
                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR

                         December, 1996

                    _Barbara _Pierce, _Editor


      Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by


              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND


                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


                         National Office

                       1800 Johnson Street

                    Baltimore, Maryland 21230

      NFB Net BBS: (612) 696-1975 or Telnet to:  nfbnet.org

              Web Page address: http://www.nfb.org


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 __THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN _ORGANIZATION

     __SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR
                           _THEMSELVES

_ISSN _0006-8829THE BRAILLE MONITOR
PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND


                            CONTENTS
                                                   DECEMBER, 1996


How Can Specialized Agencies for the Blind Be Saved
  by Kenneth Jernigan

                                            Been There, Done That

  by Betty Niceley

                            Convention 1997: We Go to New Orleans

  by Kenneth Jernigan

                                New Orleans--the City with a Past

  by Jerry Whittle

                                          You Have Taught Me Well

  by Connie Leblond

                                Agreement Reached with Seeing Eye


                                    Now That I Have Time to Think

  by Clarence Parks

                                           Distinguished Educator

of Blind Children Award for 1997
  by Sharon Maneki

                       The 1997 Blind Educator of the Year Award

  by Stephen O. Benson

                                A Federationist in A Strange Land

  by Greg D. Trapp

                                Statement Supporting Residential

Schools for the Blind
  by Kenneth Jernigan

                Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 1997

  by James Gashel
                                                          Recipes

                                               Monitor Miniatures



      Copyright (&+c) 1996 National Federation of the Blind

[LEAD PHOTO: Pictured here is the Harbor Room fireplace with its
mantle banked with evergreens. A wreath and ribbon bedeck the
wall above the fireplace. CAPTION: The Harbor Room at the
National Center for the Blind is decorated for Christmas. Happy
holidays to all.]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Kenneth Jernigan]

     __HOW CAN SPECIALIZED AGENCIES FOR THE BLIND BE _SAVED

            An Address Delivered by Kenneth Jernigan

       At the 1996 Annual Training Conference Sponsored by

         The General Council of Industries for the Blind

                               and

                National Industries for the Blind

             Kansas City, Missouri, October 9, 1996

  A few years ago (I think it was in the 1970's) a respected
professor at the Air Force Academy repeatedly drummed a
preachment into his students. "If World War III comes," he said,
"and if you have anything to say about how we fight it, don't let
anybody who successfully commanded at any level during World War
II have a position of command or authority. At the critical
moment, reflex action will take over, and such a person will
automatically do what worked in the 1940's, thus endangering not
only the people at hand but possibly the whole country as well."
  Today's panel is entitled "The Battles to Preserve Specialized
Services: What's at Stake in the Blindness Community?" If we are
going to have a meaningful discussion, we must clearly understand
what audience we are trying to reach and what we want that
audience to do. As a beginning, let me say what we are _not
talking about. We are not really considering whether specialized
agencies provide better services to the blind than agencies that
serve the whole spectrum of people with disabilities. All of us
know that, and those who don't know it aren't in this room, won't
be reading our papers, and aren't likely to know about today's
proceedings.
  Nor are we considering how specialized agencies for the blind
can be preserved or strengthened. We know that, too. The way it
can be done (in fact, the only way it can be done) is for the
agencies and the consumer organizations to go together with
mutual trust and common purpose to Congress, the executive branch
of government, the state legislatures, and the public.
  So if it is not necessary to discuss whether we need
specialized agencies or how we can preserve them, why are we
having this panel at all? We need it because we must consider the
question of how the unified effort I have mentioned can be
achieved, and this is certainly the appropriate forum, for the
audience we want to reach is here in this room.
  There are two sub-parts to the problem: First, how can the
agencies get deep and committed support from the blind they
serve? And second, how can they establish meaningful community of
purpose with the consumer organizations?
  As to the first question, I have talked about it so much in
recent years, that I won't spend much time on it. The need is
obvious, but getting agency decision-makers to take the matter
seriously and do what has to be done is something else again. Too
many of them are still commanding the regiments and using the
tactics they employed successfully in World War II.
  I say to every one of you involved in the running of an agency
that what you need most is a strong, independent organization of
the blind to work in partnership with you. And I don't just mean
that you should not object to its existence or that you should
merely sit passively by and wish it well. You should encourage it
and openly make common cause with it. If you don't, you have
nobody to blame but yourself when you stand alone in the time of
need.
  Of course, you cannot create an independent organization of the
blind, for if the organization depends upon your permission and
your financing, it is by definition not independent. But if you
cannot create an independent organization of the blind, you can
and will establish the climate that will either encourage or
inhibit it. And the stake you have is not solely altruistic or
professional. It is also a matter of self-interest, and possibly
survival.
  In today's climate of changing values and hard-fought issues,
the best possible insurance policy for an agency for the blind is
a strong, independent organization of blind consumers. Regardless
of how much individual blind people may like your agency and
support it, they cannot achieve and sustain the momentum to
nurture and defend it in time of crisis. That is the negative way
of saying this: If there is a powerful, independent organization
of the blind and if the members of that organization feel that
the agency is responsive to their needs and working in
partnership with them, they will go to the public and the
government for funding and support. They will be vigilant in the
advancement of the agency's interests. They will have something
to lose, and they will fight with ingenuity and determination to
protect it.
  Serfs, on the other hand, have very little to lose. They are at
best indifferent and at worst resentful, always waiting for a
chance to rebel in time of crisis. In good times they rarely
criticize, but they also do not imaginatively and effectively
support. In bad times they not only fail to defend--they _cannot
defend. They have neither the strength nor the know-how.
Moreover, they lack the incentive. Having been taught that agency
policy is none of their business, they cannot in time of danger
suddenly become tough and resourceful. As many an agency has
learned (the same is true of countries), slaves do not make good
soldiers.
  What I have just said becomes more relevant to your operation
every day--for budgets are tightening; the environment is
deteriorating; population is rising; and resources are dwindling.
In addition, other disability groups (once disorganized and
invisible) are finding their voice and reaching for power. Some
say they took their lessons from the blind. Be that as it may,
they are now a growing force, and there is no turning back.
  The argument they make is deceptively alluring. Give us, they
say, a unified program for people with disabilities--no special
treatment for any segment of the group. We are one population.
Despite superficial differences, our needs are essentially the
same. Save money. Eliminate duplication.
  You and I know that the logic is shallow and the promise false,
but it will take more than rhetoric to save the specialized
programs. In the general melting pot of the generic disability
agency the blind will have no useful training, no meaningful
opportunity, and no real chance. There is only one way that the
specialized programs for the blind can survive. The agencies and
strong, independent grassroots organizations of the blind must
work together to make it happen. And the partnership cannot be a
sham. It must be real.
  This brings me to the second of the sub-parts. How can the
agencies establish meaningful community of purpose with consumer
organizations? While I am at it, maybe I should add a third sub-
part: How can the two national consumer organizations build and
maintain trust and cooperative relations? Let nobody say that
these matters are too delicate to discuss. We must discuss them,
for here is where the battle will be lost or won.
  I want now to talk about specifics, for generalities won't do.
Friends and colleagues can differ concerning methods and
policies, and they can still continue to be friends and
colleagues--but they cannot attack each other's motives,
integrity, and character and continue to be friends and
colleagues. Let me give you recent examples.
  The American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for
the Blind, and many others in the blindness field believe that
detectable warnings in the form of truncated domes should be
placed at the edge of railway platforms and in certain other
areas to warn the blind of possible danger. The National
Federation of the Blind believes that this is not the best
approach. So what should those of us who hold these differing
opinions do?
  The American Council of the Blind and others have a perfect
right (perhaps if they feel strongly about it, an obligation) to
say in their publications that we are wrong, and we have an equal
right and obligation to express an opposing view. In my opinion
it is even proper for the American Council of the Blind and
others to bring a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority to force it to install truncated domes
instead of the experimental electronic system that the National
Federation of the Blind has been helping develop. But the
discussion and even the court proceedings should be kept at the
level of relevant issues. When advantage is sought by attacking
the integrity, the character, or the motives of those with an
opposing view, the line is crossed. In such circumstances there
can be no continued mutual trust, no friendship, and no collegial
effort--not only on one issue but across the board on any issue.
  Two recent instances come to mind. The National Federation of
the Blind sought a federal grant to promote training in teaching
and using Braille. A number of other groups in the blindness
field sought the same grant. The federal government assembled a
panel of three to do what is called a _peer _review. One of the
members of that panel is an official in the AER structure and, I
believe, a member of the American Council of the Blind. A second
member of the panel is a member of the National Federation of the
Blind (and also, incidentally, a member of AER). After
considerable discussion the panel recommended that the grant be
awarded to the National Federation of the Blind, and it was.
  I am informed that the first member of the panel then went to
officials in the federal department involved and lodged a
complaint on the grounds that the second member of the panel is a
member of the National Federation of the Blind. AER membership
was, of course, not mentioned. The complaint was that Federation
membership constituted a violation of ethics since the Federation
was one of the applicants. But, of course, almost everybody on
any of the review panels is a member of one or another of the
organizations in the blindness field applying for grants.
  If I am correctly informed about the complaint (and I give
credence to the story because of inquiries made and information
given to us by officials of the federal department), this conduct
should be deplored not only by the Federation but by every other
organization in the field. Such behavior invites counterattack
and certainly does not engender mutual trust and collegiality.
Two final comments about this situation. The grant still stands--
and make no mistake, a measured response will be made.
  Am I saying that it is never proper to deal with personalities?
Not at all. If it can be established that an individual or a
group in our field is guilty of abuse of trust, criminal conduct,
or other wrongdoing, it is not only proper but incumbent upon all
of us to speak out. The point is that the issue must stand on its
own except when the personal conduct itself becomes the issue.
Obviously, as a case in point, if an individual or an
organization believes that a given kind of detectable warning
should be used or not used or that a certain method of teaching
should be employed, the motives and character of those involved
are irrelevant.
  In the September, 1996, issue of the _Braille _Forum the
following paragraph appears regarding a report made to the ACB
convention by Executive Director Oral Miller. Here it is:

    Miller said the preservation of separate services for
  blind and low-vision individuals remains high on ACB's
  list of concerns as does the media attack under which
  some schools for the blind have been besieged. "The
  American Council of the Blind certainly would not and has
  never countenanced unacceptable improper conduct such as
  child abuse or neglect of children. On the other hand,
  it's just common sense to point out that the
  irresponsible leveling of such very serious charges for
  political reasons is assuredly a way of reducing even
  further the understanding of the public concerning the
  importance of separate services for blind people."

  This is what the article says, and I cannot see how the use of
such words as "irresponsible leveling of serious charges for
political reasons" can possibly have any constructive purpose or
effect. It is certainly true that the _Braille _Monitor has
discussed problems at a number of the residential schools for the
blind during the past few years. Is this positive or negative,
constructive or detrimental? It depends on the truth of the
allegations and the thoroughness of the reporting.
  In this connection it may be pertinent to the topic we are
considering to review part of an article that appears in the
October, 1996, _Braille _Monitor. It deals with residential
schools for the blind and also with my concept of balance,
fairness, and the question of personality. Here is what it says:

    In this issue of the _Monitor you will find stories
  about five residential schools for the blind. We think
  that four of them are doing an excellent job, and we have
  asked their superintendents to give us details. We think
  the fifth school has serious problems and needs
  improvement. I want to tell you how we chose these five
  schools. In doing so I hope to give balance and
  perspective to what is happening in today's residential
  programs.
    I have long heard that Phil Hatlen is running a good
  school for the blind in Texas. The blind of the state say
  so; my contacts with him would indicate it; and I have
  heard nothing credible to the contrary. So I started with
  him. I called him and told him that I would like to have
  an article about the Texas School for the Blind. What was
  the School trying to accomplish? How was it setting about
  it? He could make the article as long or as short as he
  liked.
    At the conclusion of my conversation with Dr. Hatlen, I
  asked him to suggest a few other schools that he thought
  might be doing an outstanding job. He said that there
  were quite a number, but he gave emphasis to three--
  Kentucky, Indiana, and Washington.
    Since I am quite well acquainted with Ralph Bartley, I
  picked him as the next to call. When I called Dr.
  Bartley, he said he would be pleased to write an article
  for the _Monitor, and he did. As I had done with Dr.
  Hatlen, I told Dr. Bartley that he had complete leeway in
  what he said and how he said it.
    As to my question about other residential schools for
  the blind that were doing a good job, Dr. Bartley joined
  Phil Hatlen in mentioning Indiana and Washington.
    So I called Michael Bina at the Indiana School for the
  Blind. He requires special comment. Dr. Bina and I have
  known each other for quite some time, having served
  together in affairs of the World Blind Union and on
  various committees. We have discussed educational
  philosophy and our general notions about blindness, and
  we have not always agreed--a fact not relevant in the
  context of what I was now doing.
    Last year I received an anonymous letter purporting to
  be from staff members at the Indiana School for the
  Blind. It made serious charges about Dr. Bina and his
  operation of the school. Anonymous letters are usually
  worth about as much as their signatures, but this one
  contained such specific and detailed accusations that it
  seemed necessary to investigate.
    Without giving Dr. Bina advanced warning, we sent a
  reporter to Indianapolis to talk with state officials,
  staff and students at the School, and Dr. Bina himself.
  Upon arrival in Indianapolis our reporter visited Dr.
  Bina's superiors. Then he went unannounced to the School.
  He simply walked in and began looking around, waiting to
  be challenged.
    News of such visits is quick to circulate, and Dr. Bina
  soon showed up. He was probably a little apprehensive
  (who wouldn't be), but he didn't try to stop our reporter
  from investigating. In fact, he let him pick students and
  staff at random and gave him a room for interviewing. He
  permitted our reporter to go anywhere he liked and
  willingly answered questions. Despite the tenseness of
  the situation, Dr. Bina was in every way cooperative.
    Our reporter came away from the school believing that
  Dr. Bina is doing an excellent job and running a good
  program. He was convinced that the students are receiving
  a good educational opportunity, that they overwhelmingly
  like Dr. Bina and the staff, and that they feel they are
  treated well. This view is shared by the blind of the
  state with whom we talked.
    In the circumstances I will not repeat the charges that
  were made against Dr. Bina and the School. If I do, it
  will simply give them currency even if I say that we
  found no grounds for them. If we had found the charges to
  have substance, we would have printed them and done so in
  detail. Let anyone who doubts it read past issues of the
  _Monitor, particularly those dealing with schools for the
  blind. We print the truth as we find it regardless of the
  consequences.
    And here we come to the nub of what I think our
  responsibility is. Educational systems for the blind
  (residential or otherwise) have tremendous power over the
  lives of the children in their care. They train and
  educate, manage and mold. This is not necessarily bad.
  But whether bad or good, it is inevitable.
    Children are inventive. They are highly suggestible.
  They fantasize, hold petty grudges, and sometimes
  misassess. Usually the teachers, custodial staff, dorm
  workers, and administrators who are charged with their
  care and teaching are conscientious and sensitive. They
  have standing in the community, and the presumption is
  that they are doing the right thing and telling the truth
  when a dispute arises.
    Yet sometimes, as we know, trust is abused, and
  teachers, administrators, and other staff go bad. When
  this occurs, the violation is worse than an ordinary
  abuse of trust since the victims are particularly
  vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves. They may
  not (especially when they are quite young) have the
  judgment and the perspective to know that what is
  happening is wrong. Everything I have said is doubled and
  tripled when the victims are not only blind but also
  possessed of other disabilities.
    When things do go bad in an educational program for the
  blind (especially when physical or sexual abuse is
  involved), all of us in a position to know have a
  responsibility to take action. This is particularly true
  of the organized blind movement and its publication.
  Except in unusual cases, these are not our biological
  children--but at the deeper levels (the moral and the
  spiritual) they _are our children with all that the term
  implies. We must love them, nurture them, protect them,
  and defend them. We must also see that they get the best
  education that is possible and that they have the chance
  to be and achieve all that their potential allows.
    This means fearlessly exposing bad programs and the
  abuse of trust. But it also means protecting and
  publicizing good programs. It means going to legislatures
  and getting money. It means taking time to tell each
  other and the community at large about the excellence
  that exists. Finally, it means not becoming so caught up
  in exposing the bad that we forget to talk about the
  good, even if the good is undramatic and demands no
  headlines.
    That is what the _Monitor tries to do, and that is why
  we are glad to publicize Mike Bina's work in Indiana
  regardless of whether at times we disagree with him. It
  is why we will not detail the charges that were made
  against him, because as I have said, we found no basis
  for them. Enumerating them would do nothing but cause
  problems.
    Dr. Bina's article appears in this issue along with the
  others I have mentioned. He joined with Dr. Bartley and
  Dr. Hatlen in commending the work of Dean Stenehjem at
  the Washington School for the Blind, so I called him. He
  was glad to write about the Washington School, and his
  article appears in this issue along with the others.
    So there you have the four articles from schools for
  the blind that we feature as examples of excellence--
  Texas, Kentucky, Indiana, and Washington. They are not
  the only ones. We could have mentioned others.
  Regrettably in this issue we must also feature a fifth
  residential school, New Mexico. Read the story, and judge
  for yourself. We think the New Mexico School has serious
  problems and that the students are not receiving the
  education or the treatment they deserve and are entitled
  to receive. We think we are as obligated to report what
  we have found in New Mexico as in the other states.

