THE Braille Forum Vol. XXXIII January 1995 No. 7 Published By The American Council of the Blind PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY LeRoy F. Saunders, President Oral O. Miller, J.D., National Representative Nolan Crabb, Editor Sharon Lovering, Editorial Assistant National Office: 1155 15th St., N.W. Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large type, half-speed four-track cassette tape and MS-DOS computer disk. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to: Nolan Crabb, THE BRAILLE FORUM, 1155 15th St., N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions, which are tax deductible, may be sent to Brian Charlson, Treasurer, 1155 15th St., N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Office has available printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the ACB National Office. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 6 p.m. to midnight eastern time Monday through Friday. Washington, D.C., residents only call 331-2876. Copyright 1995 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message, by LeRoy F. Saunders News Briefs From The ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Great Expectations: Greensboro, N.C., 1995, by John A. Horst Celebration Honors Individuals, Groups That Supported and Contributed to the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program, by Sharon Lovering Medicare Rate Changes for 1995, by Glenn M. Plunkett Durward K. Mcdaniel: His Own Words More Than Just A Boss, by Kathy Megivern Defining the Movement: A Personal Portrait of Durward McDaniel, by Christopher Gray Dear General -- Wherever You Are, by Bradley Burson A Gentle Giant Moves On: Durward McDaniel -- A Full Life, A Huge Legacy, by Robert R. Humphreys Durward McDaniel Important in ACB's Formation, by Bonnie Byington In Memoriam: Durward K. McDaniel, by M.J. Schmitt Durward McDaniel 'Tall' in Many Ways, by Roseanne Diehl In Memoriam: Durward K. McDaniel, 1915-1994, by Sue Ammeter Remembrances of Durward K. McDaniel, by Charles S.P. Hodge A Tribute to Durward McDaniel Thank You, RSVA Members! The Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund: A Legacy of Legal Support Legal Access: Political Transition: Opportunity or Nightmare?, by Charles D. Goldman Award Nominations Sought ACB Membership At Large Applications ACB Scholarships Available to Blind Students, by Jessica Beach ACB Seeks 1995 Summer Intern Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon This Issue of THE BRAILLE FORUM Is Dedicated to the Memory of DURWARD K. McDANIEL November 27, 1915 - September 6, 1994 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by LeRoy F. Saunders This issue of "The Braille Forum" is dedicated to Durward K. McDaniel. It is hard for me to believe that there's anyone who didn't know Durward, but if you're somewhat new to ACB or are a reader who is not yet a member, here's some background information you may find helpful. Durward was one of the founders of the American Council of the Blind. He has served as probably the greatest leader this organization has ever had. He helped organize the Council and worked diligently to make sure it became the success story it is today. There was a time when Durward was the only person representing ACB in the Washington, D.C. area, and due to lack of funds he didn't always get paid. This never seemed to stop him from doing the best job possible and covering his own travel expenses until funds became available. Durward retired in 1981 as the national representative of ACB but continued to be a real cornerstone for this organization long after that. He was a person who never gave up on anyone, and whenever he had what he thought was a good idea even though it did not fly the first time, he would keep pushing until some form of that idea was accepted. I personally worked with Durward very closely for approximately 20 years. I respected him very much. He was a valued colleague and, most importantly, a friend. I am very pleased that so many people have written articles about Durward, and many of these people have known him much longer than I. Durward, I think, will never be forgotten by this organization, and there's no way that any of us can express our gratitude for all he's done for the civil rights of blind people. NEWS BRIEFS FROM THE ACB NATIONAL OFFICE by Oral O. Miller, National Representative Because so many ACB state affiliates conduct their annual conventions during the fall of the year, that season provides many excellent opportunities for ACB staff members to visit with the affiliates and learn firsthand about their services, programs, achievements, and goals. Most recently, for example, Glenn Plunkett attended the conventions of the California Council and the North Carolina Council where they discussed, among other things, the upcoming and very important White House Conference on Aging. During Jennifer Sutton's participation in the Pennsylvania Council convention, she learned more about the legislative bill that was then being strongly supported by the Pennsylvania Council for the establishment of a separate commission for the blind. Since then, the bill has been passed by both houses of the Pennsylvania legislature and as of this writing is awaiting signature by the governor. During my participation in the convention of the ACB of Ohio, I was impressed very favorably by an exceptionally rigorous and varied program which featured, among other things, concurrent sessions that were repeated so each attendee could concentrate on the subjects of greatest interest to him or her. The Ohio convention also served as a wonderful opportunity to discuss legislative issues that are likely to come back up before Congress in 1995 as well as the research being conducted in Columbus about possible alternative surfaces to the truncated domes for use as detectable warnings along subway platform edges and at other dangerous places. From time to time, we are asked to provide preliminary input into policy reviews or surveys and often we hear nothing more about those surveys. We hope that will not be the case with the survey about which I met recently with members of the White House Domestic Policy Council. The survey, which will now obtain information primarily from federal personnel, is intended to cover all policies relating to disabled people. This review could be very helpful as Congress considers again the topic of unfunded federal mandates, about which you will almost certainly hear a lot during coming months. One of the interesting reports presented recently at the North American and Caribbean Regional meeting of the World Blind Union, which was hosted by the American Council of the Blind in Arlington, Va., related to the National Literary Braille Competency Test. That test was developed as a follow-up to meetings that were started in 1989 by seven major groups in the field of blindness that were concerned about, among other things, the quantity and quality of braille instruction provided to blind children and newly blinded adults. The organizations represented on the advisory committee were the American Council of the Blind, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, the American Foundation for the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind, and the California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped. There were also two unaffiliated members on the committee; one was a rehabilitation teacher and one was a university professor. The advisory committee was established to study the feasibility of creating a national braille competency test for braille teachers. The staff of the National Library Service Braille Development Section, in consultation since the committee, developed the National Literary Braille Competency Test, which was released for general use in 1994. As of November 1994, plans were under way to do a formal study of the test's validity and reliability. Validity refers to the ability of the test to assess the knowledge it claims to evaluate, and reliability refers to the consistency of performance of a candidate over time or with different versions of the test. Some state certification boards require that a formal validity/reliability study be performed on any test that they include in the certification process. And now for the rest of the story! As of October 31, 1994, 97 people had taken the test. Of this number, 17 took the braille version and 80 took the print version. Forty-one percent passed the braille version and 16 percent passed the print version. Although we plan to reserve final judgment on this matter until the validity and reliability study has been completed, we fear that the results confirm what many in the American Council of the Blind have been saying for years concerning the poor quantity and quality of braille instruction being provided to blind children and newly blinded adults. A short report about this test in braille or large print may be obtained by calling the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at (800) 424-8567. The 1994 ACB Northwest Leadership Training Seminar, which was conducted in Seattle, Wash., in November, was, according to most of the evaluations, extremely educational and stimulating. Selected participants came from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The participants, presenters, and staff members were greeted most hospitably by both the Washington Council of the Blind and the Alaska Independent Blind. The very interactive skills of a professional facilitator as well as well- prepared presentations by the presenters resulted in spirited discussion and well-considered conclusions in all sessions. The evaluations that were submitted following the seminar will be helpful in planning the next one. Plans call for every affiliate to be included in a seminar in the current series. Decisions concerning the date and place of the next seminar have not yet been made. At this time, we are concluding interviews for the position of Director of Governmental Affairs and will publish the name of the candidate selected if that information is available by the time this edition of "The Braille Forum" goes to press. We regret to report in this connection that very recently, our former Director of Governmental Affairs, Paul W. Schroeder, fell and broke his leg while playing with his little daughter on a neighborhood playground slide. We all wish him a complete and speedy recovery as he does at least some of his work in connection with his new position with the American Foundation for the Blind via telecommuting techniques from his home outside Chicago. GREAT EXPECTATIONS: GREENSBORO, N.C., 1995 by John A. Horst, Convention Coordinator As you read this in January, those of you who live in the northern half of the United States will be experiencing winter. Hopefully it is warmer and there is less snow than in 1993-94. But whatever the temperature is now, you can look forward to very pleasant weather for the ACB convention in Greensboro, N.C. The Piedmont area where Greensboro is located offers pleasant living all year round. Now is the time for you to make plans to be a part of a great ACB convention July 1-8 in North Carolina in 1995. Mid-year meetings will take place Feb. 3-6, 1995 at the Holiday Inn Four Seasons. Convention rates will apply and there is free transportation from the Piedmont Triad Airport to the hotel. Call the Holiday Inn Four Seasons upon arrival at the airport at (800) 242-6556 and request transportation. All the ACB February meetings will take place on the third level of the hotel. The ACB