THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR, October 1986

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

by Sharon Maneki

The twentieth annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland was held during the weekend of September 5, 6 and 7, at the Hilton Hotel in Columbia. It was a time of both celebration and planning for the coming year.  We had much to celebrate. On Friday evening, we had a legislative party to celebrate our victory of convincing the Maryland General Assembly to pass four bills. Thanks to our efforts, the law prohibiting insurance discrimination on the basis of blindness was strengthened, a law guaranteeing the payment of the minimum wage for workers at BISM was passed and two proposals to strengthen the White Cane law were also passed. These were: injunctive relief for a person who is being discriminated against, and the establishing of a task force to study the White Cane law to find better methods of enforcement, etc. The convention banquet on Saturday evening was also a time of celebration. As an expression of appreciation and pride in Dur new national President, Mr. Marc Maurer received an engraved door knocker. Through his leadership, the National Federation of the Blind will continue to open doors of opportunity for blind persons.

Several other awards and scholarships were presented. Two service organizations, the Knights of Columbus, Columbia Council, and the Laurel Lions Club, received special awards for providing transportation for members to attend meetings of our Central Maryland Chapter. The Equal Employment Opportunity Award was presented to the National Security Agency for its record of offering employment opportunities to blind persons for more than

20 years.

 

This year, we had three scholarship winners.  Diane Vaughn, a junior at UMBC, received $1,000. Stephanie Brown, a freshman at Towson State University, received $700. Lily Lee, a freshman at Welsley University, received $500. We are very proud of these winners and are sure that they will be successful in their endeavors.

Funding our movement is vital. Therefore, everyone who participates in the PAC plan received a carnation at the banquet to recognize their valuable assistance. We are especially glad that several people joined PAC for the first time, while many others increased their monthly contributions.

The high point of every banquet is the address of our national representative. Fred Schroeder gave an extremely inspiring address that gave each of us much to think about. Fred described the challenge of living Federation philosophy every day.  Do our actions show that we believe that blindness is really only a nuisance? Fred accepted the challenge of living Federation philosophy and his words will help each of us to become better federationists.

Some of the goals of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland are outlined in the seven resolutions at the end of this issue. The following officers and board members were elected at the Sunday morning session of the convention. President Sharon Maneki; First Vice President, Althea Pittman; Second Vice President, Ron Metenyi; Secretary, Mary Ellen Reihing; Treasurer, Judy Rasmussen; Board Members, Ron Burns; Al Carter; Carlene McKenzie; Brenda Williams. The two remaining Board Members are Leroy Benny Bagwell and Pat Weinbrenner.

 

There was one somber note at the convention.  On September 4th, Kevin Worley of Missouri was arrested simply because he wanted to buy a full fare ticket rather than a half fare ticket at a Trailways bus Station.  This incident is a sober reminder of how much we need to do and how important the National Federation of the Blind is to us. As we left the convention, our spirits were renewed and we were ready to face the challenges ahead.

 

 

INITIATIVES WITH THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL

by Sharon Maneki

 

When Gary Abrams, Manager of Employee Services at the Maryland State Department of Personnel, addressed our annual state convention, he came in a spirit of friendship.

He thanked us for our assistance in defeating the Medical Advisory Board proposal.  He also offered to improve communication between the department and the NFB to lessen the difficulties blind people have in applying for and getting state government jobs.  A follow-up meeting between the NFB and high level personnel officials has already taken place. Some examples of progress are the department's willingness to have the medical director consult the National Federation of the Blind when questions about reasonable accommodation for a blind person occur. The Equal Opportunity Office of the Department of Personnel will distribute our JOB materials throughout the state.

 

I encourage everyone who is looking for work to apply for as many jobs as possible through the Department of Personnel. For vacancy announcements, call 383-4044. To get applications, call 225-4848. If you want a staff specialist to evaluate your resume to see which jobs you qualify for, write or visit the recruitment office located in room 508, 301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.  If there is no vacancy announcement for a job that you want, ask to have your name placed in the interest file by calling 225-4927 or 800-492-7845 on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. The department will notify you when a vacancy occurs so that you can apply.

