The Braille Spectator Winter 1989

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045Winter, 1989

 

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage Paid Baltimore, MD Permit No. 7532

 

Address Correction Requested

 

Alfred Maneki

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

 

 

THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Inc.

Winter, 1989

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, is a non-profit organization of blind people whose purpose is to promote equal opportunities for the blind. We provide advocacy services for the blind, special training programs for parents of blind children, job referrals and placements for the blind, public education programs, scholarships to blind students, and help the newly blinded to acquire special techniques for maintaining productive lives.

 

Please address inquiries to:

NFB of Maryland

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

phone (301)992-9608

 

Please send donations to:

NFB of Maryland

11909 Coronada Place

Kensington, MD 20895

 

The Braille Spectator is published quarterly for members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland and others who share an interest in the work of this organization. The recorded edition, available on cassette, can be obtained from the editor upon request. Cassettes may be returned to the National Center for the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230.

Changes of address and additions to the circulation list should be sent to the editor. Address all news items, articles and letters to the editor.

Althea Carter, Editor The Braille Spectator 9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

 

Officers:

Sharon Maneki, President Columbia, Maryland

Althea Carter, First Vice President Baltimore, Maryland

Barry Hond, Second Vice President Baltimore, Maryland

Mary Ellen Reihing, Secretary Baltimore, Maryland

Judy Rasmussen, Treasurer Kensington, Maryland

 

Members of the Board of Directors:

Leroy Bagwell, Salisbury, Maryland

Pat Mayweather Lanham, Maryland

Al Carter, Annapolis, Maryland

Carleen McKenzie, Frostburg, Maryland

Pat Winebrenner, Frostburg, Maryland

Brenda Williams, Baltimore, Maryland

 

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLIND PERSONS IN MARYLAND REMAIN BLEAK

Federationists will recall that after BISM abruptly closed its training program on September 1, 1987, the Training Review Panel was created to study what BISM should do about training blind persons in Maryland. The NFB was not invited to participate on this panel until members of the Maryland General Assembly insisted that we be included.

The panel's first action was to waste $10,000 on a needs assessment survey by Ed Rush of the American Foundation for the Blind. This survey found out what the blind have known for years--services in Maryland are extremely poor because of the incompetence of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Mr. Rush found that the former training program at BISM was quite good--80% of the graduates of the program are in competitive employment.

After much delay, some of the members of the panel wrote an unsatisfactory proposal for the BISM training program. Since the panel afforded no opportunity for discussion and even refused to accept public comment, James Gashel, the NFB representative, wrote a minority report outlining the deficiencies in the proposal.

At our insistence, the BISM Board of Trustees finally held a public hearing on Wednesday, January 25, 1989, to consider the panel's training proposal. Over 100 persons, NFB members in the majority, attended this hearing. Unfortunately, only nine of our

23 witnesses were able to testify. Only seven of eleven Trustees were present. After three hours, the Trustees clearly had enough, and the hearing was ended, despite the crowd's wishes to continue. If the Trustees were listening at all, they would have heard that the graduates strongly believed that the former training program should be continued; they would have heard that blind consumers, even non-NFB members, found much to commend in the old training program and in the minority report; they would have heard that the only support for the proposed training program is coming from the "professionals," primarily sighted persons who make their living off blindness, and who only think that they know what is best for us.

Will the BISM Board of Trustees listen to the blind? Will the BISM Board of Trustees listen to the "sighted experts"? We don't yet know the answer to this question. One thing is certain: we will continue to fight for a good training program for the blind of Maryland until we get one.

 

Testimony by Pat Gormley:

My name is Patrick Gormley and I am writing in lieu of testimony I did not have the opportunity to present last night. I am writing in opposition to the majority report and in favor of the changes recommended in the minority report of Mr. Gashel. I am a graduate of the training program.  I was at BISM from

September 1977 to May 1978. I am now successfully employed at Legal Services Corporation in Washington DC. I've been working there for 5 months, but if this program had not been around, I couldn't have developed the confidence I now have in my own abilities and would not have developed the courage to obtain the job that I currently hold. While I was at BISM and after I left the training program, two people were instrumental in this confidence building process. They were Don Stiffler and the late Bill Pritchard. Don's counseling expertise made me realize that I was selling myself short in many areas and that I shouldn't let my fears prevent me from venturing into new areas. Bill's help occurred during the day to day process of filing 171's and sending out resumes when I was experiencing nothing but rejection by employers. He also encouraged me to move into an area where I could more actively hunt for a job using public transportation. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a note on my answering machine at {301) 927-3467 with a daytime telephone number and I will return your call.