information desk, managed by Connie Weadon, will also be located on the third level. Central North Carolina has much to offer for convention attendees who enjoy tours. Under consideration at this time is a pre-convention overnight tour to the Cherokee Indian Reservation with its historic Indian village and outdoor theater presentation of "Unto These Hills." The second day will be a visit to the famous Biltmore Estates. Additional tours will include historic Old Salem at Winston-Salem, a restored Moravian settlement, furniture manufacturing at High Point, the furniture capital of the world, pottery making and decorating at Seagrove, industries for the blind at Greensboro, a visit to the governor's mansion at Raleigh, and a city tour of Greensboro. Watch upcoming issues of "The Braille Forum" for more details. ACB has again chosen International Tours of Muskogee, Okla., to provide travel agency services in 1995. Through this agency, agreements have been negotiated with Delta and USAir that make the lowest fares available. You will be certain to receive prompt and courteous service when you call International Tours at (800) 259- 9299. Also, ACB will benefit by receiving reduced travel costs. The 1995 ACB convention will take place July 1-8 at the Holiday Inn Four Seasons at Greensboro, N.C., telephone (800) 242-6556. This is a free number directly to the hotel. When requesting reservations, please use this number. Do not call 1-800-HOLIDAY since they will not be able to help you with reservations at the reduced rate of $47 per night for single through quad. All reservations including those at overflow hotels are being handled by the Holiday Inn Four Seasons. Reservations for the convention must be made by June 9, 1995. On Nov. 19 and 20, 1994, I had the privilege of attending the state convention of the North Carolina Council of the Blind, held at Asheville. I found that President Francenia Smith and the members of the North Carolina affiliate are excited about having the national convention in Greensboro. Their host committee will be working closely with us in planning this convention. The 1995 convention will be a great experience. Plan now to attend. CELEBRATION HONORS INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS THAT SUPPORTED AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDING PROGRAM by Sharon Lovering The Randolph-Sheppard Act Amendments turned 20 in early December, and many blind vendors from the Washington, D.C. area and others who have worked with and supported the program came to a ceremony to celebrate. "The story of the Randolph-Sheppard program is a story of success," said Howard Moses, deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. "We are gathered here today to celebrate that success on the anniversary of the Randolph-Sheppard program amendments of 1974. ... The success is based upon the leadership of the state rehabilitation agencies that have recruited, trained and placed licensed blind vendors. ... Today we will honor some of the leaders of the Randolph- Sheppard [program]." Madeleine Kunin, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, read a letter from Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley praising the Randolph-Sheppard community. "I am pleased to have this opportunity to extend greetings and congratulations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Randolph-Sheppard Amendments of 1974. The Randolph-Sheppard Act has provided employment to thousands of blind vendors on federal, state and other property in nearly every state. Annual sales by vendors of food and other articles and services are more than $400 million. The program is supported by the blind vendors themselves. ... The original Randolph-Sheppard Act became law in 1936, sponsored by West Virginia Rep. Jennings Randolph and Sen. Morris Sheppard of Texas. In 1974 Sen. Jennings Randolph offered and moved through the Congress the amendments to the act, which greatly strengthened the position of blind vendors. The amendments among other things gave vendors a priority in operating vending facilities in all buildings owned or leased by the federal government. As Secretary of the Department of Education, I salute the blind entrepreneurs who are the heart and soul of the Randolph-Sheppard program. With every opportunity comes independence. I therefore encourage the officers of every federal department, agency and instrumentality to strengthen their commitment and dedication to this worthwhile program, and I urge all federal employees and all Americans to support Randolph-Sheppard vendors throughout our great nation." "I must confess that this event introduced me to this program, and in that sense it's serving an educational purpose right here," Kunin said. "I think that many of us were not aware of the history of this important program, and in one sense it serves as a very good reminder that some things in government do work and have the desired effect and do serve a very specific need. I think it is also is an interesting reminder that the kind of partnership between the private and the public sector that Randolph-Sheppard epitomizes is very significant as well. This is not a handout; this is an opportunity to be independent and to be self-supporting and also indicates that when we do provide people with these opportunities, they take full advantage of it and that regardless of handicaps, whatever they may be, most Americans do in fact want to work, want to make contributions to their society and not only do they want to, but they can. And that very often it is not due to lack of will but to lack of opportunity that this does not happen often enough." The spirit of the vendors is what's kept the program alive and relevant today, she added. The people who deserved the audience's applause were those who administer the program and those who use it and prove its value by their examples and successes.The honorees were: Robert Humphreys, special counsel to the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare; Stephen A. Leavey, manager of the Corporate Personnel Operations, U.S. Postal Service; Robert D. Marcus, deputy director, Facility Management Division of the General Services Administration; Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind; Durward K. McDaniel, former legal counsel of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America; Thomas Minton, assistant director of Personnel Support, Policy, and Services of the U.S. Department of Defense; and R. Creig Slayton, chairman, Randolph-Sheppard Committee of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. Moses paid Durward McDaniel his respects upon reading his name for the award. "To speak of Mr. Durward K. McDaniel, who passed away in September, is to speak of a gentle giant. Mr. McDaniel was indeed a giant in our hearts, in his energy, in his firmness of purpose, in his sense of direction for the blind in this country. For many, many years, Mr. McDaniel made extensive contributions to the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program Act as a friend, mentor, tireless advocate on behalf of the abilities of the blind and visually impaired, and persons with disabilities as a whole. ... We should now celebrate his brilliant accomplishments for the Randolph-Sheppard program by continuing to carry on his legacy without even missing a day. That is what Durward would have wanted [us] to do." Fredric Schroeder, Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, gave the address. "I think certainly we recognize that the public at large has a curious misunderstanding about the capacity of blind people, and I think all of us in this room who are either blind people ourselves or those of you who have worked in various programs with the blind know that very often the public, employers, are reluctant to hire blind people, not being certain of the capacity of blind people to really perform comparable work, effective work and work at a high level. And so the aspect of public misunderstanding is certainly a significant barrier that keeps blind people under-utilized as an important part of the work force of America. And of course there are other problems that contribute to the unemployment rate. ... But there is another element, and an element that I think is perhaps as critical while being more subtle, and that has to do with our attitudes as blind people, our own perception of what we can do in terms of competitive work. ..." He related how he felt at age 16 when he became blind; his understanding of blindness was the same as the general public's. "I assumed that to be blind meant that I would be dependent; I assumed that it meant that I would not be able to work, or at least not work in the broad variety of areas that is available to other people. ... The only two jobs I could think up that I thought a blind person could do, was I thought I could either be a DJ or a psychologist." Why? Because, he said, "I can talk." His own negative attitude about blindness kept him under- motivated as he came into adulthood and into a new place in society. The Randolph-Sheppard program provides many blind people with the most rewarding kind of work: work that enables them to be self- supporting. Last year's average wage for vendors $25,832, "a good living," Schroeder said. "And they earned it by the sweat of their brows, by their own toils, by their own ingenuity and hard work. And I think that's something that certainly is important ... because it creates an environment for young blind people coming along, or people who are perhaps not young but people who are recently blind, to begin to realize that there is hope, that there is a future, that there is a place in society, and that we really can work, and work competitively, as blind people." It also helps the public understanding, he continued. "This has been the most successful employment program for the blind in history, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration intends to preserve and protect and lend what we can to further develop this program to expand the opportunities for blind people ... This is a program that pays back many fold to society and is a powerful and tangible expression of what people with disabilities in our society are able to accomplish and that we really do have a rightful place of full participation in society." MEDICARE RATE CHANGES FOR 1995 by Glenn M. Plunkett The Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, has announced the new premiums for Part B of the Medicare program and the deductibles an individual will have to pay for hospitalization in 1995. The new Part B premium is $46.10 per month, effective January 1995. The Part B premium helps pay doctor bills, outpatient charges and other out-of-hospital expenses. This is an increase of $5 over the 1994 premium. The annual deductible remains at $100 and the copayment at 20 percent. The first-day deductible for hospital care will be $716, an increase of $20 over the deductible for 1994. After the first-day deductible, Medicare pays all other approved charges for the first 60 days of hospitalization. However, if an individual is out of the hospital or skilled nursing facility for 60 days and then is hospitalized again, he or she will have to pay a new deductible of $716. A co-payment of $179 a day is set for hospital days 61 through 69. Each person under Medicare has a lifetime reserve of 60 days in a hospital. For each day used of the reserve time, a co-payment of $358 is required. The reserve days are those that can be used when a Medicare patient has to spend more