                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 42, No. 8                                      October, 1999

                     Barbara Pierce, Editor

      Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by

              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


                         National Office
                       1800 Johnson Street
                   Baltimore, Maryland  21230

               NFB Net BBS:
http://www.nfbnet.org
              Web Page address:
http://www.nfb.org


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

Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about twenty-five
dollars per year. Members are invited, and non-members are
requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be
made payable to National Federation of the Blind and sent to:
                National Federation of the Blind
                       1800 Johnson Street
                    Baltimore, Maryland 21230

   THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
 SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES
ISSN 0006-8829

Vol. 42, No.7                                       October, 1999
                            Contents

Victory in South Dakota

Message from Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
     by Debra Barnes

Role Models in Reverse?
     by Mary Ellen Gabias

With Strength, Knowledge, and Passion: The Future Is Ours
     by Alan Tu

The 2000 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program

The Road Runner(R), A Review
     by Richard Ring

A Teacher's Perspective
     by Sheila Koenig

Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Form

Please Don't Be Offended
If I Refuse Your Offer of Help
     by Donna Blake

Expanding the View: a Technology Access Conference
     by Betsy Zaborowski

Technology Replacing Braille

Seminar at Sea
     by Donald J. Morris

Nebraska Orientation Center for the Blind
Celebrates Its Twenty-fifth Anniversary
     by Fatos Floyd

In Memory and Celebration of Donald Drapinski
     by Allen Harris

Recipes

Monitor Miniatures

       Copyright (C) 1999 National Federation of the Blind

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Patti Schonlau, Braille teacher at the Missouri
School for the Blind, stands with Barbara Cheadle, NOPBC
President. The Missouri School was the 1999 winner of the
Outstanding Participation Award, presented by the National
Association to Promote the Use of Braille.]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: John Miller and Arthur Given, both of Missouri,
read Braille while Betty Walker stands behind them.]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Macy McClain of Ohio sits on the floor reading
Braille.]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Alex Kaiser of New Jersey reads Braille at a
table.]

[LEAD PHOTO/CAPTION: Each year the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children and the National Association to Promote
the Use of Braille sponsor the Braille Readers Are Leaders
Contest for Braille-reading students. This year's contest form is
a tear-out found at the center of the print edition. You can
receive additional copies of the form by contacting Barbara
Cheadle at the National Center for the Blind, (410) 659-9314.]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Karen Mayry]

                     Victory in South Dakota

                           

     From the Editor: In states across the country in recent
months blind consumers have repeatedly found themselves fighting
legislative or executive branch plans to combine the separate
state rehabilitation agency serving blind citizens with the
general rehabilitation agency. North Carolina's blind consumers
have won two rounds in this war, but it seems likely that more
battles will follow. Despite hard work by blind people in Texas,
their commission lost a good bit of its autonomy last spring.
Kentucky's blind citizens have won for now, but the Pennsylvania
agency has just been swallowed whole. And so it goes.
     One of the most recent struggles has taken place in South
Dakota, where one might have hoped for some appreciation of the
importance of a separate agency. After all, the director of the
Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DSBVI)
regularly attends NFB state conventions and has enabled members
of his staff to attend National Conventions. Karen Mayry,
President of the NFB of South Dakota, and other Federationists
are active in agency programs and governance. Both the NFB and
the ACB affiliates have clearly articulated their opposition to
the combined agency concept.
     According to Karen Mayry, in December of 1998 the advisory
board for South Dakota's general rehabilitation agency expressed
its willingness for the umbrella agency, the Department for Human
Services, to investigate the idea of combining the two agencies
as a cost-saving measure. But at its April 16 meeting the SBVI
Board learned that a combined state plan had been developed and
would be submitted to the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) after a series of public meetings across the state to allow
consumers and other interested people to express their views. In
other words, having received the go-ahead to investigate the
concept, Human Services Secretary John Jones had his staff
develop a combined plan, which was described in April as
preliminary, but which was introduced around the state as the one
they intended to submit to RSA and implement in October.
     The NFB of South Dakota conducted its 1999 convention the
weekend after the combined-agency bombshell was dropped.
Predictably the NFB passed a resolution condemning the single
state plan for a combined agency. Federationists then began
letting public officials know what they thought. On May 3 Karen
Mayry sent a letter and the resolution to every member of the
state legislature. Pay particular attention to the postscript in
Karen's letter. Here it is:

                           


Dear South Dakota Legislator:
     Blind South Dakotans need your help. The South Dakota
Department of Human Resources wants to eliminate the Division of
Services for the Blind and create a new Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation, which would "serve all disabled persons." Blind
persons know that this type of system does not work for them. We,
the smallest minority of disabled persons, thus have the least
clout when it comes to obtaining dollars and services when there
is no special budget or separate division.
     The Department of Human Services was created in 1988, and at
that time SBVI (Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired)
came into being. Blind people in South Dakota banded together to
achieve this goal. Since its creation blind citizens have
received better service, and more blind individuals have been
employed. Why would we be happy about changing a good program? We
aren't.
     Enclosed is a resolution passed during the annual convention
of the National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota. It
states very well our negative feelings toward this new proposal
put forth by Secretary John Jones. History taught us that blind
citizens do not fare well when there is no separate agency of the
blind.
     Please attend one of the upcoming town meetings being held
near you. The purpose of the town meeting is to discuss the
current state plan and receive comments from the public. The
meetings are scheduled for Rapid City, May 10; Pierre, May 11;
Aberdeen, May 12; and Sioux Falls, May 13. All meetings start at
6:30 p.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m. Join to help us work to
maintain a system we know is right and working to better the
lives of blind South Dakota citizens.

                           


                                                       Sincerely,
                                        Karen S. Mayry, President
                                              NFB of South Dakota

                           


     P.S. In addition, you should be aware that consolidation of
the agencies as of October 1, 1999, appears to be a violation of
the South Dakota Constitution since such a consolidation may not
become effective until ninety days after the Governor has
submitted an executive order so providing to the South Dakota
legislature and neither House of that body has overruled the
executive order.
     Should you have any further questions regarding the State's
compliance with the public participation requirement, please
contact me at your earliest convenience.

                           


cc:  Dr. Fred Schroeder, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services
          Administration
     Dr. Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind
     Loerance Deaver, Regional Commissioner, RSA Region VIII

                           


     In addition to this letter to the members of the South
Dakota Legislature, Mrs. Mayry wrote to Governor William Janklow
and to a dozen newspapers across the state. She also wrote to the
chairmen of the DSBVI and general rehabilitation agency boards.
In every case she argued the consumer case for a separate agency
to serve blind South Dakotans based on the improved statistics
for blind people served and returned to work and community life
since establishment of the separate agency in 1988. Through the
efforts of Dawn Flewwellin, President of the ACB affiliate in
South Dakota, the consumer organizations met with Governor
William Janklow on May 24. They had earlier discussed the crisis
with Human Services Secretary Jones without making any
discernible impact. The governor listened and actually engaged in
debate with NFB Second Vice President Peggy Elliott, who took
part in the meeting.
     The same day Joe Cordova, Director of the Division for the
Blind and Visually Impaired of the Rehabilitation Services
Administration, wrote to Governor Janklow laying out the RSA
position on separate agencies. Here is that letter:

                           


                                                 Washington, D.C.
                                                     May 24, 1999

                           


Honorable William Janklow
Governor
Pierre, South Dakota

                           


Dear Governor Janklow:

     We have recently received an inquiry from the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB) of South Dakota concerning the
planned reorganization of the South Dakota Division of Services
for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which is responsible for
administering vocational rehabilitation services for individuals
who are blind and visually impaired in the state of South Dakota.
We have been informed that plans are currently underway to
consolidate the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually
Impaired with the general agency providing vocational
rehabilitation services to persons with other disabilities, the
South Dakota Division of Rehabilitation Services. The NFB of
South Dakota has raised concerns as to how this planned
reorganization will affect the quality of services to blind and
visually impaired consumers in the state and what impact it will
have on current federal law regarding the provision of vocational
rehabilitation services.
     Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) Section
101 (a)(2) (State Plan Requirements), states have the option of
designating a separate agency or unit for the administration of
vocational rehabilitation services for blind persons in that
state. In the submission of the state plan for vocational
rehabilitation services, the state must identify the particular
organizational structure it has designated for the administration
of its state plan in accordance with all applicable requirements
under this section. Any planned changes to the current state plan
regarding the designated state agency or unit must be submitted
as part of a state plan amendment for final approval by the
Rehabilitation Services Administration and must identify the
designated state agency organizational structure in accordance
with the state plan requirements under the Rehabilitation Act.
     Currently, nearly half (twenty-five) of all states in the
country have chosen the separate-agency structure as the model
for providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals
who are blind. According to data compiled by the Rehabilitation
Services Administration, those states that have separate agencies
for the blind have consistently reported higher employment
outcomes than agencies which have a combined-agency structure.
These findings have also been consistently supported and
extensively documented by numerous other independent professional
studies for nearly two decades now. These studies suggest that a
separate-agency organizational structure is, by its very nature,
better able to respond to and meet the special rehabilitation
needs of individuals who are blind more effectively and
efficiently, and this accounts for the higher performance in
achieving employment outcomes by separate agencies for the blind.
     In light of this record of performance by separate agencies
for the blind and given the critically high unemployment rate
among the blind (approaching nearly 80 percent nationally), the
NFB of South Dakota has expressed serious concerns over the
potential decline in the quality of services and responsiveness
to the needs of blind consumers in the state if this
reorganization is to take effect. For this reason we wish to
bring these concerns to your attention, and we hope this
information will be useful to you as you further consider this
important matter.
     If we can be of any further assistance in this regard,
please do not hesitate to contact us at your convenience.

                           


                                                    Respectfully,
                                         Joe D. Cordova, Director
                                       Division for the Blind and
                                                Visually Impaired

                           


     By June all four town meetings had taken place, and at each
one consumers rose to protest the abolition of DSBVI, and of
course the governor had had the opportunity to read and reflect
on Joe Cordova's letter. None of this made any difference. John
Jones apparently met with him and wrote a memo assuring him
without proof that $450,000 could be saved by combining the
rehabilitation agencies and pointing out that the blind were a
small minority of the disability community, so it wouldn't do to
provide specialized services to this tiny fraction of the
disabled. That was apparently enough to persuade the governor to
back the combined agency. The governor's rationale for dismissing
Cordova's argument that specialized agencies across the board
produce better results is amusing in a wry way. He says that
South Dakota does not look at results beyond its borders. The
justification is reminiscent of the old saw, "I know what I
think; don't confuse me with the facts." Here is the letter
Governor Janklow wrote to Karen Mayry and copied to Dawn
Flewwellin:

                           


                                             Pierre, South Dakota
                                                    July 23, 1999

                           


Karen S. Mayry, President
NFB of South Dakota

                           


Dear Karen:
     It was my pleasure to meet with you and Dawn Flewwellin and
listen to your concerns about the Department of Human Services's
(DDS) plans to combine divisions. Since then I've met with
Secretary Jones, and we've talked about the issues you have and
what government can do to ensure the blind consumers that our
intentions are honorable and specialized services for the blind
will continue.
     John has given me a brief since our meeting, and you will
find that attached. I ask that you treat some of the personnel
issues in confidence until public announcements are made.
     Karen, I've studied your points A to F closely. DDS has
agreed that counselors and teachers providing specialized skills
of blindness will continue; these are people who recognize the
trauma of blindness and the requirements for learning the skills
of Braille and cane travel.
     Our commitment to ensure positive outcomes for blind
consumers is not driven by history or studies done in other
states; it is driven by the desire of my administration to
provide top quality services to all citizens with any type of
disability. I don't want to sound defensive, but the number of
South Dakota citizens with all other types of disabilities far
outnumbers the blind, and I really want to avoid looking like we
favor one disability over another. I have a responsibility to all
citizens of South Dakota.
     My comment about the money being a drop in the bucket was
comparing it to the total state budget of over two billion
dollars. It may be a drop in the bucket in that context, but it
is a big splash in the division budget.
     I have to respectfully disagree that you have lost any clout
if one division is created. You have access, not only to the
division director, but also to the staff person who is
responsible for directing specialized blind services. Most
citizens don't care about whose name is in a box on an
organizational chart; what they care about is the quality of the
services provided.
     I've taken the liberty of copying Dawn with this so that
both organizations for the blind in South Dakota receive the same
information. I strongly encourage you to work with John and his
division staff as plans are developed for the continuation of
specialized blind services.

                           


                                                       Sincerely,
                                               William J. Janklow

                           


cc:  Dawn Flewwellin, South Dakota Association of the Blind

                           


     The governor's response and the comments by Secretary Jones
and other department and division officials clearly demonstrated
that the combined agency was, as far as the bureaucrats were
concerned, a done deal, regardless of consumer views, statistical
evidence, or existing state law. Karen Mayry decided to see if
RSA could help slow the juggernaut bearing down on the blind of
South Dakota. She wrote to the RSA Regional Commissioner for
Region VIII and the woman immediately responsible for South
Dakota and neighboring states. This is what she said:

                           


                                         Rapid City, South Dakota
                                                  August 13, 1999

                           


Loerance Deaver
Regional Commissioner, Region VIII
Denver, Colorado

                           


Mary Ann Fuller
Rehabilitation Services Administration
Denver, Colorado

                           


Dear Mr. Deaver and Ms. Fuller:

     This letter is written to protest the State Plan submitted
by South Dakota for State Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Program and State Plan Supplement for the State Supported
Employment Services Program. The basis for the protest is that
the State of South Dakota's compliance with the public
participation requirements imposed by the Rehabilitation Act
constituted a sham.
     The purpose of the public participation requirements is to
ensure that there is input from the public in the plan to be
submitted. The purpose of the statutory requirement, obviously,
is not to create a charade of consultation where none exists. In
this instance the plan offered for comment to the public in April
of this year and the plan that has been submitted to your office
are in all substantial respects identical. It is apparent,
therefore, that the agency did not take into account on matters
of general policy the views of individuals and groups of
individuals who are recipients of these services, even though the
dissent expressed was substantial. It is apparent that there was
never any intention by the State of South Dakota to consider the
views of the public that were opposed to the consolidation of
agencies. We believe that it would be inappropriate for the
Rehabilitation Services Administration to approve the State Plan
until and unless it has investigated whether the State's
compliance with the public participation requirement was a good-
faith and real effort to take public input into account and
concluded that it has.
     In addition, you should be aware that consolidation of the
agencies as of October 1, 1999, appears to be a violation of the
South Dakota Constitution since such a consolidation may not
become effective until ninety days after the Governor has
submitted an executive order so providing to the South Dakota
legislature and neither house of that body has overruled the
executive order.
     Should you have any further questions regarding the State's
compliance with the public participation requirements, please
contact me at your earliest convenience.

                           


                                                Very truly yours,
                                           Karen Mayry, President
                 National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota

                           


cc:  Dr. Fred Schroeder
     Dr. Marc Maurer

                           


     RSA has the power to withhold all federal rehabilitation
funds from a state agency that does not comply with its
requirements, and that is certainly a convincing weapon. But it
is rather like having a neutron bomb as the chief weapon in a
country's arsenal; it is too overwhelming in its repercussions to
be employed except in the direst circumstances. There is some
evidence to indicate that RSA officials were not happy with the
South Dakota decision and methods, but it was also obvious that
we had to apply additional pressure if we were going to stop the
consolidation plan. After lengthy discussions the NFB's attorney,
Dan Goldstein, wrote the following letter to the South Dakota
Attorney General:

                           


                                                  August 18, 1999
The Honorable Mark Barnett
Pierre, South Dakota

Dear General Barnett:
     Together with James Robbennolt, Esq., I represent the
National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota, whose members
include consumers of services provided by the South Dakota
Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI).
     Governor Janklow has submitted a State Plan to the
Rehabilitation Services Administration of the United States
Department of Education for the provision of rehabilitative
services pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act. That plan proposes
to abolish SBVI and to create a single Department of
Rehabilitative Services. According to a letter from the Division
Director of SBVI and the Interim Division Director of DRS, dated
July 30, 1999, implementation of the plan would begin October 1,
1999.
     The Governor's plan completely ignores the requirements of
Article IV, Section 8 of the South Dakota Constitution, which
would permit such a consolidation to be effective, at the
earliest, ninety days after a proposed executive order has been
submitted to the Legislature. By ignoring the constitutional
imperative, the Governor confronts the Legislature with a done
deal and the concomitant expense and impracticality of
unscrambling the eggs. This is clearly the converse of what
Section 8 requires.
     All that my clients desire is the opportunity to petition
the Legislature to disapprove the plan, an opportunity that
should be vouchsafed by the South Dakota Constitution. I have
been authorized to file suit to enjoin consolidation of the
agencies until the Legislature has considered an executive order
to that effect but would be amenable to discussing a resolution,
without the necessity of suit, that involved amending the plan
submitted to the Department of Education to provide for the
consolidation to occur after consideration by the Legislature.
     Clearly time is of the essence, and I would appreciate a
prompt response.

                           


                                                Very truly yours,
                                              Daniel F. Goldstein

                           


cc:  Hon. William J. Janklow
     James Robbennolt, Esquire
     Marc Maurer, President, NFB
     Karen Mayry, President, NFB of South Dakota
     Hon. Fred Schroeder, RSA Commissioner
     Joe D. Cordova, RSA Director
     Loerance Deaver, RSA Regional Office

                           


     Clearly this letter grabbed the Attorney General's
attention. It seems obvious that he concluded that South Dakota
had little to gain from a lawsuit brought against it by the
state's blind citizens in which they were arguing for a chance to
exercise their constitutional right to try to persuade the
legislature to protect their services. We don't know what
recommendations the Attorney General made, but under date of
August 26--just eight days after Goldstein's letter was written--
Secretary John Jones sent the following memorandum of surrender
to everybody in his department who had taken part in the
struggle:

                           


Memo
                                             Pierre, South Dakota
                                                  August 26, 1999

                           


TO:  DRS Board Members
     SBVI Board Members
     SILC Members
     DRS Staff
     SBVI Staff
     Director, South Dakota Advocacy Services

                           


FROM:     John Jones

                           


SUBJECT:  Organizational Status

                           


     The Department of Human Services (DDS) as the designated
state agency for the delivery of the public vocational
rehabilitation program in the State of South Dakota, has selected
the option to deliver the state program through two designated
state units. Separate state plans will be submitted to the
Rehabilitation Services Administration by the Division of
Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Service to the Blind
and Visually Impaired for federal fiscal year 2000.
     This decision to pursue the current course resulted from a
combination of factors which included a lack of affirmative
public support from the disability community, hard-line
opposition from the blind constituency, and their refusal to meet
or discuss how the Department could address their concern
regarding a combined division.
     The Department wishes to thank all of those who provided
positive input the past several months regarding this important
matter. DDS is committed to providing the best possible
vocational rehabilitation services to all South Dakotans with
disabilities.