 

Please let Mary Ellen Reihing, Assistant Director of JOB, know when you apply for a job through this department and what happens as you go through the process. We hope that more blind people will find work in the coming months.

 

BLIND FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO LEARN BRAILLE

(Reprinted from the Columbia Flier, September 18, 1986.)

 

When Sharon Maneki walks into a room at the Columbia Hilton to attend a meeting of the National Federation of the Blind, she uses a cane to guide her steps.

 

When she sits down to listen to a speaker she takes out a small stack of clean paper, a stylus and a mechanism that looks like a 1-uler.  The "ruler," called a Braille slate, has holes in it which fit the distinct symbols used for the Braille alphabet. Maneki, who is blind, uses it to guide the stylus as she takes notes.

 

When the speech begins, her hands move quickly and the stylus makes a soft, rhythmic punching noise, like the sound of a thumbtack being pressed in place, removed, and pressed in place again.

When the speech is finished, Maneki removes the paper, turns it over and runs her fingers over the Braille words she has formed. 

 

Almost every one of the more than 150 people who attended the NFB convention here earlier this month was blind. Yet, there were few tape recorders in the Hilton meeting room. No one needed to preserve word for word all the introductions, arguments, laughter and applause of the three-day event. Instead, like Maneki, many used the Braille note-taking method to jot down a few memories of the weekend.

Surprisingly, only about 3¼ of the blind population know how to use Braille.       And today, the majority of children who are legally blind are not being taught these basic Braille skills. If a child has any vision at all, educators argue that it is better to ignore Braille education and teach him or her to read print.

Members of the National Federation of the Blind vehemently disagree.

One of the most emotional exchanges at the NFB convention occurred when representatives of the Maryland School for the Blind and the Maryland State Department of Education tried to explain their position on Braille education to the room full of blind people.

 

If it had not been for the restraining words of the meeting’s moderator, the audience would probably have jeered Richard Welsh, superintendent of the Maryland School for the Blind.  During the most recent General Assembly in Annapolis, Welsh and representatives of the state education department testified against legislation proposed by the NFB which would have 'made Braille available to all blind students.

At   the Hilton conference, Welsh  tried a position on teaching Braille. Although they are classified as blind according to Maryland law, “the vast majority of children do have useful vision," Welsh said.

And because print is used for newspapers, telephone directories and memos from the boss, “This should be the reading medium of choice for a child who has partial sight,” he said.

Welsh barely touched on the NFB’s major counters to his argument.

How close should a child hold the paper to his eyes? Wouldn’t a child with vision weak enough to be classified as blind be easily subject to eye fatigue? And what happens in the horrible instance when a child’s eyesight continues to fail and he or she becomes totally blind by the teen years?

 

Despite these objections, Welsh insisted that it would be unwise to teach Braille and print reading simultaneously. "If a student is spending half his time on Braille and half his time on print he may end up with only half the speed and accuracy," Welsh argued.

 

There are about 200 students at the Maryland School for the Blind, Welsh said. In addition, approximately 400 "visually impaired" students are educated in the state’s public school system.

 

"We do not oppose the use of Braille," insisted Richard Steinke, director of the division of special education of the Maryland State Department of Education.  "What we're concerned about is putting it in a state definition of special education."

Steinke argued that parents have the right to request Braille education for their children under the current procedures for special education.

But Kenneth Jernigan, a blind man from the national office of the NFB, argued that blind children and their parents are “conditioned to believe that it is more normal to read print.”

Many children could read Braille comfortably and rapidly except that there is a "tendency on the schools’ part to condition the child to believe that Braille is an inferior form of reading," Jernigan said. Moreover, the NFB representatives argued that teachers of the blind are equipped to teach Braille. Why not require teachers of the blind to complete the free course for Braille transcribers that is available through the Library of Congress? Why not teach Braille as a second language, in the same way that French or Spanish is taught concurrently with English? They asked. "Without Braille education much of the literacy available to blind people is out of reach," NFB board member Fred Schraeder said. "You've got to have a good Braille program if you want blind people to be successful," he added.