than 90 days in a hospital in a year. The new co-payment for skilled nursing home care is $89.50 per day for days 21-100. The first 20 days an individual must spend in a skilled nursing home because of a serious illness are covered by Medicare. Medicare does not pay for nursing home care that is custodial. The above rates are applicable to Medicare enrollees age 65 and over and those under age 65 who are covered by Medicare because of their disability status. DURWARD K. MCDANIEL: HIS OWN WORDS (Excerpted from "The Braille Forum," volume 18, no. 3, September, 1979.) (Editor's note: Perhaps the best way to gain insight into a person is to examine what he or she wrote. Editorial Assistant Sharon Lovering has excerpted material from Durward's writings. By nature, these excerpts may appear somewhat disjointed, but we think they provide the flavor and style of Durward McDaniel's writing. Those of you who knew and remember Durward will be reminded affresh of his talent as a writer and his thoughts as he wrote them. Those who did not know Durward well will still gain some rare insight into Durward McDaniel, the man, the advocate, the leader.) ... I want to touch, by way of summary, on the fact that we have been very active on Social Security legislation, both Title II and Title XVI, Title XVI being the Supplemental Security Income program. One of the things we have given special emphasis is raising the exempt earnings under Title XVI, and also special emphasis to extending Title XVI to blind people -- particularly blind people, but other eligible people -- in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. SSI does not apply to those people. Most of them are citizens of the United States, and yet they aren't treated like citizens. Commonwealth status in Puerto Rico gives them a special status and some special advantage, but more particularly some special disadvantage. And for those 172 members of ours in Puerto Rico, we owe them some support and help in trying to get that done. The Department of Education bill, which the administration is very keen about, has been very controversial. There have been some adverse amendments tacked on in the House of Representatives, and I guess it's very speculative about what the future of that bill is. ... Appropriations have been very problemsome. The administration and Congress are very conservative with the money. ... It's just a simple matter of dollars and cents that rehabilitation funding has not kept pace with the demands of the program or in comparison to other programs that have grown dollar-wise. I think we need in the near future to undertake to do a thorough-going assessment of what's wrong with us or what's wrong with rehabilitation, because we obviously have lost a large amount of credibility; it wouldn't be so difficult to get the kind of money or to keep up with the demands of the rehabilitation program. We're all sold on rehabilitation. We all know it's desirable. But, somehow, we're not convincing; we're not convincing Congress. If the old system needs changing, I would like to see the Council reach an assessment and take the lead in whatever changes may be necessary to restore that credibility and to provide more nearly adequate rehabilitation for blind and handicapped people in this country. Over the years, I have gotten very much involved in activities of many organizations within and without ACB. As I look back on 11 years, I at this point divide it into two and a half portions. The first half of that time since we opened the office in Washington, I think the trend was to establish the special-interest approach. As you know, we now have 14 special-interest national affiliates of ACB. That has been a very interesting and rewarding development. ... I think now the next phase must be that ACB needs to have a well-planned cooperative development and consolidation program with these organizations to help them be more effective -- not to dominate them, not to run them. They have shown that they can run their own organizations, but they have not reached their potential in any case, and ACB is coming into an era when it can be of direct service to these special-interest affiliates. I do believe that the rewards to the people within those special fields and to blind people generally will be much enhanced with Phase II of special-interest national affiliates in ACB. ... I do hope, also, and recognize the need for greater service to the general membership state organizations within ACB. It's a well-known fact that some of our affiliates are struggling a bit. I don't believe in exaggerating or glossing over. Some of our affiliates need help. During the past few years, we haven't been able to give the degree of help that they needed, and I do hope we will solve that problem, that lack, because our general membership state affiliates also have a great potential which has not fully been realized. Phase Two of this period, I think, has to come under the heading of coalition. It was increasingly obvious that a single national organization, however well-led, however well-motivated, however progressive, did not have enough influence by itself to do for the blind population what we fully recognized the need to be. ... You are wondering, probably, why I said two and a half. The reason I said one-half at the end of that was that I look upon the growing involvement in consumer organizations in concerns with who represents us in government as the newest phase of consumerism, consumer action. ACB is a 501 C (3), non-profit corporation, and we must at all times, to preserve that status, follow the law which would prohibit our ever endorsing candidates. On the other hand, we are concerned about participation of blind people in the democratic process, and I think we have to recognize that the reputation of blind and other handicapped people in that process is a rather weak one. We have not convinced the elected officials, in most cases, that we vote in the same numbers and percentages as other people. We are not recognized as a well-organized, get-out- the-vote kind of organization. That, I think, is a reputation that we have to change -- not by coming out for Joe Dokes for Congress, but by getting our constituency to register, to be informed, and to vote. ... I look upon the era of coalition as one of the major achievements in which ACB was a major factor. But we absolutely must multiply our influence in order to adequately represent the interests of blind people in this country. It isn't a true conclusion that because we were better organized earlier than some other handicapped groups, we or they are going to retain or advance in the programs that we need very much. The Social Security amendments that Wilbur Cohen talked about show us clearly that we are not beyond reach of reactionary and regressive legislation. What we have, we could lose. I don't intend to be paranoid about it. I just intend to be positive and prepared to cope with that, and in so doing, we need coalition. We need the strength that that multiplication can give us. ... (Excerpted from remarks before the national convention of the American Council of the Blind, St. Louis, Mo., July 10, 1981. Reprinted from "The Braille Forum," volume 20, no. 2, August 1981.) Thank you, Mr. President and future National Representative of the American Council of the Blind. ... I will talk on a variety of topics, and if you think I have all my notes on these two small pieces of paper, you're right. After one lives with the job of National Representative for 13 years, all one needs is some code words and some abbreviations, and from there on it just comes out. ... As you know, the national office has been operating for the past almost seven months without Reese Robrahn's services ... But we've had to work a little faster and try a little harder to cover the bases in this very eventful year that we are in at this time. One of the developments which we could not have anticipated, and it has been very helpful to us -- and I want to give credit before I forget about it -- In the process of organizing the League of Disabled Voters, of which I am currently the president, we attracted the dedicated interest of Kathaleen Arneson, who had for 20 years been working for the Rehabilitation Services Administration, and most recently as its legislative representative to Congress. When Kay resigned to retire in January, she came to the League of Disabled Voters as a member and as a volunteer legislative liaison person for that organization. In the working out of the efforts to implement that new and future organization I believe of great importance, the League of Disabled Voters, ACB offered Kay Arneson desk space and the use of a telephone, and she has been invaluable in helping us cover the subcommittee hearings, outside private meetings dealing with the budget cuts, the block grant issues, Social Security issues, and many, many others. It is appropriate that I should acknowledge her contribution. She is a volunteer, and I look forward to her association with ACB on that basis for a long time to come. ... The legislative scene in Washington is a madhouse. There is no better way to describe it. All of the social service programs have been under close scrutiny -- I might say critical scrutiny -- by the administration. I think for the first time in my adult life I consider myself to be a conservative. Labels don't usually mean much, but I like to quote Dr. Newel Perry, who was one of the people who got organizations of the blind on the map in this country. Dr. Perry once said that he (speaking of himself) was a conservative about everything we have as blind people and a liberal about everything we want as blind people. And I think that Ronald Reagan has made a conservative out of me, because I certainly don't want to turn the calendar back by 40 or 50 years. We have, in the process of dealing with budget cuts, which we have opposed, and block grants, which we have opposed, formed many new alliances with other people who also are opposed to the same things. We and others have realized that if unrestricted block grants are sent to the state governments to be spent as somebody there wants to spend them, all of the legitimate interests of categorical programs will be thereby transformed into competitors. It would make a sort of monetary jungle out of the funding of service programs for people. We think that's a very reckless way to reform the government. ... The gains that we have made over a long period of time are all threatened. As I believe Kathy Megivern told you in her remarks the other day, we have succeeded in avoiding block grants for vocational rehabilitation and special education for the handicapped. The American Council of the Blind, of course, did not do that alone. Many good people with common interests coalesced to bring that about. ... We have saved those categorical programs for this time. That doesn't mean that next year we'll be safe. Someone made the point at our legislative seminar in Washington that at this time, as important as national organizations are in the total scheme of federal relations, the state organizations within ACB and other organizations are going to be increasingly important. Their functioning is going to be absolutely essential to help keep the gains we have made and to make any improvements that can be had. ... I know Oral is strongly committed to greater service to members and affiliates, and I am sure that that is going to be a major trend -- not that we haven't been doing it, but I think you will find that we will be doing