                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 42, No. 6                                         July, 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
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              Web Page address: http://www.nfb.org



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                    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. 6                                         July, 1999
                            Contents

Merger Madness
     by Wayne E. Shevlin

Separate Agency for the Blind: Best Practice for Success
     by James H. Omvig

Seeing Is Believing They Told Us We Couldn't Take Care of Our
     Children Because We're Blind
     by Lori K. Baker

Banks Sued over ATM Use Advocates for the Blind Say Mellon and
     PNC Should Provide Voice-operated Machines
     by Joseph A. Slobodzian

Amylin Analog (Pramlintide) Studies Reveal Better Glycemic
     Control
     by Ed Bryant

From Discrimination to a Dream Come True
     by Vicky Chapman

Huge Surplus Amassed by Guide Dog Charity Critics Say Group
     Sitting On Too Much Wealth
     by David Dietz

To Touch the Untouchable Dream
     by Toni and Ed Eames

Lessons Brought to Light
     by Daniel B. Frye

Everyday Heroes Acts That Count
     by Taylor Syphus

Linkage Bill Introduced in House

Admiration
     by Kathleen Lusk

Sitting in a Corner? Not Me!
     by Tobias (Toby) Longface

Baking Our Daily Bread
     by Barbara Pierce

The Technical Braille Center
     by John J. Boyer

Donald C. Capps Receives the Jefferson Award
     by David Houck

Recipes

Monitor Miniatures

       Copyright (C) 1999 National Federation of the Blind




[LEAD PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Pictures of eight children appear on
this page. The captions under the pictures read as follows: Peter
John Foster, Kentucky; Samantha Gilley (and brother Austin),
Georgia; Michael Taboada, Louisiana; Laura-Sun Cefaratti,
Maryland; Hannah Weatherd, Montana; Andrew Wai, Pennsylvania; and
Nicolas Stockton, West Virginia.]

CAPTION: The In-Touch program for parents of blind children is a
three-and-a-half-day intensive Braille literacy and assistive
technology seminar conducted at the International Braille and
Technology Center for the Blind. Through this program parents get
a comprehensive overview of what's available in Braille, speech,
and tactile adaptive technology for the blind.

     They see demonstrations, do some hands-on exercises, review
the factors that go into making decisions about what technology
to buy, and discuss how to get technology into an IEP. This
technology learning is linked to discussions about the importance
of Braille literacy, methods of learning Braille, low-tech
Braille technology, and resources available to parents and their
children.

     The first 1999 seminar for parents took place June 3 to 6.
Pictured above are several of the children of the June seminar
participants. The second parent seminar will occur October 7 to
10. At this writing a few spots are still available. If you are
interested, call Barbara Cheadle, (410) 659-9314. In-Touch is
funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Seraph Foundation,
and the UPS Foundation.]


[PHOTO/CAPTION: Wayne Shevlin]
                         Merger Madness
                       by Wayne E. Shevlin
                           **********
     From the Editor: In recent years legislatures and governors
in state after state have decided that multiplying the layers of
bureaucracy thereby creating huge agencies will increase
efficiency in delivering rehabilitation services while at the
same time saving money. They argue that lumping accounting and
other administrative services together will automatically and
inevitably provide economy of scale. Sometimes they even argue
that counselors, who after all know everything about
rehabilitation, can be more efficient if they deal with a number
of different disabilities in a small geographic area rather than
specializing in one or a very few disabilities and traveling some
distance to cover the case load.

     But anyone who has ever tried to make his or her perplexed
way through layers of the rehabilitation bureaucratic maze knows
that such arguments benefit no one but the empire builders at the
very top, where power and influence are available to a very few.
Clients with specific needs are not served. Counselors only
become discouraged trying to understand the access-equipment,
mobility, and Braille needs of blind consumers; learn American
Sign Language and other communicative skills to help deaf
clients; and meet the specific needs of those with brain injury,
orthopedic limitations of all kinds, or mental retardation. It
can't be done effectively, but since the only people losing out
are those requiring rehabilitation and the dedicated
professionals trying to serve them, the disadvantages of such
merger plans are frequently discounted.

     The legislative battles that result when these consolidation
plans surface are messy and unpleasant. The members of the
disability community resisting the legislative juggernaut have
little money, power, or influence; so why should legislators
listen to us? We are frequently told that we don't really
understand the situation, that no one intends to damage the
rehabilitation delivery system, that we will experience no
diminution in the quality of the services delivered. They dismiss
the fact that we are the ones who have been on the receiving end
of whatever rehabilitation has been available, and we know what
works and what doesn't. We have learned the hard way that long
chains of command, budget dispersal, and paperwork create chaos
and confusion. We have all heard the stories of what happens when
a counselor doesn't know enough about a disability to insure that
proper services are procured for a client. And many of us can
name the states in which services for the blind have been buried
in much larger agencies for so long that the notion of effective
service delivery would be a joke if human lives weren't being
destroyed by the system.

     Despite our best efforts we lost the most recent round of
the separate-agency battle in Texas in early May. Happily, in
North Carolina the blind are still up and fighting and appear to
be holding their own against determined opposition. Wayne Shevlin
chairs the NFB of North Carolina's Legislative Committee. Here is
the way he tells the story of the latest confrontation in North
Carolina:
                           **********
     I returned home from National Convention in July of 1998 to
find that someone in our state legislature had introduced a bill
to merge our Division of Services for the Blind, Services for the
Deaf, and Vocational Rehabilitation into one generic agency
called the Division of Rehabilitation Services. As Legislative
Chairman of the NFB of North Carolina, I immediately went to work
making calls to people in the organization, encouraging them to
make calls and to write to their legislators, particularly those
on the committee which had introduced this idea. I went as far as
to get a permit to demonstrate in front of the Legislative
Building if necessary.

     At that time it turned out not to be necessary. (See Herman
Gruber's article, "North Carolina Agency Survives Surprise from
Legislature" in the November, 1998, issue of the Braille
Monitor.) The bill was passed on from the committee to our State
House of Representatives, and the bill to merge was voted down
fifty-seven to fifty-five. But unfortunately it didn't end there;
in fact, it was just getting started.

     While the merger was voted down, a provision was passed to
establish a study commission to look at the feasibility of
merging the Division of Services for the Blind, Services for the
Deaf, and Vocational Rehabilitation. The accounting firm of Price
Waterhouse-Coopers--who better to work with the Blind than an
accounting firm--were hired to do the study. Consumers were to be
included in the study. However, we were told that the merger was
a done deal, and what we thought didn't really matter.
Nevertheless, our state president, Herman Gruber, was asked to
participate in the merger study.

     In March of this year the issue began to heat up. I began to
hear all kinds of rumors, including more talk that the merger was
already a done deal. A done deal, eh--I guess they forgot to
consider the National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina.
Herman and I had already been keeping in touch regularly; now it
became daily. We also began having regular meetings with the
North Carolina Council of the Blind, North Carolina Association
of Workers for the Blind, and other groups and people who had no
blindness-field affiliation at all.

     On March 24 we held a meeting in Raleigh to plan and inform
people about what was happening. People were also encouraged to
visit their legislators as long as they were in town for the
meeting. We decided to schedule a demonstration in front of the
Legislative Building on April 6. I was asked to set up the
demonstration. I had participated in NAC-Tracking and in a number
of demonstrations held at Washington Seminars through the years,
but I had never organized one before.

     I learned very quickly just how many details are involved in
organizing a demonstration, especially one which turned out to be
as big as this one was. We needed to obtain permits from
Legislative Security and the Raleigh Police Department. We had to
find a place for people to gather and for them to park cars and
vans. There were press releases to write and send, slogans and
signs to invent and make, people to notify, and on and on. Peggy
Elliott, Second Vice President of the National Federation of the
Blind, and her secretary Darla Hamilton arrived the day before
the demonstration to help and give us moral support. We met with
them the night they arrived to cover last-minute details.

     The big day arrived. The demonstration was to be held at
noon. We were all to gather at the Holiday Inn and walk about
five blocks to the Legislative Building. Only as people began
arriving did we realize the size of the group we were going to
have. By all counts, ours and the media's, we had between four
and five hundred people in attendance. We had people from all
parts of the state: agency employees; AER, NFB, and ACB members;
deaf-blind people, folks in wheel chairs, and members of the
Lions Club in their orange vests. The media were well represented
by our four major local TV stations, reporters from the Raleigh
and Charlotte papers, and several other papers from across the
state. We marched up and down in front of the Legislative
Building for almost two hours with Mrs. Elliott in the thick of
things helping to organize and leading the chanting. A number of
legislators came out to watch and talk to us.

     After the smoke had cleared, several of us who had been
recognized as organizers of the opposition movement received
phone calls inviting us to a meeting of the joint Senate and
House Appropriations Committee the next week. Now was the time to
let those with the real power know how we felt, as if the
demonstration hadn't. The first folks in line to speak to the
committee were representatives of the Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS), the parent agency of the state agency
serving the blind. They presented their study results and their
recommendations, which were--surprise, surprise--that Services
for the Blind, Services for the Deaf, and Vocational
Rehabilitation be merged into a Department of Rehabilitation.
Some of the more interesting things said by the Secretary of DHHS
were "they were trying to help the blind and that we ought to be
grateful" and that "the blind were the only consumers who opposed
the merger." We were also told that a few of the blind had
stirred the rest up.

     The next day the consumers had our say. The first people to
speak were two advocates from the deaf community. They were very
much opposed to the merger. Hmmm, what was that about the blind
being the only group opposed? Then we had our chance. Mr. Gruber
was the spokesman for blind consumers and was eloquent. He was
asked whether the blind would be satisfied if we were guaranteed
a voice in deciding the way the merger would be done. Mr.
Gruber's response was, "If the input on planning the merger was
as significant as it had been on the Study Commission, it wasn't
worth much."

     Since the committee meeting we have heard many rumors about
what may happen: everything from "it's a done deal" to "the
legislature will wait until the consumers forget and then try to
slip it through." In the end I think they are likely to combine
our school for the blind with the three schools for the deaf but
leave our agency alone. The Secretary of DHHS can merge the
agencies without the backing of the legislature, but I don't
think it is likely. We are continuing to keep in touch and build
support with our legislators to let them know we have not
forgotten and are continuing to keep our plans current. It's not
over yet, and blind North Carolinians are in no danger of
forgetting or of ceasing to keep a watchful eye on those who
think that bigger bureaucracy is better.

     I want to extend thanks to all who participated and who have
expressed their support. Thanks especially to our National
Office. Peggy Elliott and Herman Gruber provided excellent advice
and leadership. Thank you to the members of the NFB of North
Carolina, who by their hard work have made my job as legislative
chairman easier. If anyone still wonders why the National
Federation of the Blind, our experience in North Carolina is an
eloquent illustration. Without the commitment, experience, and
momentum of the Federation, we would never have come as far as we
have.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Jim Omvig]
    Separate Agency for the Blind: Best Practice for Success
                        by James H. Omvig
                           **********
     From the Editor: Ever since Dr. Jernigan went to Iowa in
1958 to transform the worst agency serving blind people in the
country into the best program anywhere, we have known how
important it is for effective rehabilitation of the blind to be
conducted by a separate agency. "Because separate agencies do a
better job" is not a sufficient reason to give legislators being
lured by the siren song of consolidation. Jim Omvig is one of the
people whom Dr. Jernigan first rehabilitated and then trained to
assist him to do his work in Iowa. Jim is a blind attorney who
has now been involved in rehabilitation for more than thirty
years. He wrote the following paper for several Arizona
legislators some years ago. It is as relevant and helpful today
as it was then.
                           **********
                           Background
                           **********
     Every state has some form of vocational rehabilitation and
training program for its blind adults, for which the federal
government pays approximately eighty percent of the cost. The
blind receive these services in one of two ways: either from a
large general rehabilitation agency, which tries to serve people
with all types of disabilities, or from a separate agency for the
blind, which presumably has the requisite expertise and serves
only blind consumers. Then in turn, if a separate program for the
blind is established, it may be either a section or division
within a much larger umbrella agency, or it may be a completely
separate and independent agency, directly accountable to the
governor, the legislature, the blind, and the general citizenry.
It is up to each state to determine which governmental structure
is best suited to meet the particular needs of its blind
citizens.

     Congress has recognized that the problems of the blind are
unique and therefore that meaningful services for the blind are
distinctly different from rehabilitation and related services for
people with other disabilities. Accordingly, federal law permits
the states to establish a completely separate, independent agency
for the blind if they wish in order to address these unique needs
in a comprehensive, specialized program. The relevant federal law
is Title 29 USC, Section 701 (a) (1) (A) of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended.

     Experience has shown that the blind always have the best
possible chance of receiving quality services when such services
are delivered through an independent, separate agency for the
blind. There are numerous reasons for the tremendous success of
these programs. They are outlined in the section below.
                           **********
        Why a Separate, Independent Agency for the Blind?
                           **********
     Rehabilitation of the blind has more in common with
independent living services for the blind, services for the older
blind, orientation and adjustment training for the blind, sight
conservation, and sheltered employment for the blind than it does
with rehabilitation of other disability groups or the socially or
economically disadvantaged. Likewise small business enterprise
programs for the blind have more in common with rehabilitation
services for the blind than they do with other types of small
business programs.

     Even so, some argue that the blind should be lumped together
with other disability groups or served through some giant
umbrella agency to achieve integration and coordination of
services. Until you think about it carefully and have certain
facts presented to you, this might sound like pretty good,
logical thinking.

     There is, indeed, a need for coordination and integration of
state services for the blind, but terminology should not be
confused with reality. If, for instance, a state has a supervisor
of highway construction, a supervisor of elementary education, a
supervisor of pest control, and a supervisor of health and
welfare, it does not follow that integration and coordination are
achieved by creating a Department of Supervisors and lumping all
of these people and functions together. Nor is any real
integration or coordination achieved by establishing a Department
of Health and Highways. Health is one function, highways another,
and they cannot meaningfully be integrated.

     If such a department is established, all that can be
accomplished is to superimpose a costly administrative hierarchy
upon the two departments. They will still remain separate
functions whether they be called departments, divisions,
sections, bureaus, or whatever. In fact the administrative
hierarchy will be detrimental and will only cause inefficiency
and waste in such a situation.

     Relating all of this to the blind, fragmentation is
increased rather than helped by putting all of the services for
the blind into a division of a super-department. What is needed
is common sense rather than textbook theory and neatness of
somebody's organizational chart. Sound reasoning tells us that
the various services for the blind complement and supplement one
another and form one unique entity. They are only very slightly
and incidentally related to services for people with other
disabilities or other disadvantaged groups despite the similarity
of terminology.

     The people who administer rehabilitation and other services
for the blind should be able to administer the entire package,
and they should not be distracted by other duties. Furthermore,
they should not be responsible to people who have other program
interests and who may, therefore, subordinate the needs of
programs for the blind to other interests or pet projects. At the
same time the professional agency for the blind administrator
must be responsible to some authority as a check and balance and
a testing ground for his or her judgment. This authority should
be a lay board, preferably one containing a number of blind
people themselves--people who know firsthand what the services
are and what they should be to achieve best results.

     In those states where separate, independent agencies exist,
the governor (often with the advice and consent of the Senate)
appoints the members of the lay board. The board hires the
director, and the director then hires other staff and provides
the leadership and day-to-day management of the program.

     On the other hand, if the administrator of programs for the
blind is responsible to the head of some super-agency or even
directly to the governor, he or she is really not responsible to
anyone, for these people are not knowledgeable about what is
needed and are likely to be extremely busy with other matters.
Thus an independent department or commission for the blind
administering all state services for the blind is clearly best
suited to meet the requirements for a good program.

     It is, of course, possible to have an inefficient
independent agency just as it is possible to have an inefficient
program under any other type of structure, but the odds are much
better for good programs if you have the independent agency
system. This all depends, of course, upon the caliber and
expertise of the people who do the administering. However, if all
other things are equal, an independent commission affords the
best organizational structure. Let me be more specific about what
I have been saying. Even though the same words are sometimes used
when we talk of various service programs, the mere use of such
words is where the similarity ends. For example, rehabilitation
of people using wheelchairs or of the deaf is in no sense the
same process as rehabilitation of the blind. And this is equally
true when discussing a hundred other types of rehabilitation. In
other words, the problems facing blind people are unique. From
this it naturally follows that those who are hired to provide
rehabilitation services for blind people must possess a unique
reservoir of knowledge specifically related to the problems of
blindness, if effective programs are to be carried on. If we are
to be truly effective, we need experts whose training and
experience relate specifically to the problems of blindness. It
is sheer nonsense to expect any human being to be knowledgeable
about and to possess the necessary expertise to deal effectively
with all of the problems of everyone needing various types of
rehabilitation services.