 

Testimony by Jamal Mazrui:

As a graduate of BISM, I would like to respond to the report of the training panel and have my comments entered into the record for discussion at the January 25 meeting.

I took a year off from my college education at Princeton to be a student in the rehabilitation program from February 1982 to January 1984. I took classes in Braille, travel, cooking, typing, wood shop, and attitudes.

My experience at BISM was very valuable to my life. It gave me the skills and mind to return to Princeton and complete a joint degree in applied mathematics and public affairs. I had gained an interest in public affairs partly due to some of the field experiences at BISM in which we traveled to attend and participate in legislative hearings on bills to improve the lives of blind people. My yearning to further develop my leadership and analytical skills led me to do a Master's Degree in public policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Last June I graduated from the Kennedy School and have been working since then in the planning section of the personnel department at New England Telephone. I am also putting my skills and caring for blind people to practice in the community, where I founded and direct an organization dedicated to advancing computer access by the blind.

Having lost my sight as a teenager, I might never have become a regular Braille user if not for the training and encouragement I received from BISM. The use of sleep shades even though I have some sight made me believe that I could and should perform equally as a blind person with or without my remaining vision. For these and other reasons, I would strongly recommend that you require a standard minimum of classes from all students and then only permit extra electives if progress in the core classes is satisfactory. These core classes should, I think, consist of Braille, travel, typing, and cooking.  A weekly

attitudes class in my opinion is also necessary so that students can share their ongoing concerns and support each other in finding positive solutions to these concerns.

As grateful and proud alumnus of BISM, I would like to see the rehabilitation and industrial programs built on the positive conceptual foundations of the past and extend these horizons to meet the demands and opportunities of the future. I hope that these comments have been helpful and offer my hand to you for whatever else I can do.

 

Testimony by Ken Silberman:

This is my written testimony for the public hearing concerning BISM's training program. I wish to describe my experience at the program from April 20, 1987, to August 31, 1987. Under the leadership of Mrs. Patricia Maurer, this program gave me the self-confidence and skills which I now use both in my personal life and on the job.

I am now employed by the United States Navy as a computer programmer at the Philadelphia Naval Base. On my job, Braille, typing, and cane travel are essential to my work. Obviously, since I use a computer, typing is essential. Not only do I use it with computer programming, but it enables me to write letters and memos which facilitate communication with my sighted colleagues. Braille is useful for taking notes at meetings and for taking personal notes. It also enables me to debug programs much more easily than would be possible with speech output. This is possible because I can read the program just as easily as a sighted person can with print. The white cane is essential for travel to and from work and on the job.

Before I attended BISM, I did not have either the skills or confidence to perform successfully on the job. This is true despite the fact that I have a Master's Degree in engineering from Cornell University. The main reason for BISM's success was its positive attitude towards blindness. The program challenged me to do things that I did not think a blind person could do. I discovered that not only could I perform well, but that I could compete on terms of equality with my sighted peers.

It is for these reasons that the training program should be reconstituted as it was. In choosing instructors, the emphasis should not be placed on arbitrarily determined credentials, but on ability and the person's belief in the capabilities of the blind. BISM would be better off with no training program at all than with the one your training panel report proposes. Thank you very much for your attention.

 

Excerpt from the Minority Report of James Gashel:

I strongly disagree with the philosophy and content of the report of the Training Review Panel. I am submitting this report primarily because the panel's methods of operation did not adequately provide for my views to receive fair consideration in the process of drafting the panel's version of a proposed

training program. Ellsworth Sharp (the appointed chairman of the panel) had his own very definitely expressed agenda and conclusions. His experience is with the blind rehabilitation programs provided by the Veterans Administration. His only vision, therefore, was to have a training program at BISM to be modeled after the blind rehabilitation centers operated by the Veterans Administration. Mr. Sharp did not evidence a desire to examine critically a variety of approaches or even to hear about alternatives to the Veterans Administration model.