  There you have part of the lead article in this month's
_Braille _Monitor. Perhaps I should also share with you the final
two sentences:

    Through the _Braille _Monitor and otherwise, the
  National Federation of the Blind will do everything that
  it can to see that blind children have the opportunity
  for a first-class education. We will do it with as little
  controversy as possible, but we will do it--and we will
  not be much concerned about whether we receive criticism
  in the process.

  This is what the October _Monitor says, and these are my
thoughts on what we must do if we are to save and strengthen
specialized programs for the blind. I believe we can do it, but
the task will not be easy. Too many people are still leading the
regiments and using the tactics they employed in the 1940's.
Mutual trust and community of purpose mean more than shared
goals. They also mean good will and fair play. In times to come
the next few years will either be remembered as the end of a
millennium or the beginning of a new era. The choice is ours. I
hope we decide wisely and well.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Betty Niceley]

                    __BEEN THERE, DONE _THAT

                       _by _Betty _Niceley

  __From the Editor: Betty Niceley is the President of the
National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky. Last spring the
blind of the Bluegrass State found themselves facing an immediate
and catastrophic threat to the quality of the services provided
by the state agency serving blind and visually impaired citizens.
Here is the way Betty Niceley described what _happened:

  The National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky has been proud
that more than twenty years ago we led the effort to establish a
separate agency for the blind in our state. Needless to say, the
reaction was swift and certain when we learned on May 22, 1996,
that the powers that be in state government had decreed the
agency for the blind was now to be a thing of the past.
  If I maintained a diary, the entry for May 24, 1996, would read
something like this:
    Today I stood on the steps of our State Capitol building and
  participated in a well-attended press conference to speak out
  in opposition to the announced merger of Kentucky's Department
  for the Blind and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  Then, with a group of approximately 125 supporters--still
  accompanied by the press--I stood in Governor Paul Patton's
  office and denounced this plan which would set rehabilitation
  services for the blind back at least twenty-five years. During
  the activities of this day those participants who have been
  around long enough to remember the struggle for a separate
  agency were also remembering the poor service delivery which
  prompted the demand for change in the first place.

  Prior to July, 1976, specialized services for Kentucky's blind
and visually impaired population were buried beneath layers of
bureaucracy, and the delivery process was slow and inefficient.
At that time the Division of Services for the Blind was a part of
the general rehabilitation program. By the early 1970's it was
practically impossible for an individual to expect anything like
timely service delivery. Participants in the program at the
state's rehabilitation center for the blind would often complete
their training and return home before requests for adaptive aids
or additional services could receive approval from the cluttered
system. Since it became apparent that those with visual
disabilities represented a group for whom expectations were quite
low, workers in the field, as well as clients themselves, became
increasingly frustrated and discouraged. They knew that with
appropriate training and the opportunity to do so, the average
blind person could become a productive member of the work force,
but fewer and fewer blind people were able to demonstrate the
truth of this conviction.
  Realizing that blind and visually impaired Kentuckians were
extremely underserved, the National Federation of the Blind of
Kentucky led the effort to establish a separate agency for the
blind. It was a long and hard struggle, but one well worth the
effort. Consumers had to be convinced that they could make a
difference. State employees had to make choices which put their
jobs on the line. Legislators required numerous telephone calls
and endless pages of written material to help them understand
that blind people seeking effective rehabilitation really do have
unique needs. However, it is to Kentucky's credit that a separate
agency for the blind was created by a law which became effective
in July, 1976.
  For twenty years now, Kentucky has been nationally recognized
as having one of the best service-delivery agencies for blind and
visually impaired individuals. In 1980 this agency was chosen as
one of a limited number to receive an Independent Living grant
which has made a difference in the lives of thousands of
Kentuckians with visual disabilities. When the Kennelly Amendment
established highway vending facilities as a means of providing
jobs and operational funding for blind vendors, Kentucky was
chosen as one of the states to participate in a pilot project for
this program. Because of its leadership the Kentucky Department
for the Blind was selected in 1990 as one of only a few state
agencies to receive and disburse funds from the Technology Act to
provide assistive technology for individuals with disabilities
throughout the state.
  The creative inventions which have put Kentucky on the map in
the field of technology for the blind would not have been
possible without a separate agency to focus on solving the
specific problems faced by blind people. There can be no doubt
that specialization is as necessary in rehabilitation as it is in
the medical profession.
  Since the establishment of a separate agency in 1976, the
National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky has monitored it
with a critical eye. The Department for the Blind has brought a
lot of positive recognition to Kentucky, and we are pleased that
it ranks in the top ten of almost all categories listed in the
most recent ranking of vocational rehabilitation agencies for the
blind.
  Armed with bad memories from the past and compellingly positive
facts from the present, Federationists stepped to the barricades
in late May, fully prepared to protect future opportunities for
our blind brothers and sisters in Kentucky. The next few weeks
were filled to overflowing with strategy-planning sessions
lasting into the small hours of the morning. There were meetings
with state officials, letters and telephone calls to legislators,
rallies, and petitions from all over the state carrying
approximately 3,000 signatures of Kentuckians who supported our
views. Committed Federationists were just settling in to enjoy
the battle when we received an oral promise that the merger would
not take place. However, we insisted on a public announcement
through the press, and on July 23, 1996, a press release was
distributed including the statement: "There will be no merger of
the Kentucky Department for the Blind and the Department of
Vocational Rehabilitation."
  So here is yet another answer to the question: why do we need
the National Federation of the Blind? From past experience we
know with painful clarity the price paid by blind citizens when
states eliminate specialized rehabilitation services in the name
of increased economy of scale and cross-disability programs. This
organization will always actively and aggressively oppose any
attempt to merge separate agencies for the blind with general
rehabilitation programs. Why?--been there, done that. It doesn't
work. For now the Governor of Kentucky and his minions understand
this fact, and thanks to the National Federation of the Blind
Kentucky's blind citizens can continue to expect effective
rehabilitation.

  __The following is an exchange of correspondence between James
Gashel, National Federation of the Blind Director of Governmental
Affairs, and Rodney Cain, Secretary of the Kentucky Workforce
Development Cabinet. Taken together they summarize the struggle
that took place in Kentucky and the victory won by the blind of
the state and their allies, but they also demonstrate the
necessity for vigilance because the forces pressing the case for
economy of scale have not changed their minds. Here are the
_letters:

                                                    June 19, 1996


The Honorable Paul Patton
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Frankfort, Kentucky

Dear Governor Patton:
  I am writing this letter to ask you to reverse the announced,
planned reorganization of programs for the blind in Kentucky. As
Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Federation of
the Blind, I am aware of the fact that consolidation of programs
which appear to have a similar purpose always seems to be a cost-
effective and logical move. However, the termination of the
identifiable organizational structure which has worked well for
over twenty years in serving the blind of Kentucky will have
predictable repercussions far beyond a mere administrative change
for efficiency.
  The merger of the Department for the Blind into programs having
a much broader mission and focus will inevitably change the
nature, scope, and quality of the services provided. This will
happen because blind people are only a fraction (approximately
10%) of the total disability population. Even so, the needs to be
met in serving people who are blind are quite distinct, and the
knowledge and skills necessary to provide services are highly
specialized.
  If services for the blind are provided through an agency that
is primarily called upon to meet the complicated needs of a much
different and far more diverse population, blind people will lose
the chance to obtain the kind of targeted attention required to
address their particular condition. This is the very reason why
the Kentucky Department for the Blind was established. The
results achieved by the Department have certainly justified the
decision of the legislature to create the Department.

  The concern which I am expressing has been explained in
considerable detail by the Committee on Joint Organizational
Effort (the JOE Committee), which has functioned for several
years to coordinate approaches among all of the major groups
having interests in the blindness field at the national level.
Therefore, I am attaching a copy of the Committee's statement on
specialized services for your consideration. The statement points
out the fundamental incompatibility between blind services on the
one hand and the broader mission of vocational rehabilitation and
other human services programs on the other.
  After you have reviewed this letter and the JOE Committee's
statement, please consider the fact that a decision to merge
programs for the blind with other programs will have the
inevitable result of diluting services. Although the immediate
consequences of diminished relevant assistance will be felt first
by the blind people of Kentucky, the long-range impact will be to
burden the taxpayers with the cost of supporting the blind in
growing dependency caused by lack of services. Maintaining the
Department for the Blind under its present statutory basis is the
best way to avoid this result.

                                               Very truly yours,

                                                     James Gashel

                                Director of Governmental Affairs

                                 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND



                          ____________


           __Specialized Rehabilitation Services _for

             __Blind and Visually Impaired _Persons


                      A Position Statement

  The Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws enacted in
recent years in the United States and Canada represent
enlightened disability policy. However, the noticeable trend to
define "disability" as an overarching generic condition for
purposes of program design, administration, and funding is
pernicious in its effect upon rehabilitation services for
children and adults who are blind or visually impaired.
  It is the common experience of the agencies and organizations
that have joined in this statement that specialized,
comprehensive rehabilitation services and essential changes in
social attitudes about blindness do not occur when rehabilitation
services for the blind are provided through a single program
which serves both blind and disabled persons. This is so in large
part because the characteristics and distinctive needs of the
blind become lost amid much larger issues and populations and
because specialized services are overshadowed by diverse,
unrelated goals.
  The accomplishment of individualized rehabilitation goals can
be achieved in an efficient, consumer-responsive manner when
blind people have access to an agency dedicated to providing
blindness-specific services. Such an agency must be
administratively identifiable and have qualified personnel
especially trained to serve the blind. Accountability for program
results is strengthened by this organizational structure and
staffing since accomplishment of specific objectives for a
defined target population of manageable size can readily be
measured. When program results fail to merit support, blind
consumers and their advocates or the professionals who serve them
can make focused efforts to insist upon improvements.
  Promoting more enlightened social attitudes about blindness is
an indispensable goal of specialized services for the blind. To
achieve this unique goal competent personnel, including blind
persons serving as role models in both staff and volunteer
capacities, must be assigned to teach blindness-related
alternative techniques. Blind individuals require comprehensive
and often complex rehabilitation services in areas such as
adjustment training, independent mobility, Braille, and the use
of assistive technology to meet their particular information
needs resulting from vision loss. Most importantly they must
develop confidence, which is a prerequisite to effective use of
these skills in daily life.
  Laws pertaining to "people with disabilities" as a class may
appropriately be general if the purpose is to prohibit
discrimination or to identify individual rights. However,
rehabilitation programs and the laws which authorize them have a
far more precise mission. When services for the blind are
submerged into broad disability programs, precision is sacrificed
for generality, and comprehensive, consumer-responsive services
for blind individuals are lost.

  This position statement has been unanimously adopted by
national agencies and organizations in the United States and
Canada which represent those who provide services for persons who
are blind or visually impaired and those who are the elected
representatives of the blind. We are firmly committed to the
provision of specialized rehabilitation services for blind
persons by identifiable agencies especially established to serve
them. We urge program administrators, lawmakers, and other public
officials to follow the principles expressed in this statement.