                           


cc:  Marian Fuller, RSA Regional Representative

                           


     There you have what the Secretary of Human Services said in
all its ill-tempered and churlish detail. One wonders why he was
surprised that the NFB refused to take part in discussions
intended to smooth the transition to a consolidated agency it
knew would diminish the prospects of blind consumers. The lessons
we have learned in South Dakota will be useful in the struggles
ahead to resist consolidation. The bureaucratic term for what we
have learned is stay on task and on message. Consolidated
agencies result in less service to the blind and poorer outcomes.
We must use every method available to remind officials and the
general public of this truth every chance we get.
     We won in South Dakota because the consumer groups worked
together, and we never lost sight of the central principle:
separate agencies provide more effective service to blind people.
In one more state and for the time being, we have prevailed. Mr.
Jones told the DSBVI Board that the subject of consolidation
would not be revisited in South Dakota during his lifetime. That
probably means his political lifetime, which may be as little as
eighteen months, but we will take every victory we can get. Each
one protects the future prospects of who knows how many blind
people. The sweetness of the South Dakota victory will strengthen
us for all the battles ahead.
                           

                           

           Message from Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
                         by Debra Barnes
                           

     From the Editor: Debra Barnes is the Director of Development
for Guide Dogs for the Blind. In the July issue we reprinted an
article from the San Francisco Chronicle raising questions about
the amount of money above budget raised each year by Guide Dogs
for the Blind. The Chronicle is a reputable paper, and the
article seemed to be well researched. Because this school is one
of the most distinguished facilities training dogs today, we
thought Braille Monitor readers would wish to know what had been
said and what issues had been raised, so, as I say, we reprinted
the article without comment.
     Recently someone from Guide Dogs for the Blind called to ask
if we would reprint the school's response. Here it is exactly as
it was sent except for some punctuation changes to conform to
Monitor style and the rules of grammar. Here it is:
                           

     The July issue of the Braille Monitor included a reprint of
an article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle regarding
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. We feel the article was unfair as
it tried to mislead the reader into thinking that there was
something wrong with the way Guide Dogs conducts its finances. I
can assure you that this is not and has never been the case.
     I would also like to thank the many graduates of our school,
guide dog users from other schools, contributors, and even
strangers who sent us copies of their letters to the editor of
the newspaper. Your efforts on our behalf were much appreciated
by our staff. We were disappointed those letters were never
printed in the Chronicle.
     I would like to give you some facts and another view of
finances at Guide Dogs. In the 1940's Guide Dogs' Board of
Directors set aside some funds to create an endowment. Just as
you might save money in a pension plan, the organization wanted
to ensure that our mission would continue in the future despite
fluctuations in the economy. This savings plan is vital to an
organization which does not receive any government funding--and
it is especially vital to a mission that is as complex and multi-
faceted as ours. We receive annual, voluntary contributions from
donors who can see the real value and importance of our mission.
These donations are combined with funds from our endowment to
cover our operating expenses. In the past five years Guide Dogs
has substantially increased its endowment, due to an unusually
strong investment market coupled with our prudent management.
     In those same five years we've established an entirely new
campus, thereby effectively eliminating the waiting list for
those accepted to our training program. We increased our staff
and services and graduated 45 percent more teams. Some examples
of our new services include providing training to people with
custom needs, specializing training for those with low vision,
and providing continued assessment classes to give more
consideration to those applicants with extenuating circumstances.
We've added counseling services to assist students in class, help
people with the loss or retirement of their dogs, and assist with
the transition from class to the home environment. We've added
escalator access and other improvements in our training. We've
greatly expanded our Graduate Agency Representative program as
well as other outreach efforts. We are working with the media as
well as the restaurant and travel industries to promote education
about access. The guidance and suggestions from our Graduate
Advisory Council contribute invaluably and provide direction for
changes and improvements to our program. Guide Dogs has
established a strategic plan to the year 2002.
     Most well-managed nonprofits who have been in existence for
many years have seen fit to create endowments. The current trend
in nonprofit fund-raising is to establish endowments since
government and other funding sources have proven unreliable year-
to-year. We currently spend on average 14 percent of our
endowment's value each year. If we were to use up our endowment,
we would soon need to raise another five million dollars each
year or cut services.
     Our endowment fully supports our three promises:
          To provide quality dogs and training.
          To offer quality follow-up services for the life of the
          dog.
          To ensure that we'll be here when you come for a
          successor dog.
     Our mission is clear and indeed relevant. It is estimated
that around 1.1 million people are severely visually impaired.
Approximately 10,000 people with vision loss in America currently
use dogs as guides. Our main challenge is to find ways to inform
people about our free services and about the benefits of using
dogs as guides. Technological advances such as global positioning
and talking signs will work in tandem with the use of guide dogs,
not replace them, as was inferred in the article. People who are
blind or visually impaired deserve choice in determining which
mobility aid works best for them.
     Please contact Guide Dogs for the Blind if you have any
questions about the article or our program. We feel our
improvements and successes should be a cause for celebration, as
they will ultimately benefit the blind community.
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Mary Ellen Gabias]
                     Role Models in Reverse?
                      by Mary Ellen Gabias
                           

     From the Editor: The following article is reprinted from the
Canadian Monitor, the publication of the National Federation of
the Blind: Advocates for Equality. Before her marriage to Dr.
Paul Gabias, Mary Ellen Reihing Gabias was a leader in several
state affiliates of the National Federation of the Blind. She
grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and was my roommate at my very first NFB
of Ohio convention.
     She is obviously and understandably proud of her father's
adjustment to blindness, but part of the explanation is
undoubtedly the grounding he has had through the years working
with and observing Mary Ellen. Nonetheless, with the increasing
incidence of blindness among today's senior citizens, we must all
do what we can to help those losing sight in their later years
come to healthy terms with their new disabilities and their
continuing abilities. Ken Reihing is an example and an
inspiration for all seniors. This is what his daughter says about
him:
                           

     I'm proud of my dad. I've wanted him to write his story for
a long time, but he's never thought what he does is anything to
brag about. I think it is. When I was born blind, Mom and Dad
were quite naturally upset. They wondered what kind of life I
could have. Fortunately for me, Dad worked with a blinded
veteran. The man was very capable; he did the dispatching for the
military base in our city. He later went on to get a university
degree. After facing much discrimination in his search for
employment, he finally found work as a rehabilitation counselor.
     From his example Dad knew that blind people could be
productive. Dad and Mom were determined that I would be. Our
extended family wasn't so sure. For the first several months of
my life my maternal grandparents cried whenever they saw me.
Grandpa used to ask, "What is she going to do--stand on a street
corner and sell pencils?" After six months of this Dad had had
enough! He told my grandparents in no uncertain terms that they
would not see our family again until they stopped their
negativity. (By the time he died, Grandpa was asking me where I
planned to go to college. I am convinced that my Dad's firmness
was the beginning of Grandpa's change in attitude.)
     Dad didn't have many answers about how to raise a blind
child, but he had a few general principles to guide him. He knew
he wouldn't always be there to take care of me, so he expected me
to learn to take care of myself. Above all he hated pity. He
would challenge anyone who felt sorry for me. Strangers often
glared at him when he stood by while I struggled to learn
something new on the playground. He often had to intervene to
keep them, in their pitying zeal to help, from depriving me of
the opportunity to gain new skills. Dad was quick to give praise
when he felt it was deserved. I always knew he was proud of my
genuine accomplishments. But he had no patience with people who
praised me to the skies for poor work.
     In high school I entered a contest which required me to make
a sales presentation in front of a panel of judges. They graded
my presentation and wrote comments to help improve my technique.
Dad earned his living selling auto parts, so he took a keen
interest in my progress. All but one of the judges gave me the
mediocre scores I deserved. Their comments were both critical and
helpful. One judge gave me a nearly perfect score and commented
on how kind I was. Dad said, "That judge graded you out of pity,
but he would never hire you to sell anything."
     The local agency for the blind oozed pity and low
expectations. Dad, along with other parents of blind children,
took the chairman of the agency's board to task when his company
newsletter contained a tear-jerking article about the agency and
blind children. "Blind people need understanding, not pity," Dad
said to anyone who would listen and to quite a few people who
wouldn't.
     Dad managed a warehouse and sales outlet for a company which
rebuilt auto water pumps. A large part of his job involved
selling and delivering pumps to garages and auto parts stores. At
least half of his time was spent behind the wheel of the company
truck. When Dad was about fifty-five, he learned during a routine
eye exam that he had glaucoma. A few years after that a botched
lens implant during cataract surgery left him legally blind in
one eye. He was grateful that he could still drive and noted the
development of a second cataract with deep anxiety.
     After the second surgery things looked pretty good. His
corrected vision was 20/40. But his field of vision was
narrowing, and he found it difficult to adjust to changes in
lighting. One evening at dusk he was driving home when he nearly
collided with a boy on a bicycle. He walked into the house, hung
his keys on their hook, and never drove again. Mom helped with
the driving on the job when she could. But it was clear that
there were no alternative techniques which could replace Dad's
presence when it came to making sales.
     He was still trying to find an efficient way to get his work
done when the factory that rebuilt the pumps Dad sold went out of
business. Dad was in his early sixties and out of a job. It
didn't take long for my dad to turn a predicament into an
opportunity. He had a friend who was one of the chief investors
in a new business warehouse complex and wanted to be sure the
place was well managed. Dad's reputation for hard work and
honesty made him a logical candidate for the job. Though he had
never been a building manager before, he didn't let his age stop
him. He oversaw the final construction details, rented the units
in the complex, and made sure the necessary maintenance was done.
His boss didn't think Dad's continually diminishing eyesight was
anything to worry about. He told Dad, "I hired you for who you
are and what you know, not for what you can see."
     Dad was glad to be employed, but he was getting bored.
Unlike the auto parts business, where it was often difficult to
find a free moment to wolf down lunch, the life of a business
complex manager could be downright leisurely. If there were no
units available to be rented and if the maintenance work was all
done, Dad had time on his hands. He did a lot of reading using
recorded books. He struck up friendships with complex tenants.
But his honesty and his work ethic kept gnawing at him. He was
expected to put in full time at a job which could easily be done
in a few hours a week. The boss was more than happy with his
work, but Dad resigned. He told me, "I want to work if I'm going
to have a job. If I'm going to be sitting around, I might as well
do that at home, where I'm comfortable." Dad was sixty-two and
legally blind. He applied for early Social Security retirement.
This meant he would get reduced benefits for the rest of his
life.
     By this time I was an active member of the National
Federation of the Blind. I had learned enough about the Social
Security law through my work in the Federation to know that Dad
had made an error. I talked him into going back to Social
Security with his medical records and reapplying for disability
insurance benefits based on blindness. The national office of the
Federation helped with information and advice. Dad's
reapplication resulted in the payment of back benefits and in a
monthly increase which will last for the rest of his life.
     It also resulted in a referral to vocational rehabilitation.
When the counselor came to visit, Dad was not in the house. He
was in a shed in our back yard doing woodworking. Before too long
he had convinced the counselor to help him establish a home
business making novelty and gift items out of wood. Dad would
design the items, cut out the pieces, assemble them, and sand and
stain the finished product. Occasionally, if the item called for
artistic detail work, Mom would pick up her paint brush and help.
(Even when he could see, Dad painted the walls and Mom painted
the pictures.) The business didn't make much money, but it gave
Dad an outlet for his creativity, and it kept his confidence up.
He needed all the confidence he could get. Every month he lost
more and more vision. He could no longer see a regular deck of
playing cards. Bright sunshine blinded him completely. Small
tasks, like plugging in an electrical cord, were impossible to do
efficiently using vision.
     One day Dad decided his vision was not good enough for
travelling safely when the sun was very bright. He asked me to
show him how to use a white cane. After a five-minute
introduction to cane travel, he was on his own. Though his
technique in those early days could best be called "poke and
hope," it made getting around safer and more comfortable. Later
he attended a veteran's rehabilitation center where his technique
was refined. But the positive spirit which made him willing to
get out and travel was there from the beginning. He never sat
around helplessly waiting for formal lessons.
     Dad's responsibilities increased when my mother's health
began to fail. He took over the cooking and much of the housework
and discovered that he had a talent for cooking--especially
cooking for large groups. He was frequently asked to cook for
dinners at his war veterans' post. Often this meant preparing
meals for two hundred people. Mom's illness became critical in
1992. The doctors diagnosed congestive heart failure, lung
disease, and cancer. After three months in a convalescent care
centre, she came home, and Dad cared for her until she died. The
family helped a lot; hospice did wonderful work; but the main
responsibility was Dad's. At sixty-eight he was the single,
widowed occupant of a four-bedroom home located more than a mile
from the nearest grocery store.
     For more than a year Dad depended on family and friends to
drive him to church, to the store, and to most other events. Then
he sold the family home and moved into an apartment within
walking distance of a store, a veterans' post and a good bus
line. He explained the reason for his move to me: "I hate being
dependent on other people all the time!" Sometimes Dad gets
frustrated with his blindness, but self-pity has never been his
style. Besides, he's been preaching about the abilities of blind
people for so long that he has no choice but to act
independently. If he starts to say, "I can't do that because I'm
blind," one of my brothers tells him, "You never let Sis get away
with that." Sometimes, when he's faced with a particularly
difficult challenge, Dad calls me and says, "It's all your fault!
You got me into this."
     Dad was fortunate to have a second love in his life. He
began seeing a woman who had been a close friend of the family
for years. They were inseparable until last fall when she became
ill and died. Once again Dad had to adjust to being on his own.
This summer Dad achieved a lifelong dream. He travelled the
Alaska Highway from Fairbanks to White Horse. It's true that he
had to change his technique. Instead of driving the highway
himself, he took a bus tour. Because of Barbara's death, he
travelled alone to Alaska and met the tour in Fairbanks. When he
needed help, he asked for it. When others needed help, he gave
it. He returned with great memories and stories to tell.
     Dad is seventy-five now, and his health is far from perfect.
I phoned last week to see how he was doing. The social calendar
he recited left me dizzy. I told Dad I wanted to write about him
because so many people think becoming blind as a senior means
being doomed to a bleak life. I thought his story might encourage
someone else. He told me to go ahead, and he'd correct me if I
got it wrong. "You forgot to say that I'm not doing woodworking
any more now that your brother's moved and I don't have a
convenient place to keep my tools. Other than that, you've got
the details right. You've always been the one who likes to write.
Maybe I'll write a little bit of the family history when I get
back from the rehabilitation center. Oh, by the way, did I tell
you I'm going there to learn the computer?"
                           

     Editor's note: Mary Ellen Gabias recently mentioned in a
telephone conversation that her father has returned to
woodworking because he again has a place to do it. More power to
him and to all retired blind people.
                           

                           



                   Charitable Remainder Trusts
                           

     A trust is a plan established to accomplish goals for the
individual making the trust and the beneficiary. The donor
creates the trust, appoints a trustee (the donor, a family
member, a bank trust officer, etc.), and designates a
beneficiary. In the case of a charitable remainder trust, money
or property is transferred by the donor to a charitable trust.
This trust pays income for life. After the donor's death the
funds remaining in the trust go to the National Federation of the
Blind.
     There are two kinds of charitable trusts. The first, a
charitable remainder annuity trust, is set up to pay income to
the donor based on a fixed percentage of the original gift. The
second is a charitable remainder unitrust. The income from this
trust is based on the annual assessed value of the gift. Both
types of charitable remainder trust are common and relatively
easy to set up. Appreciable tax deductions are available,
depending on which type of trust is selected.
     The following examples demonstrate how trusts work, but the
figures are illustrative, not exact:
     Michael Brown, age sixty-five, decides to set up a
charitable remainder annuity trust with $100,000. He asks his
brother John to manage the trust for him. During Michael's
lifetime John will see to it that Michael is paid $5,000 each
year (5% of $100,000). In addition, Michael can claim a tax
deduction of $59,207 in the year the trust is established.
     Mary Ellen Davis, age sixty-five, sets up a charitable
remainder unitrust with $100,000. She asks her attorney to act as
trustee. During Mary Ellen's life her attorney will pay her an
amount, 5%, equal to the annual assessed value of her gift. If
the $100,000 unitrust grows to $110,000, Mary Ellen will be paid
$5,500. If it grows again to $120,000, she will be paid $6,000 in
that year, and so on. Also Mary Ellen can claim a tax deduction
of $48,935 in the year she establishes the unitrust.
     For more information on charitable remainder trusts, contact
the National Federation of the Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998, phone (410) 659-9314, fax
(410) 685-5653.