     "But," it is sometimes argued, "it is desirable to have the
uniformity of administration found in a large super-agency." This
argument might be made with considerable validity for producing
license plates or for regulatory agencies--licensing, permits,
etc. Its validity is much more doubtful, however, with respect to
human-service programs, which for maximum efficiency must operate
on a person-to-person basis. As I have said, neatness of
somebody's organizational chart and uniformity of administrative
pattern must not be permitted to obscure the human element. In
fact, there is considerable evidence that bigness itself is a
negative, not a positive factor.

     "But," it is further argued, "programs for the blind and
others which sound similar should be merged into large
departments so that they will not function in a vacuum and be too
independent." An interesting point can be made here. The best way
to hide a tree is in a forest. A separate, independent agency for
the blind with a lay board would always operate in the spotlight
of inescapable scrutiny, accountability, and responsibility. If
its programs are not functioning well, the blind can and will
rise in protest, and there can be no possibility of evasion, no
shifting of responsibility, no passing the buck. There is no
hierarchy of administrators, divisions, or bureaucrats to stand
between unhappy blind consumers and the people employed to give
them service.

     On the other hand, if you want real independence and lack of
accountability, turn that agency loose in the mazes of
bureaucracy as a tiny segment of a super-agency. In the hide-and-
seek of the intricacies and technicalities and divided
responsibilities within a giant agency, no governor and no
legislator can track it down. In the corridors of bureaucracy the
full-time professional administrator is king, and the layman,
whether governor, legislator, or average citizen just seeking
service, is subject.

     Establish a separate, independent agency for the blind with
a lay board appointed by the governor and you have checks and
balances and the maximum incentive for that agency to do a good
job. Submerge services for the blind in a large department, and
you give that program a blank check of independence and
authority--independence and authority which it should neither
want nor have.

     Further, when you place services for the blind in a larger
department of government, this will necessarily divert the
energies and talents of administrators whose training,
experience, and main professional concerns should be strictly
with the blind. Can anyone really doubt what the main
professional concerns of the high-level administrators of a
giant, umbrella agency are? I can assure you that those concerns
have nothing to do with blindness.

     We who are blind do not wish to divert the energies or
talents of anybody, nor do we wish the agency for the blind's
energies and talents to be diverted, watered down, or shifted
from the course of giving the best possible service to the blind
of the state. This is probably one of the principal reasons why
many states have separated their services for the blind from
large departments.

     "But," as a last-ditch effort, it is argued by the
uninformed, "can't we save a lot of state and federal money if we
just lump together these seemingly related programs? We can avoid
duplication and save a bundle." While this sounds logical and
responsible, the fact is that, where this re-organizing takes
place, the same program administrators and managers are generally
retained, but in addition a new and costly level of
administrators is imposed to supervise the original program
managers. This practice costs more, not less.

     Finally, several years ago an independent study (The Mallas
Report) was made of service delivery systems to determine which
type was best suited to provide quality rehabilitation and
related services for the blind. The study concluded that the
separate, independent agency with a lay board appointed by the
governor is best. In an interview the researcher said, "Where
reorganization of services for the blind has taken place on the
basis of the economy-of-scale principle, its proponents have sold
the legislature and the Governor on statements such as, `This
will be more efficient and economical. It will let us get more
mileage out of every tax dollar.' As a matter of fact, in every
state where such a reorganization has taken place, the prestige
and level of operation of the agencies serving the blind have
been downgraded." This study also makes another revealing
finding. "In general programs for the blind which fall under
rehabilitation departments and umbrella agencies have the least
effectiveness in developing and utilizing necessary financial
resources."

     In conclusion, we who are blind want the opportunity to
receive services aimed at returning us to the mainstream of life.
We want to be taxpayers, not tax users. The separate, independent
agency for the blind offers us the best chance for meaningful
programs. We are willing to work, and work hard, but we will also
dare to dream in order to develop and protect our separate
programs.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: The Posont Family: Peter and Katie, standing in
rear; Paul standing beside his parents, Donna and Larry; Betsy
seated on Donna's lap; and Ruth Anne standing in front of Larry.]
                       Seeing Is Believing
       They Told Us We Couldn't Take Care of our Children
                       Because We're Blind
                        by Lori K. Baker
                           **********
     From the Editor: the following article appeared in the May
11, 1999, issue of Family Circle Magazine. Donna and Larry Posont
are leaders in the NFB of Michigan and the NFB's merchants
division. Here it is:
                           **********
     It's 7:30 on a school-day morning, a hectic time for forty-
two-year-old Donna Posont. The mother of five stands at a
sizzling griddle, flipping French toast as fast as a short-order
cook. Two-and-a-half-year-old Betsy toddles to her mother, bells
jingling on her tiny shoes. "How's mama's baby?" Donna gently
coos, sprinkling cinnamon on the French toast. She whisks her
youngest into her arms, hoists her on a hip, and begins to set
the breakfast table.

     As the scent of cinnamon wafts through her Dearborn Heights,
Michigan, home, Donna's sons, Peter, ten, and Paul, eight, bound
into the kitchen, followed by daughters Katie, sixteen, and Ruth
Anne, five, and husband Larry, forty-eight, a snack-bar-service
owner. "Ruthie, why don't I go to school today, and you stay
home?" teases Larry. His little girl giggles, flashing deep
dimples.

     Quickly finishing breakfast, the kids are ready to dart out
the door for school. But first Donna checks how they're dressed.
"Let me see you," she tells Ruthie, running her hands over her
daughter's shirt and sweatpants. One by one, she touches her
other children's clothes and asks what they're wearing. Donna can
feel for herself if they are dressed warmly, but she and her
husband can only imagine how adorable their kids look. Donna and
Larry are both blind--and all five of their children are sighted.

     "How do you do it?" friends constantly ask the couple, who
juggle two careers and run a household of active youngsters. It
takes lots of love, courage, and ingenuity, say the Posonts,
especially when you can't see what your kids are up to. "We do a
lot of careful listening," says Donna, who runs a snack bar and
vending machine service called Donna's Delights from her home.
"Sighted parents see their children going into the kitchen, but I
hear the cookie jar opening or juice pouring into a cup. I smell
toothpaste when my kids have brushed their teeth, soap when
they've washed their hands, and candy on their breath."
                           **********
               Starting a Family, Facing the Fear

     When Donna and Larry married nearly twelve years ago--the
second time for both--they realized they'd face unique
challenges, especially since they knew their children would be
sighted. Donna's blindness is genetic--she has retinitis
pigmentosa (RP), better known as tunnel vision, which causes a
progressive loss of sight. Donna lost her sight at age eight. To
inherit RP, typically both parents must pass on the gene. But
Larry's blindness is not genetic. His stems from scarring of the
retina, a condition brought on by being placed in a high-oxygen
incubator as a baby. Larry had limited vision in his left eye
until age sixteen when he suffered a detached retina and became
totally blind.

     "We never had any doubt that we could raise a family," says
Larry. "If we had married sooner, we would have had a dozen
kids," he adds, laughing. When Donna became pregnant with son
Peter soon after their wedding, the couple were thrilled,
especially Larry. He didn't have any children from his previous
marriage, but Donna did--her daughter, Katie--and she knew the
stress and anxiety of being a blind parent all too well. "My
biggest fear was that Katie would get sick, and I wouldn't know
her temperature," Donna admits. At first she would ask a neighbor
to take Katie's temperature at the slightest hint of fever. But
she soon learned to trust her sense of touch, placing her hands
on Katie's forehead and cheeks. (These days she uses a talking
thermometer.)

     Like many new mothers, Donna also lived in fear that her
baby might choke or swallow something unsafe. When Katie was
thirteen months old, Donna's worst nightmare came true. Katie had
become lethargic--almost lifeless--and she wouldn't eat. Frantic,
Donna wondered whether Katie had swallowed something dangerous.
"I was hysterical," she recalls. Donna's brother-in-law rushed
them to the emergency room, where doctors took blood tests to
rule out poisoning. After an agonizing wait, Donna overheard the
doctor phoning the lab for the test results, "The mother doesn't
know if the baby swallowed anything," he said. "She's blind."'

     Tears of humiliation welled in Donna's eyes. "It just
crushed me," she says. "Suddenly I felt totally inadequate. I
started thinking, I am blind. Maybe I shouldn't be a mother."
Heartsick, Donna felt utter relief when tests showed no signs of
poisoning. Doctors later discovered Katie had a hernia, which was
making her nauseated and lethargic. After corrective surgery
Katie quickly returned to good health.

     Although the terrifying episode caused Donna moments of
self-doubt, deep down she knew she was a capable mother despite
what anyone else might think.

     After the birth of the Posonts' first son, Peter, in 1988, a
hospital social worker stopped by to see Donna before she and her
newborn were discharged. She asked whether Donna needed help at
home, such as rides to take the baby to the doctor. "Of course I
always need rides," replied Donna, who relies on taxicabs, buses,
and friends to get around. The social worker jotted down a few
notes and left.

     A week later Donna was shocked to get a call from child
protective services. "Why are you calling us?" she asked. The
caseworker said it was a hospital referral and that she must now
come for a home visit. Donna's stomach immediately tied in a
knot. "I felt like I was on trial, and I had to prove my children
were okay," she says.

     When the caseworker arrived, she asked questions about who
fed and bathed the baby and who changed diapers. She noticed
Katie, in pigtails, playing on the floor with one of her friends.
"Who braided Katie's hair?" the caseworker asked curiously. "I
did," Donna told her.

     "I think she was surprised that my daughter's hair was fixed
and that another parent was allowing a blind woman to watch her
child," Donna says. Once the caseworker realized Donna took good
care of her children, she left.
                           **********
          Bells, Beepers, and Other Tricks of the Trade

     What child protective services didn't know about the Posonts
is just how ingenious they are in handling all the day-to-day
tasks of raising youngsters. "We're like anyone else," Donna
says. "We just do things differently." While laundry for a family
of seven is a daunting task for anyone, Donna has figured out
clever ways to make it easier. (Even sighted parents could try
these tips.) She has family members fold dirty socks together;
then she pins them so they stay matched in the wash. In the
laundry room, she keeps a different basket for each person, lined
up according to age. "When the clothes come out of the dryer, I
can tell who they belong to by size and shape," Donna explains.

     Donna can also maneuver through a maze of supermarket aisles
with no problem. She's memorized her grocery store's layout and
can easily shop alone. But she prefers to take a different child
with her each week. "This gives me one-on-one time with each of
them, something they find precious," Donna explains.

     One thing Donna won't do is rely on her children for help
beyond their basic chores. Otherwise, she believes, it blurs the
line between a parent's role and a child's. To keep track of the
flood of mail and school papers that land on her desk, for
instance, she hires a reader to come in once a week and go
through a stack. "I'd be willing to pay Katie to do the job,"
says Donna. "But I'd never make it her responsibility."

     Still family roles become confused in public, where
strangers often treat the Posont children as if they are the ones
in charge. Katie remembers well-intentioned strangers often
asking, "Aren't you Mommy's little helper?" when she was young.
"Who do they think took care of me?" says Katie. "My mom and dad
can do everything."

     "It's not that strangers are trying to be rude," Larry says,
recalling similar incidents. "There's just a lot of
misconceptions and negative stereotypes about blindness."

     The Posont kids' friends are equally curious about what it's
like to be raised by blind parents, say Peter and Paul, who are
often asked what they can get away with at home. To their
friends' amazement, the answer is "not much." Careful listeners,
Donna and Larry always seem to know what their kids are doing--
"Like when we're downstairs playing, and we're supposed to be in
bed," admits Paul. The eight-year-old also confesses to trying to
sneak chocolate. Then his mom will give him a kiss, smell the
chocolate on his breath, and his secret is out.

     Typical boys, Peter and Paul enjoy roughhousing and playing
sports with their dad. "I spend a lot of time with my kids," says
Larry. "I want them to know how much I love them." Thanks to
clever inventions, he and his children are able to play all sorts
of games together. "We play catch with baseballs and soccer balls
that beep," says Peter. "And we shoot hoops with a basketball
with bells. We also have checkers and Scrabble in Braille." But
what amazes the boys about their dad is his uncanny ability to
bowl. "At first the kids thought they could beat me bowling,"
says Larry, laughing about a recent family outing. "Then I scored
163 on one game. When I got a strike, you could hear everyone in
the bowling alley hollering." Larry's secret? A guide rail
designed for blind bowlers, which he holds with his left hand as
he rolls the ball with his right. The kids were still impressed.
"It's amazing how he gets all those strikes," says Paul. "I
always get curb balls."

     Like any proud father, Larry totes a camcorder to his
children's hockey and soccer games, school plays and musical
performances. "We want pictures of our kids, too," he says. "Not
just for us, but for our children to know they're special." But,
he admits, it's a real challenge. Sometimes kind strangers help;
other times Larry aims and hopes for the best. "I don't always
get a picture of the kids, but at least I get their voices.
Someday they'll look at these tapes and say, `My dad was blind,
but he was always there.'"
                           **********
                      A House Full of Love

     On a recent afternoon Betsy squeals with delight as Larry
arrives home from work at 4:30 p.m. He sits on the living room
floor and quickly becomes a human jungle gym with kids crawling
all over him. "Hi, buddy," he says to Paul, playfully tousling
his son's hair. "This is one thing no one can take away from me--
the closeness I have with my children," says Larry. "Sure, it
upsets me that I'll never see my kids. But I know what their
faces look like because I've felt them, touched them, and kissed
them."

     In the kitchen Donna sets the table for a crowd-pleasing
dinner of spaghetti, crescent rolls, and salad. After dinner
Peter and Paul rush out the door for hockey practice. Nowadays
Donna's biggest challenge is keeping track of her active kids'
schedules: church youth groups, hockey, cheerleading, Boy Scouts.
"It's a lot to juggle," Donna readily admits.

     While Katie does her homework, Donna snuggles on the couch
with Ruthie and Betsy for story time. Nestled between her
daughters, Donna reads The Berenstein Bears Forget Their Manners-
-the girls' favorite--aloud as her fingers decipher raised dots
of Braille. Donna's Twin Vision(R) book is cleverly designed so
the blind and sighted can read together: it has transparent pages
with Braille over typical storybook pages. Hanging on to every
word, Ruthie and Betsy burst into giggles when Papa Bear forgets
his manners and Mama Bear gets after him. Much too soon it's time
for bed.

     Once everyone is tucked in, the weary couple have a quiet
moment to reflect on how being raised by blind parents has shaped
their children's lives. "They don't make fun of people who are
different. They're very patient and tolerant of others'
disabilities," says Donna. "In many ways they are wise beyond
their years." That doesn't mean they miss out on typical
childhood joys. The family has been on trips to Disneyland, Six
Flags amusement parks, and different cities across the country.

     Like other parents Larry and Donna dream that their children
will grow up feeling loved and become happy, healthy,
compassionate adults. "In the future I hope my children will get
scholarships, go to college, serve the Lord in their lives, and
give me lots of grandchildren," says Donna, smiling. Along with
these common wishes is a special dream: "We want our lives to
give hope and encouragement to parents of blind children. These
children can grow up to enjoy fulfilling lives with careers an
families," says Donna, a perfect example herself. "No one is
limited by blindness. We're only limited by attitude."
                           **********
                           **********
                           **********
*****************************************************************
                       Pooled Income Gifts

     In this plan money donated to the National Federation of the
Blind by a number of individuals is invested by the NFB. Each
donor and the NFB sign an agreement that income from the funds
will be paid to the donor quarterly or annually. Each donor
receives a tax deduction for the gift; the NFB receives a useful
donation; and the donor receives income of a specified amount for
the rest of his or her life. For more information about the NFB
pooled income fund, contact the National Federation of the Blind,
Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-
4998, phone (410) 659-9314, fax (410) 685-5653.
*****************************************************************
                           **********
                           **********
                           **********
                     Banks Sued over ATM Use
                     Advocates for the Blind
                       Say Mellon and PNC
             Should Provide Voice-Operated Machines
                     by Joseph A. Slobodzian
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article appeared in the June
4, 1999, edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In the May issue
of the Braille Monitor we carried a story outlining the problems
with today's automatic teller machines. The following article
continues the story. Here it is:
                           **********
     Advocates for the blind in Pennsylvania yesterday sued
Mellon Bank and PNC Bank, contending that the banks must provide
voice-equipped automatic teller machines to comply with federal
disabilities law.