As a consequence of Mr. Sharp's predetermined conclusions, the report was not drafted by the members of the panel or even by a significant subgroup of the panel. It was drafted mainly by a panel member who oversees blind rehabilitation programs for the Veterans Administration. Portions dealing with staff qualifications were drafted by the Superintendent of the Maryland School for the Blind. The superintendent is also an official of the professional association which he proposes to by used to certify staff. The other panel members (including me) were relegated to a role of commenting on written materials we were given. Initially we were asked to provide only written comments to a staff member at BISM. Those comments that were simple enough could then be integrated into the text, and some of them were. The more difficult comments were simply not included. For example, I made a written suggestion that the program should include a proposed annual budget, but there was no mention of this in Mr. Sharp's subsequent version of the report. I also mentioned that the philosophy of the program needed to be stated clearly, but this suggestion was not picked up. Minor points of an editorial nature were accommodated.

Responding to my protests over these procedures, Mr. Sharp finally called a meeting of the entire panel. Thomas Saquella (chairman of BISM's Board of Trustees) also urged that the entire panel meet before referring the report to the BISM Board. But the meeting which Mr. Sharp conducted was not a good faith drafting session. It was held as a grudging attempt to placate rather than an honest attempt to hear other points of view. The comments offered here are presented in the hope that persons responsible for BISM's management, officials of the state of Maryland, and members of the Maryland Legislature will care enough to insist upon the establishment of a meaningful training program for the blind at BISM. A caring and thoughtful response to these suggestions would be a welcome contrast to the closed­ minded conduct of the training review panel.

The recommendations I am making in this report are based on my knowledge and experience with rehabilitation programs for the blind (public and private) throughout the United States. My experience with these programs spans a period of nearly twenty­ five years. For the past fifteen years I have served as Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Federation of the Blind. I have also served as the director of a state-wide rehabilitation center operated by the Iowa Commission for the Blind. I am also blind and have a great deal of contact with other blind persons in Maryland and nationally. Both by training and long

experience, I am an expert by any standard in the establishment and conduct of rehabilitation programs for the blind.

 

Fact Sheet Distributed to the General Assembly:

The Maryland General Assembly should cut the appropriation for Blind Industries and Services of Maryland's training program, until Blind Industries and Services of Maryland initiates a training program that enables blind persons to achieve their full potential in competitive employment.

If you are a blind adult living in Maryland who needs to learn how to travel, read and write Braille, type or cook, you are in serious trouble. There is no program in Maryland that adequately teaches these skills.

For many years, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) has received a state appropriation to operate a training program for blind adults. BISM discontinued its training program on September 1, 1987. The training program remains closed today, despite promises to resume training as of July 1, 1988.

 

What did BISM do with the portion of the $954,048 appropriation for fiscal 1987-88 that was not spent on the training program?

What did BISM do with the portion of the $954,403 appropriation for fiscal 1988-89 that was not spent on the training program?

There was no justification for terminating the training program on September 1, 1987. Therefore, the former program should be re-instated. BISM then conducted a useless survey and needlessly created a study panel to determine the structure of a new training program. The chairman of the study panel only called three meetings over the panel's twelve-month lifetime. BISM and its study panel were not too anxious to resume the training program.

Blind persons will be harmed, rather than helped, by the proposed training program, because they will complete their training under the false assumption that their lives as blind persons are fraught with limitations. An appropriation to BISM for this type of "training" is a waste of the taxpayer's money and should not be approved.

 

Deficiencies in the proposed training program:

1. Inappropriate staff qualifications--the director of the training program will have a masters degree in an irrelevant field such as counseling. (Blind persons have unique training needs. The director should have specific competencies instead of a general degree. The director must believe absolutely in the capabilities of blind persons. BISM should make a commitment to hire a blind person as its director of training.)

2. End discrimination against blind instructors--travel instructors will be certified by the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER). (AER does not certify blind persons as travel instructors. Yet, experience demonstrates that blind persons are excellent travel teachers because they can demonstrate not only travel techniques but they can also display the confidence to travel alone.)

3. Fails to teach positive attitudes and build self- confidence. (BISM's training program should adopt the teaching of positive attitudes toward blindness and the building of self­ confidence as its primary goals. As part of their training, blind persons must be challenged to extend themselves beyond their imagined limitations. A blind person might learn skills and techniques, but he will never use them unless he develops self-confidence and can place blindness in its proper perspective. A blind person who does not believe in competing on terms of equality will not achieve his full employment potential.)

4. No core requirements--blind persons will have individualized training programs. (There are certain core skills that every blind person needs to learn, such as mobility, Braille reading and writing, and typing. A newly-blind person might not appreciate the necessity of learning these skills. Therefore, a successful training program must include some requirements for all trainees.)