                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Alan Tu]
    With Strength, Knowledge, and Passion: The Future is Ours
                           by Alan Tu
                           

     From the Editor: One of the 1999 scholarship winners was
Alan Tu, a high school graduate from Naperville, Illinois. He is
now a freshman at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
The convention was Alan's first experience of the NFB. When I sat
down beside him at the Board of Directors meeting on Friday
morning, though, it was clear from his questions and conversation
that he had made a good start at reading Walking Alone and
Marching Together.
     Alan is obviously very bright. His parents decided to attend
the convention with him, but he was far more interested in
getting to know the folks he was meeting than in spending time
with his family.
     On July 9, just three days after the close of the
convention, Alan sent me the following little essay about his
impressions of the convention. Anyone who questions the value of
our scholarship program should read this article and contemplate
what impact the NFB has already had on the life of a young man
who is obviously going places and who intends to do what he can
to see that he and other blind people acquire freedom and
independence on the way. This is what Alan says about what he
learned at the NFB convention in Atlanta:
                           

     The 1999 National Convention of the NFB was my first
convention. It was certainly an unforgettable experience, and I
hope to be back next year. I wish to share some of the insights I
gained in hope of providing some inspiration and food for thought
to others.
     If it were not for the Scholarship Committee, I would not
have had the opportunity to attend the convention. I will forever
be grateful to the members of this committee, not just because of
the scholarship they awarded me, but just as much because of the
invitation they extended me to come to Convention. For the first
time in my life I interacted with a large and diverse group of
blind people. The first lesson I learned was that blind people
could do anything--well maybe except driving--with appropriate
but reasonable accommodations. The people I spent time with
included a lawyer, two computer programmers, and a person who
worked in a national security position.
     Two of the things I tasted at the convention--besides the
great food--were freedom and independence. I knew in advance that
I would have more freedom of mobility at this convention than at
home, where I usually stay with my family.
     A part of Dr. Jernigan's speech, "The Nature of
Independence," comes to mind. He said that, in the process of
gaining independence, one first feels fear and insecurity. I
certainly experienced those feelings. But, beginning on the
second day, I had gained enough knowledge and daring to explore
the hotel. Then, as Dr. Jernigan so insightfully predicted, I
went through the stage of rebellious independence, wanting to do
as many things as possible without my family's shadow. Towards
the end of the convention I think I became more independent in a
normal way.
     But another lesson I learned was that we as blind people
must recognize when to ask for and accept help from our sighted
family and friends in the interest of efficiency, even if we know
we can do it ourselves. This, I would humbly suggest, is a step
beyond normal independence towards the ultimate goal of
interdependence, in which blind and sighted people are integrated
and help each other. Along these lines I learned to appreciate
the power of asking.
     This convention was dedicated, of course, to the memory of
Dr. Jernigan. I regret not knowing him because he was such a
mentor and teacher to so many people. He blazed a trail for all
blind people, and in many respects being blind is easier today
than it was a couple of decades ago, thanks to Dr. Jernigan and
the Federation. One final personal lesson I learned at the
convention: Don't be ashamed to say, "I am blind." From now on I
will not say, "I am visually impaired," but I will say that I am
blind. Not totally blind, mind you, but blind nonetheless. This
is who I was, who I am, and until or unless a cure is found, who
I will be; and I am proud of it.
     As we in the Federation march on beyond where Dr. Jernigan
left off, there are many battles left to be won. The first one,
in my opinion, deals with orientation and mobility instruction.
Route training, as I learned from personal experience at the
convention, just doesn't cut it. I learned more during convention
week listening to how people get around than I had learned from
my formal O&M instructor in the past year. It must be impressed
upon all instructors that specific route training does not make
sense since, every time one wants to go to a new place, the
theory says we need to call our instructor to teach us how to get
there, which of course is not feasible. Instructors should teach
what I call self-orientation skills (the skill of orienting
oneself to a new environment) and basic mobility (how to travel
safely in a wide variety of environments) be it a street, a
staircase, or a maze of winding corridors.
     Another battle the blind must continue to wage is the battle
for respect. To illustrate this, let me share a brief story.
About a year ago I met with my rehabilitation counselor for the
first time. He asked me what I wanted to do, and I said that I
might want to do computer programming. He asked if I would be
interested in a supervisory position, to which I responded
affirmatively. He discouraged me by saying that it would be
difficult for me to supervise subordinates because they would not
respect me. As far as I know, my intellect is at least average,
so I assume he thought subordinates would not respect me because
of my disability. What makes this tale more interesting is that
this counselor is blind. As one can see from this story, the
battle for respect will be ongoing and hard-fought. We must
continue to earn and demand the respect of all people, regardless
of whether they are sighted or blind.
     On the other hand, while we demand respect from others, we
must also demand competence and self-confidence from ourselves.
We must foster healthy self-esteem and interdependence.
Rehabilitation agencies, the government, and even our families
may give us support of every kind, but it is we, the blind, who
must take charge of our lives. Rehab may train us and give us
equipment; the government might give us a check; and our families
will give us unconditional love; but ultimately it is the
strength, knowledge, and passion within us that will make us
succeed.
     Strength means our personal toughness and unity within the
Federation. Knowledge means our skills and intellect. And passion
means our courage and determination. Individually these
characteristics are insufficient. But with these three attributes
working for us, no force on earth can stop us from taking our
rightful place in society alongside our sighted friends and
colleagues.
     Self-respect and personal attitudes are somewhat less
tangible than the next two issues I will discuss. The first is
literacy. I was shocked when I learned at Convention that only 10
percent of blind children read Braille. Children with any useable
sight at all--even though they are significantly impaired
compared to their peers--are made to struggle with print. This
causes two problems. First, in the higher grades, college, and
professional jobs, the amount and difficulty of reading will
increase; and the time provided for reading will decrease.
Eventually the blind person may realize that Braille is
necessary, but by then learning Braille will be much harder.
     The second problem is that struggling with poorly seen print
is often so slow and laborious that the reader never reads in
fluent streams of words. The actual skill of reading--regardless
of the medium--will be degraded. We must work to convince
parents, teachers, and the other powers-that-be to teach Braille
to the low-vision children who need it.
     Many people said thirty years ago that the tape recorder
would replace Braille. Similarly, many people now say that
computers will replace Braille. Therefore, these people say,
learning Braille is unnecessary. The truth is that many
mathematics, science, and foreign-language texts are difficult or
impossible to record and even harder to store on a computer for
use with speech-access. This is just one use of Braille I don't
see going away anytime soon. Failing to teach Braille to every
blind student is an injustice.
     Despite my comments on the longevity of Braille in the
foreseeable future, Dr. Kurzweil's presentation at Convention
reminds us that technology is continuously progressing by leaps
and bounds. He predicts that in my lifetime implants will be
available which will allow people to interface mentally with
information networks. I am concerned that, as technology moves
forward, it will leave the blind behind. We as blind people must
always think creatively to adapt technology. We do not want to
stand in the way of progress, but we must also make ourselves
heard to the manufacturers that products should be made user-
friendly to all people, sighted people as well as blind people.
We have economic power. We have a voice, and we must make
ourselves heard.
     The blind have made incredible gains since the Federation
was founded in 1940. But as we look back upon the barriers we
have taken down, new barriers and issues emerge. Still the future
holds great promise. First, the average person is more aware of
the rights and responsibilities of blind people than before. And,
second, the blind have united. Strength is in numbers, and the
essence of our strength as blind people is the Federation.
Together we will assert our rights and take our responsibilities.
And no force--be it an ignorant individual, an inconsiderate
bureaucrat, an unyielding entity, or even an irrational system--
will stand in our way.
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Peggy Elliott]
               The 2000 National Federation of the
                    Blind Scholarship Program
                           

     This year's scholarship program will be the seventeenth
since the organization determined to expand the number, variety,
and value of the scholarships presented each year at our annual
convention in July. Assisting the nation's most talented post-
secondary students to fulfill their academic and professional
dreams is one of the most effective ways for us to demonstrate
our conviction that blind people deserve the chance to enter
whatever field they demonstrate themselves equipped to succeed
in.
     Scholarships will be presented this year to thirty college,
vocational-school, and graduate students. You will note that this
is an increase of four scholarships available through the
National Federation of the Blind. The decision to increase the
scope and value of the scholarships awarded by the NFB reflects
the Board of Directors' recognition of the importance and impact
of the scholarship program. In celebration of the arrival of the
twenty-first century, the NFB awards this year will range in
value from $3,000 to $21,000. This top scholarship has been named
the Kenneth Jernigan Memorial Scholarship and is presented by the
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults. We will, of
course, also bring the winners as our guests to the 2000
convention of the National Federation of the Blind to experience
firsthand the excitement and stimulation of a gathering of the
largest and most dynamic organization of blind people in the
country today.
     Also in honor of the life and work of our beloved leader,
Kenneth Jernigan, Dr. Raymond Kurzweil will again this year
present scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to each winner,
along with the software and scanner to use the Kurzweil 1000, the
superb scanning and reading system created by the Kurzweil
Educational Group. This generous gift increases the value of each
of the 2000 scholarships by an additional $2,500.
     Again this year we plan to present up to three of the
scholarships to students who won scholarship awards in a previous
competition. The purpose of these special awards is to nurture in
today's students an ongoing commitment to the philosophy and
objectives of the Federation. The students so designated will be
recognized and honored as the 2000 tenBroek Fellows. All current
students who were scholarship winners in previous years should
take particular note of this program and consider applying for
the 2000 National Federation of the Blind scholarships.
     Full-time employees interested in pursuing post-secondary
degrees should take a close look at the scholarship form. Now one
award may be given to a part-time student holding down a full-
time job.
     Every state affiliate and local chapter can help in
spreading the word of this extraordinary opportunity for
America's blind students. The scholarship application is now
available for downloading from the NFB Web site, and forms have
been or soon will be mailed to financial aid offices in
educational institutions around the country. Many of these will
be filed away and forgotten by the time students come to ask
about financial assistance. It is very helpful to have local
representatives deliver or mail forms to the actual college
administrator who works with blind students. Being identified
with such a valuable national scholarship program gives the local
chapter and state affiliate prestige and respect, and the local
touch insures that more blind students will actually have an
opportunity to apply for these scholarships.
     Anyone can order scholarship forms from the Materials
Center, National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21230. State Presidents and members of the
2000 Scholarship Committee will also be sent scholarship forms.
These may be copied as long as both sides of the form are
reproduced.
     Here is the text of the 2000 National Federation of the
Blind scholarship application form:
                           

                NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
                    2000 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
                           

     Each year at its National Convention in July, the National
Federation of the Blind gives a broad array of scholarships to
recognize achievement by blind scholars. All applicants for these
scholarships must be (1) legally blind and (2) pursuing or
planning to pursue a full-time post-secondary course of study in
the fall semester of 2000, in the United States, except that one
scholarship may be given to a full-time employee also attending
school part-time. In addition to these restrictions, some
scholarships have been further restricted by the donor.
Scholarships to be given at the National Convention in 2000 are
listed here with any special restrictions noted:
1 SCHOLARSHIP FOR $21,000
     Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship--Given by the American Action
Fund for Blind Children and Adults, a nonprofit organization
which works to assist blind persons, in memory of the man who
changed perceptions regarding the capabilities of the blind in
this country and throughout the world. Kenneth Jernigan is seen
as the most important figure in the twentieth century in the
lives of blind persons, and the Action Fund wishes to open the
twenty-first century with a $21,000 scholarship dedicated to his
memory and to the continuation of the work he began. No
additional restrictions.
                           

3 SCHOLARSHIPS, EACH FOR $7,000
     Two National Federation of the Blind Scholarships--No
additional restrictions.
                           

     Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship--Given in memory of Melva
T. Owen, who was widely known and loved among the blind. She and
her husband Charles Owen became acquainted with increasing
numbers of blind people through their work in the "Voicepondence"
Club. Charles Owen says: "There shall be no limitation as to
field of study, except that it shall be directed towards
attaining financial independence and shall exclude religion and
those seeking only to further general or cultural education."
4 SCHOLARSHIPS, EACH FOR $5,000
     Four National Federation of the Blind Scholarships--No
additional restrictions.
                           

22 SCHOLARSHIPS, EACH FOR $3,000
     Hermione Grant Calhoun Scholarship--Dr. Isabelle Grant
endowed this scholarship in memory of her daughter. Winner must
be a woman.
                           

     Mozelle and Willard Gold Memorial Scholarship--Endowed by
the energetic and effective former president of the National
Federation of the Blind of California, Sharon Gold, in loving
memory of her mother and father, both of whom were dedicated to
creating opportunity for their daughter and for all blind persons
through Braille literacy and dedication to service. No additional
restrictions.
                           

     Frank Walton Horn Memorial Scholarship--Given by Catherine
Horn Randall in loving memory of her father, Frank Walton Horn.
No additional restrictions, but preference will be given to those
studying architecture or engineering.
                           

     Kuchler-Killian Memorial Scholarship--Given in loving memory
of her parents, Charles Albert Kuchler and Alice Helen Kuchler,
by Junerose Killian, dedicated member of the National Federation
of the Blind of Connecticut. No additional restrictions.
                           

     E. U. Parker Scholarship--Endowed by his wife who joined him
in a lifetime of Federationism, this scholarship honors a long-
time leader of the National Federation of the Blind whose
participation in the organization stood for strong principles and
strong support of the Federation's work. No additional
restrictions.
                           

     Howard Brown Rickard Scholarship--Winner must be studying or
planning to study in the fields of law, medicine, engineering,
architecture, or the natural sciences.
                           

     National Federation of the Blind Computer Science
Scholarship--Winner must be studying in the computer science
field.
                           

     National Federation of the Blind Educator of Tomorrow Award-
- Winner must be planning a career in elementary, secondary, or
post-secondary teaching.
                           

     National Federation of the Blind Humanities Scholarship--
Winner must be studying in the traditional humanities such as
art, English, foreign languages, history, philosophy, or
religion.
                           

     Thirteen National Federation of the Blind Scholarships--No
additional restrictions, except that one will be given to a
person working full-time who is attending or planning to attend a
part-time course of study which will result in a new degree and
broader opportunities in present or future work if a suitable
candidate applies.
                           

     CRITERIA: All scholarships are awarded on the basis of
academic excellence, service to the community, and financial
need.
                           

     MEMBERSHIP: The National Federation of the Blind is an
organization dedicated to creating opportunity for all blind
persons. Recipients of Federation scholarships need not be
members of the National Federation of the Blind.
                           

     MAKING APPLICATION: To apply for National Federation of the
Blind scholarships, complete and return the application on the
reverse side of this sheet, attaching to the application all of
the additional documents there requested. Multiple applications
are unnecessary. Each applicant will be considered for all
scholarships for which he or she qualifies. Send completed
applications to Mrs. Peggy Elliott, Chairman, National Federation
of the Blind Scholarship Committee, 805 Fifth Avenue, Grinnell,
Iowa 50112; (515) 236-3366. Form must be received by March 31,
2000.
                           

     REAPPLICATION: Those who have previously applied are
encouraged to apply again. It is the intention of the National
Federation of the Blind to award not less than three scholarships
to men and women who have already received one Federation
scholarship in the past if enough strong and worthy candidates
apply.
                           

     WINNERS: The Scholarship Committee reviews all applications
and selects the scholarship winners. These winners, the same
number as there are scholarships to award, will be notified of
the selection by telephone by June 1 and will be brought to the
National Federation of the Blind convention in July at Federation
expense. This is in addition to the scholarship grant. Winners
will participate in the entire convention and in the scheduled
scholarship program activities, beginning with functions on
Sunday, July 2, 2000. All decisions by the Scholarship Committee
are final.
     The National Federation of the Blind convention is the
largest gathering of blind persons (more than 2,500) to occur
anywhere in the nation each year. You will be able to meet other
blind students and exchange information and ideas. You will also
be able to meet and talk with blind people who are successfully
functioning in your chosen profession or occupation. Federal
officials, members of Congress, and the makers and distributors
of new technology attend Federation conventions. Above all, a
broad cross section of the most active segment of the blind
population of the United States will be present to discuss common
problems and plan for concerted action. It is an interesting and
exciting week.
                           

     AWARDS: The day before the convention banquet the
Scholarship Committee will meet to determine which winners will
receive which scholarships. The scholarship awards will be made
during the banquet.
                           

                           

                NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
                  SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM
                           

     Read reverse side of form for instructions and explanation.
Form may be photocopied but only if reverse side is also
included.
     To apply for a scholarship, complete this application form
and mail completed application and attachments to Mrs. Peggy
Elliott, Chairman, National Federation of the Blind Scholarship
Committee, 805 Fifth Avenue, Grinnell, Iowa 50112; (515) 236-
3366. Form must be received by March 31, 2000.
                           

Name (please include any maiden or other names by which you have
been known):
Date of birth:
School address:
School phone number:
Home address:
Home phone number:
Institution being attended in spring semester, 2000, with class
standing (freshman, senior, etc.):
Cumulative grade point at this institution:
Institution to be attended in the fall of 2000, with class
standing. Send by separate letter if admitted to school after
submitting completed application:
List all post-secondary institutions attended with highest class
standing attained and cumulative grade point average:
High school attended and cumulative grade point:
Vocational goal:
State your major:
Awards and honors (attach list if necessary):
Community service (attach list if necessary):
Attach the following documents to completed application:
                           

     1. Personal Letter from Applicant. NFB scholarships are
awarded on the basis of scholastic excellence, financial need,
and service to the community. In preparing your personal letter,
please keep in mind that the committee members and decision-
makers are all successful blind college graduates. Take some time
to think how you personally can convey your best qualities in
your own words. This is an advocacy job; the committee members
will note how you choose to do it. Please also keep in mind that
the awards are restricted to blind persons, so the committee will
be interested in what techniques and approaches you personally
practice concerning your blindness. And please note that almost
all blind students have financial need. Committee members will
assume basic need, so you may choose merely to refer to this
topic unless your need is unusual and extreme.
     2. Send two letters of recommendation.
     3. Provide current transcript from institution now attending
and transcripts from all other post-secondary institutions
attended. If you have not yet attended such an institution or
have not completed one year of study, send high school
transcript.
     4. Send a letter from a state officer of the National
Federation of the Blind evidencing the fact that you have
discussed your scholarship application with that officer. We
prefer that you discuss your application with the Federation
state president, but a letter from any Federation state officer
will suffice. President's address provided upon request.
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Richard Ring]
                  The Road Runner(R), A Review
                         by Richard Ring
                           

     From the Editor: One of the door prizes at this summer's
convention was a Road Runner(R). Close readers of the Monitor
Miniatures column and those who stay abreast of access technology
began drooling the minute the prize was announced. After reading
the following review, those who were under the impression that
the prize was a little cartoon character who runs along the road
saying "Beep beep," can begin being envious of the winner after
the fact. Richard Ring is the supervisor of the International
Braille and Technology Center for the Blind at the National
Center for the Blind. This is what he says about the Road Runner:
                           

     The International Braille and Technology Center for the
Blind is constantly receiving and evaluating new products. One of
the more interesting devices we have acquired in the past several
months is the Road Runner from Ostrich Software in Danville,
California.
     Why is the Road Runner interesting? Computers, electronic
documents, and the Internet have opened up undreamed-of vistas of
information to the blind. With computers at our desktops, laptops
with speech or refreshable Braille displays, or electronic note
takers like the Braille 'n Speak, we can read anything that can
be turned into electronic ASCII text. The Road Runner allows us
to read the same kind of information without a computer. However,
in two respects it represents a new dimension of reading. First,
the Road Runner is the smallest and most compact text-reading
device for the blind available today. Second, since the Road
Runner serves only one function, reading and speaking electronic
text, its price is significantly less than the cheapest
electronic note taker, about $349. Compare this to the price of
the Braille 'n Speak (approximately $1,300) or a laptop with
speech (more than $2,000).
     The Road Runner is a hand-held device about the size of an
audio cassette. It comes with a built-in speech synthesizer and
firmware that allows it to read any ASCII (plain text) file. The
unit operates using a twelve-key telephone-style keypad on the
front. On the top of the unit are a headphone jack and another
plug for a nine-pin serial cable that connects to a computer. On
the back of the unit are a belt clip and the battery compartment
cover. The unit is powered by two AA batteries, which are
included.
     When you receive your Road Runner, you also get computer
software on diskette (required to transfer files from your
computer), headphones, and a custom serial cable. You will also
find that the unit is "locked," meaning that none of the keys
will function. Although it is a simple matter to unlock the Road
Runner (press the one and three keys down simultaneously), the
procedure for doing so can be found only in the printed
documentation accompanying the unit or on the software diskette.
Fortunately, once the Road Runner has been unlocked, you can read
the Audio User's Guide (press the two key), which is pre-loaded
into memory at the factory.
     Other than the Audio User's Guide, any files you wish to
read must be downloaded or transferred to the unit from a
personal computer, using the software (called Downlink), shipped
with Road Runner. If it hasn't become obvious already, in order
to use the Road Runner you must be comfortable with a PC running
either the MS-DOS or Windows operating system and screen-access
technology for either of these environments.
     The Downlink software is available in a Windows 95/98/NT
version or an MS-DOS version. When using the Microsoft Windows
version of the software, the Road Runner can store up to three
megabytes of text. Because the MS-DOS version of the software
doesn't process files in the same manner as the Windows version,
when using the DOS software, only 1.5 megabytes of text can be
stored.
     What kinds of files might you read using the Road Runner?--
Scanned books, electronic mail, software documentation, and text
files you might obtain from the Internet.
                           