more and more of it as the '80s roll by. I know that you will all welcome that, and as our financial condition improves, I think the relationship of the national organization to the members and to the state organizations will also improve. ... In anticipating retirement, I said this to the board of directors once, that I want to leave some things for my successors to take care of. It's badly needed. Some of the public-interest law centers which have been established during recent years are struggling; some of them are closing up because they can't get the money. And I will say this: I think it's a mistake for any such project dealing with the rights of people to depend heavily upon government money. Any time you take issue with a government that gives you the money, you're inviting them to stop giving you money. ... I am going to continue my activities when I am former national representative in a variety of external affairs that are very important to ACB. The Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America is one of the innovative, progressive ideas that have come along. I intend to serve the next three years on the board of directors. ... There are a number of other coalitions that we are identified with that are based in Washington, D.C., and in those areas I intend to relinquish representation to Oral and to anybody else on the staff that he designates to represent ACB. And I will say this about those that I said I wanted to stay with: I do hope that this organization will seriously plan for representation of ACB in those external organizations by somebody other than Durward McDaniel in the future, because that relationship is extremely important and multiplies our influence many times over and cements our relationship in this field of rights and responsibilities and benefits. ... And I do believe, at the tender age of 65, that I can do some effective work to bring that about -- to bring all of the constructive interests within organizations of the blind together. And that is one of my retirement objectives! CLINTON HONORS ACB FOUNDING MEMBER WASHINGTON -- Durward K. McDaniel, a founding member of the American Council of the Blind, received the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States in ceremonies here March 21, 1993. The award was presented by Justin Dart, chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The Distinguished Service Award was presented as part of the annual conference of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, a consortium of agencies and individuals including the American Council of the Blind. "It is my profound privilege today to represent President Clinton in honoring Durward McDaniel," said Dart. "In honoring Durward, the nation is paying tribute to the principles for which he stands, and to each one of you who have fought with him in the eternal struggle for a responsible society." ... "Durward McDaniel is a distinguished civil rights attorney, a pioneer advocate for the rights of people with blindness, a pioneer of the modern movement to unify and expand advocacy for the rights of all people with disabilities. He has been instrumental in the creation and implementation of almost every major law, service program and movement for the rights of people with blindness, and people with all disabilities that has occurred in this nation in the latter half of the 20th century -- and he continues." ... served on ACCD board 1979-1982 ... "I have known Durward McDaniel as mentor, colleague and neighbor, and I can tell you that this man is much more than a list of organizations founded and led, of laws and programs created. Durward McDaniel is the embodiment of the distinctively American principles, characteristics, and actions that have irrevocably revolutionized the thoughts, the lives, the goals of every human being on earth. He is an adamant advocate for individual freedom and for total equality of opportunity, and he knows that these inalienable rights are not contradictory, but rather that they are inseparably complementary. Durward knows what Mao Tse Tung and Stalin did not -- that freedom, equality and prosperity cannot be imposed by paternalistic, authoritarian government, but must be nurtured through education by personal example, and through encouraging the clumsy efforts of dependent people to empower themselves as producers, decision makers, and governors." Dart said he has often referred to McDaniel as "the Benjamin Franklin of the disability rights movement." He said Durward blazed the trails that made the Americans with Disabilities Act possible. "To all of us, Durward McDaniel is Mr. Democracy. I thank God that I have known and been led by Durward McDaniel. I owe the man so much. I love the man so much. On behalf of President Bill Clinton it is my honor to present to Durward McDaniel the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States." ...The award reads: "The President of the United States cites Durward McDaniel for distinguished service to America in promoting the dignity, equality, independence, and employment of people with disabilities. March 21, 1993." ("The Braille Forum," volume 31, no. 10, May 1993) PROGRESS REPORT ON THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION PROJECT by Durward K. McDaniel, Chairman Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America Organizations of and for the blind have never had a coordinated system of information sharing on federal legislation. We acknowledge the very substantial activities of national, state and local organizations working separately, and often very effectively, on federal legislation affecting blind and visually impaired people and service delivery agencies and institutions. Plans for a nationwide Legislative Action Plan have grown out of the realization that we can achieve greater efficiency through the use of a network which will permit timely and informed action and reaction as such legislative issues arise. The initiative for this project began early last year and has developed through several planning meetings participated in by chief executive officers of the national organizations and by their Washington, D.C., staffs. As "Braille Forum" readers know, a legislative manual was produced last spring in time for its distribution to Congress by participants in the American Council of the Blind's legislative seminar. The manual is now being revised, and it will again be shared with members of Congress and with legislative action participants across the country. One of the immediate plans for the project is a two-state pilot project to apply and test some of the various ideas and methods which have been suggested for the larger project. The two states chosen for the pilot are Florida and Pennsylvania, and a joint committee from those states is now working on the details of the project, assisted by organizational staffs and consultants. The joint committee of eight persons is chaired by Don Wedewer of Florida and co-chaired by Trudy Ulshafer of Pennsylvania. Early last year, the board of directors of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America agreed to have ALL coordinate the Legislative Action Project. The project planning has been done by representatives of the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, the alliance of the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Association for Education of the Visually Handicapped, the Blinded Veterans Association, and National Industries for the Blind, as well as by the Affiliated Leadership League. The first six organizations listed above have Washington offices and staffs and are participating members of ALL. . . . (from "The Braille Forum," volume 21, no. 9, March 1983) C-SPAN, CABLE TV'S WASHINGTON SERVICE by Durward K. McDaniel The cable industry has formed C-SPAN, a non-profit, cooperative, public affairs service organization which telecasts by satellite through cable TV channels 24 hours a day. Its programming includes gavel-to-gavel coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives, some government agencies, and many other Washington events related to the government. Featured speakers, including members of Congress, are interviewed, and often the audience can call in to ask questions or make comments. If you are a cable subscriber and have an interest in federal legislation and government affairs, C-SPAN is a very valuable source of information. For example, all of the hearings on Social Security legislation held by the House Committee on Ways and Means in February {1983} were telecast by C-SPAN and repeated later for the convenience of cable subscribers. C-SPAN is available to all cable companies, but some of them do not offer it to their subscribers. In that event, you are encouraged to lobby your local cable company to add C-SPAN if you want the opportunity to receive this source of governmental and related information. (from "The Braille Forum," volume 21, no. 10, April 1983) NEGATIVE LEGISLATION ON VENDING FACILITIES by Durward K. McDaniel Blind vendors and their friends need to be vigilant about H.R. 709 by Congressman G. William Whitehurst of Virginia, which is now pending. This bill would reduce the effect and coverage of the Randolph-Sheppard Act in two important ways: It would change the existing liberal definition of federal property by adding the following words: "but only such building, land, or other real property as is accessible to the general public; ..." {and} it would also amend the definition of a vending facility by adding the following words: "(but excluding cafeterias and vending machines therein operated by the General Services Administration primarily for federal employees)..." It has come to our attention that some federal departments, particularly the Department of Defense, and employees associations are beginning to show interest in these restrictive amendments. No hearings have been scheduled on this bill by Congressman John Brademas, chairman of the Select Subcommittee on Education, but we suggest that you write to him to discourage consideration of this bill by his committee. His address is: 1236 Longworth House Office building, Washington, DC 20515. For the most part, state licensing agencies are still waiting for income from vending machines operated on federal property. The Randolph-Sheppard Amendments became law on December 7, 1974. The amendments provide that federal departments and agencies collect and disburse such vending machine income. The Randolph-Sheppard Rules which were published March 23, 1977 provide that such disbursements are to be made quarterly, but in most instances the disbursements have not been made. The law also provides that such departments and agencies are to make annual reports of their collection and disbursement of vending machine income, but they have not been made. The General Services Administration interprets the Randolph- Sheppard Act to be effective for vending machine income purposes, but only under contracts for the operation of such machines which were made since January 2, 1975. We do not agree with that interpretation. Those who are displeased with the intended effect of this law will probably seek to have it amended in several ways. Those of us who are determined to use the law to create more job opportunities for blind persons will probably have to resort to litigation. ("The Braille Forum," volume 16, no. 10, April 1978) THE RIGHT TO KNOW -- AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS FOR STREET CROSSING by Durward K. McDaniel Two generations ago, many cities and towns connected