     The lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Courts in
Philadelphia against Mellon, and in Pittsburgh against PNC, by
the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania and
individual Federation members who are customers of the banks.

     "The talking ATM technology is available, and we think the
banks should provide them for their blind customers," said
Theodore Young, owner of a Glenside computer company, president
of the Pennsylvania Federation, and a blind customer of Mellon
Bank.

     Young said the two banks were targeted in the suit because
both are large statewide banks likely to have significant numbers
of blind customers. Although most banks now have ATM machines
with Braille raised-dot coding along the keys for blind users,
Young said only 15 percent of the blind are literate in Braille.
Young said even those who are Braille-literate, as he is, are not
helped when the bank changes the on-screen message or options on
the ATM.

     "You wind up having to memorize the keys until the next
changes," Young added. The lawsuit, filed under the Americans
With Disabilities Act, asks the court to find the banks in
violation of the federal law and order them to install talking
ATM technology.

     Spokesmen for Mellon and PNC said yesterday that they were
not permitted to comment on pending litigation. John Hall, a
spokesman for the American Bankers Association, a Washington-
based industry group, said talking ATM technology is new and not
in common use in U.S. banks. Hall said an association task force
worked with disabilities groups at the time the federal law took
effect in 1992 and approved accommodations for the blind such as
Braille directions and bank-sponsored training for the blind on
using ATM machines.

     Voice-equipped ATM's were discounted as an option at the
time, Hall said, because of security concerns when the ATM voice
announces personal financial information about the blind
customer.

     Young, however, said current technology would let the ATM
machines broadcast aural directions that could only be heard by
someone wearing a special headset programmed to receive it. Young
said such an accommodation was critical for the blind as more
federal and state government agencies are using direct-deposit to
place social program benefits in recipients' bank accounts.

     Thomas H. Earle, a lawyer with the Disabilities Law Project
in Center City, who filed the suit for the blind federation,
acknowledged that the talking bank technology was new but noted
that Royal Bank of Canada had begun installing such machines in
its banks.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Ed Bryant]
               Amylin Analog (Pramlintide) Studies
                 Reveal Better Glycemic Control
                          by Ed Bryant
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article first appeared in
Voice of the Diabetic, Volume 14, No. 2, April 1999, published
quarterly by the NFB's Diabetes Action Network. Ed Bryant edits
the publication and serves as President of the Diabetes Action
Network.
                           **********
     For decades diabetes researchers thought the achievement of
euglycemia (normal, stable blood sugars) was a balancing act
between two hormones, pancreatic insulin and glucagon. All
diabetes medications either stimulated, replaced, or augmented
the action of one of these two. Such medications work, but people
who use insulin know good control can be difficult, no matter how
diligently the diabetic works at it. The blood sugars always seem
to fluctuate, and the tightest control is never quite as good as
that achieved by a healthy pancreas. There has always seemed to
be a third element, another part of the puzzle, one we weren't
getting.

     We may now have the missing piece. Amylin Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., a San Diego, California, company, has been researching the
human hormone amylin, and their findings, while interim and
incomplete, are fascinating.

     About 100 years ago, researchers discovered white clumps of
a substance in the pancreas while performing autopsies. They
called it "amyloid," and no extensive research was done at that
time. In 1987 Garth Cooper, Ph.D. a New Zealand researcher
working in the U.K., and his co-workers published a paper
describing the peptide he had sequenced from amyloid. This
peptide was subsequently named "amylin."

     The hormone amylin, like insulin, is produced in the beta
cells of the pancreas. The two are co-secreted. A type 1
diabetic, deficient in insulin, is equally deficient in amylin. A
type 2 diabetic may exhibit a lesser amylin deficit. The
question: What is the role of amylin in blood glucose management?

     Amylin Pharmaceuticals has completed thirty-seven clinical
trials and is currently conducting phase 3 studies of its
synthetic amylin analog, pramlintide, in the United States. Some
studies were short and involved only a few people. Others lasted
several years, and hundreds took part. Here's some of what
they've found:
                           **********
     * Researchers believe that a deficiency of amylin
contributes to excessive post-meal glucose elevation. Amylin
appears to have a moderating effect on glucose absorption from
the gut into the blood. It acts as a set of brakes, slowing and
managing meal-derived glucose inflow and controlling pancreatic
glucagon secretion, which in turn regulates hepatic (liver)
glucose production. It also suppresses after-meal release of
glucose from the liver. Both of these activities serve to smooth
the peaks and valleys of blood sugar fluctuation and improve
overall glycemic control.

     * In studies where Hemoglobin A1c test results were compared
between those who used both insulin and pramlintide and those who
used insulin only, the A1c results of those who used the
injectable amylin analog were significantly lower than those who
did not. Major studies, such as the Diabetes Control and
Complications Trial and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes
Study, have established the relationship between lower A1c
results (for all diabetics) and a reduced risk of diabetes
complications: kidney disease, blindness, neuropathy, and
coronary artery disease.

     * The clinical trials showed that many overweight diabetics
who received pramlintide lost weight, while most lean diabetics,
given the same medications, did not lose weight. Although the
mechanism at work here is not yet clear, these results are
exciting since achieving and maintaining ideal weight contributes
to good health, a sense of well-being, and for some a reduction
in the amount of insulin needed to maintain good control.

     * Many diabetics have episodes of severe hypoglycemia
(dangerously low blood sugar). If the diabetes is being kept
under tight control by multiple tests and multiple insulin
injections, the individual is more likely to experience
hypoglycemia. Weight gain can follow as well. Studies in animals
have shown that pramlintide, which normally retards release of
the liver's glucose stores, suspends its action in the presence
of hypoglycemia. This suggests that pramlintide helps lower the
blood glucose without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. Some
test data appear to show a reduction in hypoglycemic episodes for
the duration of amylin therapy.

     * Although there are insufficient data to allow conclusions,
test results from several phase 2 and phase 3 studies suggested
that pramlintide use could lead to improvement in a diabetic's
LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios. The company has stated that its test
methodology was not clear enough to allow specific conclusions to
be drawn, so this needs more investigation. But if borne out by
further tests, it could suggest pramlintide might reduce the
coronary artery disease that so often follows diabetes.

     * Davida Kruger's paper, "Amylin: The Clinical Impact of
Restoring Both Beta Cell Hormones Insulin and Amylin," states:
"Amylin controls the rate of glucose inflow into the bloodstream
by restraining the rate of gastric emptying and suppressing
glucagon secretion, which in turn suppresses post-prandial
glucose production." Simply, pramlintide appears to slow gastric
emptying, which would more closely mimic the way our system is
supposed to work, certainly helping to stabilize glycemic
control. Some diabetics have gastroparesis, delayed gastric
emptying. Although the effect of pramlintide in the presence of
this complication has not yet been studied, the company plans to
do so before the drug is marketed.
                           **********
     Because natural amylin is too viscous to inject, Amylin
Pharmaceuticals developed its synthetic analog, pramlintide,
which is injected subcutaneously using an insulin syringe.
Although the use of an insulin/amylin mix was not tested in this
round of clinicals and test participants were specifically
instructed not to mix their insulin with their pramlintide, the
company did carry out a safety check, and it found no acute (or
short-term) hazard would be created if such mixing did occur
(both Humulin and Novolin insulins were tested, though quick-
acting Humalog insulin was excluded from study at that time).
Still the company has no plans at this time to offer a mixed
insulin/amylin product when it first markets pramlintide.

     Test volunteers, unable to mix their pramlintide with their
insulin, were faced with the need for many more injections.
Almost none of them dropped out of the study, and the consensus
was that they perceived the benefits to outweigh the irritation
of the extra injections. A few study participants were insulin
pump users. Use of pramlintide in conjunction with the insulin
pump may become possible.

     Amylin Pharmaceuticals has been testing this product for
years and is currently engaged in phase 3 clinicals in several
locations. As of March, 1999, over 1,700 people have received the
drug. Both type 1 and insulin-using type 2 diabetics received
pramlintide in different concentrations and frequencies. Only
among type 1 diabetics receiving the highest dosage were there
any noticeable side effects--in this case nausea and an increase
in hypoglycemic events. All other dosage and frequency levels
featured no increase in side effects (except transient nausea)
over that seen with placebos, and in most cases there were
significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c numbers--the kind of
result known to cut risk of complications.

     "Research shows that aggressive treatment...will prevent or
delay much of the illness and death," says Dr. Phillip Gorden,
Director of the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in a June 23, 1998, news
release. "Scientific studies provide compelling evidence that
maintaining blood sugar levels at less than 7 percent, as
measured by the HbA1c blood test, may reduce risk of
complications by 50 percent to 80 percent," says Dr. Frank
Vinicor, director of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation,
quoted in the same document.

     The process of winning approval from the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for a new medication and permission to
market it to consumers is long, expensive, and complex. To win
approval, a company must prove, not only that its product works
and doesn't imperil the safety of its users, but that its results
are regular, consistent, and predictable. Unexpected results,
surprise findings, or blind alleys can delay or prevent FDA
approval. Before permission to market is granted, all such
questions must be answered.

     Amylin Pharmaceuticals has reported some unexpected results.
Two six-month European/Canadian studies yielded, for the highest
dosages, less than the hypothesized drug effect, thus failing the
exam. (Other dosages showed positive effects.) The company must
now reexamine its testing strategy in light of the new findings.
As a recent news release stated: "The company plans to reassess
its regulatory timelines for pramlintide...." It is hoped FDA
filing requirements will be completed by the middle of year 2000.

     Much work is still underway to determine amylin's exact role
in helping to treat diabetes. If pramlintide can be successfully
retested, if the company can answer the questions its high-dosage
results exposed, if it can locate sufficient funding to weather
the storm, we may see approval by the FDA. If not, it will go
into the books as one more idea that didn't quite make it. For
the sake of all diabetics, I hope we see this one happen.

     For further information visit Amylin Pharmaceuticals' Web
site: <http://www.amylin.com>.

Resources:

     See American Association of Diabetes Educators conference
tapes for 1998 (AADE 25th Annual Meeting and Educational Program)
#S23, "Amylin, the Other Beta Cell Hormone," by Davida Kruger,
MSN, RN CS, CDE, and Patricia Gatcomb, BSN, RN, CDE, and #T15,
"Amylin, the Clinical Impact of Restoring Both Beta Cell
Hormones, Insulin and Amylin," by Davida Kruger. Get these tapes
and others from the 1998 AADE meeting by calling Landes Slezak
Group at (800) 776-5454. Tapes cost $11 each.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Vicky Chapman]
            From Discrimination to a Dream Come True
                        by Vicky Chapman
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article first appeared in the
Spring, 1999, edition of the NFB Vigilant, a publication of the
NFB of Virginia.
                           **********
     A timid seven-year-old slowly walked into a small dance
studio which appeared very large to the little girl. The child
was in awe at how large the room was, and she wondered who the
other little girl was who faced her and copied all her movements.
She could see shapes, figures, and colors. She could not see
faces or recognize expressions. Watching the dance instructor,
the little girl tried to mimic her steps. Realizing that the
child wasn't following her movements, the teacher provided oral
instructions to guide the child's feet through the shuffle-toe-
heel dance steps.

     After three years of tap dancing classes, the little girl
recognized her love for music and asked her parents if she could
take piano lessons. She had seen Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals
put on by the local high school and had dreams of singing and
dancing on stage. Musical training was a must for performing in
musicals. Although her parents realized the extent of her
blindness, they did not want it to discourage their daughter from
doing what she wanted to do. They bought a piano; then they began
an extensive search for a piano teacher. The search became a
drudgery after three piano teachers refused to instruct the
little girl. The mother finally took the child to one of the best
piano teachers in the small town of Hartsville. Miss Salleby, the
piano teacher, asked the child to sit on the bench in front of
the piano. The room was dark, and a small light shone over the
sheet music.

     Fearful of the dark room, the child slowly walked over to
the piano bench, sat down, and faced the sheet music. Miss
Salleby asked the child how many lines and spaces were in one
row. Leaning over the piano keys, with her nose touching the
sheet music, the child attempted to count the lines and spaces.
Immediately, before the child could announce her findings, the
teacher turned to the child's mother and announced, "I can't
teach a blind child how to play the piano."

     The child wanted to scream, "I am not blind. Just give me a
chance to learn how to play by ear." Without knowing how she got
out of the woman's house, the child was in her mother's car
riding home. There was a big lump in her throat, and the child
wanted to cry. She wanted to be held in her mother's arms and be
comforted. She wanted to know that she would be given another
chance for her dream to come true.

     That event was never again mentioned in front of the child,
and the word "blind" was never again used in front of her until
she reached college. The child would not touch the piano when her
parents were home. She would sneak into the living room and teach
herself hymns, first playing the melody line and then trying to
play the chords with her left hand. If a member of the family
caught her trying to play, she would shut the piano lid and go to
her room.

     Looking back through the images of my childhood memories, I
still find myself a bit tearful. There are so many types of
discrimination in this world, but I do believe that denying a
child the opportunity to learn and expand on her talents is a
travesty. "Where there is a will, there is a way," is a true
statement that applies to my life.

     Considering the stumbling blocks I have encountered with my
music avocation, it is hard to believe that I am a part of the
Roanoke Opera Chorus. Throughout my high school and college
careers, I participated in the concert chorus. Listening and
reviewing recordings from rehearsals was the way I memorized
music. Instructors discouraged me from trying out for musical
roles from a fear that I would have difficulty moving around on
stage.

     While in college I attempted a degree in music therapy. I
was not allowed to use a reader for theory classes, and the
instructor refused to read aloud what he had written on the
board. Although I was passing my music therapy classes, I found
myself exhausted from fighting with instructors and trying to
obtain the assistance I needed in order to learn. I was taking
voice and piano instruction, and the piano teacher would enlarge
my music. Finally, when a theory instructor assigned a fugue to
be analyzed using a graph, the difficulty I would have completing
the assignment on my own became obvious. When confronting the
instructor with my dilemma, he immediately informed me that the
task had to be completed independently, with no assistance. The
instructor clearly stated that if the assignment could not be
completed on my own, I had no business in a music program. I
dropped out of the program and completed my degree in early
childhood education.

     For several years I tried to run away from music. After
completing my bachelor's degree, the prospect of facing the world
of work haunted me. Denial of my blindness resulted in fear about
how to perform the duties of a job.

     Realizing my problem, my best friend encouraged me to move
to Nebraska to attend the Nebraska Center for the Visually
Impaired. Taking on the challenge, I attended the Nebraska
Rehabilitation Center. I wore sleep shades from eight to five,
five days a week; and I was told that I must use, not just take,
the long white cane everywhere I went during training. One of the
most difficult tasks for me was facing my fear of blindness. I
had to talk about my fears, frustrations, and dreams. One of the
instructors constantly reminded me that I should be on stage
singing and acting. Performing was difficult for me to approach
because I was convinced this was a dream that would never come
true. Through the excellent training I received at the Nebraska
Orientation Center, I gained confidence and belief in my
abilities as a blind person. I was no longer ashamed of my
blindness. It was time for me to apply the skills I had learned
to my life.

     Professionally, my life blossomed in the field of
rehabilitation. As a recipient of various grants and scholarships
I was able to earn a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling
from Michigan State University. I tried continually to move away
from music but was constantly encouraged by friends to sing in
various church choirs. My dream continued to haunt me, and I
found it difficult to hold my tears back when attending a
performance. It wasn't fair; I wanted to be one of the performers
on stage. Testing the waters, I slowly began participating in
church choirs and even sang one semester with the Michigan State
concert choir. That vessel that had been empty for so long
finally started to be filled.