                    Operating the Road Runner
                           

     The Road Runner is controlled using a twelve-key keypad on
the front of the unit. The keys are laid out exactly like a
touch-tone telephone. The five key is marked with a raised dot to
facilitate easy location.
     The Road Runner has the ability to move through a text file
in a number of ways. While text is being read, you can move
through a file one sentence, paragraph, or page at a time. A
power-search capability also allows you to move large distances
in a text file (more on this later). When the Road Runner is not
playing, you can move back and forth a word at a time, and you
can also spell the current word. These movement units are
referred to as "navigation steps."
     Most of the keys on the Road Runner have multiple functions.
These functions are executed by holding the keys down for
different lengths of time. You can determine what function is
being started by listening to the number of beeps. For example,
holding the forward (3) key down for a brief time will move you
forward in the file one navigation step; holding the same key
down until you hear one beep will move you to the next bookmark
set in the file; and holding the key down until you hear two
beeps will move you to the furthest read position in the file. If
you hold any key down until you hear three beeps, you will hear a
brief help message pertaining to the use of that key.
     The amount of movement achieved within a file when pressing
the forward (3) key or the back (1) key is determined by the
current navigation step setting. The default is "sentence." Even
if you have changed the navigation step to paragraph, page, or
power search, when you stop the playing of a file, the navigation
step will automatically revert to sentence. This is annoying. It
would be better if the user could preserve the navigation step
setting permanently rather than having to reset it every time the
unit is stopped.
     In the Road Runner you can set as many bookmarks in a file
as you wish. Do this by pressing the mark key. When this key is
depressed, you will hear a beep advising you that a mark has been
set at your current position in a file. Deleting a bookmark is
simply a matter of navigating to the location of the mark and
pressing the mark key. A beep with a different tone from the one
heard when placing a bookmark will sound, advising you that the
bookmark has now been deleted. Although it is quite easy to set
and delete bookmarks, they may often prove unnecessary because
the Road Runner automatically remembers your last position in all
of the files you are reading.
     Finding your place in a given file is one of the more
interesting problems to consider when using a device such as the
Road Runner. The unit does not feature a traditional typewriter-
style keyboard. Accordingly, searching for strings of text within
a file is obviously a problem. The power-search feature is one
way to get around this problem. Power search allows you to move
through a file in large increments. If power search is the
selected navigation step, pressing the forward (three) key will
move you halfway between your current position and the end of the
file. If you press the back (one) key, the Road Runner will move
halfway between the current position and the beginning of the
file. Subsequent presses of the forward or back key will result
in the Road Runner's moving half the distance it moved
previously.
     For example, if you were positioned at the beginning of the
file, and the navigation step was set to "power search," the
first press of the forward key would result in a move to a point
halfway between the beginning and end of the file. The Road
Runner would announce, "50 per cent." The next time you pressed
the forward key, you would move approximately 25 per cent further
into the file, and the next press of the forward key would move
you about 13 per cent. Each press of either the forward key or
the back key would result in a file move of half the previous
distance. Finally there would be no movement at all, and you
would have to begin a new power search. We have found this
feature extremely useful for finding a spot in a large file.
     Another useful feature of the Road Runner is the ability to
obtain status information. Status information consists of the
name of the file being read, your current position in that file,
the currently active navigation step, and the number of bookmarks
that have been set, if any. You can have status information
spoken at any time, whether or not you are reading a file. If a
file is playing, it will be interrupted long enough for Road
Runner to speak the status information.
     The Road Runner produces speech using the DoubleTalk
synthesizer, which is built into the unit. This is one of the
least expensive speech synthesizers that can be connected to a
computer. You can change the rate, pitch, and volume of the
speech generated. You can also select from one of five voices.
Each voice has a name. You get to choose Perfect Paul; Big Bob;
Precise Pete; Bif, and, believe it or not, Vader. The bottom row
of keys on the keypad (star, zero, and pound) are used to change
all voice and system settings. You can change the speed or volume
of the voice at any time--whether the unit is playing a file or
stopped. Pitch or voice selections must be made when the unit is
stopped.
     There are other systems settings that are noteworthy. These
can be changed only while the unit is stopped. Two levels of
punctuation can be set by the user: "Some" and "All." It is not
clear from the documentation what symbols will be spoken when the
unit is set to some punctuation. You can adjust the sensitivity
of Road Runner's keys. This will determine how long a key needs
to be held down before its alternative function takes effect. The
Road Runner comes with a sleep timer, which can be set in
increments from ten to sixty minutes. When the sleep timer is
enabled, the unit will automatically shut down if no keys are
pressed during the prescribed period of time. This is a useful
feature because it prevents the Road Runner from playing
indefinitely, thus needlessly draining the batteries and losing
your place in the file being read.
     The final two system settings are "File Advancement" and
"Search Feedback." The file advancement setting has two settings:
"Manual" and "Automatic." Assume multiple files are loaded in
memory. With the Manual setting in force, the Road Runner will
stop upon reaching the end of a file being read. With the
Automatic setting in effect, Road Runner proceeds automatically
to the next file and continues reading. Finally there is the
Search-Feedback setting. This setting determines the kind of
feedback you receive when you press the status key. The Road
Runner can announce your current position in a file as either a
percentage or a page number or can provide no feedback at all.
     The Road Runner can keep track of the current time and date.
However, until you set the clock--which requires that the Road
Runner be connected to your personal computer while running the
Downlink software--you will receive the message "Clock not set."
     By default the Road Runner has several system folders to
assist it in keeping track of files and their current status. The
home folder is much like the root directory of a PC. Within the
home folder is the read folder, where files that have been read
are stored; the marked folder, where files that contain bookmarks
are stored; the unread folder, where files you haven't yet read
are stored; and the trash folder, where deleted files are stored.
You cannot actually delete a file from the Road Runner. When you
choose to delete a file, it is simply placed in the trash folder,
from which it can be restored. In fact, using the folder and file
navigation keys, you can go to the trash folder and read any
files that were marked as deleted. Regardless of other folders
you choose to create in the Road Runner, any file can always be
found in the read, unread, marked, or trash folders.
     When you think of what the Road Runner does--that is, read
ASCII text files--it is easy to understand why the Downlink
software is absolutely essential to its operation. For without
that software, it would not be possible to transfer data from the
computer to the Road Runner's memory. As we said earlier,
Downlink is available in either a Windows or an MS-DOS version.
Whichever version you select, you will be happy to know that the
software is compatible with screen-access technology for the
blind. We found Downlink fairly simple to install and use.
     Before running Downlink for the first time, you must connect
the Road Runner to your computer with the supplied connector
cable. You need to tell Downlink which serial port is connected
to the Road Runner. Once the Road Runner is found by the Downlink
software, you can set its clock and transfer files.
     Whenever you download a new set of files to your Road
Runner, all of the previously downloaded data is lost. Therefore
the only way to download new files into the Road Runner while
keeping your old ones is to transfer both the old and the new
files from your computer.
     In conclusion, the Road Runner is a device aimed at a
specific group, people who use computers, read lots of text
files, and want the ability to read them anytime and anywhere.
The Road Runner is small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. It
provides excellent battery life. We have gotten approximately
forty hours of use on one set of AA batteries, which can be found
almost anywhere in the world.
     As we said earlier, the price is approximately $349. This is
by far the least expensive ASCII-text-reading device on the
market today. We emphasize, however, that you must have access to
a computer in order to put data into the Road Runner's memory.
     During the short history of the Road Runner we reported some
problems to Ostrich Software and suggested improvements that
could be made. All of the problems that we reported have been
successfully addressed, and the firmware is constantly being
improved. Ostrich Software listens to its customers, and we
believe the company is sincerely interested in creating a better
product.
     If you have access to a computer, read a lot of text files,
and want to do so while traveling, the Road Runner can be an
excellent tool.
     For further information about the Road Runner contact
Ostrich Software, 287 Cameo Drive, Danville, California 94526,
Phone: (925) 552-0750, E-mail: <sales@ostrichsoftware.com>, World
Wide Web: <http://www.ostrichsoftware.com>.
     You may also call the International Braille and Technology
Center from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, at (410) 659-
9314.
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sheila Koenig]
                     A Teacher's Perspective
                        by Sheila Koenig
                           

     From the Editor: Sheila Koenig was a 1995 NFB Scholarship
winner. Now she is a middle-school English teacher with a deep
commitment to her calling. The following is the text of the
speech she delivered to the 1999 meeting of the National
Association of Blind Educators in Atlanta:
                           

     Many times during this past year we have heard the sounds of
gunfire and sobbing issuing from schools as people's lives are
forever changed. Though I am saddened and disturbed by the rise
in school violence, I think that as educators we must stay
focused on the positive sounds. We are all here because we value
the profession of teaching, and there would be no profession if
it weren't for the kids. So we need to remember shouts of joy as
a winning point is scored, applause rising after a solo in a
musical assembly, and discussion building as students listen to
and talk with one another. I want to make a difference. I want
students to explore the power of their imaginations and discover
the beauty of language. This is why I teach.
     Those first days before students came to class were hectic.
As a new teacher I received mountains of new information and met
dozens of people. While trying to learn policies and names, I
also worked feverishly on organizing my classroom. Using a
reader, I learned which lockers would be assigned to my homeroom.
I decided which posters to take from the walls and which to leave
hanging.
     I also adapted the TV so that I could adjust channels and
volume easily. Students in our middle school watch a ten-minute
program daily called "Channel 1." It is a way of keeping students
informed about current issues. Since the buttons on the TV were
separated by only a fingernail's width, I used dymo tape as a
labeling tool. I could easily feel the first button on the right.
That was the power. Then came channel up and channel down. I
placed a Braille "c" beneath the channel up. I used the same
procedure for volume up and volume down, placing a Braille "v"
beneath the volume up. This way, if the volume was too low, I
knew immediately that the button above the "v" would raise it.
Conversely, if the volume was too high, I knew that the button
immediately to the left of the "v" would lower it. By using a
reader in this way, I quickly completed these small tasks, which
allowed me to focus more intently on the larger ones.
     Those larger tasks always come together on the first day of
school. Seating charts, attendance, learning names, presenting
the syllabus, and discussing blindness are the main items on my
first-day agenda. The first year I found that the way I had
designed my seating chart automatically flowed into a discussion
of my blindness. In front of my room is a large table. Before
each class I place index cards on the table. On one side students
find their names in print and Braille. On the other are grid
coordinates, such as A1, C5, and E6. The letter represents the
row in which the student is to sit, and the number represents the
seat.
     In this way students walk into my classroom. I greet them at
the door, and they find their note cards then quickly their
seats. After the standard, "Hi, I'm Ms. Koenig, and it's great to
meet all of you." I easily move into, "You probably noticed that
there are some raised bumps on the note card you just picked up.
Those bumps are your names written in Braille, and I put them
there to show you how I read." I proceed to talk about other
techniques they would see me using. I explain that I walk with a
cane, which serves as a tool to help me find objects that might
be in my path. The most important idea I want to convey in this
first-day discussion about blindness is that I am totally
comfortable with my blindness. It is a characteristic, like
having brown hair or blue eyes.
     To enforce this idea further, I ask them to ask me
questions. Most often someone wants to know how I get to school
every morning. I explain that I carpool with other teachers and
pay them gas money. I could also take a taxi or a bus. Sometimes
students are not comfortable asking questions, but I know their
discomfort will disappear quickly. After I tell them about my
blindness, I tell them other characteristics about myself. I
enjoy reading, writing, exercising, shopping, going to movies,
visiting with friends. . . . This is my way of letting them know
who I am, and we can establish a community atmosphere from the
beginning.
     Remember the note cards the students picked up as they
entered my room? Braille note cards are an excellent way to take
attendance. Call out names and make two piles: those present and
those absent. Attendance can then be easily marked on an
attendance chart. Hand-raising is something most students are
curious about. I tell them that since I can't see their hands in
the air, in this class they will say their names as they raise
their hands. Because this is a very different procedure, I give
them a practice run by saying, "On the count of three we'll all
raise our hands and say our names. One, two, three." I say my
name along with them. We all laugh at the mumbled sound of so
many names being spoken at once; then we move on.
     Most of all I want my students to see me as any other
teacher. Last year I took my turn at after-school detention,
breakfast duty, and before-school supervision. Students who were
in sixth grade would come up to me and ask, "What do you teach?"
So they get to know me as they would any other teacher before
even setting foot into my classroom. But I think it's important
to step beyond these required duties. As I climbed the bleachers
at a volleyball tournament, I heard shouts of "Hi, Ms. Koenig!"
from the team. As I smiled and waved back at them, I marveled at
the energy my arrival seemed to infuse in them. At school dances
I sold refreshments and monitored the floor. My students and I
joked about couples needing to be a cane length apart while
dancing. I made it a priority to attend spelling bees and music
ceremonies as well.
     In addition to students' seeing you as a vital part of the
school community, colleagues and administration must see you in
the same way. In January volunteers were needed to judge at a
citywide speech and debate tournament. I thought it sounded
interesting and volunteered my time. The typical process was that
a contestant entered the room and wrote his or her number and
speech title on the board. I simply asked them to read aloud
anything they printed. In this way I received the same
information as the other judges in the room. I told my reader
what to mark on the score cards, and I returned the envelope to
the counters. As the end of this year approached, an advisor was
needed for National Junior Honors Society. I volunteered
instantly, even though no stipend was given. I wanted to give
something back to the school that had just hired me.
     One reason I chose to become active in the school community,
besides wanting to support the kids, was to demonstrate to my
colleagues that I stood on equal footing with them. On one of the
first days of orientation, an eighth-grade teacher said to me,
"So, do they have an aide for you?" A look of surprise and worry
crossed her face when I said that no, I didn't need an aide in my
classroom. Sighted people rely so much on their vision that they
absolutely cannot comprehend how they would function without it.
I believe it is my job to educate these people, to show them how
to be successful using alternative techniques.
     I don't know what this teacher thought would happen in my
classroom, but by the end of the year I felt comfortable joking
with her, and she had become much friendlier toward me. Even
people who had gradually come to know me through the year at
times had doubts. As our team planned the field trip to the
nature center, where we would walk some of the trails with the
students, I had the distinct feeling that the science teacher was
worried about me. She hadn't said anything, but discomfort
emanated from her when we talked about the trip. Finally one day
she said to me, "Sheila, you'd speak up if there was a problem
with the trip, right?" I assured her that there was nothing to
worry about.
     There was a time in my life when I might have worried
continuously about this trip. But before I began my student
teaching, I attended BLIND, Inc., an NFB training center. At the
center I traveled under sleep shades in many unfamiliar areas. I
knew that I had the skills to lead the students successfully on
these trails. I took the opportunity to walk the trails with a
friend before going with the students, and I would recommend
that, if you have the opportunity to check out something in
advance, take advantage of it. But most fundamental is having the
skills to begin with.
     So my first year of teaching is over. I have learned much
more than I ever thought possible. I have certainly been touched
over and over by the simple joys of teaching, and I have been
confronted with both positive and negative attitudes toward
blindness. One thing is particularly clear, and it resounds over
and over in my mind and heart. I could not have done it without
the National Federation of the Blind. If I had not met competent,
confident blind people, I would never have been able to see
myself in that same way. If I had not taken the time to learn
Braille and cane travel, I would lack the skills essential to
being a successful teacher. If it weren't for the National
Federation of the Blind, I would not now be speaking to you about
the wonderful sounds of shouts of joy as a winning point is
scored, applause rising after a solo in a musical assembly, and
discussion building as students listen to and talk with one
another.
                           