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urges the Maryland General Assembly not to fund BISM'S training program. BISM will only waste the taxpayers' money and will not help blind persons achieve independence.

 

PRIORITIES FOR THE BLIND:

THE 1989 SESSION OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The 1989 legislative season is a busy one for the NFB of Maryland. We are seeking help from the General Assembly in five areas. Two of these areas concern the Governor's proposed budget. We want the Maryland General Assembly to approve the funding for construction of a new building for the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. We are also reminding officials that the Library needs more staff. Expanded staff positions should include a secretary, a children's librarian, a full time volunteer coordinator and additional professional librarians.

The NFB of Maryland is asking the General Assembly to cut that portion of the BISM budget designated for the training program until BISM initiates a program that will enable blind persons to seek competitive employment. (see article on page 1.)

 

The three issues are: education of blind children, HB 379 (property tax exemption for blind vendors on

state-owned equipment), and HB 366 (pedestrian rights). These concerns are outlined in the following fact sheets. Please write to your delegates and senators to ask them to support these measures.

 

EDUCATION OF BLIND CHILDREN PROPOSED ACTION

The Maryland General Assembly should request that the Maryland State Department of Education include in COMAR 13A.0l.05 (Programs for Handicapped Children) specific descriptions of reading skills and travel instructions to be offered to blind students.

The Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review Committee should hold hearings on COMAR 13A.0l.05 (Programs for Handicapped Children) to ensure that blind students receive adequate special education services.

BACKGROUND

The Maryland State Department of Education is seeking public comment on Comar 13a.0501, Programs for Handicapped Children. By Executive Order 01.01.1986.01 (requiring the Maryland State Department of Education to review all of its regulations), these regulations are being revised to ensure compliance with federal law, to remove archaic language, and to clarify the meanings of these rules.

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland finds two serious omissions in the proposed regulations.

1. In the definition of "special education," the alternative reading and writing techniques for blind students are not listed.  Blind and visually impaired students need an array of alternative techniques to achieve literacy. These techniques include: Braille reading and writing, typing, using recorded books, using readers, etc. Many blind students graduate from high school as functional illiterates because the local education agency assumed that they did not need this specialized training.

2. In the section on related services, mobility services are not described. There is no consistency in the quality of mobility services offered to blind students. Some local education agencies provide no training. Others merely teach the student how to get around in the immediate environment.  A few local education agencies transport students to a variety of sites so that they can learn how to navigate on escalators, buses, and subways. Every blind student needs all of these learning experiences.

   Listing and clarification of literacy and mobility skills and services for blind students is necessary because the needs of blind students differ from the needs of other handicapped students, they are frequently not provided, and parents often do

not know enough to ask for them. Even when parents request these instructional services, local education agencies often refuse to comply.

During the past few years, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland has expressed these concerns to the Maryland State Department of Education. To date, the Department of Education refuses to listen and has not taken action. The blind children of Maryland need your help.

MARYLAND BLIND VENDORS PROPOSED ACTION

The Maryland General Assembly should amend the Property Tax Article to exempt managers in the Maryland Blind Vending Program from trader licenses, restaurant licenses, and property taxes on state-owned property.

BACKGROUND

The Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program for the Blind provides employment for 85 blind men and women in Maryland. Blind vendors operate their own businesses on federal, state, and municipal facilities, such as the Legislative Services Building and the Senate Office Building. They operate everything from small newspaper and candy stands to full-service cafeterias.

In Maryland, the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program for the Blind. The Maryland State Department of Education owns all of the equipment that vendors use to operate their businesses.

During the past few years, confusion has developed among state officials on the issue of property taxes owed by blind vendors on state-owned equipment. This confusion began when some of the blind vendors were told to obtain trader's licenses. When the Property Tax Assessment Office saw these licenses, it automatically assessed the blind vendors. However, the blind vendors correctly argued that one state agency can not tax another state agency's property, and have refused to pay these taxes. Clarification in the tax code is necessary to avoid this bureaucratic confusion.

Trader and restaurant licenses are primarily licenses which initiate the taxing process. Since property taxes should be exempted for blind vendors, there is also no reason to initiate the taxing process by requiring these licenses.

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urges you to put into law what is already common practice. Amending the Property Tax Article of the annotated code of Maryland to exempt blind vendors from paying property tax on state-owned equipment will not cause any loss of revenue to the state. It will merely end an argument between state agencies. Blind vendors should not

be harassed to pay property taxes on equipment that belongs to the State of Maryland.