     After moving to Anchorage, Alaska, I joined the community
chorus, one hundred and sixty voices strong. Despite being the
type of person who is neither religious nor superstitious, I have
to admit that I do believe that an angel came into my life by the
name of Kathy. Kathy lived in my neighborhood and gave me rides
home from choral rehearsal. After hearing me sing, Kathy
encouraged and nudged me to become more active in music. The
Anchorage Community Theater was having a call for people to try
out for The Sound of Music. Kathy talked to the director and had
a couple of pages enlarged that I would have to read for tryout.
Naturally, I memorized the two pages, prepared a song, held my
breath, and showed up for tryouts. To my surprise, I was offered
and accepted the role of Sister Sophia. Interesting note: when I
was a little girl, my grandmother would ask me what I wanted to
be when I grew up. Smiling and very serious, I would reply, a
nun. The director was not concerned about my blindness but was
concerned that I would be off crutches by the time of the
performances. While I had been skiing, an unfortunate accident
had left me with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

     One could say that my dream came true. After the completion
of the musical, the chorus director of the Anchorage Opera
Company encouraged me to try out for a part in the chorus. Again,
mustering up my courage, I dusted off some old voice
instructional books and auditioned. Now, looking back, it is hard
to decide which was most difficult: auditioning in front of a New
York director or performing on a sloped stage which was very
slippery. La Traviata was my first opera. I never dreamed of
being dressed in such elegant costumes and performing on such a
grand stage.

     When I moved to Roanoke, Virginia, finally I knew in which
community activities I wanted to participate. Within my first
month of moving to the Star City I auditioned for the Roanoke
Symphony Chorus. Seven months later I was standing in a gym at
the Jefferson Center auditioning for a part with the Roanoke
Opera Chorus. Again I was shaking as I walked toward the piano,
proudly using my cane. I turned and faced the director, Craig
Fields, and nodded to my accompanist to begin. When I had sung
the last note, I waited anxiously for a response. It felt as if I
were waiting an eternity. Finally I mustered the courage to
inquire about Mr. Field's opinion of my audition. To my relief
the director informed me that I was in the chorus. My heart
soared, and immediately I realized that Mr. Fields had not asked
me any questions concerning how I would learn my music or move
around on stage. Again curiosity got the better of me, and I
asked Mr. Fields if he had any questions about my blindness. His
response was "no." To my relief, Craig informed me that he had
worked with several blind people over the years as a vocal
instructor and choral director.

     As of now I have performed in four operas with the Roanoke
Opera. The chorus members are like a small family. We work
together to help each other learn parts, act, and move around on
stage. My fellow chorus members know that I will ask for help
when I need it and are more than willing to assist me. Craig has
indicated that he is amazed at the way I move around on stage. I
have to admit that I have failed to tell him how many times I
have run into props back stage. Seriously, my tenacity on stage
comes from my desire and belief in myself and Craig's belief in
my abilities. Yes, there are times when I am afraid that I may
miss a movement or a musical cue, or sing the wrong note. These
are fears that any actor has and mistakes that any actor can
make.

     I may never be on Broadway, but that doesn't matter.
Remember that my dream was to be on stage and perform. That dream
has come true. It has been a struggle, but hopefully one that
will pave the way for others who are blind. Everywhere we go we
are setting examples that others can observe, learn from, and
follow. When we are willing to follow our dreams, discrimination
can result in a dream come true.
                           **********
                           **********
            Huge Surplus Amassed by Guide Dog Charity
          Critics Say Group Sitting On Too Much Wealth
                         by David Dietz
                           **********
     From the Editor, The following article appeared in the San
Francisco Chronicle, May 12, 1999. No matter how effective and
beloved a charity is, one is forced to ask hard questions when
its income completely outstrips its expenses. The following story
certainly raises such questions about Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Here it is:
                           **********
     While many charities struggle to stay afloat, San Rafael's
venerable Guide Dogs for the Blind never had it so good. The
school, North America's leading facility for teaming the visually
impaired with dog guides, has accumulated so much unspent money
that critics say the operation is abusing its tax-exempt status
while shortchanging the blind.

     To the chagrin of state charity regulators and some
benefactors and former students, the school wound up last year
with more than twice as much money as it needed. It spent $21
million but still had nearly $24 million left over--at least the
fifth consecutive year of hefty surpluses.

     With the extra cash year after year, Guide Dogs has amassed
a bulging endowment that now totals about $200 million, far
surpassing those of many of the Bay Area's top charities. The
renowned Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics, for example, does not even
have an endowment, while the fund at San Francisco's Glide
Memorial United Methodist Church, another major benefactor of the
inner-city needy, totals only $16.7 million.

     While Guide Dogs' wealth-building breaks no laws, regulators
and organizations that monitor charities dislike heavy
stockpiling of cash. The National Charities Information Bureau,
which sets standards for giving, advises donors to be wary of
organizations that generally hold in reserve more than two years'
spending. Guide Dogs has set aside an amount of money that would
cover its operations for about ten years.

     "The point is that you shouldn't be accumulating money . . .
if you're not going to spend it," said bureau spokesman Dan
Langan. School officials defend the organization's riches, saying
they are trying to perpetuate the operation and need to hedge
against investment losses that would harm the endowment. They
also forecast that the number of students will grow as the
general population ages.

     "This is acting as prudent managers," said Richard Graffis,
an investment adviser who chairs Guide Dogs' board of directors.

     But some critics say that the school, which was formed to
help blinded servicemen during World War II, is run these days
more like a business than a benevolent, nonprofit organization
and that it seems more intent on enriching itself than trying to
determine what more it can do to help the blind.

     "Hoarding doesn't do anybody any good," said Yeoryios
Apallas, a deputy attorney general in the state Department of
Justice's charitable trust division. "Given the incredible needs
of the sight-challenged, I cannot believe that these funds cannot
be used more effectively."

     The size of Guide Dogs' endowment is all the more startling,
critics say, because last year the school graduated only 354
students and did not fill all its classes. It also must compete
with nine other such schools for a relatively small number of
students.

     According to the American Federation for the Blind [no one
at the National Center talked to the reporter, so who knows where
these statistics actually came from], the nation's blind
population of 1.1 million is growing only slightly, and fewer
than 10,000 use dogs. Far more--about 130,000--use canes,
according to the federation.

     While California law puts no limits on nonprofit
organizations reserving funds, state regulators operate by the
standard that charities exist to give away money, not to save it.
Occasionally officials will put pressure on organizations they
consider to be violating a public trust. With Guide Dogs state
regulators raised the enrichment issue once before, in a 1994
letter. But school officials said they have no knowledge of the
state's concern and no action was ever taken.

     Particularly upsetting to some critics is that despite the
size of its endowment Guide Dogs continues to solicit public
contributions energetically. The school, popular with donors
since its founding in 1942, took in $16 million in bequests and
donations last year--a rate of $44,000 a day.

     No one quarrels with Guide Dogs' achievements, which have
been captured in stories many times. Started in a rented house in
1942, the school, now headquartered at an immaculate eleven-acre
campus spotted with willows and Japanese maples, has developed a
devoted following among former students and donors.

     It has trained 8,000 blind people in the use of yellow
Labrador retrievers and other breeds--free of charge--then
continued to support its graduates, affording them free
counseling and even paying some of their veterinary expenses.

     And the public has responded enthusiastically, giving twice
as much in 1998 to Guide Dogs as the next-largest training school
received. Many contributors are spurred by the sight of the
school's alert and well-groomed dogs being trained on streets
surrounding the organization's campuses in San Rafael and outside
Portland, Oregon.

     One of Guide Dogs' strongest defenders is Morgan Watkins,
associate director of academic computing at the University of
Texas at Austin, who attended the school and now serves on its
board.

     "As I sit here and rest my hand on my golden retriever and
reflect on the many times I've been on campus, I think I can say
that the services we provide are excellent," he said. "Are there
ways to improve? There are always ways, and we are trying to do
that with constant review."

     Critics, however, complain that by soliciting donations at a
time when Guide Dogs is already earning more money than it can
use, the school is misleading the public and diverting charitable
donations from needier causes.

     "It would seem to me that anybody who has more than enough
revenue from an endowment to run its operation should not be out
there fund-raising," said Ed Eames, a blind Fresno author and co-
writer with his wife, Toni, of a book on dog guide schools. "When
do you let other guys get in and get part of the pot?" Besides,
some researchers say the number of people with visual impairments
may not necessarily grow as the population gets older.

     Medical advances in areas such as cataract surgery and
treatment of diabetes, a leading cause of blindness, could reduce
visual handicaps. And even if the blind population does increase,
the proportion of the sight-impaired who are drawn to the idea of
using dogs will not necessarily rise, especially with increasing
self-sufficiency generated by the computer age, observers say.

     "The fact is we don't really know what's going on," said
Emilie Schmeidler, senior research associate with the American
Foundation for the Blind.

     Guide Dogs said it has no evidence to back up its growth
prediction and is primarily banking on trends. The school has
begun research to get better answers, officials there said.

     While sympathetic to the charity's desire to save money for
a rainy day, critics implore the school to attend more to the
current needs of the blind, even if it means altering the
charity's charter to branch out beyond dog guide training.

     "The future for a charity is today--to take care of the
needs of their constituents," said Apallas, the state charity
regulator. "All they need is to be a little more creative."

     Even Vernon Crowder, a blind Bank of America agricultural
economist who is an unwavering supporter of the school's work,
suggested that the organization is squandering opportunities to
increase the mobility of its students and the sight-impaired in
general.

     Crowder, who once lost out in a bid to become Guide Dogs'
chief executive, said the school should consider providing basic
mobility training for the newly blind, even if they do not choose
to use dogs.

     He also suggested that the school put its weight behind
research and development efforts to improve mobility,
particularly in adapting electronic signs so that they can
transmit orientation signals to the visually impaired.

     "This is a natural extension of what Guide Dogs is doing,"
he said.

     But Richard Bobb, Guide Dog's president and chief executive
officer, rejected any likelihood in the foreseeable future that
the school would branch out, arguing that the organization has
more than enough on its hands to train dogs and pair them with
students.

     "Our mission is relevant," he said. Apallas said the state
has no authority to force Guide Dogs to spend more of its
resources, but it could raise its concerns with school officials.
Regulators cited the wealth issue in their 1994 letter, but there
was no apparent follow-up.

     "Excess revenue accumulated during the year seems high,"
Larry Campbell, registrar of charitable trusts, wrote to the
school at the time. "Determine if more excess income can be used
to provide more current public benefits."

     There was no response from Guide Dogs on file with the
Justice Department, and current school officials said they were
unaware of the state's inquiry.

     In any event the letter has had no apparent effect on Guide
Dogs, which has continued to accumulate surpluses.

     As the school's wealth has soared, some of Guide Dogs'
critics include longtime donors who are now having second
thoughts about helping the organization.

     "I knew they had an endowment, but I didn't know it was to
this degree," said Carol Spivak, a self-described dog lover who
has given generously to the school since 1988. "I think I'll
reduce what I give."

     Controversy is not new to Guide Dogs. It was criticized
several years ago for being slow to put blind people on its staff
and board of directors and for treating some blind staff members
dismissively. It rejects the accusations.

     Currently five of the school's 235-member staff and four of
its eighteen directors are blind. There are no blind people in
top management.

     The school also was caught in a 1994 imbroglio over
construction of its $14 million Oregon campus. Critics accused
Guide Dogs of heavy-handedness in winning local government
approval of the project, and the school, despite its wealth,
persuaded the state of Oregon to help provide it with a low-
interest building loan from a bank.

     The Guide Dogs' endowment has benefited from the longest
stock market boom in history. Typically the organization taps
only endowment dividends for present needs, plowing back all
capital gains or surpluses.

     Last year Guide Dogs spent about $5 million of its $28
million in endowment proceeds on operations. To use trading
profits for continuing needs would be imprudent, school officials
argue.

     The school pays most of its expenses with public
contributions, which have risen 52 percent in five years,
according to financial statements submitted by the organization
to the Internal Revenue Service. Eighty percent of the donations
to the organization come from bequests.

     Just as revenue is up, spending has increased--particularly
on overhead.

     With the opening of the Oregon campus the staff has nearly
doubled, and management costs have jumped 185 percent in the past
five years. Three of Guide Dogs' top managers earn more than
$100,000 a year, and Bobb received a 14 percent raise last year,
bringing his annual salary to $200,000.

     Fund-raising costs have also increased, even as the
endowment ballooned. The school spent $796,171 on development
last year, up 10 percent, in line with a campaign to increase
donations. The $16 million in combined bequests and donations
received last year was up about 30 percent from 1997.

     "Part of the reason I was brought here is to keep the bar
high," said Bobb, a former leasing company executive.

     Some of Guide Dogs' competitors yearn to have it so good.

     "We obviously wish we could have that budget," said Don
Robinson, executive director of Guide Dogs of the Desert, a
small, innovative Palm Springs-area school that strains each year
to meet a spending program of just under $1 million. "It's a
struggle. It's nonstop."

     As Guide Dogs' wealth is scrutinized, critics note that
England's largest dog guide school was under similar fire four
years ago, resulting in the British government's drawing up
strict rules forbidding cash stockpiling by charities while
asking the public for money.

     Robert Gnaizda, a San Francisco public interest lawyer who
has sued rich charities, holds the view that organizations like
Guide Dogs should be subject to periodic state review to
determine whether they are fulfilling their mission and enjoying
community support.

     "The state would have much greater authority to look into
expenses and might take into account if charities hoarded,"
Gnaizda said. "This would be a check against the wealthy getting
wealthier."
                           **********
CHART
A CHARITY'S OVERFLOWING COFFERS
Guide Dogs for the Blind is one of the Bay Area's leading
charities. Critics say it is too rich and accuse the school of
operating more like a business.
                           **********
CONTRIBUTIONS [in millions]
Donations are growing
'94 $10
'95 $13
'96 $19
'97 $12
'98 $16

EXPENSES
Annual expenses [in millions] have doubled
'94 $10
'95 $12
'96 $16
'97 $19
'98 $21
                           **********
SURPLUSES
Unspent money [in millions] soars
'94 $11
'95 $14
'96 $11
'97 $21
'98 $24
                           **********
ENDOWMENT
In millions of dollars
'94 $80
'95 $91
'96 $104
'97 $160
'98 $189
                           **********
Endowment currently totals about $200 million
Figures have been rounded
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Toni and Ed Eames]
                 To Touch the Untouchable Dream
                      by Toni and Ed Eames
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article is the title story
from the latest Kernel Book, which was published late last year.
It begins with Dr. Jernigan's introduction
                           **********
     Toni and Ed Eames are active members of the National
Federation of the Blind and long-time leaders in our special
interest division for guide dog users. They are recognized
experts in the whole area of assistance dogs for the disabled and
write a regular column for Dog World. Recently their lifelong
interest in animals took them on a very special expedition to the
African bush. Here is their story:
                           **********
     As we crashed through the bush in an open Land Rover, we
could hear ranger John's radio receiver crackling the news that a
pride of lions had been sighted fairly close to our position.
Slowing the vehicle to a crawl, John warned us to be quiet.
Suddenly we heard a shared exclamation from the other members of
our party--the lions had been spotted, and we came to a halt.

     The dreamlike quality of this encounter with wild animals in
the African bush was reinforced as members of our delegation
described the scene in barely audible whispers. Everyone seemed
to hold his or her breath as an adult female lion sauntered
alongside our vehicle and crossed the road in front of us. At one
point she was no more than eight feet away.

     This encounter with lions was just one of many memorable
experiences we had during our two-day visit at Exeter Game Lodge
in South Africa. While crashing through the bush, "bundu bashing"
as the locals call it, we came almost in touching distance of
leopards, zebras, giraffes, elephants, and hundreds of impala
(small deer on the bottom of the feeding chain).

     What gave these adventures a dreamlike quality was the
inability to touch or hear these animals. Except for the time
when Ed climbed down from the Land Rover to feel the footprint
left by a lion who had recently strolled by, the reality of the
situation was filtered through the descriptions of our sighted
friends.

     Fortunately we were able to obtain a tactile impression of
many of these animals. The rangers working for Exeter, a wild
game lodge on the outskirts of Kreuger National Park, the largest
reserve in South Africa, had collected the skulls of many of the
animals inhabiting the area. Examining the skulls, jaw bones,
horns, and antlers of the many varieties of deer who roamed the
open, unfenced area around Exeter, neighboring game reserves, and
Kreuger helped turn our dreamlike Land Rover trips into a more
realistic image of what these animals were like. On display in
the lounge area was a taxidermed lion pouncing on an impala,
which showed us what raw and savage nature was all about.