                           

               Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
                           

                       Purpose of Contest
     The purpose of the annual Braille Readers Are Leaders
contest is to encourage blind children to read more Braille. It
is just as important for blind children to be literate as it is
for other children. Good readers can have confidence in
themselves and in their abilities to learn and to adapt to new
situations throughout their lifetimes. Braille is a viable
alternative to print, yet many blind children are graduating from
our schools with poor Braille skills and low expectations for
themselves as readers. They do not know that Braille readers can
be competitive with print readers. This contest helps blind
children realize that reading Braille is fun and rewarding.
                    Who Can Enter the Contest
     Blind school-age children from kindergarten through the
twelfth grade are eligible to enter. The student competes in one
of five categories.
     The first category is the print-to-Braille beginning reader.
This category is for former or current print readers who began to
learn and use Braille within the past two years. This includes:
     (1) formerly sighted children who became blind after they
mastered print.
     (2) partially sighted print readers who are learning
Braille. (Kindergartners and first-graders are not eligible for
the print-to-Braille category.)
     The other categories are grades K-1, 2-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
Students in ungraded programs should select the category which
most closely matches the grade level of their peers.
                     Prizes for the Contest
     First-, second-, and third-place winners are selected from
each of the five categories. All winners receive a cash prize, a
special certificate, and a distinctive NFB Braille Readers Are
Leaders T-shirt. In each category first-place winners receive
$75, second-place winners $50, and third-place winners $25.
Students who place fourth and fifth in each category will receive
Honorable Mention recognition and a special T-shirt. All
contestants receive a Braille certificate and a ribbon for
participating in the contest.
     Awards are also given to the ten contestants, regardless of
category, who demonstrate the most improvement over their
performance in the previous year's contest. To be considered for
the Most Improved Braille Reader award, the contestant must enter
the contest for two consecutive years and cannot be a winner in
the current Braille Readers Are Leaders contest or any previous
one. Winners of the Most Improved Braille Reader award receive
$15 and a T-shirt.
     Schools are encouraged to schedule public presentations of
the certificates. Alternatively, presentations may be made in the
classroom, at the local National Federation of the Blind Chapter
meeting, or in some other appropriate setting. Members of the
National Federation of the Blind will award the certificates and
other prizes whenever possible.
                      Schools for the Blind
     In addition to the individual prizes, one or more
specialized schools for the blind will receive a cash prize of up
to $200 for outstanding participation in the contest. All of the
schools for the blind with students participating in the contest
will receive recognition in Future Reflections, the National
Federation of the Blind magazine for parents and educators of
blind children.
                       Teacher Recognition
     Special recognition and a certificate will also be given to
a teacher who has demonstrated excellence in the promotion of
Braille literacy through support of the Braille Readers Are
Leaders contest.
                      Rules for the Contest
     Winners will be chosen based on the number of Braille pages
read. The one who reads the largest number of Braille pages will
be the first-place winner; the second largest the second-place
winner; and so forth. The completed contest entry form should be
received by the judges no later than February 15, 2000.
Contestants must submit with the entry forms a print list of the
materials read (see back of entry form). Entry forms without this
list will be returned to the sender.
                      Certifying Authority
     The certifying authority is responsible for (1) verifying
that the student read the Braille material listed and that the
material was read between November 1, 1999, and February 1, 2000;
(2) filling out and sending in the contest entry form in an
accurate, complete, and timely fashion; and (3) assisting the
student in finding Braille materials to read for the contest.
     Teachers, librarians, and parents may serve as certifying
authorities. The certifying authority must be prepared to
cooperate if the contest judges have questions or need additional
information about an entry. All decisions of the judges are
final.
                  For more information contact:
Mrs. Barbara Cheadle
National Organization of Parents
of Blind Children
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314
<nfb@iamdigex.net> or <barcheadle@erols.com>
                       Contest Entry Form
Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
November 1, 1999, to February 1, 2000
Mail entry form after February 1, 2000, to
Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest, 1800 Johnson Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Student's Name
Birth date
Age
Grade
Address
City, State, ZIP
Parent's Name, Phone (home and/or work)
School Name
Phone
Address, City, State, and ZIP
Certifying Authority Name
     Position: Parent, Teacher, Librarian
Address, City, State, and ZIP
Phone (home and/or work)
Please send certificate and ribbon to:
     (circle one) student, school, or certifying authority
Did you enter last year's contest (1998-1999)? yes or no
Category: (Check one)
     Beginning Print-to-Braille (This category is for former or
current print readers who began to learn and use Braille within
the past two years. Children who began Braille instruction in
kindergarten or first grade are not eligible for this category.)
     Kindergarten and First Grade
     Second through Fourth Grades
     Fifth through Eighth Grades
     Ninth through Twelfth Grades
     If you should be a winner, what size T-shirt would you
require?
(circle one) Children's: S (6-8), M (10-12), L (14-16)
Adult: S (34-36), M (38-40), L (42-44), XL (46-48)
[The following page contains a chart for listing the name of each
book and magazine read and the number of pages in each.]
Total number of pages
     To the best of my knowledge this student did read these
Braille pages between the dates of November 1, 1999, and February
1, 2000.
Signature of Certifying Authority
Date
Common Questions
     1. When do I mail in the contest form? Mail the completed
form in between February 1 and February 15, 2000.
     2. What if I didn't know about the contest until after it
began? Can I still enter? Yes.
     3. If I enter late, can I still count the Braille pages I
have read since November 1? Yes, if your certifying authority
will verify that you read those pages.
     4. Can I count my Braille textbooks? No.
     5. Can I count textbooks if they are not the textbooks I am
now using for my regular class work? Yes.
     6. What if I don't finish reading a book? Can I count the
pages that I did read? Yes.
     7. Can supplemental reading books to beginning reading
series be counted for the contest? Yes.
     8. What constitutes a Braille page? Each side of an embossed
piece of paper is considered one page. If you read both sides,
then you have read two pages. This is true even if there are only
two Braille lines on one side.
     9. Can I count title pages, tables of contents, Brailled
descriptions of illustrations, etc.? Yes.
     10. I have to transcribe books for my beginning reader. Most
of these books have only a few words on a page. If the print book
has more pages than my Braille transcription, how do I count
pages for the contest? For the purposes of this contest, the
number of Braille pages counted per book should never be less
than the number of print pages in that book. This is so even if
the teacher has transcribed the entire book onto one Braille
page. To avoid confusion we suggest that the books be transcribed
page-for-page, one Braille page for each print page, whenever
possible.
     11. I have trouble finding enough Braille material for my
older students. Do you have any suggestions? Yes. The National
Federation of the Blind has free Braille materials suitable for
blind youth. To request the NFB Selected Literature for Blind
Youth order form, call or write National Federation of the Blind,
Materials Center, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
     Can I read the same book more than once? Yes, but up to
three times only.
                      Schools for the Blind
            2000 Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
     Residential or specialized schools for the blind which
promote the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest among their
students are eligible to compete for a cash prize of up to $200
and national recognition for outstanding participation in the
contest. No one criterion is used to determine which school or
schools receive the cash award(s) and/or recognition. Factors
that the judges consider in making this decision include:
     The percentage of the student body (total and academic)
participating in the contest.
     Quality of material read by participating students.
     Total number of pages read by participating students.
     Improvement in quality and quantity of participation over a
previous year's performance.
     Number of national winners.
     Creative ways in which the contest is used to promote
Braille literacy and a love of reading among the participating
students.
     You can help your school get full consideration for the cash
award and/or recognition by returning this form to Braille
Readers Are Leaders Contest, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore,
Maryland 21230. This form is not required, but the prompt
provision of this information to the judges would be appreciated.
Name of School
Address
City, State, ZIP
     Total number of students enrolled:
Number of students enrolled in an academic program:
(Students who are learning to read and write in any medium.)
Number of students participating in this year's contest:
School telephone number and other information you wish to
provide:
Signature and title
                           

                           

                    Please Don't Be Offended
                 If I Refuse Your Offer of Help
                         by Donna Blake
                           

     From the Editor: The following article first appeared in the
Sunday, February 21, 1999, edition of the Hartford Courant. Donna
Blake is the pen name of Federationist Donna Balaski. She may not
have been blind long, but Donna demonstrates a healthy
understanding of how to educate the public about blindness. This
is what she said:
                           

     Recently I was very excited to return to New England. I had
been away at a school for the blind [the Louisiana Center for the
Blind] for more than a year. I had lost my vision and needed to
learn how to approach everyday tasks that I had previously taken
for granted for thirty years. When I lost my sight, I was in the
last year of a surgical residency program, training to become a
trauma surgeon. These days blind people can enter just about any
occupation they desire, but surgery is not one of them.
     When I landed at Bradley International Airport, I was
feeling as if I had just received my driver's license and was
driving by myself for the first time.
     I received many offers of help at the airport. I wasn't
lost, so I politely declined the offers from several people. I
did appreciate the woman who directed me toward the baggage claim
area and the gentleman who helped me identify my luggage. The
person I did not appreciate was the one who helped himself or
herself to my wallet and its contents. I felt as if my parents
had taken away my driver's license.
     Who were you? Were you the gentleman who sat next to me on
the plane? The elderly couple who felt the need to grab and hold
onto my arm constantly? The woman in the bathroom who thought it
was a miracle that I could use the rest room without assistance?
Or were you the person who bumped into me in the crowd of people?
Whoever you were, thank you for leaving me $20 to get home; at
least you were considerate.
     Before I lost my vision, I would not have understood some
courtesy rules that one should follow when dealing with a blind
person. The National Federation of the Blind made me aware of
some of the common courtesies one should extend to fellow
citizens. In reality most of the suggestions are common social
graces.
     A common misconception is that, if my eyesight is gone, so
is my hearing. It's not true, nor is my hearing any more acute
than yours is. I recently taught a college course and ran into an
old acquaintance in the bookstore. I am sure that people in the
gymnasium next door could hear his side of our conversation
because his voice was so loud. In fact, it's still ringing in my
ears.
     Society can be extremely sensitive about political
correctness. But it is perfectly fine to use words such as
"blind," "see," or "vision" and their synonyms. For example,
"Hear you later" just doesn't flow as smoothly as "See you
later."
     I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself, so please
don't address my companion instead of me. Recently a waitress
kept asking my companion if I needed anything. My date handled
the situation with grace. He asked the waitress for another
waitress. When the other came, he asked her to relay to the first
waitress the fact that we would like to end our meal with coffee.
I requested decaf.
     I am still wondering about the woman I met in the airport
rest room. I don't recall her fawning on other women for using
the facilities. I was a bit embarrassed. God forbid that she lose
her vision, but I assured her anyway that she would have no
difficulty using the rest room if she did. Whatever events you
experience in life, you go on. The rest of the world doesn't
stop.
     Please do not compliment me for performing everyday tasks. I
am just trying to lead a normal life like the next person; I just
have to use alternative techniques. The goal of the Americans
with Disabilities Act and mainstreaming children in school is
integration into society. The next time you see me in a public
place, please don't come up to me and continually touch or clutch
my arm. I might think that you are trying to obtain my wallet.
And don't try to help me cross a street I don't want to cross.
     If I need some guided help, I will take your arm at the
elbow and walk behind you; it is dangerous for me if you grasp my
arm and push me to our destination.
     I don't mind your asking if I would like assistance, but
please allow me to decline politely without hurting your
feelings.
                           

                           

[Photo/Caption: Curtis Chong demonstrates nonvisual Web access
while conference participants look on.]
       Expanding the View: a Technology Access Conference
                       by Betsy Zaborowski
                           

     From the Editor: As more states pass model technology laws
and as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act begins to have an
impact, state and federal procurement officials and producers and
vendors of access technology will find seminars like the one
conducted last May at the National Center for the Blind to be of
great benefit. Maryland was one of the first states to mandate
that state officials purchase only technology that can be adapted
for use by disabled people. In the following article Dr. Betsy
Zaborowski, Director of Special Programs for the National
Federation of the Blind, describes a seminar conducted in
Baltimore to provide information about nonvisual access and other
technology matters. This is what she says:
                           

     On May 19, 1999, over 135 people attended a conference held
at the National Center for the Blind to learn about nonvisual and
other technology-access issues. This all-day conference was
sponsored by the Information Technology Board of the State of
Maryland, of which I am a member; the Governor's Office for
People with Disabilities; the Maryland Technology Assistance
Program; and the National Federation of the Blind. Attendees
included information technology professionals from around the
state of Maryland, technology vendors who do business with the
state of Maryland, representatives from federal agencies,
adaptive technology companies, and others.
     The principal reason for this conference was to provide
procurement officials from state agencies and representatives of
companies marketing technology to the state the opportunity to
learn about nonvisual access issues and solutions. The law on
access to information technology which was passed by the Maryland
General Assembly and signed by the governor in 1998 has had the
immediate effect of creating much more awareness of the need to
provide for nonvisual access in technology being purchased by the
state. Therefore, while it would be nice to think that state
procurement officials and technology vendors would be interested
enough to come to such a meeting on their own, the fact that
"it's the law" undoubtedly helped to capture their interest.
     The program began with opening remarks from Dr. Marc Maurer,
who emphasized the need for partnerships between the technology
community and consumer organizations like the National Federation
of the Blind. Following that, a panel of experts discussed access
technology issues from a variety of perspectives. Jim Thatcher,
who coordinates IBM's adaptive technology development, spoke of
current projects at IBM and trends that affect the private
sector. Mike Pascillo, a technology access consultant who
recently published a book on Web-site design that ensures access,
spoke on the need for a coordinated effort to ensure that access
issues are at the forefront of new technology regulations and
advancements in the field.
     James Gashel, Director of Governmental Affairs for the NFB,
outlined legislative trends such as nonvisual access requirements
in a growing number of state technology procurement procedures
and the implications of regulations proposed under Section 508 of
the Rehabilitation Act. Jennifer Simpson, technology director for
the President's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities, outlined what the committee is doing to improve job
opportunities that are dependent on technology access. Others
also discussed special adaptations for the physically disabled
and the efforts of the Veterans Administration to address access
needs.
     Following the panel discussion and using overhead
transparencies, Curtis Chong, Director of Technology for the NFB,
gave a well-received demonstration of the principles of sound
Web-site design which make it possible for the end user to
implement nonvisual access means. The audience was impressed with
Mr. Chong's agile use of keyboard commands to activate the speech
program being used. Many commented afterwards that Mr. Chong's
presentation was the highlight of the day.
     During the luncheon held in the National Center's dining
room, Major F. Riddick, the Governor's Chief of Staff and chair
of the Maryland Information Technology Board, introduced Mr. Bill
Opet, President of PSINet's Network Services Group, who gave the
keynote address. Mr. Opet discussed the efforts of PSINet to
expand networking capabilities throughout the country as well as
its recent acquisition of the naming rights to the new Ravens
football stadium in Baltimore. He also made a commitment to
assist the NFB to provide expanded offerings on our Web site and
promised an ongoing partnership with our organization.
     Afternoon activities included a workshop on Maryland's
nonvisual access law and its implementation, which was conducted
by Lesley Hern, Maryland's Chief of Information Technology. The
workshop also included a discussion on employment issues
associated with nonvisual access conducted by Jennifer Simpson of
the President's Committee and Anthony Cobb, Director of the NFB's
Job Opportunities for the Blind program. Participants were also
able to view a number of technology demonstrations held in the
International Braille and Technology Center.
     Evaluations filled out by those who attended clearly
indicated high satisfaction, and a significant number requested
additional training and consultation opportunities. This was the
first comprehensive conference like this in the state of
Maryland, but it certainly won't be the last. The National Center
for the Blind is becoming the site of an ever-increasing number
of training seminars and conferences. Our facility and staff
together with a national network of experts are the best
ingredients for success.
                           

                           

                  Technology Replacing Braille
                           

     From the Editor: The following article is reprinted from the
July 28, 1999, edition of the Los Angeles Times. It's refreshing
to see reporters get the story right.
                           

     Jeffrey Senge remembers exactly when Braille went out and
the audiotapes came in. It happened at the end of fourth grade at
a Santa Rosa elementary school, nearly forty years ago. During
the summer, for reasons he never learned, his teacher was
replaced, and so was the Braille-based program he was using to
improve his reading skills.
     Fifth grade, Senge now believes, marked the end of his own
literacy. "I really missed out. I've struggled," said Senge,
fifty, who used tapes and letter magnifiers to earn a master's
degree in special education from Cal State Fullerton. "Everybody
was sincerely trying to do a good job, but they did not think
about it clearly, as far as the effect on literacy is concerned."
     To Braille advocates, Senge's experience represents the
early stages of educational changes that are now coming home to
roost: a ballooning population of intelligent, blind adults who
are functionally illiterate. The American Foundation for the
Blind estimates that out of about one million legally blind
people in the country, only 85,000 use Braille. The reason, they
say, is increasing reliance on tape recorders, letter magnifiers,
and computer voice translators leaves the visually impaired with
a shaky grasp of the underlying structure of language. In fact,
last month Wells Fargo agreed to provide talking ATM's instead of
its current machines with Braille instructions because so few
blind people can read Braille. And the numbers are increasing.
The percentage of legally blind students learning Braille--a
reading method that breaks language into a code of raised dots--
has dropped precipitously from 53 percent in 1963 to 10 percent
in 1997, according to statistics compiled by the American
Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky, a not-for-
profit company that conducts an annual national census of blind
students.
     Statewide about 21 percent of the visually impaired school
age children capable of learning to read use Braille as their
primary method, according to statistics compiled last year by
state education officials. In Los Angeles County, the number is
35 percent; in Orange County, 20 percent.
     Yet Braille can be the key to quality of life for the blind.
Nine of ten blind adults who have jobs read and write Braille,
making Braille literacy critical for a segment of the population
suffering from 70% unemployment, said Marc Maurer, President of
the National Federation of the Blind in Baltimore.
     Harder to measure is the intellectual and artistic void that
illiteracy leaves. Unable to read, large numbers of blind
Americans find themselves sealed off from the kind of sustenance
that can come from losing oneself in a good book. "It's difficult
to say actually how many people use Braille," said Frances Mary
D'Andrea of the Foundation. "Some use it for labeling or just
know the alphabet for home use. They may not be people who sit
down and read a Braille book. It's really hard to get numbers for
that."
     Reading Braille can be laborious. The system designed by
Louis Braille in Paris in 1824 uses a series of six raised dots,
in a pattern like the number 6 on a game die, to represent the
alphabet. It is read by running the fingertips over the dots.
Although it is time-consuming, advocates say it is still faster
than using magnifiers.
                           

                   Benefits of Early Training
                           

     Literacy rates among the blind could be improved, according
to a 1996 doctoral study by a graduate student at the University
of Washington, by teaching Braille to the visually impaired while
they are young, at the same time seeing students are taught to
read. The study found that legally blind students who learned
Braille at the same time sighted students learned to read
achieved, at the high school level, literacy rates similar to
their sighted classmates'. But students who learned Braille later
or were taught to read using their limited vision and
magnification devices suffered high rates of illiteracy.
     The study's author, Ruby Ryles, now an adjunct faculty
member at the Louisiana Center for the Blind and Louisiana Tech
University, said the work affirmed the importance of Braille in
helping young blind students understand the basic structure of
language.
     Jan Wadsworth, program specialist for the Azusa Unified
School District's program for visually impaired students,
discounted the link between Braille literacy and employability,
arguing that social skills play a more significant role for blind
job-seekers. The reason: they need to win over potential
employers who are uncomfortable with directing blind staffers.
"[Employers] react personally to the fact that they can't make
eye contact," said Wadsworth, whose program provides services for
blind children in eleven nearby school districts.
     Kim Lindley, director of staff development and former
coordinator of special education for Capistrano Unified School
District, argued that visual impairments vary too much to apply
general approaches. Some children have enough vision to read
traditional textbooks using enlarged print or magnifiers. And
some children with vision problems might also have motor skills
problems that make reading Braille especially difficult. "Many
things come into literacy and effective comprehension," she said.
"It's not a black-and-white issue."
     Theresa vanEttinger falls into that gray area. Born blind,
vanEttinger's school in her native Montana initially insisted she
be taught her ABCs using her extremely limited sight and enlarged
print, despite her family's request that she be taught Braille as
a hedge against the future. "They said she didn't need [Braille]
because she could still read print," said her mother, Ruth
vanEttinger. "So we went through the back door. I wasn't a
teacher of the blind, and I knew nothing, but I decided I'd
better learn it and teach it to her."
     The family sued the state and won access to Braille
instruction. The mother eventually became certified to teach
Braille and, after the family moved to California, became a
teacher of the visually impaired in Azusa. Theresa vanEttinger,
now a twenty-two-year-old music student at Citrus College, says:
"My literacy is as good as any sighted person's."
     California regulations require schools to assess individual
students' problems and devise an Individual Education Plan and to
make Braille instruction available. However, the laws do not
require schools to teach Braille to blind and visually impaired
students.
     Pro-Braille activists say a tide of educational and
technological changes have worked against Braille literacy. Key
among them is the twenty-year-old practice of integrating blind
students into regular public school classes, diffusing the
population of blind students and making it more difficult for
teachers to specialize and keep up with Braille.
     As it is, few teachers even accept the calling. Only ten
students trained as Braille specialists graduated this spring
from Cal State L.A. and San Francisco State--the only colleges in
the state that prepare teachers of blind and visually impaired
students, said Jamie Dote-Kwan, coordinator of Cal State L.A.'s
teacher training programs in visual impairment and blindness.
     "We have had shortages of teachers in this field for twenty
years," Dote-Kwan said. "There are positions all over the state
that we can't fill."
     Jack Hazekamp, a consultant in the state Department of
Education's Special Education Division, acknowledged that
mainstreaming programs, while well-intentioned, have hindered the
teaching of Braille. "It really takes intense teaching,
particularly at the primary level," he said. At the same time the
number of people with visual impairments has risen, according to
the American Printing House for the Blind. The total number of
blind students eligible for specialized reading materials more
than tripled from 1963 to 1997 from 17,300 to 56,690, the
organization found. At the same time the number of Braille
readers dropped from 9,123 to 5,439--a 40 percent decrease. Some
of those statistics can be attributed to such factors as
increased numbers of critically ill and premature babies who
survive, often with multiple disabilities that would make it
difficult for them to read under any circumstances. Also the
growing population of elderly people means that more are going
blind late in life, when it is more difficult to learn a new
method of reading.
                           