American Council of the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind
Association for Education and Rehabilitation
  of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Blinded Veterans Association
Canadian Council of the Blind
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
National Library Service for the Blind
  and Physically Handicapped


                      ____________________

                                              Frankfort, Kentucky

                                                    July 9, 1996


Mr. James Gashel
Director of Governmental Affairs
National Federation of the Blind
Baltimore, Maryland

Dear Mr. Gashel:
  Governor Paul E. Patton has forwarded your correspondence
concerning the Workforce Development Cabinet's intention to merge
the Departments for the Blind and Vocational Rehabilitation to me
for response. Over the past month you have undoubtedly heard much
concerning this proposal. Please know I share your concern for
consumers who utilize services provided by Cabinet agencies, as
well as your desire for increased quality and efficiency.
  As ongoing discussions with consumers and advocates continue,
be assured we are giving every consideration to their ideas and
suggestions. On June 26, 1996, I announced the cancellation of
public hearings on combining the State Plans and the proposed
merger, although I remain concerned about the duplication of the
departments' administrative and support staffs. As we work toward
an equitable resolution, both departments will meet separately
and jointly to discuss plans each has developed regarding the
other cost efficiencies.
  Please be assured that cost efficiencies affecting
administrative activities will be coordinated between the
Departments for the Blind and Vocational Rehabilitation and
redirected into direct services. Also a meeting with consumers
will be held in late July so that all ideas concerning reducing
duplication may be shared. As stewards of the public trust, the
Workforce Development Cabinet will continue to pursue efficiency
and the continued effectiveness of its agencies. Again, thank you
for sharing your concerns with Governor Patton and the Cabinet.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                       Rodney S. Cain, Secretary

                                    Workforce Development Cabinet

                                         Office of the Secretary


[PHOTO/CAPTION: The Hyatt Regency New Orleans]

                       _CONVENTION _1997:

                     __WE GO TO NEW _ORLEANS

                     _by _Kenneth _Jernigan

  The time has come to plan for the 1997 convention of the
National Federation of the Blind. As Federationists know, our
recent National Conventions in Chicago and Anaheim were
outstanding in every sense of the word--excellent programs, good
food and facilities, and wonderful hospitality. But New Orleans
in '97 promises to be the best we have ever had.
  And it also promises to be the biggest. Our last convention in
New Orleans was in 1991, and we had the biggest attendance in our
history--2,760 registered attendees, and the record still stands.
This time I hope we can break 3,000, and I believe we will.
  We are bigger and stronger than ever and ready for a wonderful
convention. President Joanne Wilson and the other leaders and
members of the NFB of Louisiana tell me that plans are going
forward for a spectacular meeting.
  We are returning to the Hyatt Regency New Orleans at 500
Poydras Plaza, New Orleans, Louisiana 70140. Those of you who
attended the 1991 convention know how good the Hyatt Regency New
Orleans is, and it has been remodeled and improved since we were
there. It is among the best hotels in the world.
  In recent years we have sometimes taken hotel reservations
through the National Office, and that is what we are going to do
this time. Call the National Center at (410) 659-9314 or write to
National Convention, National Federation of the Blind, 1800
Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230. Reservations will be
taken on a first come, first serve basis, and no reservation will
be valid unless it has been made through the National Office of
the Federation. A few people have already called the Hyatt
Regency New Orleans and have apparently been told that their
reservations are confirmed. These reservations are _not valid and
will _not be honored. They should be re-made through the office
here at the National Center for the Blind. As has been the case
when we have followed this procedure in the past, Mr. Cobb will
take telephone calls and deal with letters.
  In order to confirm a reservation, you will need either to send
a check or money order for $40 as a deposit or give to Mr. Cobb a
credit card number. The credit card account will be charged
immediately. If a reservation is canceled prior to June 1, 1997,
half of the deposit will be returned. After that date deposits
will not be returned. Exceptions may be made in certain
demonstrated emergency situations.
  The reason for this policy concerning reservations is that we
have only 1,100 rooms in the Hyatt Regency. We believe we will
need 1,425 rooms, so after the 1,100 rooms are gone, the overflow
will be placed at another hotel. In order to make the situation
workable and to be certain that we get the maximum number of
rooms at the Hyatt Regency, we are handling reservations in the
National Office of the Federation. I emphasize that no
reservation will be valid unless it is made through our National
Office and that after 1,100 rooms are gone, an overflow hotel
will be used. Be warned, and behave accordingly. Those who do not
read the _Braille _Monitor or attend chapter meetings to hear
Presidential Releases have only themselves to blame.
  As is always the case, our hotel rates for 1997 will be the
envy of all who attend conventions. Here they are: one in a room,
$40 per night; two in a room, $42; three in a room, $44; four in
a room, $46. As you can see, these rates are better than the ones
we had in 1996 in California, which were better than the ones we
got in Chicago in 1995. In addition to the room rates, there will
be a tax. At the time Mrs. Jernigan and I made the arrangements
with the hotel, it was 11 percent plus $3 a night. There will be
no charge for children under 12 in a room with parents as long as
no extra bed is required. If you want to come a few days early or
stay a few days late, convention rates will apply.
  Here are the convention dates and schedule. Notice that we are
one day off from our usual schedule: Sunday, June 29--seminars
for parents of blind children, blind job seekers, and vendors and
merchants; several other workshops and meetings. Monday, June 30
--convention registration, first meeting of the Resolutions
Committee, other committees, and some of the divisions. Tuesday,
July 1--meeting of the Board of Directors (open to all), division
meetings, committee meetings, continuing registration. Wednesday,
July 2--opening general session, evening gala. Thursday, July
3--general sessions, tours (interesting ones throughout the New
Orleans area). Friday, July 4--general sessions, banquet.
Saturday, July 5--general sessions, adjournment.
  The elegant Hyatt Regency New Orleans is located just eight
blocks from the French Quarter. As those who were there in 1991
remember, it features two towers--Poydras, with 27 floors; and
Lenai, with 11 floors. In addition to a swimming pool on the
seventh floor, the Hyatt also features several restaurants,
cocktail lounges, and a large shopping mall.
  This shopping mall includes a Waldenbooks store, jewelry store,
souvenir store, Cafe du Monde, Frank and Stein--hot dogs and beer
--and many other fast food meals. In addition, Macy's Department
Store is adjacent to the Hyatt and is easily accessible. Passing
through Macy's will lead to the Super Dome, a colossal structure
that is home to the New Orleans Saints as well as many other gala
festivities. A shuttle service to and from the French Quarter
will be provided to hotel guests during the National Convention.
  The huge rooms on the third floor of the Poydras Tower will
easily accommodate both the general sessions and our exhibits, as
well as the banquet. The 1997 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind should offer enough variety and enough
space to make it the best ever.
  Remember that we need door prizes from state affiliates, local
chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be relatively small in
size and large in value. Cash is always popular. In any case, we
ask that no prize have a value of less than $25. Drawings will be
made steadily throughout the convention sessions. As usual the
grand prize at the banquet will be spectacular--worthy of the
occasion and the host affiliate. The 1996 grand prize in Anaheim
was a thousand dollars in cash. The 1997 grand prize will be at
least as good. Don't miss the fun! You may bring door prizes with
you or send them ahead of time to Don Banning, 663 Grove Avenue,
Harahan, Louisiana 70123-3840, telephone (504) 737-4955.
  The displays of new technology; the meetings of special
interest groups, committees, and divisions; the exciting tours;
the hospitality and renewed friendships; the solid program items;
and the exhilaration of being where the action is and where the
decisions are being made--all of these join together to call the
blind of the nation to the Hyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel in
July of 1997. Come and help make it happen! Meanwhile, read the
accompanying article by Jerry Whittle, and revel in anticipation.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Jerry Whittle]

              __NEW ORLEANS--THE CITY WITH A _PAST

                       _by _Jerry _Whittle

  __From the Editor Emeritus: As Federationists know, Jerry
Whittle is the author of the plays that annually emanate from the
Louisiana Center for the Blind. In college he was an English
major, and he has never gotten over it. Hopefully he never will.
  He formerly lived in South Carolina. Now he is a fixture at the
Louisiana Center for the Blind (he and his wife Merilynn)--
writing plays, guiding students, and leading by example. As we
approach the 1997 convention in New Orleans, Jerry will be
writing a number of articles to persuade you to come. Here is the
_first:

  The National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana has the
pleasure of hosting the 1997 National Convention of the NFB in
the great city of New Orleans. Since our hotel--the luxurious
Hyatt Regency--is located just a few blocks from the French
Quarter, it is our purpose with this initial article about the
National Convention to entice all of you to visit one of the most
distinctive and picturesque cities in the world.
  Describing New Orleans and the French Quarter is a monumental
task. New Orleans pulsates with energy, and the French Quarter is
the heart. The twisting cobblestone streets open to all visitors
the enormous contrasts between the wild and raucous and the
exquisite beauty of the myriad architectural influences--Spanish,
French, Creole, Irish, Italian, and African. Each culture, for
good or bad, has left a brush stroke on the intricate tapestry
that is the Vieux Carre.
  The French Quarter, if you could use north, south, east, and
west (you cannot use cardinal directions in the Quarter because
the Mississippi River bends like a crescent moon around the city
and plays havoc with cardinal directions); but if you could use
compass points, Decatur Street would be the southern border of
the French Quarter; Esplanade would be the western border; North
Rampart would be the northern border; and wide and wonderful
Canal Street would be the eastern border. Let's pretend that
these directions are sufficient. Do you see why New Orleans is a
city of extremes--glaringly and intentionally indifferent about
where the sun goes and when it sets? Only in New Orleans would
the sun dare to rise on the West Bank. Only in New Orleans would
you find the majestic St. Louis Cathedral and the artistry of
Jackson Square placed almost flamboyantly as the gateway to
raucous and bawdy Bourbon Street, where the Big Easy is the
easiest.
  Over the past eleven years the students and staff of the
Louisiana Center for the Blind have ventured to New Orleans for
eleven Mardi Gras, for Jazz Festivals, for sports events at the
Super Dome, and for various state and National Conventions of the
NFB. During these visits we have experienced just about every
nuance of the French Quarter. Our memories are too numerous to
recount, but we are all veterans of the great city and have all
been captivated by its charm and sometimes embarrassed by its
audacity.



                        _Decatur _Street

  Decatur Street bends with the Mississippi River and is just a
jazz note away from the Old Man. One of the busiest streets in
the Vieux Carre, Decatur has ample shopping stalls lining its
sidewalks--French Market, Tower Records, the Riverwalk Mall, Jax
Brewery, book stalls, souvenir shops, and curiosity shops, to
name just a few.
  I can remember going to Sidney's on Decatur with two students
on a cane travel route during Mardi Gras. The sun was setting,
and we were after some Jamaica Rums--big cigars. We usually
wouldn't want to smoke a cigar, but something about the city made
us want suddenly to smoke one. We had no explanation--just three
men in search of the biggest cigar in the city.
  We wended our way through throngs of people. A sudden blast,
lingering and musical, from a tugboat blared--a calliope from one
of the paddle wheelers soon followed, not to be outdone. I walked
into the north end of a south-bound horse parked almost on the
sidewalk as its owner waited for customers to come for a horse-
drawn tour of the surroundings. We could smell crayfish boiling--
Old Bay seasoning--cayenne--potatoes and corn--as soon as we
passed Jackson Square. We ran into some barricades and worked our
way carefully along the perimeter of a new restaurant featuring
Aaron Neville that very evening. Across the street at the Cafe du
Monde, a Dixieland band struck up a lively tune. We were jostled
some; I felt like a salmon swimming upstream; but we made it to
Sidney's. "Hello, Baby," the woman behind the counter said. "What
can I get for you tonight?" She asked with that beautiful lilt of
the Cajun. We were fighting our way up the street again. I had
three big Jamaica Rums in a paper bag, and we were just past Jax
Brewery--a former brewery converted into a large shopping mall--
and a man yelled at me from across the way, "Hey, man, let me
have one of them big cigars."
  My first visit to New Orleans. I wanted to see the Mississippi,
up close and personal. Just between Cafe du Monde and Jax
Brewery, there is a little outdoor theater. Bands and all kinds
of street entertainers perform there. I saw a man tangle up a
bunch of balloons, create an audacious caricature of a poodle,
and give it to a wide-eyed child.
  If one climbs the steps of the outdoor theater and a few steps
down on the other side, one can walk down to the Mississippi and
get close enough to put a white cane in the water and feel the
power of its current as it rolls to the Gulf of Mexico. It was
almost dark as I started down the steps to the river, and just as
I reached the bottom step and could sense the majesty of the Old
Man, a man started wailing the blues on this trumpet--just
playing his heart out down there with the barges and the tugboats
and the paddle wheelers. I sat and listened to him until the sun
was completely down, wishing I had a Jamaica Rum. The Chamber of
Commerce couldn't have planned it any better. The city had
captivated me.



                        _Chartres _Street

  Just north of Decatur Street winds Chartres--probably the most
picturesque and charming street in the Quarter. Cafes, art shops,
book stalls, coffee shops, and bars line the irregular sidewalks.
A few years ago we wandered into a little restaurant called
Naspero's for breakfast. It was Sunday morning, and we had just
come from mass at the St. Louis Cathedral. The cathedral bells
were tolling.
  As we approached the restaurant, I heard a sudden burst of
staccato energy. A little boy bounced to his feet and started
tap-dancing. He was wearing tennis shoes with bottle caps
attached to the bottoms for taps. His flashing feet pounded the
old cobblestones. Seemingly from out of the shadows, a crowd
encircled him, clapping hands and shouting words of
encouragement. Quarters and other coins rained down at his
clicking tennis shoes. We stopped to listen and enjoy the energy
of his performance. The church bells tolled again, drowning out
the crowd and reminding us it was Sunday. As soon as the bells
subsided, the boisterous little crowd came back into our senses.
  In the restaurant I had dark roast coffee, biscuits, hot links,
and scrambled eggs--just an ordinary breakfast. My waitress
called me "hon" and filled my coffee cup several times. Food
tastes better in New Orleans than anywhere else in America.
Ordinary food becomes superb. It must be because the tolling bell
and the tapping feet and the architectural beauty and the
audacity of this city blend with the cuisine.


                         _Royal _Street

  Running parallel with Decatur and Chartres and just one street
below Bourbon, Royal is probably the most sophisticated street in
the Quarter. Lined with antique stores, art galleries, and fine
restaurants, it attracts those with the most discerning tastes.
Occasionally yuppie revellers suddenly bellow out barbaric yawps
or wild peals of laughter; but for the most part it is relatively
quiet and respectable.
  One of my great passions is collecting used books, and Royal
has plenty of used book stores scattered among the more wonderful
restaurants such as Mr. B's. I wandered into one of these stalls
once and met an aged man who proceeded to help me find the
authors I wanted. I started talking to him about Thomas Wolfe--
the great Southern writer who frequented New Orleans and Tony's
Spaghetti House on numerous occasions.
  "Wolfe used to come into this store," the owner said. "He was a
huge man, over six and a half feet tall and weighing almost three
hundred pounds."
  "You met him?" I asked in amazement.
  "He came in here often. A restless kind of man with a voracious
appetite for books. Faulkner and Sherwood Anderson lived just
down the street in Pirate's Alley. There's a book store there now
--the Faulkner House," the owner said.
  On another trip to New Orleans I shopped on Royal Street for a
photograph of William Faulkner. For years I had asked for his
photograph all over the country without any luck. I wandered into
a photography shop on Royal Street and asked the proprietor if he
had a photograph of William Faulkner, but I already had one foot
pointed toward the front door. To my amazement, the owner said,
"I sure do." He reached to the shelf and placed the coveted print
in my eager hands. I started reaching for my wallet to pay him.
  "This photo of Mr. Faulkner is quite rare. Only two prints have
ever been made of it. Faulkner is bouncing a ball for his dog to
catch," the owner said. "I am asking four thousand dollars for
it."
  I gently removed my hand from my wallet.