 

Al Maneki, Sharon's husband, agreed.  He is a mathematician with the U.S. government who depends on Braille for everything from writing outlines of reports to jotting down telephone numbers.  Yet, Al has partial vision. He has light perception but no depth perception.

"In today's setting, with the minimal vision I have, I would not have been taught Braille," he said and almost shuddered at the thought.

 

Even though modern technology can magnify the printed word so that it is six inches high, that is not practical for writing down a phone number or notes in a college lecture hall, Al insisted.

Braille gives a blind person a way to communicate with himself, AL explained. “Even experts don’t understand what an efficient tool Braille is for the blind,” he said. 

For more information about the NFB call the Manekis at 992-9608.

 

FROM THE GROUND FLOOR UP

by Judy Rasmussen

 

"How will you do your laundry? How much education do you have?        How will you cook?" Who do you suppose would ask these questions? A prospective employer?  A friend wanting to know more about how you function as a blind person? Someone you meet on the street? If you guessed any of the above, you're wrong. Just a few weeks ago these questions were asked of Pat Gormley, a blind member of the Sligo Creek Chapter, as he applied to rent an apartment in Prince Georges County. Pat had located an apartment on the second floor of a building which was convenient to shopping and public transportation. The landlord stated to Pat, that she did not want to rent him the apartment because it was on the second floor, and her insurance company would not allow it. She was concerned that Pat would not be able to exit safely should a fire occur. Even after Pat’s assurances that he had successfully negotiated stairs all his life, the landlord still refused to rent him the apartment. She suggested that Pat might wish to rent another apartment in another building she owned, this apartment being located on the first floor. Pat did look at this apartment, but felt that it was not nearly as convenient to transportation and shopping, and advised the landlord that he preferred the apartment on the second floor.

Pat was in constant touch with the Sligo Creek Chapter. The landlord confirmed to me that everything Pat had stated was true. She suggested that about her insurance rates.

 

The landlord’s attorney stated to me that he would also be concerned about renting an apartment on the second floor of a building to a blind person. He suggested that maybe "special bells" could be placed in Pat's apartment in addition to the smoke detector. He did agree, however, that the landlord could not discriminate by only letting blind people live on certain floors, but there was still the problem of fire. The attorney was advised that, should Pat not be allowed to rent the apartment, and since Pat qualified in every way, the Sligo Creek Chapter, NFB, planned to contact the press and file a complaint with the Prince Georges County Human Relations Commission.

The landlord agreed that Pat was qualified for the apartment, but she stated that since she served on the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, she was not allowed to accept tenants applying for low-income housing in Prince Georges County.  After checking further with the proper agency officials, we found that this was not true. We were to 1 d that the 1andlord could accept low income tenants in Prince Georges County. The landlord had run out of arguments-- Pat was qualified for the apartment, the landlord could not discriminate by only allowing blind people to live on certain floors, and the landlord could accept low income tenants in Prince Georges County. After much consultation, the landlord agreed to rent Pat the apartment. On October 3, 1986, Pat telephoned me and stated that he had been given the keys to the apartment, and that he could move in the next week.

 

You would think that landlords and attorneys would be familiar with the civil rights of minorities by now.  You would also think that an attorney who represents several landlords in our area would not consider that it was necessary to have "special bells" in someone's apartment, in addition to the smoke detector which the landlord is required to maintain. It is astounding to me that this landlord has been in my office negotiating cases and, presumably, treating me as an equal. Yet, if I had applied for an apartment in one of her buildings, she would have asked me the same questions.  It would not have mattered whether I was a highly paid executive or someone receiving SSI, I was still blind, and she would not have rented to me.

 

I believe that if it had not been for the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Pat Gormley would not have been allowed to rent the apartment. As Delegate Elijah Cummings so aptly stated in his speech at the national convention, "as long as one of us is enslaved, none of us is free."