                      Technology Has Limits
                           

     Advocates for the blind say the trend away from Braille has
not turned around despite several years of lobbying for better
state and federal laws. "The infrastructure isn't there," said
Maurer of the National Federation of the Blind. "In order to have
people who are literate who are blind, you have to have folks who
believe in blind people, who believe in Braille, and somebody
prepared to produce it." Technology can be seductive, he said,
but the machines have their own limits. For example, early
vocalization software, which converted text to sound, worked
well. But later innovations--particularly on the Internet--have
reduced their effectiveness. The flashy images that make Web
sites appealing for the sighted wreak havoc on the vocalization
programs, rendering them ineffective about 70 percent of the
time, he said.
     Rachel Heuser, who teaches visually impaired students at
Castille Elementary School in Mission Viejo, said she believes
Braille is critical for blind students to become literate. But
sometimes, she said, the difficulty of Braille precludes students
from learning it. Readers of enlarged print take 50 percent
longer to read the same material as a sighted reader. Braille
readers take twice as long as a sighted reader to absorb the same
material.
     Kelli Kay of Rancho Santa Margarita never had a choice of
instruction for her son, Derek Czajka, who was born totally
blind. When her son was 3, she said, he was exposed to Braille
through programs at the Braille Institute and has continued with
Braille instruction under Heuser at Castille Elementary. Last
year, as an 8-year-old second-grader, he excelled on a literacy
test that measures reading ability for Braille readers from third
grade into adulthood, Kay said.
     Paradoxically, publishers of Braille material say they are
producing more books now than before, as Braille readers continue
seeking out material to read. The Los Angeles-based Braille
Institute has its own Braille Press--the largest Braille
publisher on the West Coast. Over a twenty-year span the Braille
Press has more than tripled its output, from 1.9 million pages in
1977 to 5.8 million pages in 1997.
     For Senge, though, the increased amount of Braille reading
material represents lost opportunity. With his limited literacy,
there are books he will probably never read. "Think about the
challenges people have in life who don't have a sufficient
mastery of the written language," said Senge, director of a Cal
State Fullerton program that transcribes reading assignments into
Braille for California college students. "It puts you in the
category of being illiterate." The limits of technology, from
tape players to computerized readers, quickly become evident, he
said. "It's seductive at the beginning," he said. "When you're a
little kid, you think this is easy; you don't have to struggle
with [learning to read]. You become attracted to it. But at some
point, it comes back to bite you."
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: the Costa Romantica]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Seminar participants aboard ship]
                         Seminar at Sea
                       by Donald J. Morris
                           

     From the Editor: Don Morris is President of the NFB's Blind
Merchants Association, familiarly known to us all as the
merchants division. Our merchants have a knack amounting to
genius for combining business with pleasure. The following little
article and the pictures that go with it provide a clear
illustration of this fact. Here is what Don says about the
division's hard-working seminar at sea last April:
                           

     April 18, 1999, the call was "Welcome Aboard!" This
announced the start of the Blind Merchants Division spring
conference cruise aboard the Costa Romantica. The ship, which is
more than two football fields long, carries a crew of 600. Among
the 1700 passengers were fifty-five members of the NFB Merchants
Division. By happenstance, also on board were Dr. Atkins (the
diet doctor) and a group of 500 conferees. We sailed from Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida, Sunday evening.
     Conference meetings started Monday morning with a
presentation by Dr. Betsy Zaborowski, for ten years a practicing
clinical psychologist and adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins
University and now Director of Special Programs for the National
Federation of the Blind. Her subject was "Elimination of Stress
for Improved Performance on the Job." This was a great start for
our group.
     Monday afternoon we arranged a private galley tour in which
conferees were permitted a hands-on examination of the ship's
galley. We observed the preparation of the evening's appetizers
and desserts. The galley was immaculate. Stainless steel
glistened on every surface. Of the very large kitchen crew,
twelve members are dedicated to keeping dishes and cookware clean
and ready for use. Although every meal tasted and looked as
though it was made to order, the galley tour showed us that these
delicious meals were really mass-produced. Souffle batter was
pumped through a nozzle into individual cups. Several hours later
the result was 1,400 perfect souffles. The preparation and
presentation of the meals were a great example for cafeteria
managers, who all agreed to tempt their customers with new
offerings. The chefs and sous-chefs oversaw each aspect of the
galley operation, and they managed their part, focusing in order
on cleanliness, quality, and productivity.
     Study of the Randolph-Sheppard Act and Regulations provided
the meat of the conference. We were privileged to have with us
Jim Gashel, NFB Director of Governmental Affairs. In the early
days of Jim's career, he was instrumental in crafting the
language of the 1974 Amendments to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. His
seminar title was "The Randolph-Sheppard Act: What Does It Say;
What Does It Mean?" Jim introduced the subject by reading and
discussing line by line 20 USC 107 et seq. Because of Jim's
extensive knowledge of the Act and his experience in numerous
federal arbitrations, the audience was able to gain special
insight into the Act and its requirements.
     The Tuesday afternoon session was conducted by John Martin,
President of the National Buyers Group, discussing "Modern Buying
Practices, Inventory Management, and the Benefits of Volume
Purchasing." John explained how the National Buyers Group lets
blind vendors use their current suppliers while still realizing
new discounts and special rebates available only to National
Buyers Group participants. John explained that blind vendors can
participate without any fee or obligation other than a
requirement to notify the NBG Office that the vendor wants to
participate. John announced that, by using the Internet and going
to <www.nbgmag.com>, anyone can download an application for
participation or can complete it on line.
     Tuesday evening Sue Kable of Glyndon Square Travel hosted a
private reception for our conferees. We appreciate and thank Sue
for the reception and the professional way in which she handled
the arrangements for the cruise.
     At 8:00 p.m. the ship docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where
many revelers enjoyed late-night shopping, disco dancing, and
simply seeing the sights. Others stayed on board to enjoy the
nightly entertainment. The Argentine Gauchos beat drums, swung
sabers, clacked bolos, and danced and stomped and ran all over
the stage. They recruited Jim "Gaucho Man" Gashel to participate.
While none of us thought Jim should give up his day job, he did a
credible job of beating the daylights out of the stage.
     Wednesday morning we arrived in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin
Islands. After a day of shopping, snorkeling, eating, and simply
being awestruck by the island's beauty, we sailed just before
sunset.
     On Thursday we visited the island of Serena Cay for a beach
picnic or snorkeling. It was not all play, however, since the
picnic was prepared on the beach by the ship's staff. Once again
blind vendors were able to observe firsthand how large quantities
of lunchtime fare can be produced in volume with high quality.
During the day aboard ship, demonstrations of fruit and vegetable
carving were presented, and many blind vendors learned innovative
techniques for decorating and garnishing lunchtime platters.
     Friday we were at sea all day, and the conference returned
to the subject of the Randolph-Sheppard Act. During the morning
and afternoon sessions we completed the reading and discussion of
the Act itself and began discussing 34 CFR 395, the Code of
Federal Regulations, which implements the Randolph Sheppard Act.
As before, Jim's in-depth knowledge helped all participants
understand more about the Act and how it applies to them. In the
case of many conferees who are members of their committees of
blind vendors, this understanding will help prepare them to serve
their constituents better.
     Saturday morning we all attended lectures by the Customs and
Immigration Officers, learning our responsibilities for reentry
into the USA. Saturday afternoon we docked at Nassau in the
Bahamas and did our best to empty the Straw Market, but mostly we
emptied our wallets.
     Many readers will remember the conflict blind people had
with Carnival Cruise Lines several years ago over the cruise
line's treatment of blind passengers and their guide dogs. Thanks
to the lesson Carnival learned at the hands of the NFB, we had
absolutely no such problem with COSTA, even though it is now
owned by Carnival. Members of our group were treated with
courtesy but were in no way singled out for those annoying
services that are neither required nor desired. Neither our white
canes nor the one guide dog with us created any problem or any
particular concern.
     Sunday morning saw us back in the USA, and, though the trip
was great, there's no place like home. Arrivederci!
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Fatos Floyd]
            Nebraska Orientation Center for the Blind
             Celebrates Its Twenty-fifth Anniversary
                         by Fatos Floyd
                           

     From the Editor: Rehabilitation of blind Americans is
profoundly different today from that practiced at mid-century.
The development of Richard Hoover's long-cane technique for
travel has certainly had a significant impact, and the evolution
of computer technology has certainly altered the content of the
skills training offered today. With the exception of high quality
Braille instruction, which is all too often missing today, almost
all modern rehabilitation is far superior to that our blind
parents and grandparents received. But the single most profound
change in rehabilitation has come about as a direct result of the
emergence of the organized blind movement.
     The impact the NFB and its philosophy have had is much
greater in some programs than in others, but even in the poorest
ones the influence can be seen. Virtually every agency doing
blindness rehabilitation today gives lip service, at least, to
the notions that blindness alone need not stop a person from
living a full life, that self-confidence is a key to success,
that poor public attitudes about blindness cause massive
complications in our lives, and that nothing about blindness is
shameful. Even in their most watered-down formulations, these are
concepts that have flowed directly from NFB philosophy into every
cranny of the blindness field.
     Some centers and programs, of course, embraced these ideas
and the programs that inevitably arise from them sooner than
others. The Nebraska Orientation Center is celebrating its
twenty-fifth anniversary this month. Fatos Floyd, wife of NFB of
Nebraska President Mike Floyd, now directs the center, and she
recently sent us this brief history of the program and what it
celebrates. This is what she says.
                           

     For more than thirty years October 15 has been proclaimed
White Cane Safety Day in the United States. It is an occasion for
Governors to call attention to the capabilities and contributions
of blind persons. In 1999 the blind of Nebraska will have special
reason to celebrate the day. Twenty-five years ago Federationism
came to the State service system for the blind with the
establishment of a genuine orientation center for the blind.
     In 1973 Dr. Jack Anderson, director of the Nebraska state
agency that included Services for the Visually Impaired, was
persuaded by Richard Parker, President of the National Federation
of the Blind of Nebraska, to visit the Iowa Commission for the
Blind in Des Moines and its director, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan. Dr.
Anderson was so impressed with the philosophy that guided the
Orientation Center in Iowa and the dynamic leadership of Dr.
Jernigan that he agreed to take steps to change the direction and
the philosophy of services for the blind in Nebraska. He
challenged Mr. Parker to find a qualified candidate to direct the
state agency for the blind who shared the same philosophy.
     With the assistance of Dr. Jernigan, Dr. James Nyman was
contacted and accepted the challenge, starting in May, 1974. Dr.
Nyman, who served for nearly twenty-five years as director of
Nebraska Services for the Visually Impaired, established and
maintained the highest standards for quality in rehabilitation of
the blind. Under his leadership the Orientation Center, as it is
now known, was developed and became recognized nationally as an
example of excellence in the field. Today the tradition begun by
Dr. Nyman is being vigorously continued by his successor, Dr.
Pearl Van Zandt.
     In 1974 a part-time center existed in Lincoln, but one that
operated on the basis of skill training without any coherent
philosophy to guide it. Several months after assuming the
directorship of Nebraska Services for the Visually Impaired, Dr.
Nyman persuaded Sylvia Johnson (now Sylvia Speed) to come from
Washington, D. C., to bring coherence and philosophy to the
Orientation Center. Ms. Speed had been a travel instructor in the
Orientation Center in Iowa and understood what excellence in a
Center meant.
     It was not long before staff members of the period like
Barbara Beach (now Barbara Walker), John Cheadle, and Rosemary
Lerdahl pulled together as the first cohesive Orientation Center
team under Ms. Speed's philosophical leadership. Despite her
short stay the foundations of a sound orientation program were
laid. Michael Adams was chosen to succeed Ms. Speed. The
Orientation Center continued to develop under his leadership and
that of his successors, Barbara Walker, Sheila Byrd (now Sheila
Wright), Deb Robinson, Rosemary Lerdahl, Susan Miles, Linda
Chilcott, and its current director Fatos Floyd.
     Perhaps nothing illustrated the new confidence in blind
people more than the insistence that the critical skill of travel
could be effectively and safely taught by a blind instructor. The
orientation-and-mobility profession had institutionalized the
belief that only the sighted could perform this vital service.
Jim Walker from Michigan, possessing the philosophy and skill
that commended him to the consideration of Services for the
Visually Impaired, was recruited in 1975. He became the model of
a blind person effectively teaching travel and embodying the
Federation philosophy in his personal and professional life. Fred
Schroeder, now Commissioner of the U.S. Rehabilitation
Administration and blind himself, succeeded Mr. Walker as cane-
travel instructor in the Orientation Center. Mr. Schroeder wanted
to become certified as an orientation and mobility instructor by
AER; however, even with his academic qualifications, the
orientation-and-mobility establishment prevented him from
obtaining certification, claiming his blindness as the reason.
Another person well known to Federationists, Christine Roberts
(now Christine Boone), followed Mr. Schroeder. Others who have
served in this capacity are Michael Floyd; Larry Mackey; and Jeff
Altman, the current cane-travel instructor.
     The Federation and Federationism continue to play a vital
role in the formulation and conduct of training at the
Orientation Center in Nebraska. Without the support of the
organization and the guidance of its philosophy, an orientation
center becomes a hollow exercise in skill training. Those Centers
that cultivate both skills and beliefs in the capabilities of
blind persons can instill the motivation to pursue life goals in
the mainstream of society. This is the truth and the proud
history that will be celebrated on White Cane Safety Day, 1999,
on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Orientation Center in
Nebraska.
                           

                           

[Photo/Caption: Donald Drapinski, September 13, 1957 to August
26, 1999]
          In Memory and Celebration of Donald Drapinski
                         by Allen Harris
                           

     From the Editor: Monitor readers will remember the touching
tribute to Don Drapinski from his ten-year-old niece that
appeared in the July issue of the Braille Monitor. Don lost his
gallant fight against muscular dystrophy on Thursday, August 26,
1999. Don was a member of the NFB of Michigan's Board of
Directors for many years, and his wife Sue is the affiliate's
Treasurer. Even more important, Don and Sue together were an
inspiration to everyone who knew them. No one who met Don ever
again doubted how much of a contribution could be made by a
Federationist dogged by increasing poor health. Don's courage and
commitment to the National Federation of the Blind and what it
stands for will continue to inspire us all.
     Allen Harris, Immediate Past President of the NFB of
Michigan and Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind,
wrote a eulogy which was read at Don's funeral on August 30. Here
it is:
                           

     Donald, we will miss you, but you have made our lives so
much richer! When I met Donald, he was a teen-ager and was just
out of high school. In the summer of 1975 I was working at the
Rehabilitation Institute as a vocational rehabilitation
counselor. Funny the things one remembers twenty-five years
later--Donald was struggling with blindness and attempting to
deal with his other physical problems. He made a warm and lasting
impression on me. I did not know at that time that our lives
would become so closely intertwined.
     Donald, we will miss you, but you have made our lives so
much richer! In the early '80's I became reacquainted with Donald
as he began attending chapter meetings of the National Federation
of the Blind. We were both in the Detroit Chapter and were having
a difficult time holding things together. Before long Donald
became President of the Chapter, and his leadership and strong
work ethic became apparent. At that time we were struggling to
maintain twenty members, but when Donald finally left the
presidency in 1990, he had built the chapter to about one hundred
members. He was proud and believed that the Federation could make
a difference in everyone's life.
     Donald did not ask others to do what he did not; he always
led by example. He touched the lives of many people and inspired
blind people to go for it. No matter how much Donald struggled in
his own life, he never brought his difficulties to others.
Truthfully, it was difficult to complain about the minor problems
in our lives when Donald faced such monumental challenges. In
1990 he became First Vice President of the Detroit Chapter. His
voice had become weaker, and he found it increasingly difficult
to chair a meeting. However, even when Donald used Sue's voice,
there was no doubt that he had prepared the ideas; he knew
exactly what he wanted to say!
     Donald, we will miss you, but you made our lives so much
richer! Donald loved the NFB, and it became an important part of
his life. He rarely missed a meeting, and if the NFB was having
an activity, there you would find him. Many of you here today
spent countless hours with Donald at Federation functions. In
fact, if he was not present, it seemed that something was wrong.
He believed that the next generation of blind children would have
a better life because of the Federation.
     We in the Federation are blessed to have had Donald as our
friend and colleague. To know Donald was to love him. He was
truly a person who gave more to others than he expected in
return. Many times Sue, Joy, Donald, and I went to activities of
one kind or another. We went everywhere with him! Sometimes we
would decide that he should participate, and he went along with
the idea. Other times he was too sick to go, but he would insist
that Sue go, and he would stay alone for hours at a time. This
was his way. If he could, he would participate; but if he could
not, he insisted that we go without him.
     Donald, we will miss you, but you made our lives so much
richer! Donald, will you do one more thing for me? Will you
forgive us for being less than sensitive and thoughtful about
your needs? Sometimes we asked you to make significant
sacrifices, and you never complained. Remember the time we took
you to see Bruce Springsteen? You thought your hearing was gone.
How many times did we drag you through the snow or bring you out
into oppressive heat? Many times we crammed your six-foot frame
onto the four-foot love seat. Remember when I served you a pint
of Jim Beam as we rang in the new year? It was a good thing you
had prepared by eating massive amounts of lobster and shrimp
cocktail. Donald, please understand that we meant no harm!
     Donald, we will miss you, but you made our lives so much
richer! Donald, we cannot fully celebrate your life without
acknowledging your wonderful wife, Sue. You would want a word
said about Sue's dedication and commitment to your life. Many
times you told me how much you loved Sue. We talked about the
quality of your life, and you knew that it was because of her
efforts. Sue would do anything she was capable of doing for you.
You wanted everyone to know what a good life you had and that it
would not have been possible without Sue.
     Donald, we are deeply glad that you will not suffer any
more. We are thankful that you touched our lives and that we were
able to bring a little happiness to you. We have now gathered to
say goodbye, but you will continue to be a part of our lives. We
will remember you for the kind and gentle treatment you gave to
others. We will remember you for the effort and strength you put
into your life. We will remember you for having dignity in the
face of pain and discomfort. We will remember you for the many
wonderful qualities you possessed. But, Donald, I will remember
you as a guy who loved me and let me love you in return. I am sad
but not sorry that you had to go. You had done what you could on
this earth, and heaven is waiting for you. Be well!
     Donald, we will miss you, but you made our lives so much
richer!
                           