 

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROPOSED ACTION

The Maryland   General Assembly should amend the Transportation Article and the White Cane Law granting all pedestrians the right-of-way at all intersections.

BACKGROUND

The automobile is the most popular form of transportation in the United States. Pedestrians are a forgotten minority in today's society. statistics demonstrate that pedestrians need greater protection. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 50% of the motor vehicle fatalities in urban areas are pedestrian, and that 20% of the motor vehicle fatalities nationwide are pedestrian.

Laws protecting pedestrians vary from state to state. Most states make provisions in their laws for blind pedestrians.

These laws recognize that blind persons are capable travelers, guarantee our right to access on the streets and highways, and caution drivers to look for blind pedestrians. In Maryland, these provisions are found in Section 25-11 of the Transportation Article and Section 33E of the Maryland White Cane Law (Article 30). Drivers must yield the right-of-way to blind pedestrians if they are in regulated or unregulated crosswalks.

Under current laws, however, when a blind pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, investigating law enforcement officials must place the burden of proof on the location of the blind person relative to the crosswalk, rather than on the driver's actions and judgement. Since crosswalks are designated by painted lines, it is easy for a blind person to inadvertently step outside the crosswalk, thus relinquishing his protection under the White Cane Law and the Transportation Article.

In 1987, two blind persons were struck and killed by a driver of an automobile in Montgomery County. The driver could not be charged with a violation of the transportation Article or the White Cane Law because the blind victims were not within the boundaries of the crosswalk. In spite of witnesses claims of extremely poor judgement exercised by the driver, the driver merely received a $40 fine for negligence.

In 1987, the Governor's Task Force on the White Cane Law concluded that blind pedestrians do not require a greater degree of protection under the law than do sighted pedestrians. It recommended amending the traffic laws to ensure the right-of-way to all pedestrians at all intersections. Since blind persons can determine that they are at an intersection, adopting this change will eliminate the blind persons's need to guess at the precise location of the crosswalk.

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urges you to extend the right-of-way to all pedestrians. Pedestrians deserve the same right to have access to the streets and highways as those who travel in vehicles. Both drivers and pedestrians should exercise proper caution and assume equal liability. If an accident occurs, blind pedestrians will have the same opportunity to claim damages as any other pedestrian. Each case will be judged on its merit. We must eliminate the ambiguity in the law and the assumption that the blind pedestrian is at fault in every accident.

 

BRAILLE, ME AND A QUESTION

by W. Harold Bleakley

It is no statement of great erudition or insight to say that American business could not exist without an effective method of reading and writing. While basic business functions are delegated, those in charge must have many kinds of information at their finger tips and be closely in touch with the condition of the operation. It should not, then, be a surprise to know that I, as a businessman who happens to be blind, could not manage our nationwide business, Aids Unlimited, without Braille. Like businessmen who can see, I need to know what we owe others and how much others owe us. I have a Braille file at my finger tips showing this information. It is also necessary for me to have cost information and product specifications in Braille. Likewise, I keep planning information in Braille and notes of items that I must handle each day. I have several address and telephone books in Braille so that others in the office are interrupted as little as possible when I need a phone number. Being closely in touch with the condition of the operation and continuing development is an absolute necessity, and for me being closely in touch, among other things, means the daily use of Braille.

But, I have a question. Since Braille is so vital to me in business and at home, why are there so few blind persons who use Braille effectively or at all? Certainly there are persons whose fingers are too insensitive for Braille. Also, there are persons who lost their vision very late in life and do not have the motivation to learn Braille. This is understandable. Also, there are not enough rehabilitation teachers or worthwhile training programs. Therefore, there are blind people who just do not have the opportunity to learn Braille. And then, there are those many blind youngsters who are refused the opportunity to learn Braille.

I was blinded at the age of 9 and went to the Pittsburgh School for the Blind, where I was taught to write Braille with a slate and stylus. Then, in about the 8th grade, I learned the use of a Braille writer.  I have always been glad that I was first taught the use of a slate and stylus. I notice that many younger blind persons use the Braille writer better than I do but do not seem to be able to function with a slate and stylus.  It

is difficult to pull a Braille writer out of your pocket when you are away from home and need to make a quick note. All the textbooks at school were in Braille, all writing was in Braille; our whole academic educational life was surrounded by Braille. 