                        _Bourbon _Street

  Music blares--every kind of music imaginable--Cajun,
progressive jazz, rock and roll, country, gospel, and some
strains blasted in total improvisation. People do not talk on
Bourbon; they yell; they laugh; they scream, exuberant and
uninhibited. Bars beckon; women flaunt and taunt. Sirens roar
past on the boisterous street, and people grudgingly move out of
the way as if afraid to lose their niche, their observation post.
A woman, dressed outrageously, sways out onto the balcony over
the street. Men gather below to watch. She spins; she twirls and
grins down at them, flapping a pink scarf; then she disappears
into the darkness of a little alcove, and the men disperse and
find their observation posts.
  Tea rooms dot the street--palm readers and voodoo shops and
crazy souvenir shops nestle beneath small, but smart hotels.
Street dancers, street musicians, street evangelists, and street
singers stand intermittently and cajole and entertain. People
sometimes carry placards.
  Just across from Preservation Hall, where the old jazz
traditions are maintained, we heard an electric guitar. The door
to the little bar was open, and we could hear the man playing the
guitar, singing some Jimmy Buffet song. Some of us decided to
walk in for a few minutes to hear him and soak up some local
color. Several Harley-Davidsons were lined up in front of the
little bar. We found stools and plunked ourselves down. The man
playing the guitar was saying, "I need a tall, slender blonde to
come up here and hold my electric cord while I play."
  He repeated it more than once. Finally, he said, "I will buy a
tall, slender blonde a drink if she will come here and hold my
electric cord." It just so happened we had a tall, slender blonde
in our group; so she stepped forward and held the performer's
electric cord while he played "Wasting Away Again in
Margueritaville."
  On one of our visits to Mardi Gras a few years ago, I was
walking down Bourbon Street with two students, and we were
wearing masks. I was wearing an owl mask; one student was wearing
a flamingo mask; and the other student was wearing a witch doctor
mask. Our witch doctor was tall and slender himself, and the mask
was perfect for him. We had stopped to rest, leaning against a
wall, exhausted from the wild jaunts and shopping sprees all over
the Quarter. A man approached our witch doctor and stood before
him, staring for a long time. Finally the man said, "That has got
to be the most magnificent mask I have ever seen," and walked
away. Momentarily, a woman, painted completely blue and wearing
next to nothing, approached and tickled the witch doctor under
his bearded chin. "Nice," she said and sashayed down the street
toward Baby Doll's on Iberville. We laughed for a long time. The
outrageous city had just overwhelmed us.
  We haven't even begun to tell you about how wonderful the 1997
National Convention is going to be. Several more articles will
chronicle many other reasons why New Orleans is the place to be.
No one has to read about New Orleans. At the National Convention
of the NFB everybody can experience the Crescent City personally.
  With sumptuous accommodations like the Hyatt Regency Hotel just
a few short blocks from the French Quarter and with the wonderful
agenda of our convention, the 1997 National Convention should be
truly an unforgettable one. In future issues of the _Monitor, we
will be offering more information and more attractions. The
members of the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana
cordially invite all of you to come to New Orleans and see
firsthand why it is truly one of the great cities of the world.
Laissez le bon temps roulet.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Connie Leblond]

                   __YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME _WELL

                      _by _Connie _Leblond

  __From the Editor: Connie Leblond is the President of the
National Federation of the Blind of Maine. Her Son Seth is a
poised and articulate young man who has spoken effectively to
groups at our national conventions. Here is the latest chapter in
the Leblond family's effort to get the service they deserve from
state agencies in _Maine:

  My husband and I are not strangers to the National Federation
of the Blind. Key individuals in this organization have taught us
how to make informed decisions and how to pursue and achieve
appropriate outcomes; and, perhaps most important, they have
instilled in us the deep understanding that we are never alone.
All of these skills have served us well especially in a state
like Maine.
  This northern state accepts services from agencies for the
blind that continually attempt to mislead the public, state
officials, and blind people themselves by minimizing the need for
blindness skills such as Braille and cane travel. Despite the
fact that failing visual acuity is almost always a characteristic
of blindness, professionals in the blindness field in Maine
profess allegiance to ophthalmological extremes to stretch visual
proficiency, even when parents understand that, in order to
compete on terms of equality, blind children must learn skills
that they will be able to count on as an integral part of their
lives. In the same way that reading print is essential for
sighted students, Braille is necessary to blind students.
  Bob and I understand the importance of parent involvement.
Attending IEP meetings is a given for us. We have tirelessly
offered to consult with regular classroom teachers to enable our
son to participate fully. We've offered Braille maps, resources
for the acquisition of textbooks, referrals for adaptive
equipment, and the list goes on. One might think that such
support would be welcome, but we have encountered resistance that
borders on hostility!
  In March of 1995 we stumbled upon information about a state-
wide conference for regular classroom teachers who would be
teaching blind or visually impaired students in the fall. The
conference was to be conducted by itinerant vision teachers, who
work for Catholic Charities of Maine, an organization with which
the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) contracts
for services. DBVI provides these teachers at no cost to local
schools. We were assured that the conference would be beneficial
to next year's teachers. Anyway, as members of the NFB we
attempted either to make a presentation at the conference or to
attend the scheduled event.
  We received immediate rejection of our proposal to make a
presentation. DBVI Director Harold Lewis told us that the
conference had not been developed for parents but for teachers.
The man totally denies the existence of the National Federation
of the Blind as a reputable organization in the blindness field
with an important perspective to contribute in the education of
blind children. To add insult to injury, Mr. Lewis, with great
sincerity, pointed out that the conference would cost ten dollars
--ten dollars for each of us! Gasp! We responded that it would be
well worth the investment.
  As the event drew near, we were given misleading information
that would have sent us to the conference site, the Augusta Civic
Center, a week too early. When we discovered this error and
confirmed the correct date, we assumed our attendance was
assured. The day before the conference, however, while we were
out, we received faxed forms to complete. In reviewing the
information, we found a pre-registration form, which we completed
and even faxed to the appropriate people. But another request was
for pre-payment. This we could not provide on such short notice.
The instructions were specific: without pre-payment, we would not
be allowed entrance.
  In fact, we were kept out of this in-service. If it had not
been the pre-payment, it would have been something else. What
were the vision teachers planning to say that they did not want
us to hear? Following the in-service, I spoke to one of the
teachers who did attend the conference. When I asked if she felt
it had been productive, she responded by saying that she now
understood how difficult school must be for blind and visually
impaired children. She expressed concern for their difficulty in
looking up words in a dictionary. I just could not believe that
the misconceptions we have worked so hard to eradicate were being
perpetuated and condoned by our state agency and our state
department of education.
  Following the conference, the entire state legislature received
a letter from us detailing the manipulative actions of the
Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired in cooperation with
Catholic Charities of Maine. We thought that letting people know
what had happened was important before any future in-services
were planned.
  Seth began eighth grade in September of 1995. We had moved, and
he overcame his fear of not knowing anyone in his new school.
About mid-September, after all of these newly informed teachers
had participated in this allegedly enlightening conference during
the previous spring, a particularly unsettling episode in Seth's
home economics class took place. The home ec teacher, Ms.
Cochran, made an autonomous decision concerning Seth's ability to
see. She directed her class to prepare to take a quiz. Seth took
out his Braille 'n Speak and was ready for the questions. Ms.
Cochran handed Seth a piece of yellow lined paper and a pencil
and informed him that he would use these tools for the quiz.
Seth's shock must have been apparent, but he tried to let Ms.
Cochran know that, if she didn't want him to use the Braille 'n
Speak, he could use his Braille writer. He went on to say that,
if that wasn't acceptable, he would be glad to stay after class
and take the quiz orally. The teacher refused to consider any of
Seth's proposed solutions.
  The final straw for Seth was the teacher's overt encouragement
of his entire class to cajole him into writing the quiz with a
pencil. What could he say? Seth was in a new school with
classmates he wanted to accept him for who he was. This teacher
was focused on her own convenience, not what was possible for her
student to do. Seth did not complete the quiz. He left the paper
blank.
  When he talked to us about it, he was feeling embarrassed but
sure that he had made the correct decision. We supported his
conclusion that this teacher could not conceive that a blind
student could have alternative techniques that would allow equal
access. My husband and I met with Ms. Cochran and the principal,
Mr. McCarthy, the day after Seth told us about the incident. I
introduced myself as an adult blind person who used alternative
techniques. I asked her to explain to me what had taken place in
her classroom with our son. She immediately said that Seth got
around so well that he must have some vision. She just knew that
if he tried, he could complete the quiz using his vision. Ms.
Cochran was confident that her past experience in teaching
another visually impaired student would sway our opinion or that
of the principal. By the time we were finished, and it was a real
effort to maintain calm, Ms. Cochran was no longer being defended
by the school's administrator. The irony and frustration of the
situation struck me. We could spend hours developing an IEP that
addressed Seth's mode of learning, and this teacher was prepared
to make independent decisions about testing without any
hesitation. So much for parent involvement. And what about the
in-service? We must conclude that we would probably not have
wanted to hear what the professionals in the blindness field in
Maine were saying. We would have welcomed an opportunity to
dispel some of the outdated notions, but we were not given the
chance.
  Ms. Cochran no longer works for King Middle School in Portland,
Maine. The school, however, has not learned anything from this
whole experience. In late May of 1996 we received a letter from
Deering High school officials letting us know that an in-service
had been held for Seth's teachers the following year. We received
the letter the day after the in-service took place. Again we are
being kept out. I must admit that their strategy this time was
better--send the notice the day after the conference, and no one
will be to blame.
  My family appreciates that we are part of the National
Federation of the Blind. You keep us strong. We keep each other
strong. Seth has made many friends in the NFB with whom he
communicates on a continuing basis. He likes who he is, and
there's no changing that. We know who we are, and we cannot go
back. We are proud of our son. I look forward to the day when I
can look at the handiwork of school districts in Maine with pride
and a feeling of accomplishment. That day is not here yet. In
fact, never has there been a clearer need for positive action and
the empowerment of blind individuals in Maine. The National
Federation of the Blind of Maine has not been welcomed as
colleagues in the shared work of educating our children, but we
remain ever vigilant, and we will not give up.


              __AGREEMENT REACHED WITH SEEING _EYE

  As those attending the 1996 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind will remember, there was a considerable
amount of dissatisfaction with the conduct of certain employees
of the Seeing Eye. Since the Seeing Eye is a respected
institution in the blindness field and has enjoyed the reputation
of doing good work and carrying on constructive programs, nobody
wanted to do anything to damage the school's reputation or hinder
its activities. Yet the delegates felt that action must be taken.
This was particularly the feeling of the National Association of
Guide Dog Users. Therefore, a resolution was presented by a
number of the guide-dog users, among them several Seeing Eye
graduates. After discussion the resolution was overwhelmingly
adopted by the convention. It reads as follows:


                       _RESOLUTION _96-12

  WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind promotes
security, equality, and opportunity for the blind; and
  WHEREAS, the Federation promotes gatherings of blind persons
including blind children, parents of blind children, and sighted
supporters of the blind at local, state, and national conventions
in order to increase positive attitudes toward blindness and
blind people both in the blind community and throughout society
as a whole; and
  WHEREAS, one of the means by which the Federation increases
positive attitudes toward blindness and blind people is by
promoting respect for blind people; and
  WHEREAS, the Seeing Eye, Inc., has been attending Federation
conventions for the past twenty-five years, and has for the past
twenty-three years availed itself of Federation convention
facilities to hold an annual breakfast for its graduates, at no
cost to the graduates; and
  WHEREAS, Seeing Eye representatives have been able to reduce
their hotel costs by at least two-thirds by taking advantage of
Federation hotel rates, even though many Seeing Eye staff members
have consistently been unwilling to pay the nominal registration
fee (currently ten dollars) paid by all who attend Federation
conventions; and
  WHEREAS, because of rising convention costs the Federation
finds it necessary to charge vendors, agencies, and all other
non-member groups a fee for the use of meeting rooms for their
activities at Federation conventions; and
  WHEREAS, the Seeing Eye has refused to pay the fee and has
refused to deal with the Federation directly but instead has
begun the practice of holding its breakfasts for Seeing Eye
graduates and guests at a neighboring hotel, this despite the
fact that the Seeing Eye is the richest guide dog school in the
United States, having millions of dollars at its disposal; and
  WHEREAS, at the 1995 NFB Convention in Chicago the Seeing Eye
attempted to undermine the Federation by engaging in subterfuge
in planning and holding its breakfast outside the hotel, in that
it singled out its graduates and surreptitiously provided them
with information about the time and location of its breakfast,
thereby attempting to create a schism between its graduates and
other members of the National Federation of the Blind; and
  WHEREAS, in the Spring/Summer, 1996, issue of _Harness _Up!, a
publication of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, a
division of the National Federation of the Blind, the Seeing Eye
was warned that the Federation would no longer tolerate such
behavior and that the Federation would no longer announce or
sanction Seeing Eye breakfasts if they were to be held secretly
and outside Federation convention premises; and
  WHEREAS, during the registration period at the 1996 annual
meeting of the National Association of Guide Dog Users at the NFB
Convention, the Seeing Eye again engaged in subterfuge and
trickery, handing out Braille information concerning the location
of its breakfast in such a way as to take advantage of the fact
that the majority of the members of the Division, being blind,
would not be able to see what Seeing Eye staff members were
doing; and
  WHEREAS, the breakfast was held the following day at the
Marriott Hotel, causing discomfort to Seeing Eye graduates and
others who attended, because it was clear that the Seeing Eye was
attempting to disrupt Federation activities by trying to isolate
its graduates from the other members of the Federation; and
  WHEREAS, these reprehensible practices of the Seeing Eye are an
insult to the organized blind of this country and a calculated
act of hostility toward the Federation: Now, therefore,
  BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this fifth day of July, 1996, in the City of
Anaheim, California, that the National Federation of the Blind
express its extreme displeasure with the behavior of the Seeing
Eye and its staff members; and
  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if this situation cannot be
amicably resolved, the President of the National Federation of
the Blind be authorized and instructed to call for and organize
picketing of Seeing Eye headquarters in order to inform the
general public that, while the Seeing Eye trains and provides
guide dogs and instruction in their use, its attitude toward
blind people and the organized blind movement of the nation is
characterized by contempt and disrespect; and
  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if no resolution of this problem
can be achieved, we give the broadest possible publicity to this
cavalier behavior toward the blind by the Seeing Eye; and
  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent
to the Seeing Eye.

  Under date of July 18, 1996, President Maurer sent the
resolution to Mr. Kenneth Rosenthal, President of the Seeing Eye,
with the following letter:

Mr. Kenneth Rosenthal
Executive Director
The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Morristown, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Rosenthal:
  Enclosed is Resolution 96-12 adopted by the convention of the
National Federation of the Blind on July 5, 1996. I regret the
necessity of bringing to your attention the problems outlined in
the resolution. However, as the resolution indicates, the
incidents which caused this resolution to be prepared have come
to represent a pattern of behavior which simply must be
addressed.
  We have worked with Seeing Eye in the past. We would very much
like to maintain an amicable relationship. We request that you
address the problems outlined in the resolution and give us your
response at your earliest convenience.