 

CHAPTER REPORTS

 

MOUNTAIN CITY: 

We are still holding on. Things are beginning to look a little better. We have some hope of getting some fund raisers started within the not too distant future.

We have one new member whom many of you met at the State Convention. Also, we are hoping to get one or two others. Some of our sighted members have fallen by the wayside but we are hoping they won't desert us completely.

 

Have faith in us. We'll make it! (Carlene McKenzie)

 

EASTERN SHORE:

The Eastern Shore Chapter has a membership of 41 members. We started a year-round fundraiser, selling homemade baked goods, coffee, and ice cream sandwiches at BISM Salisbury Plant. The chapter had its annual Gospel Sing, a bake sale, a yard sale, and raffle.

The Eastern Shore Chapter sent our vice president to the national convention. 

We attended the Day In Annapolis in great numbers last January. (Benny Bagwell).

BALTIMORE:

At first glance it might seem that food is the topic of this Baltimore Chapter report, food for funding and food for fun. We began our summer with a fund-raising dinner which brought in nearly one thousand dollars. We ended it with a September meeting and picnic attended by more than 150 people. In the meantime we wrote letters on sheltered shop legislation and traveled to Washington for hearings about the exploitation of blind workers, swelled the ranks of the Maryland delegation at our national convention in Kansas City, and dealt with a host of other matters. 

This is a political year, and though the Federation does not engage in elective politics, many people running for elective office have learned that the NFB chapter meeting is a place to meet active blind individuals and to seek their individual support. A number of candidates visited the Baltimore Chapter in the months before the primary.

 

So did a representative of the MTA. Blind people talked about our problems in dealing with public transit, particularly the fact that the information center is closed on weekends. We have established contacts with the Transit Authority which should help us make progress in the future.

The Walk-A-Thon began our fall activities.  NAC-tracking, nut sales, civil rights issues, recruitment, and encouragement of newly blind people, all will ensure that our schedules will be full as we plan for 1987. (Mary Ellen Reihing)

SLIGO CREEK:

We have enjoyed a busy and active summer. In July several of our members attended the national convention. Eight new members toured the National Center along with the Central Maryland Chapter. We lived up to our reputation as good eaters, as we heartily enjoyed a picnic in August with the Central Maryland Chapter.

 

Fund-raising is on our minds this fall, as we are getting ready to sell nuts. Several nut sales are planned at local Giant Food stores.

We had two first-time attendees at our state convention, and both have expressed interest 1n attending the national convention.

As most of you heard at the state convention, several of us have been teaching a young man Braille. It has been a rewarding experience, and we were glad to hear at convention that other chapters are doing the same.

In the next few months, we plan to contact blind people in the Prince Georges County area to strengthen our membership there (Lloyd Rasmussen)

PARENTS OF BLIND CHILDREN:

At the State Convention, we had a very successful luncheon meeting. One of the highlights was Fred Schoeder's presentation and video of the program for blind children in New Mexico. It was exciting to see what children can do when they have the opportunity for good Braille and cane travel instruction.

The following officers were elected.  Arlene Gashel, President; Chris Griffin, Vice President; Marla Miller, Secretary; John Cheadle, Treasurer; Maureen Short, Barry Riedman and Judy Rasmussen, Board members. (Arlene Gashel)

 

WALKING FOR THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

by Patricia Maurer

 

The Baltimore Chapter held its annual Walk-A-Thon on Sunday, September 28. The walkers began at Baltimore's Inner Harbor, traveling to Fort McHenry, to our National Center, and back to the Harbor.

 

Members of the chapter manned the check points.  We had a great time.  Each participant got a T-shirt. Prizes were given away to walkers including a 19-inch color television set donated by Marlin Corp.  The winner of the television set was Andrea Gashel.

 

The Orioles not only provided us with prizes but the Bird came to the Walk-A-Thon.  He kissed the girls and hugged the kids. Music was provided by the Inner Vision, a group of musicians who happen to be blind. Charles Cook, who most of us know is talented with computers, showed his talent with the banjo and hammer dulcimer.  The Sebree Ensemble, a band from Catonsville Community College also entertained us.