     Both of us grew up in New York City, where animals such as
those roaming the South African bush were only found in zoos.
Love of animals was a central theme in Toni's childhood. As a
young blind child she went with her mother on frequent outings to
the Bronx Zoo, but her mother could not adequately describe the
variety of animals on display. Always anxious to encourage her
blind daughter to explore the world around her, Toni's mother
encouraged touching objects in the environment. Since lions,
tigers, and bears were not accessible to touch, she began
purchasing realistic ceramic, wood, glass, plastic, and brass
miniatures to teach Toni about the structural differences among
various animal species.

     Over the years this collection has grown and expanded, and
Toni has become expert at identifying animal statuary by touch.
On the other hand Ed, who was sighted until his early forties,
visited zoos and received his animal information through visual
images.

     One of the attractions of Fresno, California, the city to
which we moved after our marriage ten years ago, was the presence
of a wonderful zoo with an understanding director. Dr. Paul
Chaffee was fascinated with the idea of transforming Toni's
knowledge of animals through statuary into knowledge from real-
life experience. He invited us to visit behind the scenes to get
in touch with many of the animals in the zoo.

     Over the years we have been able to touch elephants,
Galapagos tortoises, spider monkeys, a skunk, an oryx, a ferret,
and a variety of birds. Some of these animals were part of the
zoo mobile, some were being cared for in the nursery, and some
were on display. Being able to feed apples to Chauncey and Nosey
in the elephant holding area was a thrill, although Ed was a bit
apprehensive one day when Chauncey wrapped her trunk around him
with the message that it wasn't time for Ed to leave. Paul
relished our obvious pleasure and excitement at these encounters
with his exhibit animals.

     Realizing that our passion for animal interaction went far
beyond what was available in Fresno, Paul arranged with directors
at zoos located in San Diego, the Bronx, San Francisco, and
Washington, D.C., for us to come and get in touch with animals in
their collections. Among our acquaintances from these visits were
a sea lion, an emu, a clouded leopard, a chinchilla, a kinkajou,
an octopus, an armadillo, snakes, lizards, and some insects.

     At our National Federation of the Blind conventions we have
explored the horns and skins of taxidermed animals presented by
the Safari Club. This has been supplemented by exploring a
stuffed buffalo on display in a South Dakota museum and a lion on
display at the Theodore Roosevelt Museum in New York. In all
these cases the animals were touchable and full size.

     The hunt for touchable animals is enhanced by our careers as
writers and lecturers. As columnists for Dog World magazine,
lecturers at veterinary schools, and writers about disability and
animal-related subjects, we travel extensively. During our
travels we take every opportunity to visit zoos and museums with
touchable animal exhibits.

     When we received an invitation to be part of the cultural
exchange delegation sponsored by People to People International
Citizen Ambassador Program to South Africa, we jumped at the
opportunity. Not only would it give us the chance to enhance our
careers as writers, educators, and lecturers, it would also take
us to Exeter, a charming and luxurious private game preserve.

     After months of planning, our South African odyssey became a
reality. Our two-day stay at elegant and lavish Exeter, a haven
for animal lovers, exceeded all our expectations. Even after we
returned to the lodge following the Land Rover expeditions, the
presence of untamed and free-roaming animals was an ever-present
reality. Monkeys inhabited trees near the veranda during the
morning hours hoping to swoop down on some unprotected food.

     At dawn and dusk a hippopotamus drank at the river skirting
the compound. While sitting at the edge of the pool, a member of
our group was startled when a snake slithered up his body and
onto his back. It was apparent that just outside Exeter Lodge was
a world as far removed from our childhood homes in New York City
as one could imagine.

     When we share photographs of this dreamlike trip with
friends back home in Fresno, they ask where Escort and Echo were
during our adventure. We explain that, although our guide dogs
have accompanied us to many American zoos, their presence in the
African bush was quite another story. While we were having our
untouchable dream, they were quietly awaiting our return at the
lodge. Although the wild animals in the preserve are used to Land
Rovers filled with people, they are not exposed to dogs, and we
agreed with our host at Exeter, Leon, that it would be a good
idea to let them relax back in our room.

     The sighted members of the delegation have photographs and
videos to keep their memories alive. To make our memory of this
untouchable dream tactile, we brought home many new wild animal
miniatures. The next time we visit the elephants in our Fresno
zoo, we can tell them we saw their relatives in South Africa.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Daniel Frye]
                    Lessons Brought to Light
                        by Daniel B. Frye
                           **********
     From the Editor: Before walking into a new situation, it
isn't unusual for blind people to indulge in fantasies about how
things will go. Frequently in the daydream it is our competence,
poise, and articulate handling of awkward situations that
transform the silly notions of strangers into rational behavior.
Unfortunately the real world is seldom as neat or satisfying as
fantasy, and we are much more likely to think of the perfect
response long after the offending person has wandered off.

     We have no choice but to deal with ignorance and prejudice
that don't go away just because we are doing things right. The
following recollection describes one such experience. Dan Frye
was a 1990 NFB Scholarship winner and is now an attorney and NFB
leader in Washington State. Here is his story:
                           **********
     During the summer of 1988 I got a job as a Senior Counselor
at Camp Merry Heart, an Easter-Seal-sponsored challenge and
recreational retreat for physically disabled people--in the rural
outskirts of Hackettstown, New Jersey. Hoping to enhance my
resume by successfully working a summer job and with an earnest
interest in testing my Federation philosophy, which until that
time was primarily a set of theoretical principles, I left the
comfortable familiarity of college life in South Carolina,
boarded a northbound Greyhound, and set out on a summer adventure
which promised to be exciting and instructive.

     In an effort to make a good first impression, I called the
camp supervisor from the Greenville, South Carolina, bus station
and politely declined her offer to have a camp representative
pick me up at the Port Authority in New York City. I explained
that I was confident of my ability to make the necessary transfer
to the commuter bus which would take me directly to Hackettstown.
She reluctantly resigned herself to the travel arrangements I--
her new twenty-year-old blind summer employee--proposed, and we
agreed to meet the next morning for staff orientation.

     While alone in the darkness of night on a sixteen-hour bus
journey which would transport me from the tranquil South to the
teeming North, I had ample opportunity to entertain a range of
feelings from eagerness to apprehension. Based on the Camp Merry
Heart literature, which I had read before accepting the counselor
position, I was certain that I would be participating in one of
the nation's most progressive summer camping programs, in which
residential disabled campers would spend the season with non-
disabled day campers from the surrounding communities. This
structure seemed likely to foster genuine public education and
increased understanding among disabled and non-disabled people, a
seemingly ideal prospect.

     While my spirits were bolstered by the possibilities of the
summer to come, I simultaneously felt the anxiety inherent in
being a newly independent young adult traveling to an unfamiliar
region of the country where I would assume the responsibilities
of a vaguely defined summer position. I hoped that I could do the
job well. I hoped that I would fit in and develop pleasant
working relationships with my colleagues and the campers. And,
most of all, I hoped that my blindness would not be used as a
justification to bar me from completely fulfilling my obligations
as a staff member or represent a barrier to my integrated entry
into camp life. At some point in the wee hours of the morning I
concluded that further analysis of my emotions would be
fruitless, and I drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by the
announcement, "Arriving, New York City."

     My transfer to the commuter bus was uneventful, and after
settling in to the rustic, un-air-conditioned log cabin which
would be my home for the next several months, I reported to the
camp dining hall for staff orientation. I was encouraged by my
initial reception from the other counselors (most of whom were
also college students on summer vacation), but it became apparent
immediately that the camp's management did not share my peers'
faith in my ability to function as a capable staff member.
Despite my certifications in CPR and Advanced Swimming by the
American Red Cross, I was not permitted to participate in "Life
Drills," a procedure which involved four staff members--tethered
equidistantly to a rope stretched across the camp lake--diving,
exploring, and resurfacing together in search of a hypothetical
accident victim. I protested that, in addition to being competent
in swimming and first aid, I would face minimal safety risk
because this operation was executed in teams of four, that we
were all secured by a life rope, and that most of the underwater
exploration was accomplished tactilely because of the lake's
murkiness.

     The management decision to forbid my service as a counselor
in the integrated day camp, which catered to both disabled and
non-disabled campers, resulted in a second restriction on my full
conduct of camp responsibilities. The rationale offered for this
policy was that vision was essential to the successful
supervision of the more active camping population. These and
other less blatant acts of discrimination became the norm
throughout my summer employment at Camp Merry Heart.

     I privately resolved to stick it out until my employment was
scheduled to end in mid August. Frequently, however, my spirits
wavered, and I was tempted to offer my premature resignation to
demonstrate my disdain for the arbitrary distinctions made by
Merry Heart management. Ultimately I decided that the image of
blind people would be better served by my decision to stay with
my employer, conducting the tasks assigned to me with efficiency
and dignity while trying to educate and advocate for improvement
of management's attitudes about blindness. I reasoned that, if I
did my job well and used the art of diplomacy to enlighten camp
leaders about my disability, I could acquit myself with
distinction and preserve opportunities for any future blind
candidate seeking employment with Camp Merry Heart.

     As the days melted into weeks, I slowly settled into the
established routine of camp life. Waking to Reveille at 6:00
a.m., I helped my campers prepare for the day ahead. I escorted
them to flag-raising, accompanied them to breakfast, and returned
with them to our quarters for morning cabin cleaning. By 8:30
a.m. we'd leave for camp exercises, field games, arts and crafts,
swimming, and other traditional camping activities. Once during
every week-long camp session, we'd conduct an overnight outdoor
camping excursion complete with cooking over camp fires and
sleeping under the stars.

     Our evenings would usually conclude with an assembly of
sorts, in which campers put on plays, participated in talent
shows, or simply socialized with each other in the central dining
hall. Lights went out at 10:00 p.m., and weary counselors on
night call duty would quietly meet on the front porches of their
cabins and talk about home, life at college, and personal dreams
and generally spend time building friendships with one another.

     It was those relaxing summer evenings, long after campers
had retired, that I came to cherish most. In whispers so as not
to disturb the campers, my friends and I would discuss the pros
and cons of the Merry Heart experience. Invariably we would
analyze my dissatisfaction, frustration, and exasperation with
the regressive attitudes exhibited by Merry Heart leaders about
my blindness. We agreed that it was unfortunate and ironic that
such a flagrant lack of confidence in an independent blind person
prevailed at a camp which prided itself in its belief in and
support of "true achievement." Without my prodding, several of my
acquaintances realized that the treatment I received at the hands
of Merry Heart administrators was likely to send an especially
discouraging message to the campers about the opportunities they
could expect as disabled people from society.

     By no means am I suggesting that all my co-workers
immediately came to appreciate the significance of my objections
to the condescending conduct of the Merry Heart management. Some
of them came to this understanding only after several evenings of
animated conversation in which we discussed the nature of
independence, the cultural consequences of accepting unnecessary
assistance or charity from the general public, and the
proposition that blindness, in and of itself, is not an
overwhelming tragedy but a human characteristic which, like other
personal traits, consists of certain inherent limitations and
inconveniences. By way of analogy, I suggested that blindness,
like intellectual capacity or physical size, entails certain
advantages and disadvantages to which we all have to adapt and
adjust. Gradually some of my friends came to adopt my common-
sense notions about blindness, and I derived enough comfort from
this support to sustain my confidence and composure while dealing
with the emotional assaults I encountered each work day.

     Near the summer's end I told a few of my friends of my
intention to use part of my salary to explore some of the quaint
towns within a several-hundred-mile radius of Hackettstown.
Preferring the allure of New York City's bright lights, everyone
to whom I had extended an invitation to accompany me for this
weekend declined my offer, so I made arrangements to travel
alone.

     Despite my educational efforts throughout the summer, a
couple of my friends and a member of the camp's administration
expressed some surprise and concern that I had not altered my
plans once I learned that nobody else was joining me on my trip.
They asked me how I thought I would manage without somebody
around to orient me to my surroundings and whether it didn't make
sense to identify a specific destination so that I could have
some idea of what to expect. Realizing that changing ingrained
notions about blindness is always a slow process, I patiently
explained that with my cane and some cash I would be fine and
that the absence of plans was largely what made the adventure
attractive.

     On a Friday afternoon after all the campers had bid their
farewells and the facilities were shut down for another two-day
respite, I got a ride in to Hackettstown, asked the ticket agent
what the final destination of the New York City commuter bus was,
and purchased a ticket to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

     Several hours later I was comfortably ensconced in a small
hotel. Having ordered a pizza, I luxuriously stretched out across
my king-size bed and contented myself watching former Texas
Governor Ann Richards deliver a televised nomination speech for
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis at the 1988
Democratic national convention. Throughout the rest of the
weekend I watched movies, swam, explored the town and its
history, and found other amusements with which to occupy myself.
In short, I had a great time.

     During these days of recreational solitude, I had
considerable opportunity to reflect upon the events of the
summer. I smiled inwardly at the knowledge that I was growing up
and that the philosophy about blindness to which I had always
subscribed really seemed to work. Having determined to visit
Wilkes-Barre on a whim, I found that I was managing well and that
blindness was not much of an issue. Further, I concluded that I
was actually quite satisfied with my successful performance in
what could be fairly characterized as my first real job.

     Even when I pondered the turbulent and bittersweet aspects
of the summer's experience, I realized with pride that I had been
equal to the challenge, and I noted with corresponding sobriety
that as I matured it would be necessary for me to develop
sophistication in effectively addressing social misunderstandings
about blindness. While vacationing in Wilkes-Barre, I reaffirmed
that the best way to accomplish this would be to play an active
part in the National Federation of the Blind.

     As this contemplative weekend drew to an end and I prepared
to return to Camp Merry Heart to finish the last several weeks of
my summer job, I decided that on the whole I was glad I had come.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Norman Gardner]
                         Everyday Heroes
                         Acts That Count
                        by Taylor Syphus
                           **********
     From the Editor: This story first appeared in the January
12, 1999, edition of The Salt Lake Tribune. Dr. Gardner is a
longtime leader of the National Federation of the Blind.
                           **********
     Norman Gardner could beat anyone at a game of blindman's
buff. For more than thirty years after being born with an eye
disorder that legally blinded him, he masqueraded as a person who
could see. He bought into the most poisonous myth about blind
people: that they are less capable.

     "I was ashamed of being blind," he says. "I didn't want to
be associated with those weird people who carried white canes and
had to read Braille. So I played blindman's buff. I could see
shadows well enough not to bump into things, and I could read
large print if I was really close to the book."

     He always carried a magnifying glass and made an art of
hiding in men's rest rooms to review schedules and appointments.
Academics was Gardner's strong suit. Perseverance made him
valedictorian of his high school graduating class and earned him
a bachelor's degree with honors in Spanish from Brigham Young
University. He earned a doctorate of finance from the University
of Utah in 1974 and went on to teach finance at Boise State
University, where his life finally changed.

     "I was tricked into joining the National Federation of the
Blind," he recalls, laughing. "Two blind students asked me to be
the Blind Club faculty advisor. I thought, `I'm not one of them.
I have a Ph.D.; I'm a university professor.' I wanted nothing to
do with a club that sat around and cried about being blind, but I
went out of courtesy."

     Instead of being bored to tears, he was intrigued by the
discussion between the students and the director of the NFB's
Boise chapter. "They were discussing things I wished I could do,"
Gardner recalls. He joined the NFB that night, on paper and in
spirit.

     "They knew me much better than I knew myself," he says,
smiling. "I learned it was respectable to be blind."

     He thrust himself into everything he had despised about
blind people. He learned to use a white cane and read Braille.
Gardner became active in the NFB's political agenda, educating
Congress and the public about blind people's abilities and
fighting for laws that would level the playing field for 500,000
blind Americans.

     "Even though I hadn't realized it growing up, my life had
been made a lot easier because of people in the NFB working for
my benefit. Now I'm in the trenches and helping to pull the sled
along."

     Today Gardner is a professor of finance at Utah Valley State
College and heavily involved with the local NFB chapter. He pays
for Braille starter books for elementary-age blind students whose
teachers otherwise hand-type learning materials on a Braille
typewriter. He also recruits any blind person he meets to join
the NFB.