                                                 Sincerely yours,

                                          Marc Maurer, President

                                 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND


  Under date of August 14, 1996, Mr. Rosenthal responded to Mr.
Maurer; and shortly thereafter he sent the resolution and the
correspondence to Seeing Eye graduates.
  Under date of August 20, 1996, Mr. Maurer responded to Mr.
Rosenthal as follows:

Mr. Kenneth Rosenthal
Executive Director
The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Morristown, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Rosenthal:
  I have your letter of August 14, 1996, and in many ways it
typifies the problem which I tried to bring to your attention by
sending you the resolution passed at the 1996 NFB convention. You
say that you "couldn't be on" the "calendar" of the NFB
convention and that, therefore, you had to write to your
graduates. But, of course, your organization could have been on
our calendar. The Seeing Eye chose not to do so.
  Moreover, the Seeing Eye breakfast was not held in the
convention hotel. It could have been. Again, the Seeing Eye chose
not to have it there.
  The reason is simple. A number of the Seeing Eye employees who
came to our convention last year in Chicago objected to paying
the $10 registration fee that everybody else paid. Yet they were
quite willing to take advantage of the hotel rates and the
convention facilities we provided. When Mr. David Loux contacted
us last year to talk about arrangements for a breakfast to be
hosted by Seeing Eye, we told him that Seeing Eye (like everybody
else) would be asked to pay a fee to use the room, $500. He
responded with anger and rudeness.
  Since we had contracted for all of the space in the hotel and
since our costs for the convention were heavy, surely it is
reasonable for us to ask organizations that participate and
benefit to help with a modest contribution. Other organizations
seemed to feel that this was fair. If Seeing Eye had been
poverty-stricken, we might have been willing to try to find funds
to help them pay what should have been their share, but this was
not the case. Even if it had been, this would not have excused
Mr. Loux's rudeness and abusive conduct.
  The question now comes as to what is to be done. Since we are
not interested in playing games or having anybody have to lose
face, we are not interested in a formal apology. On the other
hand, we will not be content with generalities about how all of
us are working toward the same objective and that no remedies are
needed.
  To be specific, we want from the Seeing Eye an assurance that
any of its employees or agents who attend any part of any of our
future conventions pay the nominal registration fee like
everybody else, and that they do it in a civil manner and not
with rudeness. Beyond that, if any reception or food function is
to be held by Seeing Eye at the time and place of our convention,
we want to be told about it officially; we want Seeing Eye to pay
the same fees that others pay; and we do not want the event held
in neighboring facilities. We believe these requests are
reasonable and that they are compatible with honest dealings and
courteous behavior.
  I am aware of the fact that you have not been the Chief
Executive Officer at Seeing Eye for very long and that most of
the problems I have brought to your attention did not occur
during your tenure. It is my hope that the Seeing Eye and the
National Federation of the Blind can work in concert for the
advancement of the blind and the benefit of all, but I am sure
that you understand that I must seek a definite resolution of the
matters raised in this letter--indeed, that I have no other
option or alternative. The resolution I sent you was adopted by
vote of the membership, and its mandate to the Officers of the
Federation is clear. If the response of the Seeing Eye does not
go beyond formal generalities, the resolution lays out the course
which our organization will follow, with both vigor and
reluctance.
  We have no wish to engage in conflict with the Seeing Eye; we
respect what you are doing; and we will gladly have amicable
relations with you. I hope that I may have an early reply from
you and that it will contain the assurances I have mentioned. I
also hope to meet you in person and would invite you to pay a
visit to the National Center for the Blind.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                           Marc Maurer, President

                                NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND


  Shortly after receiving this second letter from Mr. Maurer, Mr.
Rosenthal contacted Mr. Maurer by telephone, and it was agreed
that a meeting would be held at the National Center for the Blind
to try to resolve matters.
  Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. David Loux came to the National Center
for the Blind on September 26, 1996, and talked with Mr. Maurer
and Dr. Jernigan. From the outset it was clear that nobody wanted
hostility and that the past apparent differences had been based
on misunderstandings. Mr. Rosenthal was in every way cordial and
courteous, and he and Mr. Loux received the same treatment in
turn.
  Mr. Rosenthal felt that our request that those from Seeing Eye
coming to NFB conventions should pay the nominal registration fee
that all others pay and that any Seeing Eye functions held at the
time and place of NFB conventions be part of regular convention
activities was proper and reasonable, and President Maurer agreed
that Seeing Eye functions at the convention should be listed in
the program agenda and announced from the platform. The spirit of
the meeting was one of cordiality and a wish to reach
accommodation on both sides. There was no sense of a winner or a
loser but of mutual respect and a wish to work together.
President Maurer and Dr. Jernigan were invited to visit Seeing
Eye at a future time, and they planned to do so. Mr. Rosenthal
and Mr. Loux, on the other hand, took time to tour the facilities
at the National Center for the Blind and to learn about the
Federation's overall program of activities.
  This is the kind of resolution that one would hope could be
found to all problems--a meeting of the minds, courtesy and
consideration, the prospect of joint efforts for the benefit of
all, and the promise of a growing friendship.


                __NOW THAT I HAVE TIME TO _THINK

                      _by _Clarence _Parks

  __From the Editor: One day last summer I picked up a document
that had arrived in the mail. It was the following article,
written by one of the many enthusiastic library patrons of the
National Library Service's Talking Book program. Perhaps because
I count myself in this number, I found Dr. Parks's essay
charming. He does raise one question that I can answer. An
advisory committee meets periodically to discuss book selection,
among many other topics, with NLS staff. The National Federation
of the Blind representative to this committee is Sandy Halverson.
Those wishing to discuss NLS book selection or other consumer
issues can contact Sandy at 403 W. 62nd Ter., Kansas City,
Missouri 64113-1623. Meanwhile, here is Clarence Parks's
reflection on Talking _Books:

  Things started badly when we moved from Texas to Colorado. We
were so broke after graduate school we had to borrow money from
my mother to move. As we crossed the Texas panhandle, the August
heat was so intense that the glue holding the head liner of our
Toyota began to melt, dropping the cloth down over our heads like
a collapsing circus tent. The old car coughed and choked over La
Veta Pass as if after a lifetime at Gulf Coast sea level it
couldn't function at 9,000 feet without loudly complaining. Ten
minutes after we arrived in Alamosa, our five-month-old daughter
Elizabeth got our human relations in our new home town off to a
lousy start by throwing up on the real estate agent who was
trying to help us find a place to rent. That night the moving van
with our goods showed up three days ahead of schedule, and the
driver demanded to know where the furniture was to be put.
  Our problems, as most problems do, eventually smoothed out. All
of them, that is, except for one associated with my life as a
blind person, which took years to right itself. A little
background is necessary before I discuss that.
  To help me survive the stresses of graduate school, I had
developed a coping mechanism of compulsive, late-night novel-
reading, or novel-listening, since I listened to them on National
Library Service (NLS) tapes provided by the Texas State Library
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. I fell asleep most
nights, not worrying about preliminary exams or dissertation
topics, but instead listening to Gandalf galloping across the
plains of Rohan or David recovering from Dora's death or Huck
fleeing from the feud. I doubt I would have made it through
graduate school without the Recordings for the Blind textbooks,
and I know for certain that I would not have made it through
without the R&R provided by National Library Service novels on
tape. When I received my degree, I assumed that the need for that
particular survival technique would be less, but I looked forward
to continuing the very pleasant late-night novel-reading habit,
if perhaps in a less manic and compulsive fashion.
  But trouble arose when we reached Colorado. The Texas Library
had always been helpful and friendly. The Colorado Talking Book
Library turned out to be very different.
  The employees who answered the phone were rude, almost hostile
toward me. I couldn't imagine what I had done to make them so
angry. The first month they lost several books and hotly accused
me of losing them. In the many years I had been in the Texas
system I had never lost one book. I dreaded calling them about
this problem or anything else because someone usually answered
who acted like an irritable princess I had awakened from her mid-
morning nap. All the employees seemed to hate their jobs,
especially when their jobs had anything to do with blind people.
A very important part of my life was not working out.
  Checking with other blind people, I soon found it was not me
that set them off, it was all people who used their services. The
best solution old timers could suggest was to try to get books
through a blind friend in another state, where the state library
for the blind worked better.
  But even that problem associated with our move eventually
cleared up. None of us knows exactly why. I and others
complained; but, as far as we could tell, we were ignored. But
over several years the irritable princesses went away, competent
librarians took their places, and the entire attitude and
effectiveness of the Colorado library did a 180-degree
turnaround. Now I can't imagine a better state library for the
blind than exists in Denver. Government can in some circumstances
work well, at least as high as the state level.
  So I'm back to my novel reading. Almost every night I fall
asleep to one of the fabulous readers of the studios supplying
Talking Books to NLS, reading wondrous things to me. The truly
spectacular thing about novel reading is all the connections a
reader can make to people and worlds of his or her own choosing,
an especially important set of connections for people with
disabilities, who often feel disconnected from the normally
sighted world. I personally enjoy connecting to interesting
worlds populated by characters I love to love or love to hate,
who do heroic or dastardly things in colorful settings far
removed from the cares and worries of everyday life. I freely
admit to being an escapist reader. If I wanted reality and
depression, I'd read an old income tax form.
  The literature I listen to on NLS tapes makes my life better as
much as my wonderful wife and great kids do. I live in a richer
world than those without literature, a world full of people and
places and ideas and excitement and old friends that those
without literature are deprived of. And for me it could not
happen without Talking Books.
  Now that my formal education in human behavior is mostly
complete, I've found that I actually have time to think about
human behavior instead of just reading and writing about it. One
of the topics that has entered my mind recently is how different
the experience of people like me, who listen to literature, is
from that of those who read print books. Some beneficial
differences and some not so useful have come to mind.
  First, on the positive side, I can do other things while I am
listening to a tape that those who are tied down to print can't
do. All I need is my ears while they need eyes and hands. I can
walk, paint the fence, lie in the dark, or do many other things
my seeing friends can't do while they perform their book
ceremony. Score one for our side, and not an inconsiderable one.
  Second, on the good side, other book listeners and I get
another human being into the book-reading ceremony, almost always
in a good sense. While the sighted deal with ink on paper, the
literature-transferring mechanism to blind people's brains is Bob
Askie, Phil Regensdorf, or Thomas Martin. Any of these and many
of the other great NLS readers with their marvelous dramatic
talents and obvious love of language could have been and
frequently are successful actors.
  This interjection of another party is a plus, not a minus,
because these great readers enrich the reading experience, not by
interjecting themselves between the book and the reader, but by
adding drama, personality, and richness to literature with their
talent. Great readers never add themselves in an obtrusive way.
Instead they amplify the literature. For example, a good reader
never laughs at a joke or trembles at a scary passage because it
is not his or her job to tell you where to laugh or be
frightened. Instead, good readers enrich the literature with
appropriate accents, inflections, and pacing. When they do it
right, their presence in the listening experience is a marvelous
addition that print readers do not have.
  Recording for the Blind books, all as far as I know read by
volunteers, vary significantly in quality. Some are great; some
are very bad. I suppose volunteers can't be criticized, but
nevertheless hearing Arthur Conan Doyle read with a Brooklyn
accent by someone who has no more interest in his effort than if
he were reading a telephone book is distressing, no matter for
what reason such a travesty exists.
  But listening to books is not always the better way to absorb
their meaning. Some disadvantages exist for us compared to our
fellow enthusiasts who read print books. Availability is often a
major problem. If persistent, print readers can usually find most
print books they want. Not necessarily so with books on tape.
Many of our great authors of classic fiction--P.G. Wodehouse,
Erle Stanley Gardner, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and even wildly
popular Louis L'Amour--have many of their works unrecorded while
hundreds of what seem to me to be trashy junk books are released
on NLS tapes each year. To whom do we write to complain about
book selection policy? I've never figured that out.
  Another problem book listeners have that print readers do not
have is book intimacy. A print book is a very private thing; you
and nobody else are reading it. It is yours to deal with in your
private book world exactly as you see fit. Books on tape are not
intimate; they belong to everyone within earshot. Earphones help,
but somehow the wonderful privacy and intimacy of reading your
book in your own way still seems to me somehow compromised.
  Other minor irritations exist for us listeners that print
readers never deal with. Paper books don't jam or break as tapes
do. They don't require a plug or charged batteries. But these
aren't particularly heavy crosses to bear.
  As I reach the end of this article, I have realized a mild
deception on my part. I said before that I had never had any
problems with books from the Texas library. I now remember an ex
post facto one.
  Unpacking upon reaching our new home in Colorado, our six-year-
old son found something unusual in his secondary toy box. It was
a very old slate record copy of Livingston Gilbert reading __The
Fellowship of the _Ring. I took it from Aaron almost as though he
had found an old family Bible or my great grandmother's wedding
ring. As far as I am concerned, that recording is a masterpiece
as real as any ever accomplished in the performing arts, as good
as Nureyev's _Swan _Lake or Gielgud's _Othello for my money. Our
family has no idea how in moving that recording got stuck away
instead of being sent back, but since I have it, just sit down a
minute and listen to it with me.
  Just close your eyes while I put it on. Imagine Gilbert's
spectacularly beautiful soft baritone reading a book he obviously
reveres as much as we do, imagine his voice as magical as Middle
Earth itself. I've got to send it back to Texas, even though I
know the state libraries have thrown away almost all the old
slate records. Maybe my conscience will make me send it back
tomorrow, so just listen with me one last time to a tale from
another world.
  "Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more
numerous formerly than they are today. . . ."

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sharon Maneki]

                    _DISTINGUISHED _EDUCATOR

               __OF BLIND CHILDREN AWARD FOR _1997

                       _by _Sharon _Maneki

  __From the Editor: Sharon Maneki is President of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland. She also chairs the
committee to select the Distinguished Educator of Blind Children
for _1997.

  The National Federation of the Blind will recognize an
outstanding teacher of blind children at our 1997 convention June
29 to July 5, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The winner of this award
will receive an expense-paid trip to the convention, a check for
$500, an appropriate plaque, and an opportunity to make a
presentation about the education of blind children to the
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children early in the
convention.
  Anyone who is currently teaching or counseling blind students
or administering a program for blind children is eligible to
receive this award. It is not necessary to be a member of the
National Federation of the Blind to apply. However, the winner
must attend the National Convention. Teachers may be nominated by
colleagues, supervisors, or friends. The letter of nomination
should explain why the teacher is being recommended for this
award.
  The education of blind children is one of our most important
concerns. Attendance at a National Federation of the Blind
convention will enrich a teacher's experience by affording him or
her the opportunity to meet other teachers who work with blind
children, to meet parents, and to meet blind adults who have had
experiences in a variety of educational programs. Help us
recognize a distinguished teacher by distributing this form and
encouraging teachers to submit their credentials. We are pleased
to offer this award and look forward to applications from many
well-qualified educators.