bells to their traffic light signals. The bells aided pedestrians who were unfamiliar with the signal system and others who could not see the red and green lights. In this generation, the age of the automobile, cities have computer-controlled visual signals, arrows for turning cars, "Walk" and "Don't Walk" signs, the usual colored lights, and perhaps other things that I don't know about. The audible signals have vanished from most cities. In large numbers, we have demonstrated that blind and visually impaired people can cross busy streets successfully. We do not know how many will not attempt to cross because of the uncertainty imposed by the lack of practical traffic signals. Question: Does a blind pedestrian have as much right to know when the signals change as any other pedestrian? Question: Does the fact that we are a very small fraction of the total population infringe or cancel that "right to know"? Are not audible pedestrian signals a perfect example of "reasonable accommodation" within the meaning and effect of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973? Cities and towns certainly do receive federal financial assistance. Within recent months, an audio pedestrian signal (which is now on the market) was tested in Washington, D.C. The audio pedestrian signal is intended to be used in conjunction with all standard pedestrian signals. Its audio signal, in the form of bird calls, during the protected walk interval, informs the visually impaired when it is safe to cross the street. The audio output is terminated at the end of the walk interval. Two distinctly different bird calls are used for north-south and for east-west directions. The unit will adjust its output volume to the ambient noise conditions. This feature keeps noise pollution to a minimum. The unit can be easily adapted to all existing pedestrian signal installations (installation time approximately 20 minutes). To fully equip an intersection for full pedestrian movement, a total of eight units is required. We have all heard from and about visually impaired persons who, for one reason or another, do not want equalizing accommodations. Equal opportunity and the right to know should not be affected by how few we are or by the cost of reasonable accommodation. ("The Braille Forum," volume 16, no. 12, June 1978) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -- REHABILITATION? by Durward K. McDaniel One of Jimmy Carter's campaign promises was to create a separate Department of Education. Legislation is now pending, and it will probably pass in some form. Under the president's plan, the new department would include most of the education programs in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Head Start, the Agriculture Department's child nutrition and nutrition education programs, overseas Defense Department schools, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. It would also take over from HEW supervision of Howard University, Gallaudet College, the American Printing House for the Blind, and the National Institute for the Deaf. However, the giant $2.6 billion-a-year veterans' educational programs would remain in the Veterans Administration. The reorganization proposal also did not include the National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities, most of the National Science Foundation, certain juvenile delinquency programs in the Justice Department, public broadcasting, substantial health training programs, the Smithsonian Institution, the vocational rehabilitation programs, or the job-training programs of the Labor Department. Some of the proposed transfers to the new department are controversial among those affected by those agencies. The Rehabilitation Services Administration was not included in the proposed transfer, and its omission has become controversial. The National Rehabilitation Association and a substantial number of state agency directors favor transfer of rehabilitation to the new department. Many others contend that RSA should remain where it is, but with more status and independence from other human service programs. Some who favor greater emphasis on job development and placement contend that a better case can be made for transferring RSA to the Department of Labor. One influential worker in rehabilitation said, "I would rather be run by educators than by social workers." In 1963, the American Council of the Blind favored a transfer to the Department of Labor, but since we have not dealt with that subject for so many years, we consider that we do not have an operating policy on this issue. It would be unfortunate to have RSA become a minor spoke in a very large educational wheel which would be preoccupied with formal academic education. A strong suggestion has been made that HEW be renamed the Department of Health, Rehabilitation, and Social Security. In any event, we should be bargaining for the best position and funding possible for RSA in the interest of blind and handicapped people. ("The Braille Forum," volume 16, no. 12, June 1978) MORE THAN JUST A BOSS by Kathy Megivern (Editor's note: Kathy Megivern was Durward McDaniel's secretary from 1973 to 1977. She returned to ACB as staff attorney in 1979 and has been executive director of AER since 1981.) Luckily, Durward McDaniel wasn't looking for a "traditional" secretary. If he had been, someone else would be writing this tribute and my life would have taken an entirely different direction. But, while typing and shorthand would undoubtedly have been a plus, in the two-person ACB office, prior to the era of scanners and braille translation programs, where the only professional staff member was totally blind, other skills were more important. So, when I went for the job interview, I wasn't given a typing test (which I most surely would have failed!), I was asked to read aloud from the Social Security Act. I'm sure the rationale was that if someone could make the Social Security Act sound intelligible, they could read anything! And in reviewing my resume, Durward didn't ask about previous clerical experience, he was more interested in my volunteer job tutoring high school dropouts who were preparing to take the GED exam. (I expect my volunteer experience on the McGovern campaign -- which I was actually foolish enough to put on my resume -- also helped assure him that I would be a "kindred spirit" in terms of social issues.) But I had so much to learn! I had never met a blind person before the day of the job interview, and I wasn't entirely sure that Durward really was blind since he didn't fit any of my stereotypical notions about blind people. Eventually I came to understand that all blind people are not the same and in terms of interpersonal relationships, that blindness quickly takes a back seat to character and personality traits. By any measure, the man I worked for was an extraordinary human being. Nonetheless, there were a few "blindness basics" which Durward patiently (for the most part!) taught me. For instance, I learned never to walk out of the room while he was still talking. This wasn't as simple as it might seem because where I came from in upstate New York, people talked a lot faster. I was ill-prepared for Durward's Oklahoma drawl and frequently I assumed he had finished his sentence, only to find myself sitting in the outer office and realize he was still talking! Many times in those early months he threatened to make me wear a cowbell so that he could more readily track my location. I also learned (after many near misses) that direction is important. I'm not being metaphorical here, I'm talking basic understanding of a compass! In my small town, the Methodist church and the tavern were the only two landmarks needed to find one's way around! So, the first time Durward asked me to meet him on the northwest corner of Connecticut Avenue and K Street, I knew we were in trouble. I had to stand in the middle of that large, busy intersection, continuously scanning all four corners until he appeared because I had no idea which one was northwest, and no notion of how to figure that out. As you might guess, I had led a pretty sheltered life when I first met Durward. So, in addition to becoming my mentor in the many important basics about blindness, politics and advocacy, he was also a father figure who sat next to me and eased my fears during my first transcontinental airline flight, and introduced me to the joys of good bluegrass music. Years later, after both of my own parents had died, Durward and Aileen became even more important to me and were acknowledged at my wedding as "Kathy's surrogate parents," appearing with my brothers in all of the Megivern family photos. I think no one was more surprised than Durward when I announced my intention to go to law school at night. He told me that he had been certain that within 10 years I would be teaching English on a college campus somewhere. What he didn't fully understand was the depth of his own influence on me. He never offered advice, or even an opinion about my career aspirations. But he taught me, through his own quiet example, what it meant to be a real advocate and how important it is to believe in what you're doing. You always knew where you stood with Durward. He had an honesty which was a rare quality indeed in Washington. He was also tenacious and stubborn, and never afraid to ruffle a few feathers. In fact, he often enjoyed ruffling feathers. I remember how disappointed he was when Nixon's "enemies list" was published and his name wasn't on it! For Durward, the lines between "work" and "life" were indistinguishable. Holidays were simply inconvenient work days when the support staff didn't come in! He was always the politician, ever the advocate, whether he was working at his desk, eating vegetarian chili at the Hard Times Cafe or talking on the telephone with a cat purring in his lap. In later years, when he was "retired" and I had become executive director of AER, he became an even more trusted friend and adviser. That's what I'll miss the most: the voice on the other end of the phone, always available to listen to a problem or help work through an issue. His political instincts were invaluable and his unwavering optimism got me through many a day when it seemed the only answer was, in fact, to go teach English on a college campus somewhere! The last time I saw Durward was at lunch here in Washington following the White House commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the ADA. On that day I teased him about my intention to write a book of "Durwardisms," those wonderfully rich, sometimes thoroughly obtuse sayings which he had used on me (and many others, I'm sure) through the years. Here's my short list of favorite "Durwardisms:" 1) Everything is somewhere. Filing has never been one of my strong suits, so it seems as if half my time at ACB was spent searching for that one piece of paper which Durward needed immediately. While he could be very impatient, most of the time he was remarkably understanding and would lean back in his chair and calmly assure me that there really is no such thing as the Bermuda Triangle and if I just kept looking I would be sure to find what I needed. 