As you can see, the Walk-A-Thon was lots of fun.  If all pledges are collected we will raise approximately $5,000 for the National Federation of the Blind. The walk demonstrates that the blind are capable since our own members walked.  What a good way to tell our story and raise money for the National Federation of the Blind!

 

SPECKS

 

We sorrowfully report the recent deaths of Georgia Norford, Lugretta Marshall, and Sarah Eby of Hagerstown, and Eatrice Richardson of Salisbury.

At the meeting of the Board of Directors, held on Saturday, October 4, 1986 in Cumberland, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland honored Delegate Casper Taylor of the Second Legislative District with our Legislative Service Award. Delegate Taylqr was recognized for his outstanding work in securing the passage of anti-discrimination legislation in insurance for the blind, during the 1986 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

 

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION 86-1

 

WHEREAS, blind air travelers have been consistently victimized by discriminatory treatment by the airline industry; and

WHEREAS, we have repeatedly brought this to the attention of officials within the Department of Transportation and asked that the Department adopt policies which prohibit unfair treatment of blind passengers; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation had chosen to take an affirmative stand in the support of the civil rights of the blind, but has chosen to issue a notice of questions in the Federal Register; and

WHEREAS, the request for comments is worded in such a way that the burden of proof is placed upon the blind air traveler who must prove competence before being permitted to travel without discrimination, instead of placing the burden of proof on the airlines who have chosen to discriminate against the blind: Now, therefore,

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization is opposed to the segregation implied by the notice of questions issued by the United States Department of Transportation on August 22, 1986; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demands that the discriminatory notice of questions be withdrawn and that the Department of Transportation adopt a policy which is consistent both with law and fact that blind people are assumed to be competent.

 

 

RESOLUTION 86-2

 

WHEREAS, the Maryland Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped should be a vital tool in the advancement of blind Marylanders from second class to equality in society; and

WHEREAS, the potential of the Library as a source of essential information has never been recognized, let alone realized, by the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Services; and

WHEREAS, the Library is currently housed in rented space which is not maintained even to minimal standards of decency--it is unventilated; it leaks; its electrical system frequently malfunctions; its heating and air conditioning system works poorly when it works at all; and

WHEREAS, the Director of the Library is not even permitted to spend his full time on services to blind people, but must deal with other Division of Library Services business as well; and

WHEREAS, the Director of the Library has no control over its budget; and

WHEREAS, although the proposed 1988 budget contains the same amount of money as the 1987 budget, $140,000.00 has been eliminated from state funding and replaced with federal funds which are vulnerable to Gramm-Rudman budget cuts, thereby shrinking the funding base; and

WHEREAS, the staff of the Library, although dedicated, is too small to adequately handle basic service obligations to patrons and cannot begin to develop innovative collection building; and

WHEREAS, a staff position for a computer operator was eliminated by the Governor: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled   this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization calls upon the Assistant Superintendent, Division of Library Services, to re-structure the Division's administration so that the Director of the Library for     the Blind and Physically Handicapped has its administration as his sole responsibility; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urges the Maryland State Department of Education to increase the base state funding for the Library so that it will no longer be dependent on vulnerable federal Library Service and Construction Act funds; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization calls upon the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Services to allocate additional staff positions so that the Library for the Blind can not only meet current service obligations, but also can begin aggressive collection development; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we emphatically insist that top priority be given to acquiring a new building for this Library and that no other library capital improvement be undertaken until the Library for the Blind is decently housed.

 

 

 

RESOLUTION 86-3

 

 

WHEREAS, the awarding of a high school diploma implies that the recipient of that diploma possesses basic reading and writing skills; and

WHEREAS, the Maryland State Department of Education requires that students pass competency tests in reading and writing for graduation; and

WHEREAS, blind and visually impaired students often lack these skills, yet often pass these tests because these tests are administered with spoken instructions and spoken responses; and 

WHEREAS, blind and visually impaired students are denied the opportunity to be literate because they are not taught such alternative techniques as braille and typing: Now, therefore,

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization urges the Maryland State Department of Education to adopt regulations to prohibit the use of spoken instructions and spoken responses in the administering of competency tests for reading and writing and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urges the Maryland State Department of Education to mandate that every local school district provide adequate instruction in braille and typing to all blind and visually impaired students.