 

Then when I was 20, I had eye surgery that restored some useful vision. I could read print with difficulty. I thought I could travel without a cane. I dropped the use of Braille in the mistaken belief that I now could function effectively with vision. The result was that I strained to get just the right angle of light and the right position of the page to read haltingly in print when I could have read comfortably and effectively in Braille. But, like it is in so many other situations, I was trying to "pass." To me, Braille had become a system that "those other people, who were blind" had to use. I was, of course, really expressing the fact that I never had come to terms with blindness and that I had bought into society's attitudes toward blindness. About 10 years later, I was brought down to earth by the loss of the remaining vision. For the most part, isn't the small percentage of blind persons who use Braille a reflection of social attitudes toward blindness? Isn't this the bottom line? An adult loses sight, has been taught all his or her life by everything around them that blindness is tragic, believes that they are helpless, believes that blindness is only temporary, and therefore, learning Braille is not only unnecessary, but extremely difficult, and a symbol of this tragic state of being out of which he or she will soon emerge. A teacher in a public school believes that blindness is tragic and that Braille is a symbol of that tragedy, and is, therefore, extremely reluctant to teach Braille to a child who can strain and stumble with large print. Also Braille, the symbol of the tragedy of blindness, can be averted by use of the cassette player which, after all, everybody else uses too.

There is nothing new in all of this. Louis Braille, who himself was blind, had extreme difficulty persuading the authorities in the school where he taught that his system should be used in the education of blind children. The real tragedy is not in blindness, and Braille is not, therefore, a symbol of tragedy. However, the real tragedy is that we have made such little progress since the days of Louis Braille.

 

FLOATING THROUGH THE CONVENTION

by Catherine Monville

(Did you make your reservation for the 1989 National Convention in Denver yet? You better hurry and reserve your room by filling out a reservation form and sending it to the National Center for the Blind. If you need reservation forms, call Sharon Maneki, 992-9608. You will enjoy the experience as Kay Monville did at her first national convention.)

The excitement really overwhelmed me as I entered the Hyatt­ Regency Hotel in Chicago for my first National Federation of the

Blind Convention. The mass confusion of Federationists hustling about from line to line seemed to last an eternity until I was shown to my elegant room, where I was able to catch my breath. The plane ride, the taxi from the airport, and now the beautiful surroundings enfolding me transported me into another world, one I have never experienced before.

After reviving myself, I ventured out to explore what lay ahead. I found myself being pushed, pulled, and finally directed, I found myself at a sock-hop. The music took me back to when I was young, and the people made me feel welcome. People were laughing, dancing, and I could feel the excitement generating from each table. My body then told me it was time to put it to rest, as tomorrow would be a busy day.

In the week that followed I found myself in a whirl-pool of knowledge corning from Federationists from all walks of life. I was enlightened on the Federation's stands on issues. I was confused even more, since I had no idea what this organization really did, as I was a new member of only four months.

The meeting sessions were long, but informative. I retired each night with many items swimming around in my head             One of my regrets was that I was not versed enough on the issues discussed and did not have time to ask questions, as we moved along from day to day.             This part of the convention impressed upon me to make sure I read my "Monitor" from cover to cover. This way, I would become aware of what is going on within my organization. Also, this would give me the time and opportunity to ask questions at our chapter meetings. When I get the opportunity to attend the next National Convention, I will not feel like a fish out of water.

I was amazed at the fast pace at which the whole convention moved, and how everyone kept up with all the different meetings, from one end of the hotel to the other. At times my head was spinning so fast, I didn't know if I was coming or going. Thank God for an informative roommate (Marla) and the kind and understanding Federationists, who guided me safely through the most exciting experience of my life. I thank them all, and I'll see you at the next convention.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS FROM THE WASHINGTON SEMINAR

From January 29 through February 1, Marylanders joined blind persons from across the nation at our annual Washington Seminar. We visited our representatives on Capitol Hill to ask their support on three issues. The Maryland Delegation was very supportive of our views. They need to hear from constituents. Write to your Congressman, Senator Sarbanes and Senator Mjkulski to ask them to support the following:

1. We need cosponsors on Congressman Trafficant's bill HR563, and Senator Holling's bill: Air Travel Rights for Blind Individuals Act.

2. We need cosponsors on Congressman Ford's bill to amend the Social Security Act so that clients can choose how to use rehabilitation funds. Now clients must use the funds at their state rehabilitation agency giving DVR a monopoly and no incentive to improve its services.