2) You have to learn to take "yes" for an answer. This saying usually came up when I was insisting that I pay for my share of dinner or when I was incredulous about something nice which someone had said or done on my behalf. The message, of course, was a very serious one about learning to accept good things and understanding that allowing people to help is not necessarily inconsistent with being strong and independent. Durward was far too pragmatic to worry about things like "affirmation" and "self- esteem," yet he understood people in a way that most of today's self-help gurus would envy. 3) I've already told you more than I know. I've learned that this wonderfully self-effacing quote is always a good lesson in humility and also happens to serve as a most effective way to cut off questions which might otherwise call for speculation and guesswork. 4) Never make someone defend a position that you want them to relinquish. This quote so impressed my stepson that he used it recently in one of his college classes. It prompted a lengthy discussion and "kudos" from the professor! This particular saying captures the essence of Durward the politician. His keen understanding of human nature was what made him such a wonderful negotiator and skilled representative. A lot of people are lucky enough to find mentors who help them in their careers. A few people are lucky enough to find father figures who help them grow and flourish in ways their biological parents never could. But not many find all of that, and more, in the same person. Maybe the most remarkable thing about my relationship with Durward was the way it shifted and deepened as I grew and changed. How many employers could genuinely move from "boss" to "colleague" as their employee went from secretary to staff attorney? Indeed it was lucky for me that Durward wasn't looking for a "traditional" secretary! DEFINING THE MOVEMENT: A PERSONAL PORTRAIT OF DURWARD McDANIEL by Christopher Gray Durward McDaniel was a friend, a confidante, and a mentor to me. The chronology of his life and accomplishments may be covered elsewhere in this special edition; I want to pay him a personal tribute and farewell. I met Durward in the spring of 1972 at the first state convention of the Washington Council of the Blind. He came to help organize us and to share information as ACB's National Representative. His positive, friendly approach impressed us all - he advised us without tyranny, making no demands on us to do things his way. He established tremendous trust with his easy and upbeat manner. In fact, he was often asked to preside over difficult meetings because everyone knew he would be fair, and that he would lead them gently to solutions. Durward had respect for everyone and a real knack for individualizing his approach to people - no matter whether they were inarticulate or ill-informed, Durward could win their approval and affection. The first time I met Durward, he was an esteemed guest at a convention. Imagine my chagrin and embarrassment as a fellow conventioneer and member smashed directly into Durward, drink in hand! What liquid didn't soak Durward splashed others when the glass hit the floor. I felt, as only a 17-year-old readily can, the pall of impending disaster and waited, very still, to see what would happen. The splasher was surprised and more than a little embarrassed. I was astonished that Durward's immediate reaction was not annoyance, as I expected, but an attempt to put the man at ease! Durward commiserated about the man's lost drink, and propelled him to the bar for a replacement. Durward did this with kindness and an understanding for the embarrassment our member felt, and without patronizing him. It was a small, inconsequential incident, but it showed me something basic about Durward's approach to people, one of his finest traits. He cared about individuals, their feelings and problems. Even at home, after hours, he always took time for calls from people who needed a soft nudge in the right direction. Visitors knew that Durward's evening would be punctuated with such calls. And, though callers tried to limit their time, they also knew that if they really needed advice, it would be forthcoming. After the 1972 convention, I wrote sporadically to Durward about what I saw wrong with ACB; that I sometimes found "he Braille Forum" too dry and boring; for advice about our affiliate, and general political matters in the state. He quickly discovered that I was a Democrat and a political science major. So I'm certain it was no accident when he began chiding me about my more abrasive comments and criticisms, describing my "Barry Goldwater" approach to solving ACB's problems. Although his teasing was a joke we often shared in later years, it had a point, and I learned from it without knowing precisely how or when. I arrived in Washington, D.C., as a student intern in the summer of 1976. Durward was my mentor, and his expectations for my work were high and relatively inflexible. If I didn't meet those expectations, I knew it; yet he never made me feel inadequate or incapable - as often happens in employer/employee, student/teacher relationships. He never said "You're wrong" about anything that I can remember, but he never let me stop writing or speaking about something with him until it was "right." My first morning as an intern, I was introduced to Durward's formidable memory and power of concentration. He was overseeing a mailing of materials with about eight items in two separate sets of packages. One package was being sanitized for some recipients. For about an hour and a half, he dictated names and addresses for each list, in random order, to his secretary, without once referring to a note or piece of paper. Often addresses were complete with zip codes. As she wrote, he interspersed this work with explanations to me about the package (complete and sanitized), street names and patterns in Washington, and my forthcoming assignments. Needless to say, I found this tour-de-force of memory and overall mental organization quite intimidating and fascinating. His memory extended to people's occupations, where they lived, Senate and House bill numbers, telephone numbers of all kinds, and certainly anything that I, as an untrained intern, might inadvertently forget. Later, I learned that memory and work were supplemented by endless packs of note cards. On airplane flights, sometimes at dinner, and even during conversations, Durward studied and reviewed those cards. They were organized and retrievable for whatever occasions required them. With seeming effortlessness, he could later cite bills, sections of Social Security Law, specific legal language under consideration, information about people with assurance. During my internship, Durward found enough money to send me to the 1976 annual convention in Hot Springs, Ark. When he told me, I was apprehensive and excited - what would be expected of me as an ACB staff member? I told Durward, who calmed my fears, pointing out that "If you experience it just once, you'll be back". He was right - I've been back every year! I didn't believe him then, but I've always attended - on red-eye flights as a student, on the day after my wedding, and at other inconvenient times. At the convention, I found work. I sold a Harold Robinson book, entitled "Light at the End of the Tunnel," a medium-sized hardcover book about the inception of the vending stand program. The books were heavy, and not in demand. In fact, I think we even gave some away, and I worried about my not-so-striking sales performance all the way back to Washington! Durward, however, seemed completely unconcerned about the lack of sales. Although I was relieved, I felt obligated to ask him if I should try another way to sell them. Maybe I said something about my concern and confusion, or perhaps my discomfort was silent but clear. Durward reassured me, saying: "The books aren't that important; we'll sell them. But, a guy can get a lot of confidence out of having a job to do. I thought this would give you an easy way to meet some people if you needed it." My internship was the beginning of our later deep friendship. When I returned to school and became president of my state affiliate, I began to appreciate Durward as supporter and confidante. We exchanged information about activity in the Western states, and about key people in the movement. Durward's constant attention to events and people throughout the country created, by the late 1970s, a renewed, vital organization of blind people. Durward's incredible memory and his ability to analyze and synthesize detail became an invaluable resource when we began an archive of oral history for ACB. We worked closely on this project when I moved to Washington, D.C. in 1979. Since then, I've heard praise for him, again and again during my oral interviews and archiving. Key figures in ACB credit its fundamental existence to Durward's vision, his single-minded belief in our cause, and his ability to infuse people with some of that same belief and energy. "Without Durward, we wouldn't have had the will, the strength, and most especially the heart to try and rebuild our movement after our civil war" is the most direct comment on this topic I have collected. That sentiment has been echoed in many ways and through many private reminiscences. In many ways ACB came to be Durward's life and he is known to many only for this single-minded unceasing work. I wish I knew how to convey, in such a short article, the essence of the man I knew and counted as a good friend. Many of you knew him only politically, which emphasizes his commitment to the ACB, but he also had a personal life. He was active in his community, involved in local politics, and stood before the Supreme Court in defense of the rights of Oklahoma-based Native Americans. As I settled in to my life in Washington, D.C., I met Aileen, Durward's wife, and discovered his penchant for football, cats (whose independence he admired), and bluegrass. By the time I returned to Washington, a small community of evening visitors had formed at the national office. Members of this group dropped by the office, after hours, to volunteer their assistance. Durward and/or Aileen were always there, and we all worked together as an unofficial, uninstructed team. Most evenings ended with dinner and a catch-up session, where we would compare notes and share our experiences. Through the sharing of information with us, Durward exercised leadership while directing our efforts. He made us feel that we were all accomplishing something important together, and we returned week after week. The informal social life we created through our work helped us forge lasting friendships. Another key to Durward's makeup was his ability to embrace the future and reach out to the unknown. When he retired and moved to Austin, he spent time to discuss, buy, and learn to use a computer. Though he was never a power user, he was quite competent in getting the computer to do the things he needed. In one of our last conversations, he questioned me in detail about scanners, and had investigated several companies with new products on the market. Durward was keen to understand how he might receive faxes and turn them into speech. He'd heard this was possible and wanted to know precisely how it was done. Durward embraced and welcomed positive change. Once he showed up with a tiny pocket microcassette machine. Surprised, I inquired what he was doing with that. Very seriously, he said, "I'm adjusting to my age." These machines were constantly with him from then on, filled with notes, items to be done, and information about contacts. When he retired as ACB's National Representative, he explained his desire to make way for "ACB's next phase" of development. He was direct in saying that he felt that the skills of others would better serve the organization in this new phase. But no one ever doubted his continued support and involvement. In the past