               __NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE _BLIND

        __DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR OF BLIND CHILDREN AWARD

                        1997 _APPLICATION

Name:

Home address:

City: State: Zip:

Day phone: Evening phone:

School:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

List your degrees, the institutions from which they were
received, and your major area or areas of study.

How long and in what programs have you worked with blind
children?

In what setting do you teach? residential school classroom

special education classroom itinerant program

other, please explain.

How many students do you teach regularly this year?

What subjects do you teach?

How many of your students read and write primarily using:

Braille large print closed circuit television

recorded materials regular print?

  Please complete this application and attach the following: a
letter of nomination from someone who knows your work, one
additional recommendation also from someone who knows you
professionally and knows your philosophy of teaching, and a
letter from you discussing your beliefs and approach to teaching
blind students. You may wish to discuss topics like the
following:
* What are your views on the importance to your students of
  Braille, large print, and magnification devices; and what
  issues do you consider when making recommendations about
  learning media for your students?
* When do you recommend that your students begin the following:
  reading Braille, writing with a slate and stylus, using a
  Braille writer, learning to travel independently with a white
  cane?
* How should one determine which children should learn cane
  travel and which should not?
* When should typing be introduced, and when should a child be
  expected to hand in typed assignments?
  Send all material by May 15, 1997, to Sharon Maneki,
Chairwoman, Teacher Award Committee, 9736 Basket Ring Road,
Columbia, Maryland 21045, telephone (410)
992-9608.[PHOTO/CAPTION: Steve Benson]

          __THE 1997 BLIND EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR _AWARD

                     __by Stephen O. _Benson

  __From the Editor: Steve Benson is a member of the Board of
Directors of the National Federation of the Blind and President
of the NFB of Illinois. He also chairs the committee charged with
identifying each year's Blind Educator of the Year. Here is what
he has to _say:

  Several years ago the Blind Educator of the Year Award was
established by the National Association of Blind Educators (the
teachers division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay
tribute to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom
performance, notable community service, and uncommon commitment
to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning with the 1991
presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our entire
movement. This change reflects our recognition of the importance
of good teaching and the impact an outstanding blind teacher has
on students, faculty, community, and all blind Americans.
  This award is given in the spirit of the outstanding educators
who founded and have continued to nurture the National Federation
of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted knowledge of our
strengths to us and raised our expectations. We have learned from
Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, and President Marc
Maurer that a teacher not only provides a student with
information, but also provides guidance and advocacy. The
recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must exhibit
all of these traits and must advance the cause of blind people in
the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the
Blind.
  The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the annual
convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Honorees must
be present to receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a
check for $500.
  The members of the committee which will select the 1997 Blind
Educator of the Year Award are Steve Benson, Chairman, Illinois;
Patricia Munson, California; Homer Page, Colorado; Judy Sanders,
Minnesota; and Adelmo Vigil, New Mexico. Nominations should be
sent to Steve Benson, 7020 North Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646.
Letters of nomination must be accompanied by a copy of the
nominee's current resume and supporting documentation of
community and Federation activity. All nomination materials must
be in the hands of the committee chairman by May 15, 1997, to be
considered for this year's award.

  __If you or a friend would like to remember the National
Federation of the Blind in your will, you can do so by employing
the following _language:

  __"I give, devise, and bequeath unto the National Federation of
the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, a
District of Columbia nonprofit corporation, the sum of
$__________(or "______ percent of my net estate" or "The
following stocks and bonds: ________") to be used for its worthy
purposes on behalf of blind _persons."

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Greg Trapp]

              __A Federationist in A Strange _Land

                       __by Greg D. _Trapp

  __From the Editor: Greg Trapp is an active member of the
National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. He recently took
two weeks' leave from his job to volunteer in Ghana. This is what
he writes about his _experience:

  Imagine that you live in a land where the average income is
just a little over $400 a year. Now imagine that you are blind
and that most people you meet believe that blindness is a curse
from God. Also imagine that you have no independent cane travel
skills, that there are no sidewalks for you to walk on, that
traffic flows with no discernible pattern, and that open sewers
frequently cut across your path. Last, imagine that you do not
have a job, that you cannot afford a Braille writer or even a
simple tape recorder, and that you must resort to begging to
scratch out your meager living. You have just imagined yourself
as an average blind person in the West African nation of Ghana.
  I recently spent two weeks in Ghana as a faculty leader with
Joni and Friends (JAF), which is the disability ministry of Joni
Eareckson-Tada. Joni, as you may know from the book and movie by
the same name, became a quadriplegic after a teenage diving
accident. JAF has a division called Wheels for the World. They
collect and repair used wheelchairs and distribute them to people
with disabilities around the world. For the last three years they
have distributed wheelchairs in Ghana.
  While it may be difficult for Americans to imagine, Ghanaians
commonly believe that persons with disabilities, particularly
blind people, are either cursed by God or afflicted by evil
spirits. As a result Ghanaians with disabilities, especially the
blind, are shunned by society, forcing most to resort to begging.
Dependence on begging is reinforced because it is considered
sinful not to give to a beggar. The sight of a blind beggar is
common in Ghana, though it is even more common to see beggars
with bodies twisted by polio, crawling on their hands and knees.
  My job with the JAF team was to teach church and community
leaders that people with disabilities are not cursed and that
they deserve an equal place in the church and in society. To help
in this effort, JAF brought over 200 wheelchairs. I brought
several dozen Braille slates, two dozen white canes, two Braille
Bibles, a Braille concordance, and Braille and print copies of
NFB materials including __Care and Feeding of the Long White
_Cane. Although these items could meet only a tiny portion of the
physical need, our real purpose was to bring about a lasting
change in attitude.
  The primary means for effecting the change in attitude was a
series of three-day seminars. These were designed to enable
students to return to their own communities, where they would
teach others. Each seminar was co-taught by either a pair of
physical therapists or a pair of disability specialists. The
principal Bible passage used was John 9:1-3, in which Christ
expressed the value He placed on people with disabilities when he
said of the blind man, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his
parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in
him."
  I was a faculty leader for the seminar in Accra. Community
leaders, pastors, and one Member of Parliament attended it. As
the seminar began, it became clear that many of the students were
unwilling to deal with a blind person. Some of the students
ignored me, addressing their questions and comments to the
seminar co-leader. As the seminar progressed, I noticed that the
students who did not ignore me were interested in my personal and
professional accomplishments. They were incredulous that a blind
person could be employed as a lawyer, teach as a law professor,
and live and travel independently.
  The tangible example of a useful and productive blind person
was far more effective in bringing about changes in attitude than
any words I could have spoken. By the second day of the seminar,
I had managed to connect with most of the students. By the final
day even the students who had initially ignored me took the
initiative to speak to me. I hope they also learned that a blind
person could achieve more than just living a life as a beggar.
  One of the first things I noticed about the blind in Ghana was
their complete lack of cane-travel skills. Even relatively
independent and successful blind people almost always travel
using a sighted guide. Several factors may account for the lack
of cane travel skills. Most Ghanaians can only afford locally
made wooden canes that are short and extremely heavy. These
canes, which cost the equivalent of about three dollars, are very
clumsy when compared to a fiberglass cane. Another factor may be
the lack of proper cane travel instruction. At one rehabilitation
center six blind students were sharing a single wooden cane. Our
gift to the center of several NFB straight canes was gratefully
received but could fill only a tiny fraction of the overall need.
  It is also true that difficult travel conditions undoubtedly
hinder the development of cane travel skills, especially
considering the lack of positive attitudes about blindness. For
instance, doorways often have thresholds that are several inches
high and several inches wide. Similar thresholds are also
sometimes used to border patio areas. In superstitious cultures,
such thresholds are believed to help keep out demons and evil
spirits. However, these thresholds are also difficult to identify
by cane. In addition, Western style sidewalks are nearly
nonexistent. In their place are uneven paths shared by
pedestrians and vehicles. Worse yet, traffic laws are only
sporadically obeyed, creating no discernible traffic pattern.
Perhaps worst of all, open sewers often cut across pathways and
run alongside roadways. These sewers are sometimes several feet
deep and are typically two or three feet across. Needless to say,
the open sewers were highly conducive to my own proper cane use.
  At the conclusion of the seminar in Accra, I left to join the
JAF team in the coastal city of Tema. Each day another team
member, a physical therapist, and I journeyed by van to the
villages of Abouri and Akrapong. My partner was dropped off in
Abouri, and I continued along a winding mountain road that led to
Akrapong. We each had a local guide whose knowledge of the
culture and language was invaluable. For the next four days I
observed our students teaching their own seminars. I was pleased
to see how readily the students embraced what they had been
taught, though I was somewhat embarrassed to observe that they
repeatedly used me as an example of what a blind person could
accomplish.
  We also visited the school for the blind in Akrapong. Unlike
schools for the blind in America, this school is a large facility
serving over 500 students, ranging in age from six to fifty. The
school was originally founded as a Christian institution, but the
demands of such a large facility led to its take-over by the
government. More than fifty tribal languages are spoken in Ghana;
but, because Ghana is a former British colony, its official
language is English. Accordingly, the students are taught Grades
I and II English Braille. As might be expected, handicrafts and
music are heavily emphasized. Cane travel is taught, though it
uses the short cane.
  Unfortunately the school suffers from a serious shortage of
supplies and equipment. It would be unimaginable for a school for
the blind in America not to own a variety of adaptive computers
and Braille printers. By contrast, the school for the blind in
Ghana does not own a single adaptive computer or Braille printer.
Even the most basic supplies, such as Braille paper, are scarce.
  I was also able to visit briefly the school for the deaf in
Mapong, a village only a few miles from Akrapong. Students who
are deaf-blind are sent to this school. The students are taught
American Sign Language and are instructed in basic handicrafts.
The school is a Christian institution and receives some of its
funding from World Vision. Like the school for the blind in
Akrapong, the school for the deaf in Mapong seemed to be a place
of tranquility, where students are sheltered from much of the
harshness they would face elsewhere in Ghana. However, I left
both facilities having to console myself that instruction in
music and handicrafts is a positive alternative to begging--since
American standards of education and independence do not apply in
Ghana.
  I was also able to visit the heads of the relatively new Ghana
Association of the Blind and the much more established Ghana
Society for the Blind. As their titles imply, the Ghana
Association of the Blind (GAB) is an organization of blind
persons led by the blind, while the Ghana Society for the Blind
(GSB) is a service organization headed by a sighted person. There
is an obvious rivalry between the GAB and the GSB. It was also
readily apparent that the GSB had a closer relationship with the
sighted headmaster at the school for the blind. Of course, this
situation is reminiscent of what is frequently the case in
America. Still it was clear that both the GAB and the GSB are
sincerely dedicated to improving the lives of the blind.
Unfortunately, their efforts are frustrated by a crippling lack
of resources. For instance, the GAB public relations director
does not even own a standard tape recorder, and neither
organization possesses an adaptive computer or Braille printer.
  On my last day in Ghana, I parted with the JAF team to meet
with the leaders of the GAB and GSB again. The JAF team planned
to go to an arts market in Accra, and I rejoined them after my
GAB and GSB meetings. A small entourage of Ghanaians accompanied
me. Up to this time, I had made a point of tactfully declining
assistance from the overly helpful Ghanaians, choosing instead to
walk by myself as much as possible. However, my independence came
to an end as my cane snapped under the wheel of a cart that
abruptly cut across my path. I had brought a spare, but it was
back at the hotel. Suddenly I felt as helpless as the people I
had come to help.
  Wanting to salvage some good from the incident, I decided to
take advantage of the situation to experience what it was like to
be an average blind person in Ghana. I dropped my broken cane in
a trash can, took the arm of a Ghanaian, and began to walk using
a sighted guide. My sensitivity training lasted only a few
minutes, because one especially resourceful member of the
entourage retrieved the cane and used tape and a wooden dowel to
splice it together. Those few moments when I was without a cane
taught me to cherish even more the mobility and independence the
long white cane provides.
  During the long flight home, I thought about the scenes I had
witnessed while in Ghana. I remembered being ignored during the
seminar. I recalled one blind man's emotionally telling me how
difficult it is for blind people to marry. I remembered the
desperate pleas of a blind beggar I had encountered earlier that
day in the market. Perhaps, I reflected, my stay had given me a
glimpse of what it might have been like to be blind in America
during the last century.
  My experiences in Ghana have made me even more appreciative of
the National Federation of the Blind. I am grateful for the
opportunities that it has created for me and other Americans. Yet
I know that we will not have truly changed what it means to be
blind until the blind everywhere are free to live as equals in
their communities and to compete on terms of equality with their
sighted counterparts.

  Author's note: If you would like information about how to
donate materials to the blind in Ghana, you may contact me, Greg
Trapp, at 1330 Louisiana NE, #410, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110;
(505) 266-4016; and e-mail at GTRAPP@ABQ.COM


               _STATEMENT _SUPPORTING _RESIDENTIAL

                    __SCHOOLS FOR THE _BLIND

                     _by _Kenneth _Jernigan

  Recently a resolution supporting residential schools for the
blind as a viable option for blind children was circulated among
organizations in the blindness field. The wonder is not that
eleven groups signed it but that anybody would refuse to do so.
It is better than motherhood and apple pie, with a dollop of ice
cream thrown in.
  So, of course, the National Federation of the Blind signed on.
Certainly no harm can come of it, and probably not much good
either. The problem is that the resolution has no teeth in it, no
specificity. More to the point would be a statement attempting to
set out the particulars of when and under what circumstances the
residential school is appropriate and when mainstreaming is the
right choice.
  Regardless of all that, the resolution is certainly a step in
the right direction, and if there is the slightest controversy
about it, it is unquestionably needed. Here it is:


            __Specialized Schools for Blind _Students

  WHEREAS, schools for the blind have a rich and distinguished
history in providing quality education to blind children and
youths for over 150 years; and
  WHEREAS, these schools are essential if there is to be an array
of placement options, based on individual needs, for children:
    Now, therefore,
  BE IT RESOLVED that those organizations listed below support
specialized schools for the blind as an integral and necessary
placement option in order to guarantee a free and appropriate
education for blind children and youths.

