the Blind
established an independent company called the National Buyers
Group (NBG). The company was organized to assist the growing
number of blind entrepreneurs who participate in the federally-
sponsored Randolph-Sheppard Program. Blind vendors throughout the
United States take advantage of the National Buyers Group's
collective buying strength. By identifying with the NBG,
individual operators in the Randolph-Sheppard Program gain
eligibility for allowances, discounts, rebates, marketing
programs, and reduced or national pricing. The NBG's mission is
to assist blind vendors in forming these types of relationships
with their suppliers.

     Working with state licensing agencies and committees of
blind vendors, the NBG promotes approximately twelve to fourteen
food and technology shows each year. Traveling throughout the
United States, these shows give suppliers an opportunity to
network with vendors to create a vendor sales base within the
promoted regions.

     The NBG also produces a bimonthly publication, the National
Buyers Group Magazine, to keep Randolph-Sheppard operators in
touch with their suppliers and up to date on important issues
that may affect their businesses. Its readers are owners,
managers, and key decision-makers from over 3,500 Randolph-
Sheppard facilities across the United States. The magazine's
features include new products, recipes, market analyses, business
tips, calendars of events, legislative beats, regulatory issues,
and feature articles.

     NBG on the Web is the companion to the bimonthly magazine.
It offers rich sponsor content and opportunities for advertisers
to showcase their products and services with features such as
company profiles, products, incentives, rebates, special
promotions, recipes, and contact information. Check out the NBG
Web site at <http://www.NBGMAG.com>. The NBG Web site is hot-
linked to the National Federation of the Blind Web site at
<http://www.nfb.org>.

     For further information about the National Buyers Group or
the National Buyers Group Magazine contact John Martin at (410)
727-4027 or (410) 659-9314.
                           **********
Division Organizing:
     Donna Balaski, DMD, of Waterbury, Connecticut, is interested
in organizing a division for those in medical professions. The
group will meet from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Friday, July 2. For more
information contact Dr. Balaski at 66 Devon Wood Drive,
Waterbury, Connecticut 06108-2302, (203) 753-7174, or e-mail
<dlb13@snet.net>.
                           **********
Extraordinary Art, Call for Entries:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Exceptional Art by Artists with Exceptional Challenges,
Second Annual Juried and Invitational Show, October 21 to 24,
1999. This show is part of the Eighth Annual USArtists Exhibition
at the 33rd Street Armory in Philadelphia. It is presented by the
Women's Committee of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Two-dimensional and three-dimensional pieces by artists with
visual and auditory impairments, physical or mental challenges,
personal or domestic violence, trauma and post-traumatic stress
syndrome, and chronic or terminal illness will be eligible.

     Deadline for entry is June 15, 1999. For a prospectus send a
stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope to Thom Duffy,
USArtists99/PAFA Prospectus, 1301 Cherry Street 8th Floor,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107. For more information call the
USArtists office at (215) 972-0550.
                           **********
More about Electronic Books:
     Peter Donahue sent us the following report:
The International Braille Book Depository has been going forward
rapidly. We've been posting new titles daily. The site will open
with a minimum of 1,000 titles, ranging from your favorite
children's bedtime stories to literary classics. There will be
something for everyone. To help raise money for this project, we
plan to bring a limited number of electronic books to sell during
the 1999 National Convention. Included will be Walking Alone and
Marching Together and the NFB Kernel Books. However, we want your
suggestions about what else to have on hand for your reading
pleasure. In addition to specific titles, we will offer sampler
disks containing excerpts from various books in the depository.
We will have both a children's sampler and an adults' sampler to
give away during the convention. For those who do not yet have
access to the Internet, there will also be a way to purchase
these titles during the coming year. Those with Internet access
will be able to download the titles from the depository.

     For more information about this project or to suggest books
to translate during the coming year, become a translator, or
assist with scanning books for translation, contact Peter Donahue
at the following: Peter Donahue, Coordinator, International
Braille Book Depository, International Braille Research Center,
100 Lorenz Road, Apartment 1205, San Antonio, Texas 78209, phone
(210) 826-9579, e-mail <pdonahue@texas.net>.
                           **********
An Offer You Can't Refuse:
     So you say you are attending the 1999 national convention in
Atlanta, and you say you plan to gather recorded NFB literature
in the exhibit hall. But do you have proper storage systems for
all this vintage NFB material?

     The NFB of Illinois has the perfect solution for you. For a
mere $3 each you can have your very own attractive white vinyl
albums that accommodate a dozen cassettes. Our cassette albums
come complete with clear sleeves front and back for print labels
and ample space on the spine for Braille labels.

     Find the Illinois table in the exhibit hall, and take
advantage of an opportunity to free yourself from toppling tapes.
If you are unable to attend this year's National Convention, you
may still avoid the dreaded cassette avalanche by sending a check
or money order, made payable to NFB of Illinois, in the amount of
$3 for each cassette album, to Stephen O. Benson, NFB of
Illinois, 7020 North Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646.
                           **********
New Cassette Fashion Publication:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     D Square is a new fashion publication dedicated to making
the feel and look of fashion design accessible. Our publication
covers the latest fashion trends for men and women, reveals
unbeatable shopping deals, reviews mall designs and happenings,
and even interviews on-the-go designers. For more information
call (610) 642-4442 or send an e-mail to
<denise@touchthearts.org>. Call today and bring the world of
fashion to your door.
                           **********
                           **********
                           NFB PLEDGE
                           **********
     I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the
National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality,
opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies
and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its Constitution.