     "For thirty years I sold myself terribly short," he says.
"But I was given a gift of self-confidence, and now it's my turn
to help people find a way to do something they didn't believe
they could."
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Congressman Robert Ehrlich addresses the crowd at
the April 28 press conference. Behind him are (left to right)
Eileen Rivera, Marc Maurer, and Fred Puente.]
[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Four people can clearly be seen with others
in the background. The Capitol dome is conspicuously visible
behind them. CAPTION: Standing in front of the Capitol at the
press conference are (left to right) Kristen Cox, Charlie Brown,
Eileen Rivera, and Joe Cordova.]
                Linkage Bill Introduced in House
                           **********
     From the Editor: On April 28 Congressman Robert Ehrlich, R-
Maryland, introduced H.R. 1601, the Blind Empowerment Act, with
230 co-sponsors. He conducted a press conference in front of the
Capitol to announce the details of the bill. Members of the NFB
have been working steadily since 1996 to pass this legislation
and continue to urge members of both the House and Senate to
become co-sponsors. On April 28 the Baltimore Sun published the
following story about the problems faced by blind Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients and Congressman Erhlich's
efforts to solve them. Here it is:
                           **********
        Ehrlich Bill Would Raise Earning Limit for Blind
                   Who Get Disability Benefits
             Advocates Suggest Link Between Cutoffs
                 for Elderly, Visually Impaired
                      by Jennifer Sullivan
                           **********
     Southwest Baltimore's Maurice Peret has a new baby and a new
job. But at the beginning of the year the government stopped
sending him a large chunk of his income. Peret, thirty-four, who
is blind, is one of a growing number of visually impaired people
who find themselves limited by a federal restriction on their
earnings.

     Because he took a job that paid more than the annual limit
for Americans receiving Social Security disability benefits, he
was dropped from federal rolls.

     To raise blind Americans' earning threshold, Republican
Senator John McCain of Arizona introduced a bill in January that
would put their earning limit at the same level set for senior
citizens. That was the formula used until 1996, when Congress
raised earning limits for the elderly but not the blind.

     Today Maryland Republican Representative Robert L. Ehrlich,
Jr. will introduce a similar bill. Peret will be among those
standing with the Congressman at a news conference to discuss the
measure.

     According to the National Federation of the Blind, blind
Americans will earn about $14,000 in benefits by 2002--compared
with about $30,000 for senior citizens. The 1999 earning limit
for the blind is $1,110 a month, in addition to the federal
stipend--making a penny more means loss of benefits.

     "Unemployment among the blind is at 70 percent, while there
is great prosperity in the country," said Ehrlich, who is
introducing the Blind Empowerment Act, nearly identical to
McCain's Blind Person's Earnings Equity Act.

     He has the support of all of Maryland's representatives, the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Baltimore-based National Federation
of the Blind, and Blind Services and Industries of Maryland. Both
Democratic Maryland Senators, Barbara A. Mikulski and Paul S.
Sarbanes, are among the twenty Senate members who co-sponsored
McCain's bill.

     Peret, a native of Washington, says he bounced from working
on an assembly line in an Iowa vending machine factory to loading
trucks to pressing shirts in a West Virginia garment factory.
Mindful of the earnings limit, he held only part-time jobs so he
could stay on the federal rolls and retain his disability
benefits, he said.

     "A lot of jobs I held weren't secure. I needed a fallback
because of frequent layoffs," Peret said. "By working part-time
and accepting part-time wages and retaining benefits, a person
could earn a decent living, whereas working full-time might
actually result in a cut in income."

     In January, when Peret was hired to teach basic computer
training courses at Blind Services and Industries Southwest
Baltimore headquarters, he reported the income as required and
was promptly dropped from federal rolls.

     He now earns his highest wage ever, but he takes home less
money than he did ten years ago when he worked in a garment
factory while receiving federal benefits.

     Peret says Ehrlich's bill will help the blind get on their
feet.

     "Blind people are really looking for a measure of equality.
We want equal opportunities to work," he said. "Ideally people
would want to be in a situation where they are no longer
receiving benefits. We want to get to that point so we can get a
fair start."

     Although Peret says he makes enough for him, his wife, and
their seven-week-old son to live on, he has blind friends who
never apply for full-time positions because they take home more
money retaining their federal disability status and working part
time or earning minimum wage.

     Northeast Baltimore resident Eileen Rivera is a graduate of
Harvard University and the Wharton School of Business at the
University of Pennsylvania. But she said she needs extra funds to
help raise her seven-year-old daughter and to get her business
off the ground.

     The company, A Better View, is an advertising agency that
helps companies market their products to low-vision audiences.

     Rivera, whose vision is severely impaired, also works as a
marketing consultant for Voice of the Diabetic, a magazine for
Americans with diabetes. She has to hire people to read business
information to her and to help her daughter with her homework.

     If she makes more than $13,320 a year, Rivera, a single
mother with a family history of kidney failure, could lose her
monthly stipend and health insurance.

     "If I wasn't single, sure I would be working full time, just
like I did when I was working at Johns Hopkins," said Rivera, who
from 1988 to 1991 was administrative director of the hospital's
Wilmer Vision Research Center. "But I can't be a super executive
and a single mother at the same time."

     Rivera said, "The bill is going to give us more freedom to
earn more and cover the expenses of living."

     Both Ehrlich and McCain supported similar measures last
year. Ehrlich's died in the House Ways and Means Committee, while
McCain's was killed by the Senate Finance Committee.

     James Gashel, director of governmental affairs for the
National Federation of the Blind, said that without the bill's
passage, the visually impaired who earn more than allowed will be
asked to repay the difference to the government.

     "It's not uncommon to see letters that say, `You owe
$30,000. Please send a check in the envelope enclosed,'" he said.

     Peret said he received two letters from the federal
government, one dropping his disability benefits and another
requesting $1,000 he owed. He paid it.

     Gashel, who has twice worked to link benefits for the blind
and seniors, said the fact that there are fewer blind people may
have made it easier for lawmakers to bypass the blind.

     But, he maintained, they are just as dependent upon the
income.

     "If you have limitations on one group, you might as well
have them on both," he said.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Don Drapinski]
                           Admiration
                        by Kathleen Lusk
                           **********
     From the Editor: Just about all people with disabilities
find ourselves simultaneously admired and pitied by folks around
us. It is refreshing when the admiration turns out to be
unsentimental and objective. When such good sense and honesty
come from a ten-year-old fifth-grader, one finds hope for the
future kindling despite the nonsense we find ourselves plowing
through much of the time. The following article was a paper
written to fulfill a school assignment. Sue Drapinski, Treasurer
of the NFB of Michigan, thought Braille Monitor readers might be
interested in reading it; so do I. Here it is:
                           **********
     Admire: to regard with wonder and approval, to esteem,
respect (from the American Heritage Dictionary).

     There are many people you could admire in this world. From
athletes to actors, firemen to police officers, they all work
hard to do their jobs, and for different reasons people admire
them. The person I admire does not have a job, but I learn more
from him than any job can teach you. The person I admire is my
Uncle Don, and as you read this story, you will understand why.

     My Uncle Don had a regular childhood like anyone else. He
ran and played with the rest of the kids. He liked to skate and
play hockey as a teenager. Then something happened. His body
didn't work as it should, and he started feeling weak. His doctor
told him he had muscular dystrophy (M.D.).

     M.D. slowly took away Uncle Don's ability to move around
like he used to. He went from being able to walk to having to use
a motorized cart (known as an Amigo), to being confined now to a
wheelchair, unable to get out on his own or make the simple
movements we all take for granted. M.D. has also cost him his
vision, and he is now legally blind. He has had many operations
and long hospital stays. His body has been so weakened that any
disease may be life-threatening to him.

     Some people would say this is a sad story, but they're
wrong. My Uncle Don laughs, tells jokes, and loves CD's and audio
books. He also loves good conversation and isn't afraid to say
what he thinks. He is very outgoing and enjoys the company of
others (especially me and my sisters and brother). He is married
to my Aunt Sue, who takes good care of him. They are both
involved with the National Federation of the Blind. They attend
conventions all over the country. They also help others with
similar challenges.

     In conclusion, my Uncle Donald has shown me more strength
and courage than anyone else I know. He's never cross with us
kids, and we never hear him complain. He gives me a good example
of how to deal with life and all the difficulties you run into.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Toby Longface]
                  Sitting in a Corner? Not Me!
                    by Tobias (Toby) Longface
                           **********
     From the Editor: Toby Longface is President of the Tucson
Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona.
                           **********
     "Toby, you know, if you go blind, you will just have to
spend your time sitting in a corner and doing nothing." This is
what my best friend said to me a few years ago when I was rapidly
losing my vision. Today I am sorry to say that I bought into that
negative thinking myself until I met the wonderful people and
ideas about blindness of the National Federation of the Blind.

     It all started several years ago after I was struck by a
drunk driver. I was driving home in my car after visiting a
friend when a car came out of nowhere (traveling an estimated
ninety-eight miles an hour) and crashed into me. As often happens
in such cases, the drunk driver received only a scratch on his
nose, but I was not so lucky. I received severe head injuries,
and my car went off to the junk yard.

     As a result of my head injuries I suffered considerable
short-term memory loss, and my eyes also started their rapid
deterioration. Medically there seemed to be nothing to do to stop
this deterioration or to regain the vision I had already lost, so
I began what was to be a long period of rehabilitation.

     After a few years of floundering around, I told my best
friend I was becoming blind, and he told me I'd have nothing to
do but sit in a corner. At the time I thought I couldn't face the
future with that kind of an outlook, so I tried to do the best I
could to go on. My wife Madonna tried her very best to help me.
She did everything she could to keep my spirits up and to give me
confidence. It would have been impossible to face the future
without her support. She gave me her all.

     I had previously been a professional photographer and a
silversmith, making my living with my eyes and my hands. I tried
to keep up these activities using my limited remaining vision and
whatever blind techniques I could devise on my own, but finally I
got to the point where I could no longer do my work.

     I went to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital
where surgery was attempted, but my vision only got worse. They
finally said that my retinas were so badly damaged that they
couldn't do anything else for me. They gave up the idea of any
more surgery and sent me instead to the rehabilitation center for
blinded veterans at the Tucson, Arizona, VA Hospital.

     But in my mind I wasn't ready for that just yet since I
still had a little vision. I wonder how many times other blind
people have said, "I'm not blind; I can still see a little; so I
don't need to go to a training center."

     Well I was blind, and I might as well have accepted it. But
my mind was just playing tricks on me, and I really thought my
life was effectively over. Without understanding it, I had bought
right into my friend's notion that I should just sit in a corner.

     I gave up on life. I sold or gave away all the tools I had
used to earn my living. I now know that this was a big mistake,
but at the time I thought I was being perfectly reasonable. Of
course I wasn't taking into account the fact that I knew nothing
at all about blindness and what trained blind people can do and
how they do it.

     Then a wonderful thing happened to me! I was introduced to
the National Federation of the Blind and its Kernel Books. The
first Federationist I met was Karen Ortega, who was the President
of the Tucson Chapter. We met shortly before the 1997 state
convention of the NFB of Arizona was to be held--it was in Tucson
that year.

     Karen invited my wife and me to attend the convention. I
told her I was sorry, but Madonna and I would be traveling to the
Northwest to see our children at the very time the convention was
to be held.

     Karen said, "I'm sorry to hear that. You could learn a lot
about blindness and also about yourself at the convention, but at
least let me give you tapes of what we call our Kernel Books.
These are easy-to-read stories about the way many of our members
cope with their blindness every day and lead normal, happy,
productive lives. I think they will help you a lot if you'll take
the time to read them."

     So I began to read and read and read. Wow! What a way to
find out about the Federation, its people, and its ideas. What a
way to begin to learn the truth about blindness and, therefore,
about myself. To these writers being blind was just an
inconvenience. Gee whiz, if I could learn to think like that, how
great it would be!

     Before long I called Karen to thank her for the books and
also to tell her that I had changed my mind. After reading these
little books, I could see new hope and a new chance for my life.
I told her that Madonna and I had decided that she should travel
to the Northwest to see our kids alone and that the best thing I
could do was to get to that state convention.

     I was overwhelmed at the convention, and it changed my life
forever. I got to know Karen Ortega personally. I found out that,
not only was she the President of the Tucson Chapter, but she was
also a full-time wife and mother as well as a full-time college
student. She had a very long white cane which enabled her to move
swiftly and with ease--mine, given to me by the VA, was so short
that it was not a useful tool at all but only an object which
could be used to identify me as blind.

     I made many new friends at that convention; and, as you
might guess, I joined the organization that very first day. The
role models I met have influenced my life forever, and I learned
that thousands of blind people are doing just fine, living normal
and productive lives every day.

     So after the convention I began to live again too. First I
decided to go back to my love of making jewelry, at least on a
limited basis. I spend lots of time writing poetry, and I have
already been fortunate enough to win an NFB poetry contest. I'm
also writing a book--The Life and Times of Toby Longface.

     I have learned to operate a talking computer--before this
time I had never put much stock in fancy gadgets. Using my
computer and Braille printer, I am starting a greeting card
company, producing Braille and large-print cards exclusively for
the blind or visually impaired. To do this I am using my own
poetry and my own photography.

     In addition to all of these activities, I plan to spend as
much time as I can doing volunteer work for the National
Federation of the Blind. In the fall of 1998 I was elected to
serve as President of our Tucson Chapter. Also I have already had
the chance to work on legislation to improve life for blind
people both by working here in Arizona with our state legislature
and by traveling to Washington, D.C., to work with our national
Congress.

     I guess I just can't say enough about the National
Federation of the Blind and these little Kernel books! Remember,
it was these little kernels of truth about blindness which first
captured my attention and showed me in a very practical way that
life can be good, whether or not you are blind. Do I sound
prejudiced? I suppose I am.

     I am deeply grateful to Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and all of the
other leaders and members of the Federation for all they have
done for me and for thousands of others just like me. If I had
not been introduced to the Federation through these wonderful
little books, I would probably be living out the life my best
friend assumed I would have--sitting in a corner. All of you have
truly helped me to see again.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Pierce takes a loaf of bread from the
oven.]
                     Baking Our Daily Bread
                        by Barbara Pierce
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article first appeared in To
Touch the Untouchable Dream, the latest in the Kernel Book series
of NFB paperbacks designed to educate the public about the
abilities of blind people. It begins with Dr. Jernigan's
introduction. Here it is:
                           **********
     As regular Kernel Book readers know, Barbara Pierce is the
wife of a college professor and has raised three children. She
serves as Editor of the Braille Monitor (the National Federation
of the Blind's monthly magazine), works from a fully equipped
home office--complete with computer, e-mail, and Internet access-
-a work arrangement which meshes perfectly with her love of
homemaking. Here is what Barbara, who is totally blind, has to
say about baking our daily bread:
                           **********
     One day my college roommate, whose usual cooking projects
were limited to what she could achieve in our popcorn popper,
returned from a trip to the supermarket with two loaves of frozen
bread dough. She announced with glee that she was going to bake
them and provide us with warm, homemade bread to go with the
cheese spread, oranges, and brownies my mother had sent in her
latest care package.

     Having been party to dinner-roll making at home, I was
skeptical about how well the loaves would rise in our frigid dorm
room, but I went off to class hoping for the best. When I
returned several hours later, I was gratified to find that the
loaves had thawed but unsurprised to observe that they were still
the same thin logs they had been when they arrived, even if they
were now pliable.

      Water left in a cup did not quite freeze in that dorm
during the winter, but I had been glad to master the art of
dressing while still wearing my flannel nightgown. I decided I
would have to intervene if we were to have bread for supper.

     By combining our available resources, I managed to construct
a sort of incubator using my stool and desk lamp and my
roommate's sheepskin throw. It worked beautifully, and gradually
through the afternoon the bread began to rise. Those loaves were
only the first hatched in our cobbled-together incubator that
year and baked in the kitchen down the hall.

     At home the following summer I began experimenting with
making bread from scratch. My mother was trained as a home
economist, and what she does not know about cooking is not worth
learning. She taught me the rules for handling yeast correctly
and for kneading dough effectively. In the end I learned not to
be afraid of bread-making. It was a gift that has held me in good
stead through the years.

     The spring before I got married, the minister's wife at the
church I attended while a student gave me a recipe for making
four loaves of wonderful potato bread. I made the recipe several
times before we had children, but I found it infinitely valuable
once the children came along and began enjoying peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches and fresh bread and jam. But the best part of
that potato bread was my accidental discovery that it lent itself
beautifully to bread sculpture.

     This is an art form ideally suited to blind bakers and small
children, because as long as the sculptor's hands are clean, the
dough can be handled and reshaped as often as necessary. (Mother
can even surreptitiously reconstruct a masterpiece that has
suffered from the competition of too many small hands.)