American Council of the Blind (ACB)
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and
Visually Impaired (AER)
Association of Instructional Resource Centers for the Visually
Handicapped (AIRCVH)
Choices for Children (CFC)
Council for Exceptional Children-Division of Visually Impaired
(CEC-DVI)
Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB)
National Agenda Advisory Board Members
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
National Industries for the Blind (NIB)


      __SOCIAL SECURITY, SSI, AND MEDICARE FACTS FOR _1997

                       _by _James _Gashel

  The beginning of each year brings with it annual adjustments in
Social Security programs. The changes include new tax rates,
higher exempt earnings amounts, Social Security and SSI cost-of-
living increases, and changes in deductible and co-insurance
requirements under Medicare. Here are the new facts for 1997:

  __FICA and Self-Employment Tax _Rates: The FICA tax rate for
employees and their employers remains at 7.65 percent. This rate
includes payments to the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund of 6.2 percent and an additional
1.45 percent payment to the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund,
from which payments under Medicare are made. Self-employed
persons continue to pay a Social Security tax of 15.3 percent.
This includes 12.4 percent paid to the OASDI trust fund and 2.9
percent paid to the HI trust fund.
    __Ceiling on Earnings Subject to _Tax: During 1996 the
ceiling on taxable earnings for contributions to the OASDI trust
fund was $62,700. The taxable income ceiling for contributions to
the OASDI trust fund during 1997 will be $65,400. All earnings
are subject to the HI trust fund tax contribution of 1.45 percent
for employees or 2.9 percent for self-employed persons.
    _Quarters _of _Coverage: Eligibility for retirement,
survivors, and disability insurance benefits is based in large
part on the number of quarters of coverage earned by any
individual during periods of work. Anyone may earn up to four
quarters of coverage during a single year. During 1996 a Social
Security quarter of coverage was credited for earnings of $640 in
any calendar quarter. Anyone who earned $2,560 for the year
(regardless of when the earnings occurred during the year) was
given four quarters of coverage. In 1997 a Social Security
quarter of coverage will be credited for earnings of $670 during
a calendar quarter. Four quarters can be earned with annual
earnings of $2,680.
    _Exempt _Earnings: The monthly earnings exemption for blind
people who receive disability insurance benefits was $960 of
gross earned income during 1996. During 1997 the monthly exempt
amount is $1000. Technically, this exemption is referred to as an
amount of monthly gross earnings which does not show "substantial
gainful activity." Earnings of $1000 or more per month before
taxes for a blind SSDI beneficiary in 1997 will show substantial
gainful activity after subtracting any unearned (or subsidy)
income and applying any deductions for impairment-related work
expenses.
  __Social Security Benefit Amounts for _1997: All Social
Security benefits, including retirement, survivors, disability,
and dependents' benefits are increased by 2.9 percent beginning
with the checks received in January, 1997. The exact dollar
increase for any individual will depend upon the amount being
paid.

  __Standard SSI Benefit _Increase: Beginning January, 1997, the
federal payment amounts for SSI individuals and couples are as
follows: individuals, $484 per month; couples, $726 per month.
These amounts are increased from individuals, $470 per month;
couples, $705 per month.

  __Medicare Deductibles and _Co-insurance: Medicare Part A
coverage provides hospital insurance to most Social Security
beneficiaries. The co-insurance payment is the charge that the
hospital makes to a Medicare beneficiary for any hospital stay.
Medicare then pays the hospital charges above the beneficiary's
co-insurance amount.

  The Part A co-insurance amount charged for hospital services
within a benefit period of not longer than sixty days was $736
during 1996 and is increased to $760 during 1997. From the sixty-
first day through the ninetieth day there is a daily co-insurance
amount of $190 per day, up from $184 in 1996. Each Medicare
beneficiary has sixty "reserve days" for hospital services
provided within a benefit period longer than ninety days. The co-
insurance amount to be paid during each reserve day is $380, up
from $368 in 1996.
  Part A of Medicare pays all covered charges for services in a
skilled nursing facility for the first twenty days within a
benefit period. From the twenty-first day through the one
hundredth day within a benefit period, the Part A co-insurance
amount for services received in a skilled nursing facility is $95
per day, up from $92 per day in 1996.
  For most beneficiaries there is no monthly premium charge for
Medicare Part A coverage. Those who become ineligible for Social
Security Disability Insurance cash benefits can continue to
receive Medicare Part A coverage premium-free for thirty-nine
months following the end of a trial work period. After that time
the individual may purchase Part A coverage. The premium rate for
this coverage during 1997 is $311 per month. During 1997 this
premium rate is $187 for individuals who have earned at least
thirty quarters of coverage under Social Security covered
employment.
  The Medicare Part B (medical insurance) deductible remains at
$100 in 1997. This is an annual deductible amount. The Medicare
Part B basic monthly premium rate will increase from $42.50
charged to each beneficiary and withheld from Social Security
checks during 1996 to $43.80 per month during 1997. Medicare Part
B coverage may be continued for people who complete a trial work
period and become ineligible to receive Social Security
Disability Insurance cash benefits. This monthly premium rate is
$43.80, the same amount paid by Social Security beneficiaries
through withholding from their monthly Social Security checks.
  __Programs Which Help with Medicare Deductibles and _Premiums:
Low-income Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for help with
payments. Assistance is available through two programs--QMB
(Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program) and SLMB (Specified Low-
Income Medicare Beneficiary program).
  Under the QMB program states are required to pay the Medicare
Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance)
premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance expenses for Medicare
beneficiaries who meet the program's income and resource
requirements. Under the SLMB program states pay only the full
Medicare Part B monthly premium ($43.80 in 1997). Eligibility for
the SLMB program may be retroactive for up to three calendar
months.
  Both programs are administered by the Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA) in conjunction with the states. In order to
qualify in any state, the income of an individual or couple must
be less than the threshold amount which is announced for each
year. The threshold amount is revised annually to reflect changes
in national poverty level guidelines. The rules vary from state
to state, but in general:

  A person may qualify for the QMB program if his or her
  income is approximately $665 per month for an individual
  and $884 per month for a couple. These amounts apply for
  residents of forty-eight of the fifty states and the
  District of Columbia. In Alaska the income threshold used
  to define poverty is approximately $825 per month for an
  individual and $1,099 per month for couples. In Hawaii
  income must be less than approximately $763 per month for
  an individual and $1,014 per month for couples.
  For the SLMB program the income of an individual or a
  couple cannot exceed the poverty level by more than 20
  percent.
  Resources--such as bank accounts or stocks--may not
  exceed $4,000 for one person or $6,000 for a family of
  two. (Resources generally are things you own. However,
  not everything is counted. The house you live in, for
  example, doesn't count, and in some circumstances your
  car may not count either.)
If you qualify for assistance under the QMB program, you will not
have to pay:
  * Medicare's hospital deductible, which is $760 per benefit
  period in 1997;
  * The daily co-insurance charges for extended hospital and
  skilled nursing facility stays;
  * The Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B) premium, which is
  $43.80 per month in 1997;
  * The $100 annual Part B deductible;
  * The 20 percent co-insurance for services covered by Medicare
  Part B, depending on which doctor you go to.
If you qualify for assistance under the SLMB program, you will
not have to pay:
  * The $43.80 monthly Part B premium.
If you think you qualify but you have not filed for Medicare Part
A, contact Social Security to find out if you need to file an
application. Further information about filing for Medicare is
available from your local Social Security office or Social
Security's toll-free number, (800) 772-1213.
  Remember, only your state can decide if you're eligible for
help from the QMB or SLMB program. So, if you're elderly or
disabled, have low income and very limited assets, and are a
Medicare beneficiary, contact your state or local welfare or
social service agency to apply. For more information about either
program, call HCFA's toll-free telephone number, (800) 638-6833.


                            _RECIPES

  __This month's recipes were submitted by members of the NFB of
_Virginia.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Louise Ruhf]

                     _BAKED _BEAN _CASSEROLE

                        _by _Louise _Ruhf

  __Louise Ruhf is a member of the Potomac Chapter of the
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia and has held chapter
offices, currently serving as a Board Member. She made the baked
bean casserole for the chapter's August picnic, and it was one of
the first dishes to be _emptied.

_Ingredients:
1 1-pound can green lima beans
1 1-pound can large butter beans
1 1-pound can red beans
1 large can pork and beans
1 cup brown sugar
2 heaping teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 onion separated into rings

  _Method: Drain all beans except pork and beans and mix them in
a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Rinse the pork and beans can with
1/2 cup water, and add to casserole. Combine brown sugar,
vinegar, and mustard. Add to casserole and mix thoroughly. Place
the raw bacon on top of casserole, spreading the pieces evenly.
Place the onion rings on top and bake at 350 degrees for 11/2
hours. Casserole can be served hot or cold.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Seville Allen]

                     _BAKED _CHICKEN _BREAST

                       _by _Seville _Allen

  __Seville Allen is First Vice President of the NFB of Virginia
and editor of the affiliate's newsletter, _the NFB Vigilant.

_Ingredients:
8 boneless (preferably skinless) chicken breasts
1 8-ounce cup plain yogurt
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
4 tablespoons white flour
garlic powder and curry powder to taste
1/2 cup dry sherry or wine (optional)

  _Method: In a large mixing bowl combine yogurt and flour and
stir thoroughly. Add undiluted soup and mix well. Add garlic
powder and curry powder. Add sherry or wine and stir mixture
thoroughly. Place washed chicken breasts in a 9-by-13-inch baking
dish. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken, spreading the
sauce evenly. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 11/2 hours, leaving
the dish uncovered. When serving, use a slotted utensil to serve
the chicken. Pour the sauce over rice.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dawnelle Cruze]

                       _HERSHEY _BAR _CAKE

                      _by _Dawnelle _Cruze

  __Dawnelle Cruze is one of the leaders of the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia. She was a founder of the
Tidewater Chapter and served as an officer for twenty years.
Dawnelle currently serves on the Virginia State Library for the
Blind Advisory Committee and participates in many local and
statewide Federation activities. She has a reputation as an
excellent _cook.

_Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
21/2 cups flour
1 8-ounce Hershey bar
1 small can (one cup) Hershey syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt

  _Method: Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan and
preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream butter and
sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Dissolve baking
soda in buttermilk. Add this mixture alternately with flour to
contents of large bowl. Melt Hershey bar and beat into batter.
Add the Hershey syrup. Beat vanilla and salt into batter. Pour
into baking pan and bake ninety minutes at 300 degrees. Cool cake
in pan on rack for at least fifteen minutes before removing from
pan and serving.


                     _SWEET _POTATO _PUDDING

                      _by _Dawnelle _Cruze

_Ingredients:
2 1-pound cans vacuum-packed sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon each ginger and cardamon
1/4 teaspoon each coriander and cloves
1 can pineapple bits
2 large cans mandarin orange slices

  _Method: Mash sweet potatoes, add melted margarine, salt, and
brown sugar, and beat well. Add beaten eggs and milk, beat well.
Beat the spices into mixture. Add the pineapple and mix well.
Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased 21/2-quart dish. Drain the
cans of mandarin oranges and arrange slices evenly on top of
pudding. Bake forty-five minutes at 350 degrees. Serve and enjoy.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Billie Ruth Schlank]

                    _STEAMED _CARROT _PUDDING

                    __by Billie Ruth _Schlank

  __Billie Ruth has held a number of offices in the NFB of
Virginia's Potomac Chapter and currently serves as President of
the Virginia Association to Promote the Use of _Braille.

_Ingredients:
1 cup grated potato
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup raisins
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cloves (or allspice)
1 teaspoon each: baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup currants
1 egg
3/4 cup candied orange peel
1 tart chopped apple, peeled

  _Method: Mix all ingredients together. Steam in a large greased
pudding mold, completely sealed, for three to four hours.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Susan Povinelli]

                      _GERMAN _HONEY _CAKES

                      _by _Susan _Povinelli

  __Susan Povinelli is a member of the Board of Directors of the
Potomac Chapter of the NFB of Virginia. Her husband Larry serves
as chapter _president.

  In the Povinelli home it would not be Christmas without at
least one batch of these cookies.

_Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup almonds or English walnuts, chopped
21/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit

  _Method: Mix all ingredients together. Preheat oven to 370
degrees. Roll dough on floured bread board to about 1/2 inch
thick. Then cut into 11/4 inch by 11/2 inch pieces. Place cookies
on greased cookie sheet. (For those who don't want to bother with
this process, press cookie dough into a jelly roll pan.) Bake for
approximately 30 minutes or until brown. Cookies should spring
back when lightly touched.


                 __ITALIAN RICE WITH _MUSHROOMS

                      _by _Susan _Povinelli

  __Susan Povinelli says, "Here's a simple side dish for your
holiday table. It reminds me of the wonderful rice dishes that we
tasted in Rome and Florence this _fall."

_Ingredients:
4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup Italian rice
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  _Method: Place 4 cups of water in a large pan and add the
bouillon cubes. (You can substitute chicken stock if you wish.)
Place pan over high heat to bring stock to a boil. Add the
mushrooms and cup of rice and reduce heat to low. Simmer for
approximately 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for five to
ten minutes before serving. Makes four servings.


                  __* * MONITOR MINIATURES * _*

__* NFB Web Page Interim _Report:
  The __Braille Monitor, Future _Reflections, the __Voice of the
Diabetic, Walking Alone and Marching _Together, the Kernel Books,
and other NFB materials are now available on the NFB Internet Web
page, http://www.nfb.org This means the philosophy and words of
the Federation are available world-wide to anyone needing
information about blindness.
  If you are looking for information about blindness--the
National Federation of the Blind, technology and computer access
for the blind, literature, books, aids and appliances, or other
materials, Social Security or legislative updates, Job
Opportunities for the Blind, materials for parents of blind
children, or other information--http://www.nfb.org can supply the
need. Surfers can reach several specific topics for further
investigation.
  The NFB Web site is designed to provide information to blind
people themselves, but in addition many requests have come from
educational institutions, federal and state governmental
agencies, the military, and thirty-two foreign countries. In
October alone our Web site received 1,920 contacts, totaling
8,537 pages accessed, including 208 requests from educational
institutions and 45 federal and state agency inquiries. The five
most active areas in October were 1. the _Braille _Monitor, 2.
technology, 3. diabetes, 4. research, and 5. NFB in computer
science.

__* American Communications Network _Workshop:
  Connie Leblond has asked us to carry the following
announcement:
  Everyone is preparing for the upcoming Washington Seminar. On
Sunday, February 2, 1997, those attending the seminar will have
the opportunity to participate in the American Communications
Network (ACN) conference. A number of independent representatives
will be on hand to answer questions. You will meet professionals
in this business who will share their secrets of success. We will
provide detailed information about the American Communications
Network. We will show you how to earn money while making income
for the National Federation of the Blind. We will even show you
how easy it is to make this business work.
  All of those involved in ACN look forward to meeting and
talking with you. If you are interested in discovering a way to
make money by marketing telecommunications services, please
contact the following people so we can have an approximate count
of members who wish to attend. You owe it to yourself to be
informed. Contact Connie Leblond at (207) 772-7305 or Suzie
Stanzel at (913) 339-9114.