                           

[Photo/Caption: Harold and Linda Snider]
                             Recipes
                           

     This month's recipes are contributed by members of the
Masonic Square Club, a division of the National Federation of the
Blind.
                           

                   Italian-Made Bean Casserole
                         by Linda Snider
                           

     Linda Snider is the wife of Harold Snider and an active
Federationist in her own right. She is also a spectacular cook.
                           

Ingredients:
2 cups dried Great Northern large white beans
6 cups cold water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup fresh skinned or solid-pack canned tomatoes
2/3 cup bean liquid and tomato juice combined
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
                           

     Method: Soak beans in water overnight. Cook beans in water
in which they were soaked. Place over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon
butter to keep down the foam. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce
heat to simmer. Stir occasionally. Add salt and simmer gently
until tender. Drain, reserve liquid.
     Heat oil over low flame and add onions, garlic, and celery.
Cook until tender but not browned. Add parsley, thyme, sweet
basil, pepper, tomatoes, and bean-tomato liquid. Bring mixture to
boil, add to beans, and mix lightly. Turn into a 1-1/2 quart
casserole. Cover and bake in 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Remove
from oven, dust top of beans generously with grated cheese, and
return to oven uncovered for ten minutes to brown cheese lightly.
Serve piping hot with additional cheese to sprinkle over each
serving. Excellent with roast leg of lamb.
                           

                           

               Boiled Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce
                        by Harold Snider
     This delicious recipe serves four. Harold is a long-time
leader in the NFB and a Past President of the D.C. affiliate. He
waxes rhapsodic over this favorite in his personal culinary
repertoire.
                           

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh shrimp
2 tablespoons salt
2-4 tablespoons ground Cayenne
2-4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
                           

     Method:Fill 4-quart pot half full of water and seasonings.
Bring water to a rolling boil. Add shrimp and cook for four to
five minutes, no longer. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place
shrimp on ice for twenty to thirty minutes. Serve with remoulade
sauce
                           

                         Remoulade Sauce
                           

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
2 ounces horseradish (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
                           

     Method: Mix all ingredients thoroughly and chill in
refrigerator for twenty-four hours.
                           

                           

                     Imperial Crab Maryland
                         by Linda Snider
                           

Ingredients:
1 pound large-lump crab meat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon capers with some juice
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
                           

     Method: Mix all ingredients except bread crumbs carefully
and pack in greased crab shells or other small oven-proof
containers. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top of each. Dot with
butter and bake in 350-degree oven about twenty-five minutes.
Serve at once garnished with parsley and lemon.
                           

                           

                           Spiced Beef
                         by Linda Snider
                           

Ingredients:
1 8- to 10-pound round of beef
1 gallon water
1 teaspoon saltpeter
1/2 box allspice
2 sticks cinnamon
1 dozen cloves
1 cup sugar
1 quart salt
     Method: Bring all ingredients (except beef) to a boil and
cook for ten minutes, then remove from heat. When cool, add round
of beef and store for 2 weeks. Weight it down. Turn meat over
after first week. No harm will result if it remains in the
mixture longer. To cook, place beef in stout kettle with lid and
cover with liquid consisting of half spice mixture and half
water. Cook slowly fifteen to twenty minutes to the pound or
until thoroughly tender. Serve cold, carving in very thin slices.
I recommend serving with thin slices of home-made white bread,
although biscuits or rolls may be used.
                           

                           

                      Old English Date Pie
                  From Maryland's Eastern Shore
                         by Linda Snider
                           

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup dates, cut fine
1 tablespoon fine cracker crumbs
1 cup sour cream
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell
flaked or fresh coconut
                           

     Method: Beat eggs. Add sugar, salt, spices, sour cream, and
crumbs. Mix well. Place dates in pie shell and pour mixture over
them. Sprinkle top with coconut. Place in hot oven for ten
minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 and bake fifteen
minutes longer, or until filling will not adhere to knife blade
inserted in center.
                           

                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Jack Allord]
                  Baked Chicken Breasts Supreme
                         by Jack Allord
                           

     Jack Allord is a former Masonic Grand Master of Wisconsin.
He is the only blind man ever to have held this august office.
                           

Ingredients:
6 boned, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups dairy sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons paprika
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups corn flake crumbs
1/2 cup butter
                           

     Method: Cut chicken breasts in half; wipe well with wet
paper towels. In large bowl combine sour cream with lemon juice,
Worcestershire sauce, celery seed, paprika, garlic, salt and
pepper. Add chicken to sour cream mixture, coating each piece
well. Let stand covered in refrigerator overnight. Next day pre-
heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from sour cream mixture.
Roll in crumbs, coating evenly. Arrange in single layer in large,
shallow baking pan. Melt butter in small saucepan. Spoon butter
over chicken. Bake chicken uncovered 55 to 60 minutes or until
chicken is tender and nicely browned.
                           

                           

                    Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
                         by Jack Allord
                           

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup butter or margarine
3 cups packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-3/4 cups unsifted cake flour or 2-2/3 cups sifted regular flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups dairy sour cream
Chocolate Frosting
                           

     Method: In a saucepan add cocoa to boiling water. Stir or
whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl
cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla at high speed until very
light and fluffy, about five minutes. Combine flour, baking soda,
and salt. Add alternately with cocoa mixture and sour cream to
creamed ingredients, beginning and ending with flour. Beat just
until batter is smooth. Pour into three ungreased and floured
round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty-five to
forty minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool
ten minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely, stack layers, and
ice with your favorite frosting.
                           

                           

                       Monitor Miniatures
                           

Victory in the Cheap Tickets, Inc., Skirmish:
     In late summer an ad began appearing on CNN and other TV
networks for a company called Cheap Tickets, Inc., which sells
low-cost airline tickets. The ad opened with a blind beggar
sitting on a bench with a jar containing some money. A well-
dressed business woman comes along and drops a bill into the jar
and then makes change for herself. The man sits looking perplexed
about what is happening. The voice-over says that everyone is a
little cheap.
     As soon as the spot began to air, NFB listservs heated up
with descriptions of this commercial and fury at its depiction of
blind people. Nathanael Wales of California dug up the name and
contact information for the company's CEO and an e-mail address
for customers to use. Then the deluge began. In two days Paul
Izanstark, Senior Vice President of the advertising agency that
created the ad, called several Federation leaders who had
contacted the company and wrote the following letter:
                           

                                                 August 27, 1999,
                           

     As Senior Vice President of Colby, Effler and Partners, the
advertising agency for Cheap Tickets, Inc., I'd like to respond
to your concern regarding our television commercial entitled
"Donation."
     I'd like to apologize for the misunderstanding and make it
clear your concern is understood. The commercial was never
intended to exploit or humiliate the visually impaired. Our
intent was to simply reinforce that there is a little cheapness
in all of us by poking fun at the main principal within the
commercial, the woman making the donation.
     Cheap Tickets, Inc., is a highly reputable company with a
strong interest in helping many organizations, including the
Easter Seals Society, Association for the Mentally Handicapped,
and the homeless.
     With that said, we take your comments very seriously,
apologize if our actions were misinterpreted, and will
discontinue airing the commercial.
                                                       Sincerely,
                                                   Paul Izanstark
                           

     Regardless of Mr. Izanstark's effort to suggest that the
insult to blind people was only in our minds and not in the
message of the ad, Cheap Tickets, Inc., had clearly gotten the
message and directed the agency to cut their losses by pulling
the spot immediately. It's been a long time since we had such a
clear and speedy example of the value of coordinated action by
numbers of Federationists.
                           

2000 Catalog Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Ann Morris Enterprises, Inc., announces its 2000 catalog
with over 220 new items inside. Talking VCR, Windows games,
lady's talking watch, and Potato Express are just a few. Call
(800) 454-3175 if you are not already on the mailing list.
Request your free copy in either large print, 4-track cassette,
or computer disk. Braille is $10. E-mail <annmor@webspan.net> or
visit the new shopping cart online at <www.annmorris.com>.
                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Carl and Charlotte Miller display their award and
certificate.]
Honored:
     Recently Carl and Charlotte Miller of the St. Lucie Chapter
of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida were honored
by the J. C. Penney Golden Rule organization as Volunteers of the
Year. Carl is the President of the St. Lucie Chapter, and
Charlotte is the Secretary. Carl has been blind for thirty years
and was the founder and first president of the Prairie State
Chapter of the Illinois affiliate. He is the immediate past
president of the Ft. Pierce, Florida, Lions Club, and Charlotte
is the current treasurer of the Ft. Pierce club. The Millers have
been Federationists since 1974. Charlotte has driven thousands of
miles taking Federationists to local, state, and national
meetings and conventions. In addition to the trophy shown in the
picture, the chapter received a $1,000 cash award.
Congratulations to the Millers.
                           

Clarification:
     In the June issue we published a notice that was misleading.
Mary Ann Lareau is the Secretary of the NFB of Massachusetts. She
says that this is the text that should have been sent to us:
     For this year only we are making available to NFB members
only the opportunity to have a Braillewriter cleaned for $25. Be
advised that repairs must be charged according to the cost of the
repaired part. These machines can be mailed free matter for the
blind, but potential customers are reminded that insurance is
available at the post office even for items shipped free matter.
Send your machines or letters of inquiry to Mary Ann Lareau, 27
Gilbert Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, or call (781) 899-
3745 during normal business hours.
                           

New Services Available from I Can See Books:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I Can See Books, the Braille and cassette book store, is
proud to announce that we now accept orders paid by VISA. With
one thousand books listed in our current 1999 catalog, we can
virtually guarantee that any popular book that you wish to read
is available in Braille or on audio cassette. Our books are high-
quality and low-cost. Many of them have never been produced in
alternate format before now.
     In addition to providing the books listed in our catalog, we
will perform very reasonable transcription services of any pocket
book onto audio cassette. We will also produce any article from
the World Book Encyclopedia in Braille or on tape, as well as
offering two dozen speech-friendly computer games and utilities
written by our expert computer programmer. Programs include
Talking Typing Teacher, Battleship, Monopoly, Dominoes,
Electronic Tunes, and Address Keeper, as well as many programs
for children.
     Our catalog is available at our Web site at
<www.ncf.ca/~dr100> or via e-mail by writing to <dr100@ncf.ca>.
If you wish to receive a free cassette or computer disk catalog
or wish to purchase a Braille or print price list for $10, please
contact us through e-mail or by writing to I Can See Books, 88
Captain Morgans Boulevard, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 6R1
Canada, or call (250) 753-3096.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     14-inch Aladdin Telesensory CCTV under two years old,
magnifies up to 25 times original print, has swivel XYZ table.
Asking $1,200 plus shipping. Make offer. Call Kathryn Hawkins,
(318) 621-1087.
                           

New Web Site:
     The National Federation of the Blind's Deaf-Blind Division
is pleased to announce a new Web site that will contain
information on deaf-blindness issues and concerns. To look at
what we have to offer go to the following site: <www.nfb-db.org>.
There you will find a listing of all Board members and contact
information, an essay on deaf-blindness, and a few links for
additional resources. Keep in mind that this is for information
and exchange purposes. No endorsement is being made on any links
mentioned. We believe that this information will be helpful when
meeting a deaf-blind person. We look forward to communicating
with you soon.
                           

BANA Announcements:
     We recently received the following press release. It seems
to contain information of interest to many people, so here it is:
     On May 2 and 3, 1999, the Board of the Braille Authority of
North America (BANA) met in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The
meeting was hosted by the National Braille Association.
     The General Assembly of the International Council on English
Braille (ICEB) will meet in Baltimore, Maryland, November 2 to 5,
1999. The United States delegates will be Betty Niceley (National
Federation of the Blind), Kim Charlson (American Council of the
Blind), Frances Mary D'Andrea (American Foundation for the
Blind), and Phyllis Campana (American Printing House for the
Blind). Observers are welcome in the meeting, but space is
limited. For more information e-mail Betty Niceley at
<bniceley@iglou.com>.
     The brochure, "Guidelines for the Production of Braille
Materials Through the Use of Braille Translation Software" was
approved for publication.
     Errata to the print edition of Braille Formats: Principles
of Print to Braille Transcription 1997 have now been approved.
     The Braille Code for Chemical Notation 1997 is now available
from the American Printing House for the Blind for $16 in both
print and Braille. Library of Congress certified Nemeth Code
transcribers may order a free copy from the National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of
Congress.
     The BANA Board will proceed with outreach and field testing
of the Unified Braille Code, the UBC Research Project under the
auspices of the ICEB. In the next several months articles
transcribed in UBC will appear in Braille magazines produced by
BANA member organizations.
                           

Asian Conference Announced:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The first joint Asian Conference of two leading world
bodies, the International Council for Education of People with
Visual Impairment and Deafblind International, will be held in
Ahmedabad in February, 2000. This is a unique opportunity for
people all over Asia to learn about advancements in teaching the
deaf-blind and new strategies in the education of the visually
impaired. Experts will come to Ahmedabad to share their
knowledge, experience, and expertise with approximately 300
participants expected from fifteen countries in Asia.
     The Blind People's Association of Ahmedabad has been chosen
to host these two conferences because of its track record in
organizing international gatherings. A large number of
participants from Asia will be sponsored and will be able to
participate free in this conference. We are looking for help from
donors and well-wishers for meeting our costs and helping us to
find motivated sponsors. You may contact Blind People's
Association, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad-380 015, Phone: 91-79-644 0082,
644 2070, Fax: 91-79-6560106, e-mail: <bpa@vsnl.com>.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have a Pearlcorder transcription machine Model T2020 for
sale. Like new (still in original box). Uses mini and micro
tapes. Asking $275 plus shipping. Call Jody Ianuzzi at (603)
352-6790 or e-mail <jody@cheshire.net>.
                           

Valleyfair Settlement Still Working:
     Longtime Monitor readers will recall the Valleyfair case,
discussed in detail in the March, 1991, and May, 1994, issues of
the Braille Monitor. Minnesota Federationists brought suit
against an amusement park for refusing them access to rides that
park officials thought dangerous for blind riders. They also
insisted on sending blind people back to Customer Service for a
lecture and on confiscating canes unnecessarily. When the park
lost the case before the Minnesota Human Rights Commission, they
eventually worked out a settlement with the National Federation
of the Blind. Here is a brief report of how things are going five
years later as reported by Tom Scanlan to Curtis Chong:
                           

     You may be interested in knowing that your work with
Valleyfair has stuck. On Friday, August 20, 1999, twenty-one
staff and students from BLIND, Inc., [Blindness: Learning in New
Dimensions, the adult rehabilitation center conducted by the NFB
of Minnesota] went to Valleyfair. They had no hassles, and going
to Customer Service was never suggested to them. Attendants asked
if people wanted them to keep their canes for them but didn't
fuss when told no.
     The most surprising thing was that our folks even went on
the bumper cars. They did give up their canes there, but it
worked out OK. As I recall, the bumper cars were originally
excluded in the settlement. Even Joyce [Scanlan] went on the
bumper cars. Of course the BLIND students didn't see what all the
fuss with Valleyfair had been about. After all, they didn't have
any problems now.
     At any rate, it's nice to know that Valleyfair is still
straightened out. And there are still people who ask: "Why the
National Federation of the Blind?"
                           

The 1999 NFB Television PSA's Now Available:
     The Materials Center now has tapes containing three thirty-
second NFB public service announcements for use in local markets.
Contact TV stations in your city, and find out whether they will
air our PSA's to assist people losing sight. Learn what format
each station uses. We have Beta SP and 3/4- and 1-inch tape
versions of the PSA's, so be sure to specify which ones you need.
You can make a big difference in spreading word about the work of
the National Federation of the Blind while alerting the media in
your area to the presence of a local chapter. Contact the
Materials Center between 12:30 and 5:00 p.m. Eastern time at
(410) 659-9314.
                           

Recording Available:
     Tom Stevens, President of the NFB Writers Division, reports
that Dr. Steven Sheeley of Shorter College in Rome, Georgia,
delivered a very useful talk at the meeting of the Writers
Division during the recent convention. This speech is now
available on cassette tape for $5 by contacting Tom at 1203 S.
Fairview Road, Columbia, Missouri 65203-0809. Tom also reports
that Toby LongFace of Arizona was elected to the division's Board
of Directors.
                           

New Chapter:
     NFB of Illinois President Steve Benson writes to say that on
August 28, 1999, the NFB of Illinois added another chapter to the
affiliate in the Rock Island/Moline area. It is called the
Blackhawk Chapter. The new President and Board Members are
committed to Federation growth and development in Western
Illinois. The following were elected to office: President, Allen
Schaefer; Vice President, Lois Montgomery; Secretary, Kath
Kelley; Treasurer, Ruth Schaefer; and Board Member, Herb
Sullivan. Congratulations. We look forward to working with you as
we move into the twenty-first century.
                           

Cassette Albums for Sale:
     Autumn in the Midwest brings cool, crisp nights, shortened
days, bountiful harvests, and falling leaves. The leaves tumble
and scatter very much like all those stacks of cassettes you have
precariously heaped on shelves and in every nook and cranny. The
least breeze or disturbance by hand, foot, or pet will send these
cassettes tumbling all over the place. The NFB of Illinois has
the perfect solution for you. For a mere $3 each you can have
your very own attractive white vinyl albums that accommodate a
dozen cassettes. Our cassette albums come complete with clear
sleeves front and back for print labels and ample space on the
spine for Braille labels.
     Avoid the dreaded avalanche of cassettes by sending a check
or money order, made payable to NFB of Illinois, in the amount of
$3 for each cassette album, to Stephen O. Benson, NFB of
Illinois, 7020 N. Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646.
                           

In Memoriam:
     We regret to report that on July 30, 1999, Dr. Florence
Schroeder, the mother of our friend and colleague Dr. Fred
Schroeder, Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services
Administration, died at the age of ninety in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. Dr. Schroeder was a remarkable woman, earning a master's
degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Ph.D.
from New York University, New York. She studied at both the
University of Heidelberg, Germany, and the University of London.
She raised four children and is survived by them and seven
grandchildren. Our sympathy goes to Fred, his brothers, and his
sister.
                           