several years, Durward mainly devoted himself to helping those parts of ACB that were still either disorganized or in serious difficulty. Vendors and racial minorities were his special projects, with Hispanic and Native Americans high on his list of people who needed help and attention. He also focused his attention on specific complex issues that had little outside expertise. Social Security and Supplemental Security Income were issues on which he gave tremendous and continuous leadership. We had little opportunity to work closely in the last few years, but we kept in touch. It was uncanny, though, how quickly we could recapture the working relationship we began nearly 23 years ago. It was as if we had never stopped. I often wondered what Durward would do or suggest in a particular situation. Sometimes I would phone him and ask. If he was unavailable, I would think things over and find my own answers. Just knowing that Durward - this source of wisdom and advice - was available, gave me, and many others, confidence and assurance in making decisions. Only with this source missing have I come to recognize my reliance on Durward. So now, we must find security and strength elsewhere. To the man who wished no services and no memorials, there is one thing I (we) can hope to give. It is our quest, individually and collectively, for change, growth, and a better future. It is to find within ourselves, and then others, those things that let us work together and help one another. This is the essence of what Durward did and passed to us. We can hope to draw on what he left to us, and strive to find new, people-oriented ways of continuing our efforts. To Durward, I'm sure this would be a true memorial. DEAR GENERAL -- WHEREVER YOU ARE by Bradley Burson It was over 41 years ago this past July when we first got acquainted. I had never heard the name Durward before, so you spelled it for me. It was in Milwaukee just before we were to be subjected to a radio interview in connection with the NFB convention. Your quiet enthusiasm for promoting equality for blind people was contagious, and I never recovered from the infection. Little could I have dreamed that this casual beginning would prove to be the genesis of an alliance that was to endure over four decades and prove to be a vital factor in the course of my life. My enthusiasm, involvement, and the rosy glow continued to grow until that July convention in 1958 when the fury of the original Boston Tea Party was put to shame. That was the real beginning of the American Council of the Blind. It was during those next two years that we really got to know one another. It was that massive plethora of single-spaced eight- and 10-page letters exchanged each week or so between you, Marie (Boring), Archie (Lemar Archibald), and me that led to our use of the humorous salutation, "Dear Insurgent Generals." We, the four "Insurgent Generals" sought out and kicked around every idea we could dream up to preserve the integrity of a single representative national organization without compromising our dogged commitment to democratic principles. And all the while, you, more than any of us, shook the bushes and trees to find fellow travelers who shared our views. When they did emerge, we didn't have to convince them of anything -- they were already of the same mind. It is important to me that others be made aware of the fact that it was your honest persuasiveness and patently obvious dedication to developing a truly democratic organization which, more than any other single factor, projected the fundamental philosophy of the ACB as it exists today. After our organization of the ACB in Kansas City, the first half dozen years went slowly. But after the 1969 convention in Charlotte, that slow growth took a sudden turn and the ACB membership began to mushroom. You came up with the idea that the convention program might divide its efforts between the common problems of blind people as viewed from a national perspective and, on the other hand, as viewed from a more personalized perspective, oriented to meet the specific needs of individuals. You pulled together a handful of lawyers and asked me to do the same with people interested in computer programming. The American Blind Lawyers Association and the Visually Impaired Data Processors International resulted. That was the beginning of the affiliated professional organizations and special interest groups that make up the bulk of the ACB membership today. Archie left quite a few years ago and I know that by now you and he have gotten together to compare notes. Please give him my very best regards. Well, General, Marie and I are still hanging around, but we Insurgent Generals have faded away -- we aren't needed now; nobody tries to suspend the constitution anymore. We won the war and although arguments go on, just as heated as before, they are now conducted according to the rules of the game. I know we'll get together again, but (no offense meant) I hope it won't be for a long time. Your friend, Brad, I.G. 4* A GENTLE GIANT MOVES ON DURWARD McDANIEL -- A FULL LIFE, A HUGE LEGACY by Robert R. Humphreys Once in a very great while some of us are fortunate enough to get to know an individual of such memorable intellect or personality that our lives are permanently and substantially altered by the experience. That individual may take the form of a mentor, a patron or benefactor, or a hero. Durward McDaniel has been a mentor, a teacher, and a friend to me. I know I am only one of many whose lives he has changed. It is more than a cliche to say that the worth of an individual -- and the worldly contributions of that individual to the betterment of his or her family, friends, colleagues, profession or country -- are not fully appreciated until he or she leaves us. And although many, many of us have been aware, over the years, of Durward McDaniel's extensive contributions to the Randolph-Sheppard program, of his advocacy on behalf of individuals who are blind and visually impaired, and of his unswerving dedication to education and services and civil rights, most of us, I think, have only now begun to contemplate the magnitude of his accomplishments, and the huge void Durward's death will bring. I'm not prepared to write an obituary or a eulogy; this is more in the nature of a discussion with friends on the subject of another friend we have known, and liked, and admired. Let me start by reflecting on how I feel about the man, and what I know about him. The title of this note -- labeling Durward as a "gentle giant" -- is not fully descriptive, and in some ways is not really accurate. He was, indeed, a giant in his intellect, in his energy, in his firmness of purpose, in his sense of direction. He was also gentle, in the sense that he was quiet and generally reserved in demeanor; yes, now that I think about it, he had great dignity. Even in his dignity, however, he possessed an easy affability. He was easy to approach and fun to talk to. He also possessed considerable patience, both with people and with the evolution of issues and policies. At times, however, very few and far between, he became impatient with obstructions and with personal stubbornness. At such times he would wither the obstructor and silence the stubborn antagonist with a verbal cut of such precision and accuracy as to make a neurosurgeon envious. Never, however, did I ever hear him raise his voice in anger or criticism. It was his nature to reason, and not argue. Durward McDaniel was persuasive, and at the same time almost unbending. If convinced of the soundness of his position, he would hold onto it with absolute assurance, not wavering or conceding to another view unless and until he was sure there was no reasonable alternative. He was tenacious, and stubborn, and very good at getting what he wanted. What he wanted usually turned out to be the best solution for any given problem or issue or policy. I first met Durward McDaniel in 1971, soon after going to work for Sen. Jennings Randolph and the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee. Durward was the source of my earliest education in the field of blindness. He acquainted me with the issues, the policies, the personalities. My first recollection of Durward was a meeting he requested, as national representative of the American Council of the Blind, to discuss vocational rehabilitation, the blind vending facility program, and sheltered workshops. As with most meetings on these issues, he was accompanied by Irv Schloss of AFB and John Nagle of NFB, two old and dear friends who also became friends of mine. In those days I dealt with a lot of people representing disability groups, states, professional training, unions, federal agencies, and other interests. They all had legislative agendas, but none conveyed those interests more cogently or persistently than Durward McDaniel. During the 20-odd years that followed, our paths crossed regularly and frequently. He helped and bolstered me, informed and prodded me, whether the subject was as momentous as the 1974 amendments to the Randolph-Sheppard Act or independent living services for older blind individuals, or consideration of another position for the Bureau for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Rehabilitation Services Administration. As time passed, we became colleagues and partners on many matters. During the last 10 years or so, we worked together with increasing frequency. We collaborated on vitally important projects affecting the Randolph-Sheppard program nationally, on issues affecting the program in individual states, and on matters of concern to the interests of individual blind vendors. We helped Hawaii's blind vendors in their quest to establish vending facilities at the Honolulu International Airport, we worked on a variety of arbitrations together, we plotted and planned for the improvement of the Randolph-Sheppard program, both in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. Durward was constantly flying from one meeting to the next, trying to put out fires, developing new ideas, and implementing them. There were never enough hours in the day for Durward. He pushed, he prodded, he brought people together. He was the catalyst for countless initiatives. Now he's gone, and we are all the poorer for his leaving; but more important, we are all the richer for having known him, and having learned from him, and having worked with him. We must not grieve his passing. He had a full and meaningful life. Rather, we should now celebrate his brilliant accomplishments. Though we might, for a time, indulge ourselves in some trepidation for a future without his guidance and his help, he would not want us to pause too long. There is too much to do! There are too many problems left unsolved! There are vendors to help, a program to strengthen, and there is precious little time in which to do all these things. We must pick up where he left off, without hesitation or delay. We must carry on. That's what Durward would want us to do. DURWARD McDANIEL IMPORTANT IN ACB'S FORMATION by Bonnie Byington The year was 1961. "Does anyone here know a Jack and Bonnie Byington?" The man asking the question was big, a tall Tennessean. The place was the old Aladan Hotel around the corner from the Muelbach. It seemed shabby compared to the Muelbach, but it was cheap. My husband and I were stopped. From the front of the room the came an answer. Durward K. McDaniel said firmly, "We know them. They're OK. Let them in." The Tennessee door guard, I believe his name was Morgan, stepped aside. We made