     I eventually learned to divide the dough into three equal
pieces and give each child a section of counter, a greased cookie
sheet, and his or her part of the dough. This did not end the
warfare exactly--bargaining sessions for a little dough from a
neighbor's unused hoard had some tendency to turn into raids. But
for a number of years in our family, Christmas preparations
included making loaves of bread in the shapes of Santas, angels,
Christmas trees, bells, and shepherds to give to neighbors and
friends.

     Octopi, Easter bunnies, Jack o'lanterns, and valentines warm
from the oven have also been eagerly consumed through the years
with melting butter and raspberry jam in our kitchen.

     When a cook is unafraid of yeast, the word spreads like
magic. For years now I have made communion bread for our church.
Hot cross buns, filled with currants and spices and decorated
with crosses in lemon icing, are my contribution to the annual
breakfast at church between the Easter services. I have even
begun supplying the three-kings cake, which is really a sweet
bread filled with candied cherries and raisins, for our Epiphany
celebration.

     People who don't bake are often surprised that I do so much
of it. My husband is a college professor, so through the years I
have turned out an endless array of cookies, bars, cakes, and
quick breads for his classes. Doing that kind of baking is fun,
and it's important to me to feed students who aren't getting
homemade treats. But bread-baking satisfies something deep inside
me. Kneading bread dough is a wonderful way to release
frustration or anger and turn them into something nourishing and
comforting. Even the fragrance of baking bread is a blessing to
everyone who steps through the door.

     Bread is a living presence in the kitchen. It is very
forgiving of mistreatment or neglect. A loaf that has been left
to rise for too long can be kneaded and reshaped for another try.
If the room is too cold, moving the loaf to a warm place is
enough to persuade it to begin rising. Even if the cook manages
to kill the yeast, a little more can be dissolved and worked into
the dough to rescue the project. It is easy to tell when bread is
done even when one can't judge by looking at the color. A tap
with fingertips on the crust readily tells the listener when the
loaf is ready to be tipped out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

     Several years ago I received a bread machine for my
birthday. Since I had gone back to work and the children had left
for college, I had fallen out of the habit of bread baking. The
machine and the books of recipes for single loaves of mouth-
watering breads I subsequently received inspired me to begin
baking bread again.

     But this time it was altogether different. The machine
instructions said that I was to place the various ingredients in
the bowl in a prescribed order, close the lid, press the correct
button, and wait for the finished loaf to materialize. It seemed
implausible, but it worked. The only problem was that the loaf
was shaped like a flowerpot.

     All went well, however, until the day I discovered that my
bread machine had suicidal tendencies. During the kneading cycle
the machine sometimes began walking itself toward the edge of the
counter. As long as I was in the room when this dangerous
behavior began, I could keep pushing it back to safety. It was
only a matter of time, however, until I was out of earshot and it
actually leaped off the counter with a resounding crash and
unfortunate consequences to the machine.

     The first time this happened, the glass dome shattered. So
much for baking oddly shaped loaves. I quickly discovered to my
joy that I could remove the dough from the bowl at the end of the
kneading process and shape the loaf myself, allow it to rise in
the conventional way, and bake it in the oven.

     My new arrangement worked well for quite a long time. Of
course the machine continued its self-destructive behavior, and
every time it fell another dent appeared or something else
rattled its way loose and eventually off. The cord was too short
for me to place the bread machine on the floor while I was using
it, and nothing that I could devise kept it from wandering.

     My poor machine leaped from the counter for the last time
months after I had made the transition to doing the baking
myself. So I happily abandoned the machine that had taken up so
much space on my counter and retained all the wonderful new
recipes I had collected. My mixer has a bread hook, so I began
tossing together the ingredients and beating them with the mixer
to make loaves as easily and efficiently as the machine ever did
the job.

     It pleases me to bake, slice, and serve my own bread. But I
couldn't bake all our bread the way I do if I did not work at
home most of the time. In fact I count providing all our bread as
one of the many advantages of having a job that keeps me at home.

     What does any of this have to do with blindness? Nothing and
everything. Like thousands of other Americans I love to bake. My
family regularly sits down to fresh Stollen on Christmas morning,
homemade pizza with Italian bread crust, and crusty French bread
loaves on picnics. The only difference is that my family laughs
together to think how many of the people who know us only
casually believe that my husband must necessarily prepare all the
meals in our home, do the laundry, and keep the house clean. He
grumbles that it is hard to wear the crown of sainthood
undeservedly.

     Gradually we in the National Federation of the Blind are
teaching the public that blind people can and do carry out our
responsibilities, living full and productive lives. Through the
years I have taken much satisfaction from feeding my family and
teaching my children, God's children, and the children of my
friends to bake their daily bread.
                           **********
                           **********
                  The Technical Braille Center
                        by John J. Boyer
                           **********
     From the Editor: For individual Braille users perhaps the
most exciting part of the recent advent of relatively low-cost
Braille translation software and Braille embossers has been the
ready access we now have to literary Braille. If the text is in a
computer file or can be put into a file, obtaining a clear
Braille version is now pretty straightforward.

     The same cannot be said for musical notation or scientific
or mathematic texts. If one needs access to graphs or technical
drawings, the same sort of roadblocks appear. A new resource is
now available to those facing such problems. Computers Helping
People, Inc. (CHPI) is a small company in Madison, Wisconsin,
dedicated to solving such problems with care, speed, and
efficiency. John Boyer started the company; this is what he says
about it:
                           **********
     The Technical Braille Center produces books in Braille,
large print, and special electronic forms for scientists,
engineers, and mathematicians who are blind, dyslexic, or
paralyzed. It also provides books for students preparing for
careers in the technical professions, who urgently need the
equivalent of the printed materials their peers use. We also
produce Braille music.

     We emphasize fast turnaround times--constantly improving our
technology to reduce costs--and human preparers knowledgeable in
mathematics, science, and music.

     Our center capitalizes on new technology for the translation
of mathematics into various media. It is run by the person who
developed the technology (a deaf-blind computer scientist). It
taps into the skills and idealism of the students and staff of
Madison's many institutions of higher education. It is part of a
private, nonprofit corporation. Since it is not a unit of any
government agency or educational institution, it can offer its
services to everyone. It began operation in the spring of 1997
and has now produced several textbooks.

     The books are prepared by a small group of specially trained
editors who are themselves familiar with mathematical and musical
notation and are trained in the production of tactile graphics,
which enable blind readers to study graphs, charts, and diagrams.

     The software used to translate books works well when
transcribing plain text, but it often produces errors and
inconsistencies when the pages have unusual formats containing
diagrams, graphs, or equations. This limitation is what makes
Brailling technical texts so difficult. The content must be
painstakingly edited by those familiar with the mathematical and
musical notation used. This editing process accounts for 90
percent of the time (and cost) required to produce the finished
product. The pages are produced using an interpoint Braille
embosser.

     For each text the activities are as follows:

     1) Agencies and individuals place orders by contacting CHPI
by mail, fax, e-mail, phone, or dropping by the East Johnson
Street office. Small jobs can be paid for at the conclusion of
the work. For jobs over several hundred dollars we require that
the person making the order sign a transcription contract and pay
half the estimated price in advance. The estimate is made by
counting the number of print pages to be transcribed, determining
the number of Braille pages that will result from each print page
and counting the number of graphics which must be produced in
tactile form. This process is complex, particularly since our
costs change as we develop the technology. For these reasons we
generally ask the customer to send us the book so that we can
make an accurate estimate.

     2) The books must be electronically scanned, which puts the
entire text into a word-processing file. In music translation
some musical notation is too complex to be scanned using the
procedure described above. In these cases a skilled musician
plays the piece directly into the computer using a MIDI keyboard,
which works much like a piano.

     3) The text parts of the file are carefully edited and
formatted. Musical parts are edited with software that shows the
music in the usual graphical form on the screen. Verbal and
numeric information on graphics is edited and placed in
appropriate positions on the page.

     4) The file is run through the translation program and
turned into actual Braille. The program was developed by CHPI in
partnership with Braille Planet, Inc. (formerly Raised-Dot
Computing, Inc.), another Madison nonprofit.

     5) The Braille text is proofread by a skilled Braille
reader, final corrections are made to the inkprint version, and
it is then printed in Braille a final time.

     6) The graphical parts of figures are hand-drawn because the
Braille embosser cannot produce graphics of sufficient quality.
The original paper copies of figures are kept so that they can be
used to produce additional copies of the book. The figures are
transferred to plastic sheets which are bound with the paper
sheets containing the text and music.

     7) The completed Braille volumes are shipped to the
customer. The first few volumes can be shipped as soon as they
are completed without waiting for the whole book to be finished.

     8) After a book is shipped, we keep the files on our
computers so that we can provide copies to other people who need
them. We also place information on them in the LOUIS database at
the American Printing House for the Blind. You can find out what
we have available by looking at our own book list.

     Contact John J. Boyer, Executive Director, Computers to Help
People, Inc., 825 East Johnson Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53703,
phone: (608) 257-5917, fax: (608) 257-3480, or e-mail:
<[8]chpi@execpc.com>.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Don Capps]
          Donald C. Capps Receives the Jefferson Award
                         by David Houck
                           **********
     From the Editor: David Houck is the Treasurer of the NFB of
South Carolina and director of the Federation Center of the
Blind.
                           **********
     On Monday afternoon, May 24, 1999, at the Embassy Suites in
Columbia, South Carolina, a special annual luncheon was hosted by
WLTX-TV 19, the CBS affiliate in Columbia, to bestow the
Jefferson Award for outstanding community service upon NFB of
South Carolina President Donald C. Capps and two other
recipients, Charlotte L. Berry and William L. Hamilton. The award
is sponsored by the American Institute for Public Service, which
was established by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Robert W. Taft,
Jr., in 1973. The invocation was offered by Dr. George E. Metze,
the Chaplin of the State Senate. The Honorable Bob Peeler, South
Carolina's Lieutenant Governor, also addressed the audience.
Brief video presentations of each of the three recipients, to be
aired later on WLTX, were screened during the ceremony. The
recipients were presented with their awards and made remarks to
the gathering, which were videotaped as well.

     The program agenda spoke of Mr. Capps as follows: "Longtime
[NFB of South Carolina] President, Donald Capps began a legacy of
serving the blind which spans almost half a century. In 1953
Donald became interested in the organized blind movement and was
elected President of the Columbia Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind, where he presently holds the office of
President of the NFB of South Carolina. One of Donald's major
accomplishments was the establishment of the South Carolina
Commission for the Blind as an independent agency in 1966. Among
his many activities Donald is editor of the Palmetto Blind, a
quarterly publication, and he also served as President of the
Forest Acres Rotary Club. He is currently working on a project
for the development of Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind [the Ralph
M. Ellenburg, Sr., Lodge], where he serves as founder of the
camp. In respect for his many accomplishments the Federation
Center of the Blind named its fellowship hall in his honor for
his lifetime service to the blind."

     Upon receiving this prestigious award, President Capps
thanked the South Carolina blind community, the National
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the Federation Center
of the Blind, the School for the Deaf and Blind, his faithful
wife Betty, and WLTX-TV 19 for its community-minded spirit.

     The award is a large bronze medallion which displays on its
obverse an eagle with the words "Jefferson Award--American
Institute for Public Service," and the reverse side reads, "In
recognition of outstanding public service," and is signed by
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; R.W. Taft, Jr.; and Samuel S. Beard.
                           **********
                           **********
                             Recipes
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Mary Donahue]
     This month's recipes come from members of the National
Association of Blind Secretaries and Transcribers.
                           **********
                        My Infamous Punch
                         by Mary Donahue
                           **********
     Mary Donahue serves as Secretary of the National Association
of Blind Secretaries and Transcribers, First Vice President of
the San Antonio Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Texas, a long-distance operator for Qwest Communications, and
a certified Braille proofreader for Third Coast Services and
Braille Mission. Mary also serves on the Technology Council of
Warm Springs Resource Center as a consultant and is also an
officer of the NFB's Music Division.
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 large cans Hawaiian Punch fruit punch
1 16-ounce can Privoli fruit punch
2 cans or 1 bottle (1 liter) ginger ale
                           **********
     Method: Place all ingredients except ginger ale in a large
pitcher and stir. Add ginger ale just before serving. Makes one
gallon.
                           **********
                           **********
                           Fudge Balls
                         by Mary Donahue
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 1-ounce squares baking chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectionery sugar
chopped nuts
                           **********
     Method: Melt chocolate in microwave oven and cool slightly.
Add butter, vanilla, and cream cheese and mix well. Stir in
powdered sugar, form in small balls, and roll in ground nuts.
Chill until firm.
                           **********
                           **********
                 Pineapple Carrot Gelatin Salad
                         by Mary Donahue
                           **********
Ingredients:
1 package lemon Jell-O
1 can crushed pineapple
2 grated carrots
1 pint hot water
                           **********
     Method: Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Allow to cool. Add
pineapple and carrots. Place in refrigerator in individual molds
or one large one and chill until set. Serve alone or, if desired,
on lettuce leaf garnished with mayonnaise.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Lisa Hall]
                    Meat Sauce for Spaghetti
                          by Lisa Hall
                           **********
     Lisa Hall is President of the National Association of Blind
Secretaries and Transcribers, Second Vice President of the San
Antonio Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas,
and a telephone operator for Qwest Communications. In addition,
Lisa serves as an officer of the Deaf-Blind Division of the
National Federation of the Blind and as a consultant to the
Technology Council of Warm Springs Resource Center in San
Antonio, Texas.
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons bacon drippings or margarine
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 pound ground beef or veal
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cayenne to taste
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups tomato juice
                           **********
     Method: Saute onions, celery, and green pepper in drippings
or margarine. Add meat and cook, stirring, until meat turns from
red to brown. Add all remaining ingredients and cook covered over
low heat for at least one hour. Mix gently with 2/3 pound
spaghetti prepared according to package directions. Serve topped
with Parmesan cheese. Serves six.
                           **********
                           **********
                          Baked Apples
                          by Lisa Hall
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 small apples
Artificial sweetener to equal 2 teaspoons sugar
Dash each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
                           **********
     Method: Core apples and place in baking dish. Sprinkle
sweetener, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the apples. Add water and
lemon juice to baking dish and bake at 450 degrees for twenty-
five minutes or until tender. Makes 2 servings.
                           **********
                           **********
                            Lemonade
                          by Lisa Hall
                           **********
Ingredients:
8 ounces pure lemon juice
1/2 cup honey
6 cups cold water
1 uncolored unwaxed lemon, sliced (optional)
                           **********
     Method: In a blender combine lemon juice and honey on high
speed. Mix with cold water in a large pitcher. Add lemon slices
if desired. Serve over ice.
                           **********
                           **********
                       Monitor Miniatures
                           **********
Travel Magazine Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     The Travel Magazine is a quarterly publication available in
Braille and standard two-track cassette which brings the world of
travel available in print travel periodicals to those unable to
access ordinary printed material. Subscriptions are $32.95
annually. For a sample copy send $1 for cassette and $5 for
Braille to The Travel Magazine, P.O. Box 24236, Cincinnati, Ohio
45224.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Completely reconditioned Perkins Braille Writer for sale.
Cost is $300, payment plan is negotiable. Call evenings or
weekends, (313) 885-7330 or e-mail:
<pacinin@itsd.ci.detroit.mi.us>.
                           **********
Wanted:
     Interpoint full-page slate. Call evenings or weekends, (313)
885-7330 or email: <pacinin@itsd.ci.detroit.mi.us>.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Al Sanchez]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Gerrie Burke]
Wedding Bells:
     Gerrie Burke of the NFB of Virginia and Albert Sanchez of
the NFB of Washington were married Saturday, June 26, 1999, at
Saint George's Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia. Al, a
longtime leader in the Washington affiliate, has relocated to
Virginia. The couple honeymooned in Atlanta at our convention. We
wish the newlyweds much joy.
                           **********
Poetry Book Available:
     Toby Longface, President of the Tucson Chapter of the NFB of
Arizona, has asked us to carry the following announcement:

     My poetry book, Smelling the Roses, is ready for sale. It is
like a Twin Vision(R) book, eight-and-a-half-by-eleven-inch pages
with large print and graphics on the left page and Braille on the
right. It will sell for $11.95 plus $1.50 shipping. It is also
available with large print and graphics only for $9.95 plus $1.50
shipping. This edition measures five and a half inches by eight
and a half. My greeting cards for all occasions are also
available in large print and Braille. I'm using my own
photography and poetry in them. They will sell six for $9.95 plus
$1.50 shipping. For more information or to place an order, call
Toby Longface Enterprises, 1914 West Anklam Road, Tucson, Arizona
85745, phone (520) 623-7044, e-mail: <longface1@juno.com>.
                           **********
Fred's Head Database:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     The American Printing House for the Blind is building the
Fred's Head Database, a collection of tips, tricks, and
alternative techniques by and for people who are blind or
visually impaired. Fred's Head is an expert database that
captures and makes available the knowledge and experience of many
different people from all walks of life. Fred's Head will be
available on the APH Web site with a user-friendly search
interface. You'll be able to use Fred's Head to find how-to
information on a large number of subjects with topics growing
continuously.