3. We need support for the amendment to the appropriation given to the American Printing House for the Blind for purchase of school supplies so that the Printing House can provide items to schools that it does not make itself. This technical change will give students access to more specialized books and equipment such as computers and the Braille 'n Speak.

Help us reach our goal of 100% support on every item from the Maryland delegation.

 

AROUND THE STATE

Local chapters of the NFB of Maryland are busy spreading Federationism to their local communities and funding the movement. Officers of the local chapters for 1989 are as follows:

Baltimore Chapter: President, Mary Ellen Gabias; First Vice President, Fred Flowers; Second Vice President, Raymond Lowder; Secretary, Sandy Kelly; Treasurer, Patricia Maurer; Board members, Joe Byard, Kathleen Chapman, Doris Johnson and Eileen Rivera.

Central Maryland Chapter: President, Althea Carter; Vice President, Kay Monville; Secretary, Linda Davis; Treasurer, Beth Schuster; Board Members, Tony Fallon and Al Maneki.

Cumberland Chapter: President, Gary Klatt; Vice President, Geryl Conrad; Secretary, Samantha Robison; Treasurer, Georgia Myers.

Eastern Shore Chapter: President, Benny Bagwell; Vice President, Ed Cholewczynski; Secretary, Rachel Roxbury; Treasurer, Robert Cross.

Sligo Creek Chapter: President, Lloyd Rasmussen; Vice President, Tom Bickford; Secretary, Debby Brown; Treasurer, Tina Cummings; Board Members, Pat Gormley, Al Saile, Pat Sheehan.

 

SPECKS

Congratulations to Mary Ellen Reihing and Dr. Paul Gabias, who were married on January 7, 1989. Best wishes to the Gabiases for a lifetime of happiness and success.

 

On January 3, 1989, Richard Brueckner became president of Blind Industries and Services of Maryland.  He joins BISM after

25 years of experience in industry. His last job was as a regional vice president for the 7-Up Bottling Co. We hope that Mr. Brueckner will be a constructive force in improving services and equal opportunities for blind citizens in Maryland.

 

We are sorry to report the death of William Good. Mr. Good died suddenly of a heart attack on January 15, 1989. He was an employee at BISM for 30 years. He was an outstanding worker in the paper department. May he rest in peace.

 

The NFB of Maryland Parents of Blind Children Division will hold a seminar for parents on Saturday, April 22, at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore. For further information, contact Mrs. Barbara Cheadle, President, at 659-9314.

Congratulations to Tim Sudol on his new job. Tim, one of the winners of the 1988 John T. McCraw scholarships, is the Equipment Manager for the University of Miami baseball team. The Miami Hurricanes have a real asset in Tim Sudol.

 

 

FASHION  TOURS

 

Attention: Fashion Conscience Career Women

 

By special arrangement, A.A. Wholesale, the largest whole­ saler of women's fashions in the country, will open it's doors to shopping tours. They feature over 300 name brands including Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein, Evan Picone, C<)S Cob JH Collectibles, Leslie Faye, Bonnie & Bill, Breckenridge, Personal, Rafaella, Jones of New York and many more.

This letter is an invitation to join us for "£ashion Night" at A.A. Wholesale. This program offers an excellent opportunity for women to shop at wholesale prices. "Fashion Night• will be held on the following date.

 

The inventory at A.A. Wholesale consists of suits, dresses, pants, jeans, blazers, skirts, blouses, • Sweaters, knits, coordinates, jackets, and raincoats made by the country's leading manufacturers. The sizes range from 3 to 15 in Junior fashions and

4 to 20 in Misses and Petite fashions. The merchandise is       discounted by as much.as 701 off the retail price. They carry only first quality merchandise that is currently being shown i� major department stores.

Checks with proper I.D. are accepted. Also, MasterCard, Visa charges are honored.

 

NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED WITHOUT A PASS.

 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND

Sharon Maneki, President

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, Maryland 21045

phone: (301)992-9608

 

SHOPPING SPREE!!! SHOPPING SPREE!!!

 

Shop for spring and summer fashions now! Add to your wardrobe! Help the National Federation of the Blind-of Maryland! Brand name quality women's apparel at discount prices!

WHEN:          Saturday, March 11, 1989.  9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

 

WHERE: HOW:

Apparel Associates, 7111 Windsor Blvd., Baltimore, Maryland.

Percentage of sales will be donated to the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. The pass at the bottom of this page is required for admission to Apparel Associates.