 

 

RESOLUTION 86-4

 

WHEREAS, S2147, (a bill making sheltered workshops eligible for contracts under the Small Business Administration) fails to require sheltered workshops to undertake needed reforms in the treatment of their employees in order to qualify for small business contracts; and

WHEREAS, sheltered workshops frequently exploit the handicapped employees they were created to serve, by paying subminimum wages and denying upward mobility; and

 

WHEREAS, if sheltered workshops want to participate in small business opportunities, then they should operate as competitive small businesses and provide comparable benefits to their employees; and

 

WHEREAS, Senator Paul Sarbane co-sponsored S2147, then ignored the requests of blind constituents to withdraw his co-sponsorship, and also failed to offer amendments to S2147 proposed by the National Federation of the Blind; and

 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is the largest organization of blind consumers in Maryland, and represents an important and unique perspective that deserves serious consideration: Now, therefore,

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization condemns and deplores Senator Sarbane's insensitivity to the plight of blind sheltered shop employees; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urges Senator Sarbane to consult with representatives of the National Federation of the Blind before taking positions on sheltered workshop legislation.

 

 

 

RESOLUTION 86-5

 

WHEREAS, Bill Pritchard was a Federationist of deep commitment and great understanding; and

 

WHEREAS, through his efforts many blind Marylanders found competitive employment; and

 

WHEREAS, Bill Pritchard was killed in a tragic accident: Now, therefore,

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization establish an award to be known as the Bill Pritchard Memorial Award, to be given from time to time to aid blind people with expenses in finding employment or beginning a job.

 

RESOLUTION 86-6

 

    WHEREAS, employment of the blind in every aspect of our economy, including the management and operation of franchise businesses, has long been a central goal of the National Federation of the Blind; and

WHEREAS, inclusion of the blind in non-discriminatory provisions of state and federal civil rights laws is an important step in prohibiting discrimination in employment; and

 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of California has urged the introduction and worked for the passage of assembly bill 4260, legislation which would include the blind in the state's civil rights law, and thus prohibit discrimination in employment, including the granting of franchises; and

 

WHEREAS, the Zone Manager of the Southland Corporation, a nation-wide corporation which owns 7-11 Stores, lobbied the California Legislature against AB4260 on the false and discriminatory notion that blind people could not operate a 7-11 Store; and

 

 

 

WHEREAS, the negative attitude about blindness displayed by the Southland Corporation's Zone Manager is dramatic evidence of the need for the passage of anti-discrimination legislation; and

WHEREAS, thousands of blind people, many of them in the state of Maryland, operate businesses under a franchise system, and a number of well qualified blind people may wish to apply for 7-11 franchises; and

 

WHEREAS, the negative concepts about the capabilities of blind people expressed by the Southland Corporation Zone Manager, if they represent the views of the Corporation as a whole •ill seriously limit future opportunities for blind Marylanders: 1ow, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization calls upon the Southland Corporation to repudiate statements made by its California Zone Manager and to take steps to encourage qualified blind individuals to become 7-11 franchise holders.

 

RESOLUTION 1986-7

 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has increasingly sought to include deaf-blind members in our organization’s activities; and

 

WHEREAS, seminars have been held by our Nebraska Affiliate to teach blind persons finger spelling and other techniques used for communicating with the deaf-blind; and

 

WHEREAS, these techniques, if used, are instrumental in enabling deaf-blind individuals to participate actively in our Affiliate: Now, therefore,

 

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this seventh day of September, 1986, in the City of Columbia, Maryland, that this organization work in conjunction with our National Committee on the Deaf-Blind to hold seminars and workshops so that the successful efforts of our Nebraska Affiliate can be repeated here in Maryland.