     The experience of APH's Fred Gissoni is the core of the
database, but we are building a community of ideas. We invite you
to share your ideas for solving problems you meet every day. We
welcome everything from a simple solution to a detailed
discussion of a complex process. Some topics already included are
how to make a writing guide, marking hotel keys, how to do audio
tone indexing, how to make an audio tape address book, note
taking, sewing tips, how to make a Braille calendar, personal
uses of Braille, where to find information on scholarships, and
job search tips.

     Please send your idea to APH on computer disk, cassette
tape, in Braille, print, or via e-mail to Fay Leach, Expert
Database Coordinator, <fleach@aph.org>; (800) 223-1839, (502)
899-2378, fax: (502) 899-2363, American Printing House for the
Blind, 1839 Frankfort Avenue, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, Kentucky
40206-0085.
                           **********
Putting it All Together:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     EVAS is a reliable source for the design, manufacture,
integration, prompt delivery, support, and service of accessible
turn-key computer solutions. We offer a wide range of
technologies, including speech synthesizers, screen readers,
refreshable Braille displays, Braille printers, large-print
software, CCTVs, optical character recognition (OCR) reading
systems, and more. Our AbilityPro Systems feature productivity-
enhancing software such as a talking calculator, a text and
keystroke macro utility, a clipboard extender, and a powerful
address and personal information manager. Each AbilityPro
Computer comes with a FirstAid Disk to enable the recovery of
lost CMOS settings and corrupted master boot records on the hard
drive. This disk includes digitized voice output and a large-
print menu system, making it usable even when adaptive aids or
the computer's hard drive are not functioning. Our AbilityPro
Disaster Recovery Disks allow system engineers to restore the
original setup and configuration of an AbilityPro Computer during
a tech support call. Remote Access System Support is now a part
of all EVAS Computers. Connecting through the modem, this
specialized software turns EVAS' in-house support computer into a
duplicate of the end-user's system, allowing the EVAS engineer to
see first-hand the difficulty the user is experiencing.
Diagnostics can be run and hardware and software reconfigurations
performed to restore the system and minimize downtime. With their
in-depth knowledge of computer systems, access technology, and
application software and their relationships, EVAS's experienced
staff stands ready to respond to questions and support customers'
needs.

     To learn more, visit EVAS on the Web at <www.evas.com> or
call (800) 872-3827.
                           **********
Elected:
     The NFB of South Dakota recently held elections with the
following results: Karen Mayry, President; Minni Erickson, Vice
President; Irene Sears, Secretary; Peggy Klimisch, Treasurer; and
Tina Blatter, Denise Jones, and Mike Klimisch, Board Members.
                           **********
Arizona Perkins Brailler Repair Service Back in Full Swing:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     We are happy to report that, after incurring considerable
staffing shortages in the past year, the Arizona Brailler Repair
Service (ABRS), which is a cooperative enterprise between the
Arizona Instructional Resource Center of the Foundation for Blind
Children and an Arizona state prison, is up and running again.
The cost for labor is $30 with a six-month warranty on labor.
Parts are extra. Usual turn-around time is under four weeks,
somewhat longer if unusual parts need to be ordered from Howe
Press. Special care should be given to safe packing, preferably
the original box and packing material. Any insurance is to be
paid by the machine owner. For more information or to send your
Brailler for repair or maintenance service, please contact the
AIRC, the Foundation for Blind Children, 1235 E. Harmont Drive,
Phoenix, Arizona 85020, (602) 678-5810, or visit the Web site
<www.the-fbc.org>.
                           **********
Garment Labels Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     We provide washable Braille and large-print garment labels
available in packages of twenty-five or fifty. These labels
withstand washing and drying, so you can attach the label to your
garment by either sewing or safety-pinning the label to the
fabric. With your first order you will receive an index of colors
so you can learn our color abbreviations and color saturation
guide, which distinguishes between light and dark colors.
Currently we have blue, black, purple, white, yellow, red, green,
gray, tan, pink, and orange available. The cost for twenty-five
labels is $12.95, and for fifty labels the cost is $24.95. For
more information contact Denise at (610) 642-4442.
                           **********
New Catalog Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Give the gift that says something--Speak to Me's new catalog
features a large variety of holiday gift ideas. Some of the
newest products include Zenith VCR with confirmation; voice-
recognition phone with answering machine; a large variety of
digital recorders; lots of new talking magnets, key chains,
novelty clocks; graduation and wedding gift ideas; many new
talking toys and games for children; plus many more practical and
fun items for the whole family. Call (800) 248-9965 to request
your free catalog, which is available in print, on cassette, or
on IBM-compatible disk.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Joe Ruffalo]
Appointed:
     We recently learned that on March 17, 1999, the State of New
Jersey Department of Human Services appointed Joseph Ruffalo,
Jr., President of the NFB of New Jersey, to the Board of Trustees
of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
for the term expiring June 30, 2000. Congratulations to Joe.
                           **********
Attention Amateur Radio Enthusiasts:
     We recently received a letter from Muhammad Ameen, who lives
in Kerala Province in India. He has a bachelor's degree in
English and teaches in a private institution. In 1994 he achieved
his long-held dream of qualifying as an amateur radio operator.
His call sign is vu3 vuc. But because he does not have a
transceiver (which he says is an important piece of equipment,
particularly for blind radio operators) he fears that he will
never be able to use his hobby. Purchasing a transceiver is
beyond his financial means. He hopes that someone reading this
notice might be able and willing to help him. If so, his address
is Muhammad S. Ameen, Darul Huda, Peringala Post Office,
Kumarapuram via, Aluva, Kerala, India 683565.
                           **********
Refreshable Braille at 25 Percent Savings:
     Blazie Engineering announces a 25 percent price cut on
PowerBraille 40, its popular forty-cell refreshable Braille
display. PowerBraille 40 now costs $4,495. This special price
still includes all of Blazie's standard warranties, guarantees,
and product support after the sale.

     PowerBraille 40, an enduring and proven performer, instantly
transforms screen information into 6- or 8-dot refreshable
Braille. ScreenPower software is included, allowing users to
receive Braille, speech, or both types of output simultaneously.

     Users get forty cells of refreshable Braille, full
compatibility with four computer operating systems including
Microsoft Windows, and battery-powered portability. PowerBraille
40, complete with thirty-month warranty, is fully featured for
maximum user convenience and control.

     For more information contact Blazie Engineering, 105 East
Jarrettsville Road, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050. Phone (410) 893-
9333, or visit the Web site <www.blazie.com>.
                           **********
In Memoriam:
     We recently learned that James McGinnis, who served as
President of the California affiliate in the late sixties and
early seventies, died at home in San Francisco, February 24,
1999. He was a native of Topeka, Kansas, and lived in California
for thirty-five years. He is survived by his wife Leslie; his
children Marilyn, Stephen, Bonnie, Gay, and Randy; and numerous
grandchildren. Jim was a professional jazz musician (guitar), a
piano technician, and director of Broadcast Services for the
Blind. His love for life, people, music, and baseball was
infectious. As an advocate for the rights of the blind, he fought
a good fight. A truly remarkable and memorable man, he will be
deeply missed.
                           **********
Specialty Items:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     My name is Scott Bush, and I live in the Chicago area. I am
legally blind and have my own company called LTT Sales, which
specializes in advertising and specialty items such as hats, T-
shirts, coffee mugs, pens, or anything to put a company's name or
event on. I am dedicated to giving the highest quality and lowest
cost to meet any customer's needs. I can be reached at (815) 254-
6680 or by fax (815) 254-6681. Please call with your text inquiry
or for a catalog.
                           **********
No Longer Doing Business:
     Marie Caputo has asked us to carry the following
announcement:

     Due to the significant decrease in computer prices,
Transcription Technologies, Inc., is no longer in business. Thank
you for your patronage.
                           **********
Elected:
     The Denver Chapter of the NFB of Colorado held elections at
its May meeting. Elected were Scott LaBarre, President; Julie
Deden, First Vice President; Doug Trimble, Second Vice President;
Tom Anderson, Secretary; and John Deden, Treasurer. Jennifer
Wenzel, Eric Woods, and Jeremiah Beasley were elected to the
Board.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Melody Lindsey]
Appointed:
     Family Independence Agency (FIA) director Douglas Howard
announced the appointment of Melody Lindsey as the director of
the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center in
Kalamazoo, effective May 16, 1999. The MCB Training Center is a
residential training facility, which has been in Kalamazoo for
nearly thirty years. Melody is a 1986 NFB Scholarship winner and
Past President of the NFB of Alaska. She has worked in
rehabilitation in several states, most recently in New Mexico.

     "We know the leadership, experience, and talent which Ms.
Lindsey brings to the center will benefit Michigan citizens for
many years," said Howard. "Her fervent belief in the capacity of
people to fulfill their dreams and achieve independence is
contagious."
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Accent SA speech synthesizer, $200. Jumbo Brailler,
excellent condition, $400. Office 97, $140 includes shipping.
TeleBraille, slow coming on, but operational, asking $1,500. All
prices are negotiable. Contact Isaac Obie at 755 Tremont Street,
Apt. 205, Boston, Massachusetts 02118; (617) 247-0026; e-mail:
<iobie@world.std.com>.
                           **********
Elected:
     The Bix Beiderbecke Chapter of the National Federation of
the Blind of Iowa held elections on April 5 with the following
results: John TeBockhorst, President; Mary Hartle-Smith, Vice
President; Tom TeBockhorst, Secretary; Mike Smith, Treasurer; and
Kallie Smith, Board Member.
                           **********
World Conference:
     A world conference showcasing excellence in assistive
technology is scheduled October 6 to 9, 1999, at the Radisson
Twin Towers Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The Assistive Technology
Industry Association (ATIA), the Alliance for Technology Access
(ATA), and the United States Society for Augmentative and
Alternative Communication (USSAAC) collaborate to bring you
comprehensive opportunities to learn, to meet personally a wide
range of peers and experts, and to contribute your experiences to
the continued improvement of our field.

     With the ATIA World Conference '99 as the centerpiece of
this experience, ATA and USSAAC add their national meetings to
form an unrivaled event with a week of in-depth training
sessions, presentations by leading professionals, an extensive
Exhibit Hall, a Hands-on Lab, and much more. Conference fee for
early registrants is $235, regular, $285, and on-site, $325. For
a list of companies exhibiting at the conference, contact ATA at
(415) 455-4575 or visit the ATA Web site at <www.ATAccess.org>.
e-mail: <ATIA@northshore.net> or phone (847) 869-1282.
                           **********
World Series Baseball Game:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     You can play baseball on your computer using all the great
teams of the past on Version 13 of the World Series Baseball Game
and Information System. You can also review the history of
baseball, find out who is in the Hall of Fame, check out all the
baseball records, and try out your knowledge of the game on a
1,000-question quiz.

     In the game, you are the manager, changing pitchers, pinch
hitting, sacrificing, purposely passing batters, moving the
infield in, etc.

     The game comes with 262 teams. The game is being played by
sight-impaired baseball fans of all ages in forty-eight states on
IBM-compatible computers with screen readers and synthesizers.
The price is still the same as when the game was first introduced
in 1986--only $15 to new users, $5 for updates. Send your check
to Harry Hollingsworth, 692 S. Sheraton Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319
or call (330) 644-2421 or e-mail <hhhollingsworth@ibm.net>.
                           **********
Affordable Talking Scientific Calculator:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Orbit Research has introduced ORION TI-34, the world's first
affordable talking scientific calculator for blind and visually
impaired students and professionals. Priced at $199, the 11-
ounce, pocket-sized calculator is a breakthrough in math and
science education for special-needs students. At close to a third
of the cost of other talking scientific calculators, ORION
provides unrivalled features and ease of use.

     The calculator vocalizes each key pressed and reads out
displayed answers in a clear, natural voice, while maintaining
the functionality and ease of use of the TI-34. The calculator
has over ninety-five scientific functions including statistics,
trigonometry, and Boolean logic. Visually impaired users will
find ORION's unique learning mode particularly useful because it
enables them effortlessly to locate and identify any key even in
the middle of a calculation without interrupting it.

     The unit comes with built-in, rechargeable batteries that
provide over seven hours of continuous operation, as well as a
mains adapter which doubles as a battery charger. Included with
the unit are an impact-resistant plastic cover, a high-quality
earphone for private use, and instruction manuals in large print
and on cassette tape. Orbit Research provides a one-year warranty
and toll-free technical support and customer service.

     Further information on ORION is available at
<www.orbitresearch.com> or by contacting Orbit Research at 3422
Old Capitol Trail, Suite 585, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, (888)
606-7248 or fax (888) 606-7248.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     I have for sale a DecTalk Express with headphones, AC
adapter, and connector cable. I will take the best offer. For
more information contact Kerry Stein at (205) 425-0800, weekdays
and (205) 967-4901, evenings and weekends.
                           **********
High Holiday Machzor Available Free to Blind:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     The Jewish Heritage for the Blind announces the availability
of the High Holiday Machzor Hebrew/English large print or Braille
edition for the visually impaired. To receive your free copy
while supplies last, mail or fax your request accompanied by a
note from your medical doctor or eye care specialist confirming
that you have a vision problem. Send to the Jewish Heritage for
the Blind, 1655 East 24th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11229, fax:
(718) 338-0653.
                           **********
Extra-Large-Print Books with Enhanced Pictures:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     The artists at Harvard Ranch Publishing introduce a new book
series that combines digitally enhanced imagery with very large
print. The books are designed for older adults and those with
visual impairments but appeal to nearly everyone. Harvard Ranch
worked closely with professionals and the visually impaired
themselves to create books that convey beauty and warmth. The
books also spark memories and imagination, which in turn promote
conversation. The books are easy to read but intellectually
engaging and visually intriguing. The first three books focus on
timeless poetry, Biblical passages, and familiar hymns. They are
illustrated with colorful drawings and photographs and are
spiral-bound so they lie flat when open.

     The series includes A Walk in the Garden, Verses from the
Bible, and Favorite Hymns and cost $24.95 each. Add $2.50 for
shipping and handling. You may call 1-800-815-9533 or contact
Harvard Ranch Publishing, Box 842, Kalispell, Montana 59903, fax
(406) 752-9678, e-mail <books@harvardranch.com>, or visit the Web
site at <www.harvardranch.com>. Methods of payment include major
credit cards.
                           **********
Sports and Recreational Videos Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     The Michigan Blind Athletic Association, MBAA, has three
videos available to assist and enhance physical education
programs. They include the following:

     ACCESS Sports video, eighteen minutes, discusses the ACCESS
sports model, which suggests ways to assess and adapt most sports
to include visually impaired students in a physical education
program. Costs $35.

     MBAA Sports Camp video, eighteen minutes, discusses the
annual MBAA Sports Camp for visually impaired youth. Founded more
than ten years ago, this camp assists visually impaired students
and their instructors in adapting physical education and sports
programs to include visually impaired youth. Costs $35.

     Introduction to Goal Ball, eight minutes, discusses the game
of goal ball, including rules and regulations. This is a very
fast-paced video. Costs $30.

     To order, send a check or money order or purchase order to
Michigan Blind Athletic Association, c/o Sherry Gordon,
Secretary, 4423 Sunnydale Avenue, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49006,
(616) 337-3276.
                           **********
Spanish Edition of Diabetes Publication Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:

     Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and
Low Vision, RRTC, announces the availability of a Spanish version
of its 1997 publication, Serving Individuals with Diabetes Who
Are Blind or Visually Impaired. This publication was produced in
collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind and is
available in large print and on audio cassette for $30.
Interested individuals should contact Ms. Kelly Schaefer at (662)
325-1363 for more information.
                           **********
                           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.