Elected:
     Gintautas Burba reports that the Greater Brockton Chapter of
the NFB of Massachusetts conducted elections June 1, 1999.
Officers elected were James Daley, President; Linda Brown, Vice
President; Sandi Cassidy, Secretary; Brandy Rose, Treasurer;
David Keller, Sergeant-at-Arms; and Board Members Mary Szczerba
and Richard Downes.
                           

New Web Site:
     Connie Leblond, President of the National Association of
Blind Entrepreneurs, reports that the NABE Web site is now online
and past its initial growing pains. Visit it at
<www.nabentre.org>.
                           

For Sale:
     Bryan Gerritsen of Low Vision Services in Salt Lake City,
Utah, asks us to list the following items for sale: Optelec
Spectrum Jr. color 14-inch CCTV, eighteen months old, $2,795 or
best offer; Humanware Clearview black and white, 17-inch CCTV,
$1,995, or best offer; Aurora autofocus black and white headmount
camera system, $2,195 or best offer.
     The above listed items were used only as demonstrators at a
low vision clinic. If interested, call (800) 284-1823, extension
373.
                           

Elected:
     Cindy Hess, Secretary of the Greater Springfield Chapter of
the NFB of Massachusetts, reports its June election results. The
new officers are Walter Woitasek, President; Celida Zuniga, Vice
President; Cindy Hess, Recording Secretary; Keith Barton,
Treasurer; and Elwood Adkins and Wanda Stebbins, Members of the
Board of Directors.
                           

New Computer Compilation:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Computer Bytes is a monthly compendium of items from other
newsletters, computer brochures, and magazine articles put out by
the Oregon Talking Book and Braille Services. It can be found at
<http://www.osl.state.or.us/tbabs/compbytes.html>. You may
contact Donna Bensen, Regional Librarian, Talking Book and
Braille Services, Oregon State Library, Salem, Oregon 97310-0645,
(503) 378-4243, extension 269.
                           

As Others See Us:
     Larry Kettner is a Federationist in Minnesota. He does his
job with dignity and dedication. What, you may ask, is
exceptional about that? We recently received a note written by
one of the many people served in Mr. Kettner's food operation.
This is what it said:
     One of the people working in our cafeteria is Mr. Larry
Kettner. Mr. Kettner is visually impaired; the white cane he uses
is a tool as well as a signal to the rest of us regarding his
condition. The cafeteria is a frantic, noisy place. Usually I am
in a hurry and impatient with lines, anxious to get my lunch,
eat, and go on to the many things I have left to do that
afternoon. However, occasionally Mr. Kettner will be coming my
way with a pile of plates or trays. I know he cannot see me, so I
pause, wait for him to pass, then try to clear a broad path so as
not to bump into him as he turns around. Whenever this happens,
it is amazing but this never feels like a burden or an
inconvenience: these few seconds seem like a gift. They remind me
of my good fortune of having two good eyes and freedom to move
where I wish; they remind me that the limitations that so
frustrate me are often minor; and they inspire me as I see a
human being going about work that few of us would aspire to with
purpose and dignity. Pausing and stepping aside for Mr. Kettner
is not an inconvenience; it is a privilege.
                           

Elected:
     Patty Gwizduk, Secretary of the East San Diego County
Chapter of the NFB of California, reports the chapter's August 7,
1999, election results: Sheila Johnson, President; Linda Gwizduk,
Vice President; David House, Treasurer; Patty Gwizduk, Secretary;
and Lisa Irving and Charles Tippie, Board Members.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Optacon II, excellent condition, barely used, extra battery
pack, tracking aid, Braille manuals, A.C. charger/adaptor. Asking
$2,500. Contact S. Oswal with a firm offer in Braille, print, or
cassette, at P.O. Box 3927, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford,
Connecticut 06117, or e-mail <soswal@hartford.edu>.
                           

New CD Label:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Easier Ways International, Inc., has developed a new
Braillable label that fits snugly under the tabs on top of the
booklet in a CD Jewel Case.
     Sharp Braille; will stand up for years, clear perma-plastic.
Using Brailler, takes ten lines, fifteen characters per line.
Using slate, takes eleven lines, eighteen characters per line.
Now ready for shipment. For further information contact Easier
Ways International, Inc., 2954 Shady Lane, Highlands Ranch,
Colorado 80126, phone (303) 290-0987, or fax (303) 290-6446, e-
mail <EasierWays@aol.com>.
                           

New Book Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Voices of Wolf Lake, the second children's book by Ron
Schmidt is now available for $8 per copy, including postage. This
32-page book features the adventures of the author and his guide
dog traveling in the wilderness of Michigan's upper peninsula and
has excellent black and white illustrations. The National
Federation of the Blind will receive 50 cents from the sale of
each book. Only print copies of the book are available at this
time. Send checks or money orders to Ron Schmidt, 2600 Trumbull
Road, Maple City, Michigan 49664.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Kurzweil Xerox Reading Edge, model 7315-60, less than two
years old with under one hour total use. Originally priced at
$5,495, will take $3,500. It's in the box, ready to ship to you.
Call Annette Krell at (214) 890-0596 or fax (214) 890-0453 any
time soon.
                           

Elected:
     The Kankakee Heartland Chapter of the NFB of Illinois
elected new officers at its April 3, 1999 meeting. They are Bill
Isaacs, President; Marcia Beck, Vice President; Marjorie
Stouffer, Secretary; Ruth Isaacs, Treasurer; and Alice Jordan,
Bernie Lulkowski, and David Richmond, Board Members.
                           

Book Available:
     The new girl next door is your age, and she's blind. How
will you climb trees, make cookies, play Old Maid with cards,
walk to the store, write notes to each other, and enjoy the
summer together? Jenny Lee, the girl next door, and Carey do
enjoy the summer fun until Jenny is kidnapped. Soon Carey is
searching for clues. The Seeing Summer by Jeannette Eyerly,
illustrated by Make Ishiwata, is suitable for grades three and
up. It is a 153-page paperback and sells for $10, plus $3
shipping and handling. Make checks payable to National Federation
of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230. You
may call the NFB Materials Center at (410) 659-9314 and use Visa,
Discover, or MasterCard. Purchase orders accepted from schools,
libraries, and agencies.
                           

1999 List of Tactile Drawings and Maps:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The following tactile maps and drawings are now available
from the Princeton Braillists:
     Maps of Individual U.S. States: Each booklet contains
introductory information and detailed maps showing major cities,
rivers, and lakes, major highways, physical features, county
boundaries, agricultural and mineral resources. Each booklet
costs $6 (shipping by free mail). The states included are Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode
Island, New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
     Basic Human Anatomy: Cross-sections of the head and brain,
nose-mouth-throat, tooth, respiratory tract, heart, digestive
system, villus, urinary tract, kidney, nephron, nerve cell, eye,
ear, skin, male and female reproductive systems, and fetus in the
womb. Eighteen drawings with keys, thirty-one pages total, $15
including shipping.
     Atlas of North and South America: Three units in four
volumes. Maps show boundaries, mountains, rivers and bodies of
water, elevation, major cities only, climate, land use, and
resources. Each unit is self-contained and can be used alone.
Unit 1. Northern North America: Canada and United States, fifty-
nine pages. Unit 2. The United States: (2 volumes) divides the
country into six regions; maps are shown by region, 124 pages.
Unit 3. Middle and South America: 51 pages.
     Price of four-volume set is $56, including shipping.
Individual volumes: $15, packing and shipping $4 for one or two
volumes.
     Atlas of the Middle East: covers seventeen countries
arranged alphabetically, includes a page of facts and a full-page
map for each country. Maps show major cities, physical features,
and points of interest. Twenty-five maps with keys, 69 pages
total, $20, including shipping.
     Maps of Russia and Its Former Republics: shows boundaries,
rivers, and major cities as of 1997. Six maps, 16 pages total, $4
(free mail).
     Maps of Morocco: Seven maps with keys, 19 pages total, $5
(free mail).
     Each booklet is bound with cardboard covers and a multi-ring
binder. Send check or purchase order to the Princeton Braillists,
28-B Portsmouth Street, Whiting, New Jersey 08759, (732) 350-
3708. Credit-card and fax service are not available. Please allow
four to six weeks for delivery. Further information can be
obtained by calling the number given above or (609) 924-5207.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Reading Edge Xerox scanner, three years old with the most
recent software. It is a stand-alone scanner in good condition.
I'd like $1,000 for it, but will consider taking $800. Please e-
mail me at <tinabir@concentric.net> or call (480) 884-0812.
                           

Spring Conference:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The Mississippi Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
on Blindness and Low Vision (RRTC) will be conducting its annual
training conference entitled "Focus on Access Technology for
Persons Who are Blind or Visually Impaired" on March 29 and 30,
2000, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Hilton Minneapolis and
Towers. For more information, contact John Maxson at (662) 325-
7824.
                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: The graphic for the Peace on Earth card.]
Greeting Cards:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Kim Christiansen of Christiansen Designs, who makes the
popular Braille jewelry, has recently announced their new line of
Holiday Braille Greeting cards. The name of the line is "Dot
Thots--Just for the Braille of it!"(TM) With a unique combination
of full color printing and Braille integrated into the embossed
graphic design, these 5- by 7-inch glossy cards are designed for
everyone to enjoy. The eight-card boxed set includes two each of
four designs of a Christmas tree with colored lights that are
actually a Brailled poem, a wreath with Brailled berries saying
"Peace on Earth," a colorful peace card that says, "Feel the
Peace," and a fun-loving star of David with the message, "Shalom"
in Hebrew, Braille, and print. The set is available for $22 and
can be ordered from Christiansen Designs by phone, e-mail, or
mail: (802) 649-2925 or <kim.christiansen@valley.net> or P.O. Box
583, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755.
                           

Braille College Spanish Textbook Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     A brand new Braille college-level eleven-volume Spanish
textbook for intermediate Spanish is now available. The book
includes a workbook and contains vocabulary and information about
the culture. Asking $400 or best offer. If interested, contact
Mr. or Mrs. Orlo Nichols, 1408 Kirkwood Road, Gwynn Oak, Maryland
21207, or call (410) 744-8307.
                           

Sensory Exploration at New York Hall of Science:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The New York Hall of Science is testing a new audio tour
that may open up hands-on science museums to the visually
impaired. Two exhibitions were selected for the pilot study. The
initial results were encouraging with comments including "The
audio tour gives us our independence, our freedom" and "Unlike a
friend, the audio tour doesn't get tired of reading to me." The
equipment is simple to operate and uses digital audio technology
that delivers multiple levels of information to visitors in
several languages. For more information, contact New York Hall of
Science, 47-01 111th Street, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, New
York 11368, (718) 699-0005, fax (718) 699-1341.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     New copy of WinVision 97 with DECtalk 32-bit access
software-based speech synthesizer, $300 at
<http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-
cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=146381776>. It retails for $595
for WinVision 95 and $150 for DECtalk. No speech hardware is
needed. It works with most Web browsers, generates speech without
distorting the regular Windows 95 environment, and gives voice to
mouse, tab cursor, and pop-up windows.
                           

Home Readers Fall Catalogues:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Home Readers is beginning its holiday season early with
production of its new line of audio catalogues. We currently
offer over thirty catalogues and fifteen different cookbooks.
Included in our selection is a whole range of name brand
catalogues including Lands End Clothes, Sharper Image, Spiegel's,
and Tupperware. The cookbook collection is growing and includes
101 Diabetic Recipes, along with many others. For additional
information, please contact Home Readers and receive our free
audio cassette brochure. Call (913) 893-6939 or write Home
Readers, 604 W. Hulett, Edgerton, Kansas 66021. Visit us on the
Internet at <www.homereaders.com> or e-mail us at
<orders@homereaders.com>.
                           

Broadcasting Newspapers and Magazines to the Blind:
     In Touch Networks, Inc. (ITN) is a national satellite radio
reading service for blind, visually impaired, and multi-
handicapped people. It is on the air twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week. ITN programs include hour-long readings from
national newspapers and magazines such as the New York Times,
Barron's, the Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, Vogue, and
Business Week. All programs are read by volunteers, many of whom
are professional actors and voice-over artists. In Touch also
broadcasts magazine-format shows and conducts interviews with
specialists in the fields of medicine, vision care,
rehabilitation, and other topics of particular interest to people
with disabilities. ITN can be picked up anywhere in the country
by satellite and relayed to your home by any of our ninety-nine
affiliates.
     If you would like to participate in an ITN survey we are
currently conducting or would like information on how you can
receive In Touch programming no matter where you live, please
send a letter or postcard to ITN Survey, In Touch Networks, Inc.,
15 West 65th Street, New York, New York 10023. Please remember to
give us your name, address, and phone number.
                           

Donate Your Old Glasses:
     Donate your old eye glasses to the Heritage for the Blind.
These glasses will be given to the poor in underdeveloped
countries. Mark your package, "Glass, handle with care," and mail
to Heritage for the Blind, 4045 Sheridan Avenue, Suite 433, Miami
Beach, Florida 33140-3665. Do not send broken frames or frames
without lenses. If you want an acknowledgement that your package
has been received, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
IRS regulations do not permit us to place a value on donated
merchandise. Consult your tax professional.
                           

American Bible Society Catalogue:
     "New Revised Standard Version of the New Testament and
Psalms" available in Braille from the American Bible Society. The
five-volume "New Testament" is $225. The two-volume "Psalms" is
$44.95. Contact the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New
York, New York 10023, or call (800) 322-4253.
                           

Chocolate for the Holidays:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Judy Geve from the Chocolate Experience, the original
manufacturer of Choco Braille, the thirteen assorted chocolate
Brailled greeting cards and chocolate guide dogs, would like to
remind you that we still manufacture our chocolates in regular
and sugar-free forms. In addition, beginning this year we will
sell supplies for you to make your own fund-raising chocolate
cards with six assorted messages. Call us toll free at (888) 568-
6665 or visit our Web pages: <www.chocobraille.com> (speech
friendly) or <www.chocomlet.com>, or e-mail <chocomlet@aol.com>.
                           

For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have the following items for sale: Navigator 40-cell,
eight-dot with Toshiba 200 and touch database program. Manuals on
disk and in Braille and print. Carrying case. Asking $3,000 plus
shipping, price negotiable.
     Office97 (shrink-wrapped) $80 plus shipping.
     TeleBraille II (Braille TTY for deaf-blind), $1,500 plus
shipping, negotiable.
     Talking adding machine from Science for the Blind, $50 plus
shipping.
     Contact Isaac Obie at 755 Tremont Street, Apartment 205,
Boston, Massachusetts 02118, e-mail <Tobie@world.std.com> or call
(617) 247-0026.
                           

NEWSLINE(R) Fresno Opens for Business:
     Peggy Chong writes as follows:
     One of the most recent NEWSLINE(R) sites to open is in
Fresno, California. On Friday, September 10, the Fresno Public
Library, which sponsored this NEWSLINE(R) site, and the local
chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of California
hosted a kickoff event for the new site.
     It was well attended by members of the community and the
media. Federationists came from other parts of California to wish
the Fresno Library well and to stress the importance of this
service. The Mayor of Fresno was also on hand to lend his support
and good wishes for NEWSLINE(R). Two television stations covered
the event. The television news segments showed the Librarian's
hands dialing the phone, and the sounds of NEWSLINE(R) could be
heard.
     At the time of this writing over sixty NEWSLINE(R) sites are
in service across the country and Canada. More will be added to
the system by the end of the year. By the time you read this,
California will have five sites: Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento,
San Diego, and San Francisco.
     Other sites coming soon will be in Ohio and South Carolina.
Members of these affiliates have been working hard to bring
NEWSLINE(R) to their states.
     If you travel, as many of us do, or do not have a
NEWSLINE(R) site in your community and don't mind calling long
distance, you may want to use other NEWSLINE(R) sites around the
country. Your NEWSLINE(R) ID number and security code will work
with all NEWSLINE(R) sites. To find out where other NEWSLINE(R)
sites are located or to learn of new sites on the system and the
telephone numbers to access these sites, check out NEWSLINE(R)
Network News on your local NEWSLINE(R) system by pressing the
three key in the first menu selection. You can locate additional
sites alphabetically or by state.
     If you are not currently signed up for NEWSLINE(R) and would
like an application, contact your state president or the national
office at 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, (410)
659-9314.
                           

President, Washington State University, Job Notice:
     The Board of Regents and Presidential Search Committee
invite nominations for and expressions of interest in the
position of President of Washington State University. Washington
State University (WSU), founded in 1890, is the state's landgrant
research university. It enrolls 21,000 undergraduate and graduate
students. WSU offers nearly 100 major fields of study and employs
over 2,000 faculty, including many with national and
international reputations. A leading research institution, WSU
also offers a nationally ranked Honors College and nationwide
distance learning degrees.
     The President will be WSU's chief executive officer with
responsibility for all aspects of the University's operations.
WSU's budget for fiscal year 1999 was $500 million; its endowment
is $168 million. The university is also supported by its land-
grant endowment, which is valued at $220 million.
     The successful candidate will bring to WSU a strong
commitment to academic excellence and the land-grant mission and
a clear vision of WSU's future course. He or she should also
demonstrate solid senior level management and leadership
experience as well as an ability to advance the institution's
interest at the state and national level. Ideally the candidate
will possess a terminal degree. Superb communication skills and a
collegial approach to reaching decisions are essential. An
appreciation of the complex nature and needs of a land-grant
university with an inclusive and creative mission will be highly
valued.
     While applications and nominations will be accepted until a
selection is made, interested individuals should submit their
materials as early as possible to assure optimal consideration.
Nominations and expressions of personal interest should be
submitted to Presidential Search, c/o WSU Board of Regents,
Washington State University, French Administration Building 422,
Pullman, Washington 99164-1048.
     All applications will be kept in strict confidence.
Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action educator and employer. Members of ethnic minorities,
women, Vietnam-era disabled veterans, persons of disability,
and/or persons age forty and over are encouraged to apply.
                           

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Joaquin Rodrigo, 1901 to 1999]
In Memoriam:
     Joaquin Rodrigo, one of Spain's best-known composers, died
Tuesday, July 6, in Madrid at the age of ninety-seven. Mr.
Rodrigo was blinded by diphtheria at the age of three and, using
Braille, learned to play the piano and violin as a child. He
became a noted composer, always working in Braille. Culture
Minister Mariano Rajoy called Mr. Rodrigo "one of the most
relevant figures in Spanish music," adding that next year's
celebrations for the centennial of his birth are already being
planned, the state-owned news agency Efe reported. Mr. Rodrigo
received several awards during his career, including the Prince
of Asturias prize for the arts in 1996.
                           

Correction:
     In the "Convention Roundup," which appeared in the
August/September issue, we incorrectly identified Mr. Kua Chen
Hock's organization in Singapore. The title should have read the
Independent Society of the Blind. The Braille Monitor regrets the
error.
                           

                           

                           NFB PLEDGE
                           

     I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the
National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality,
opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies
and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.
 