__* Transition Calendar _Available:
  The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness
and Low Vision at Mississippi State University has recently
published a new booklet entitled, __Transition Activity Calendar
for Students with Visual _Impairments. This booklet will serve as
a valuable resource to rehabilitation professionals, guidance
counselors, and junior/senior high school students who are blind
or severely visually impaired. Prices are $4.25 for 1 to 10
booklets, $4 for 11 to 20, $3.75 for 21 to 30, $3.50 for 31 to
40, $3.25 for 41 to 50, and $3 for over 51. Send your order to
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low
Vision, P.O. Drawer 6189, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762,
(601) 325-2001 fax, (601) 325-8989 TDD, or (601) 325-8693.

_* _For _Sale:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Full talking-PC package for sale. Includes 486 33Mhz computer,
Artic Business Vision with Symphonics speech card, 8 MB RAM, U.S.
Robotics 14.4 fax modem, 2 hard drives, super VGA color monitor,
Keytronics extended keyboard, Colorado tape backup, 250 MB
system. Software included. Asking $1,200 or best offer. Call Tom
at (714) 490-1044.

__* 1996 Update for the World Series Computer Game _available:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Version II of the award-winning World Series Baseball Game and
information system will be available following the 1996 World
Series. The game is being played in forty-eight states on IBM-
compatible computers with screen readers and synthesizers.
Version II comes with 159 teams, including the 1996 pennant
winners and all-star teams. There are two baseball games and ten
information programs. There are many improvements, most suggested
by users of the game. Baseball action during the game is
described in the words of many of the famous radio and TV
announcers. The cost is still only $15 to new users, $5 for
updates. Send your check to Harry Hollingsworth, 692 S. Sheraton
Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319 or call (330) 644-2421.

__* Raised-line Greeting Cards _Available:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  The Iffin Group is a graphic design company that has produced a
line of Braille greeting cards. The picture on the front of the
cards is raised, and they are printed in bright colors. The
effect is unusually attractive and eye-catching. The inside
message is in both Braille and print.
  The drawings were produced by a young artist blinded by
juvenile diabetes. Six cards are currently available, and six
more are in production. Cards for fall holidays and Christmas are
also forthcoming. Contact the Iffin Group, P.O. Box 8847,
Asheville, North Carolina 28814, (704) 684-6176, (704) 681-1985
fax, or e-mail, IFFINgroup@aol.com

PHOTO: Two people are seated at a restaurant table playing a
board game. CAPTION: People of all ages can enjoy the strategy
and competition of Flexagon.]
__* New Board Game of Strategy _Available:
  We recently received information about an interesting new game
designed to be played tactilely. Called Flexagon(tm), it is a
14-inch by 14-inch hexagon board with twenty-four brightly
colored, one-inch hexagon grooved or ridged chips per player. The
game is commercially marketed at $39.95. It is a great fundraiser
through tournament play at senior and activity centers, with part
of the proceeds benefiting the sponsor. Gib Thompson, the
seventy-three-year-old inventor who created the game, can be
reached at P.O. Box 1413, Paonia, Colorado 81428, or by calling
(970) 256-7353.

__* New Directory _Available:
  We recently received the following press release:
  The Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and
Adults (HKNC) announces the publication of its updated
__Directory of Agencies and Organizations Serving Individuals Who
Are Deaf-Blind, _1996-97, which is designed as a resource and an
aid to parents, professionals, and consumers seeking services
nationwide for individuals who are deaf-blind. The Directory
includes federally funded, public, and privately funded programs;
and the listings appear alphabetically according to state, city,
and name of agency.
  The Directory's information is based on an extensive survey
conducted by HKNC and reflects the participants' responses. The
data include director's name, contact person, geographical
service area, age range of the population served, major services,
communication modes, and agency publications.
  The Directory is available in print or on disk. To order,
please send your check or money order for $25 payable to HKNC (no
purchase orders please) to Community Education Department, HKNC,
111 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, New York 11050, (516) 944-8900
ext. 299 (voice), (516) 944-8637 (TTY).

__* Low-mileage Braille Bookmaker Interpoint Embosser for _Sale:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  This embosser has been used for one-and-a-half years as a demo
by the manufacturer, then for two years as a backup embosser by
Seedlings Braille Books for Children. Asking $2,750. Call Debra
at (800) 777-8552 or e-mail Seedlings at seedlink@aol.com
[PHOTO: Loren Schmitt, in traditional white martial arts
clothing, faces an opponant. CAPTION: Loren Schmitt]
__* Another Black Belt in the Martial _Arts:
  Loren Schmitt, President of the Old Capital Chapter of the NFB
of Iowa, recently sent us an article written by Pat Harty that
appeared in the August 31, 1996, edition of the __Iowa City Press
_Citizen. It dealt with the growing popularity of tae kwon do in
the community and the virtues which the discipline fosters. The
reporter interviewed Loren, who talked a good bit about the
philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. None of that
portion of their conversation was included in the article, but we
can hope that the reporter learned something about the abilities
of blind people anyway. Here is the part of the news story that
described Loren Schmitt's accomplishments:


            __Tae Kwon Do Disciplines Mind and _Body

  . . . Tae kwon do has no boundaries in regard to those who
participate. One of Choe's most inspiring students is Loren
Schmitt, who earned a black belt despite being blind.
  "I had tried tae kwon do before when I lived in Oregon, and I
hadn't done well at it, so I concluded that it was something that
a blind person couldn't do," Schmitt said. "Then I moved here and
met another blind man who was well on his way to a black belt.
  "That took care of what I had thought."
  With help from Choe, a seventh-degree black belt, Schmitt was
able to achieve his dream. He earned a black belt last month,
which culminated an intense two-year training period under Choe's
supervision.
  "If you're careful about it and persistent, you really can do
things that you certainly didn't think you could do initially,"
Schmitt said. . . .

__* Raised-Line Christmas Cards _Available:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Braille Christmas cards with free name personalization are
available. To place an order or request a Braille catalog,
contact Prophecy Designs, P.O. Box 84, Round Pond, Maine 04564,
phone, (207) 529-5318, fax, (207) 529-6418.

__* Service-Learning in _Maryland:
  Last year the Maryland Parents of Blind Children initiated a
service-learning project to meet the needs of blind individuals
and increase awareness of blindness. Service-learning, a method
of acquiring knowledge through hands-on training, is a graduation
requirement for Maryland high school students. MDPOBC is
providing a service-learning opportunity to students while
meeting the needs of blind people. Through a grant from Learn and
Serve America, a federal agency which funds service-learning
programs in grades K through twelve, Barbara Cheadle (President
of the MDPOBC) has initiated service projects with blind and
sighted youth.
  One program, the "Braille Games Project," engages sighted
students in Brailling card games. Last year Bernice Lowder, a
dedicated member of MDPOBC, taught two classes of students and
their teachers to Braille regular playing cards and Uno cards.
Over forty decks were Brailled and sold at cost through the NFB's
Materials Center.
  The project "Blind Youth in Service to the Blind" begins each
year at the Maryland State Convention. At the convention
approximately twelve blind young people and their mentors (young,
blind adults) attend seminars to learn about service-learning and
plan a service project. The students then go back to their
hometowns and complete the project with guidance from their
mentors. Service-learning offers the MDPOBC the unique
opportunity of helping students meet their graduation
requirements while meeting the needs of blind people and
educating the public about blindness.

_* _For _Sale:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  For sale, Keynote Companion Talking Palmtop from Humanware. Has
diary, address book, word processor, calculator, and
communications. Includes carrying case, 2MB memory card, disk
drive, battery pack, and cables, as well as documentation in
Braille, tape, and disk formats. Excellent condition. Asking
$1750. Please contact Alice Lockwood, 15 Winfield Avenue,
Brentwood, New York 11717-1841, (516) 273-3577.

__* Netscape Tutorial _Available:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Did you ever wish that you could explore the Worldwide Web
successfully and browse all those Web sites you hear so much
about? Access to Windows is becoming a must for the blind
community. Due to the increased popularity of Windows, many blind
people now want to browse the Web using Netscape, one of the most
widely used browsers available. Well, toss that mouse aside and
learn all the keyboard commands you need to navigate the Web.
Introducing _Navigating _Netscape, a new tutorial from Magical
Mist Creations. _Navigating _Netscape will take you step by step
through every menu in the Netscape program. You will learn how to
do everything from the most basic commands of the browser to the
more complicated functions that can confuse even the most
experienced Web surfers.
  Topics include how to open a location on the Worldwide Web,
open a local file on your computer, save bookmarks, check your
bookmarked sites for any changes, manage your cache and memory,
navigate through the Netscape mail and news programs, configure
your Netscape browser to suit your needs best, send and receive
E-mail from within Netscape, and configure your browser to accept
plug-ins.
  Each menu item, dialogue box, and text entry field is explained
in easy-to-understand language that will have you navigating the
Web like a pro in no time!
  _Navigating _Netscape is available by check, money order, or
credit card. Each tutorial is spiral-bound and printed in large
type. For large print with 3.5 disk, $50; large print with
4-track cassette, $50; or Braille, $50. For credit card orders
call (800) 936-0001 or send check or money order to Tom Baccanti,
2400 E. Lincoln, #150, Anaheim, California 92806-4260.

__* Fordham School of Law Scholarship _Available:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Fordham University School of Law is offering a scholarship for
a totally blind student who commences studies at the Law School
in the fall of 1997. The scholarship covers partial tuition for
each of three years, provided that the student maintains a GPA of
at least 2.30.
  This scholarship, which was initiated through the efforts of
Amy Reiss, assists needy blind students in obtaining a Juris
Doctor degree from Fordham Law School.
  The Law School will work with the recipient of the Amy Reiss
Blind Student Scholarship, as well as other totally and legally
blind students, to ensure attention to their particular needs.
The Law School Library has an Arkenstone reading system and a
Braille printer.
  Students interested in the scholarship should apply to the Law
School by contacting the Financial Aid Office at (212) 636-6815
or by writing to the Financial Aid Office at 140 West 62nd
Street, Room 125, New York, New York 10023.
  An interested student should also send an essay not exceeding
1,000 words in which he or she discusses any topic of the
student's choice. The essay should, however, include pertinent
information about why the student believes that he or she should
be awarded the scholarship. The essay should be sent to Amy L.
Reiss, c/o Morrison Cohen Singer & Weinstein, LLP, 750 Lexington
Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

_* _Elected:
  The National Federation of the Blind of California elected
officers on November 3, 1996 at its annual convention in Oakland.
Elected were Jim Willows, President; Donovan Cooper, First Vice
President; Nancy Burns, Second Vice President; Jana Littrell,
Secretary; and Nick Medina, Treasurer. Elected to serve on the
Board were Rosye Manning, Bryan Bashin, Joseph Lopez, John Bates,
and Maurine Barcelo.

__* Chess Tournament by _Mail:
  The U.S. Braille Chess Association (USBCA) will hold a
correspondence chess tournament beginning January 1, 1997. For
further information contact Al Pietrolungo at (410) 529-9475.

__* Looking for _Assistance:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Eighty-two-year-old woman would like to borrow a closed circuit
television system to help in reading. Limited income. Please
help. Thank you. Call Laura at (615) 646-2610.

_* _For _Sale:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  486 IBM-compatible computer, VGA monitor, 220 MB hard drive,
internal modem, mouse, two floppy drives, four active com ports,
Braille and speech software, DOS 6.1, games, popular spreadsheet
software, asking $995 or best offer.
  VersaBraille II with software and two external disk drives. It
can be used as a stand-alone unit or as a Braille display with an
IBM computer or compatible, asking $1,595 or best offer.
  For more information call Kit Lau at (510) 653-6343.

__* Attention Blind Parents of Deaf _Children:
  Peter Russillo, Vice President of the Martin Chapter of the NFB
of Florida, and his wife Loni recently wrote to the _Braille
_Monitor as follows:
  We are parents of a high-school-age deaf child. We would like
to correspond with other blind parents who have sighted, deaf
school-age children in order to network and share experiences of
raising a deaf child as blind parents. Our address is Peter and
Loni Russillo, 950 Colorado Avenue, Apartment A-10, Stuart,
Florida 34994. The phone number is (561) 288-3715. You can leave
messages on the answering machine since we are at work during the
day.

_* _Elected:
  Sheila Johnson, Secretary of the San Diego East County Chapter
of the NFB of California, reports the following election of
officers: Joseph Lopez, President; Lisa Irving, Vice President;
Sheila Johnson, Secretary; and Maria Deer, Treasurer. Linda
Gwizdak and Ivan Weich were elected as Board members.

_* _For _Sale:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Optacon with soft pack, in excellent condition. If interested,
write Bob Rehahn, 1312 S.E. 40th Street, Cape Coral, Florida
33904, (941) 549-2600, evenings and weekends after 5:00 p.m. and
before 10:30 p.m. EST.

__* DOS Versions of CD ROM Titles _Needed:
  We were recently contacted by a professor in Sri Lanka
interested in using CD ROM technology. His computer system runs
under DOS, and he has no chance of upgrading it. Here is his
request:
  If you are willing to sell DOS versions (not Windows) of the CD
ROM titles mentioned in the following list, contact Wimal
Weerakkody, Associate Professor, Department of Western Classics,
Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Here is the list: __The Bible and _Religions, _California
_Collection, _Computer _Reference _Library, _Electronic _Home
_Library, _Encyclopedia _of _Sound, __Greatest Books Ever
_Written, __History of the _World, _Magazine _Rack (1990),
_Reader's _Library, and _WordPerfect _6.0b, program and
documentation.

__* Personal Organizer _Software:
  We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
  Acrontech announces the Personal Organizer, an integrated
software package which is simple to use. It is designed
specifically for individuals who rely on large-print, Braille, or
speech devices.
  Writing a letter, scheduling appointments, balancing a
checkbook, and accessing an address book to print an envelope are
daily tasks which can be performed quite effectively even by the
inexperienced computer user.
  The Personal Organizer was recently demonstrated at the World
Blind Union conference in Toronto. The simplicity of the program
is what impressed those who observed the demonstration. One of
the visitors commented, "Acrontech has incorporated the most
useful functions of many other programs into one software
package." This program is ideal for use at home, the office, or
both.
  One of the key features of the Personal Organizer is the unique
screen presentation of menus and entry fields. Information is
displayed vertically, taking up only a portion of the screen,
which can be magnified or easily read by speech- or Braille-
output devices. Until now, writing a check on your own checkbook
with speech or Braille was virtually unheard of by computer
users. The Personal Organizer allows you to keep track of all
your personal expenses confidentially and independently.
  All modules of the Personal Organizer are based on a simple
operational concept; therefore, if you can write a letter, you
can also file data, book appointments, write checks, and print
envelopes. At the low introductory price of $295, Personal
Organizer may be the only application software you need.
  For a free demo copy of Personal Organizer, contact Acrontech,
Williamsville, New York (716) 854-3814 or Acrontech, Toronto,
Ontario (416) 467-6800 or (800) 245-2020, Web site:
http://www.acrontech.com or e-mail: acrontec@idirect.com
































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