our way to chairs which were the old style with arms for notetaking. In addition to McDaniel, at a small speakers' table was another man, smaller than McDaniel, Ned Freeman from Georgia. The room was dimly lit, somber, and the conversations were in low tones. I believe there were 15 to 25 people in the room. Most of us were blind or low vision. McDaniel, possibly for our benefit, said, "We were discussing the formation of a new organization. What do you think?" I told him I thought it was something which should have been done several years ago. Then the crowd whistled. Jack was surprised, but elated. McDaniel stressed the magnitude of forming a new national organization. Conversation became freer and more normal in tone. My husband had always liked McDaniel. He had spoken before our Kansas organization several times, and Jack whispered to me, "It's nice to see one blind man who has brains." Then Ned Freeman outlined some suggested procedures for making the break. The meting was orderly and calm. My most vivid memory of McDaniel was that he vouched for us, allowing us to be a part of the beginning of ACB. About 9:30 or 10:00, that meeting adjourned, but we agreed to meet again. ACB is still meeting and meeting and meeting. . . . IN MEMORIAM: DURWARD K. McDANIEL by M.J. Schmitt September 6, 1994 marked the departure of Durward McDaniel from the world as we know it. It was a tremendous loss to blind persons everywhere and a deep, personal loss to me. As a charter member of ACB and a member of its first board of directors, I can tell you firsthand that you would not be reading this ACB publication today if it weren't for Durward. During the first years when we were a fledgling organization, when many people were skeptical about joining us and money was almost non-existent, the thought never even crossed Durward's mind that ACB might not succeed. When any of us dared to imply that we might not get ACB off the ground, he quickly became impatient with us and told us how negative we were. I personally remember a lecture or two on positive energy. When he believed that the time was right for ACB to make its presence felt on Capitol Hill he suggested to the national board that we create the position of national representative, and off to Washington he went at a time when we were not at all certain he ever would get paid. That kind of commitment is almost unreal! Wherever he went, he sought out key blind people and introduced them to the council. Never did he apply pressure to gain members, he just maintained his normal, low-key posture and espoused ACB philosophy. I believe the fruits of his labor are quite obvious to all of us today. Along with many others, Durward initiated the idea that we could increase membership by forming special-interest affiliates, believing that the bond of economics added to the bond of visual impairment would equal greater membership for ACB, and it did. In 1969, the first special-interest affiliates were formed, and ACB was off and running. Where we are today speaks for itself. I do not mean to discount work that was done over the years by any of the rest of us, but without Durward's unswerving, almost obsessive dedication to the ultimate result, we probably wouldn't have made it. Promoting and building ACB was a seven-day-a-week labor of love for him. Personally, I miss Durward McDaniel already. He was my friend and my mentor. He taught me many things -- that people are our most valuable resource, that I must remember always that our members are volunteers and must be treated accordingly, that a good swim and some Jack Daniels act as a good tonic after a tough meeting and that one should always be true to one's self. May our most dedicated founder never be forgotten. DURWARD McDANIEL 'TALL' IN MANY WAYS by Roseanne Diehl I met Durward McDaniel for the first time in 1968, when he attended a meeting of the D.C. Association of Workers for the Blind. Automatically I looked up to him because he was taller than I. Almost immediately I recognized that he was also tall because he was intelligent and sincere in his convictions. Very soon I realized his industrious and ambitious way of life. I observed that he was not a clock watcher and apparently had no set dinner hour. When he worked on a project, he finalized it if at all possible. When he opened a small office of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America and had to leave town for a few days, he asked me if I would please come and sit in the office to receive and record messages. I sat among unpacked boxes and managed the telephone. Upon his return we had our only misunderstanding. He said, "Aileen tells me you have not set up the office." My reply was, "As soon as you can spend time working with me, I will be happy to help unpack. I will not be considered as the person who hid things from you." Once again we saw eye to eye. Among other occasions I will remember Durward's quiet, steady manner as he offered advice on the proper procedure I, as the secretary of the Visually Impaired Secretarial Transcribers Association (now Visually Impaired Information Specialists Inc.), should use to accomplish its paperwork and apply to the IRS for that organization's tax-exempt status. I told the VISTA board members that we accomplished our goal because we had Durward's able assistance. During the 20 years that I had contact with Durward, I remained favorably impressed by his impeccable integrity. He worked diligently for all of us. IN MEMORIAM: DURWARD McDANIEL, 1915-1994 by Sue Ammeter, Past President, Washington Council of the Blind On September 6, 1994 people around the country were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Durward McDaniel. His commitment and leadership in improving conditions for blind and visually impaired persons spans almost 50 years of contributions, dedication and accomplishments. But, just as important, he was a true friend to the WCB and to me personally. Durward worked quietly behind the scenes to assist WCB during our pre-merger and merger days. His advice and counsel helped guide us through this exciting and challenging time. I remember standing next to him on the platform at the Denver ACB convention in 1990 when we were awarded our new charter of affiliation. His voice choked with pride and emotion as he described our merger and his joy at seeing two affiliates come together as one strong organization. Those of you who knew Durward knew of his involvement with and belief in membership growth and retention within ACB and other organizations of and for the blind. I was honored to be appointed to the membership committee and to work with Durward and others in building and strengthening ACB. As chairman of the committee, Durward's tireless energy and wisdom truly served as a role model for each of us on the membership committee. His ability to remember the names of blind persons throughout this country was truly incredible. He had a huge rolodex which must have contained thousands of names, addresses and phone numbers. I would tease him by saying that he must know every blind person in this country. He would laugh and say that there were probably a few that he had not heard about. In 1992, I was asked by President Saunders if I would accept the position of chair of the membership committee. The responsibility was challenging and a little bit scary. But Durward was always there, as vice chairman, willingly lending his encouragement, ideas and support. Whether he was fighting for the rights of teens to have a vote in ACB or spearheading efforts to increase outreach to the minority or aged blind communities he was always there with positive ideas and a willingness to take on an assignment. He wrote countless numbers of letters to blind persons everywhere. He would give advice, encouragement and even, sometimes, a mild scolding. But his efforts were always directed toward self-organization of the blind. His letters were another vehicle that he used to keep in touch with blind persons around this country. His letters always made you think about issues or concerns facing ACB. I was also privileged to serve on the long-range planning committee with him. We were given the responsibility of developing recommendations in the area of legislation and advocacy. We spent countless hours discussing the history, philosophy and issues impacting organizations of and for the blind. His sudden death was particularly difficult for the committee since we had just spent three days together at the end of August developing final recommendations to be presented to the ACB board of directors in September. Durward will be truly missed for his many contributions and accomplishments on behalf of the blind community. But, more important, he will be remembered by many of us as a teacher, a mentor and a friend. REMEMBRANCES OF DURWARD K. McDANIEL by Charles S.P. Hodge When I first came to Washington, D.C., shortly after my law school graduation in the fall of 1971, I began work as a fresh new lawyer in the Office of the General Counsel of the then Department of Health, Education and Welfare. I soon met such blind friends as Bud Keith who also worked at HEW, and Oral Miller, and through them, I began bowling in the D.C. Blind Bowling League. During 1972 and 1973, a soft-spoken blind lawyer named Durward McDaniel would occasionally substitute in our bowling league for Oral Miller or Reese Robrahn. That's how I first met Durward McDaniel. I soon discovered by talking with Durward that he worked as the national representative of the American Council of the Blind and ran, along with his wife Aileen, a small office for ACB in downtown Washington. I had never been a member of the National Federation of the Blind and knew virtually nothing of the battles in which Durward had fought in order to create ACB, but I slowly began to learn from Durward about the philosophy and direction of our organization. I also came to learn that Durward and I had a keen and abiding interest in politics in general and in progressive Democratic party political affairs in particular. I remember being very impressed with Durward's dedication to the betterment of the lives of average or little blind Americans. He wasn't much interested in the achievements of the well-educated, super-achieving blind, but rather I could sense the fire and passion in Durward in favor of that average, small-town blind person who was often struggling just to make ends meet. This populist outlook and political philosophy in all likelihood was an outgrowth of Durward's background in Depression-time, dustbowl Oklahoma, where times were brutally tough, and individuals had to rely on their own grit, guts and self-determination to overcome personal obstacles. Durward, I came to learn, believed that through skillful influence on state and federal legislative processes, hard work in state and federal governmental regulatory processes, and fervent advocacy at local, state and national levels, we could improve the lot of those average, little, non-influential blind citizens. Progress might come slowly and in small incremental steps, but the longer we use our God-given smarts and advocate intelligently, we could move the ball forward. During the early years of our acquaintance and friendship, I was beginning my work in the areas of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. Durward and I worked closely together on developing a legislative initiative to amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include handicapped workers and applicants for employment within the coverage of that act. Our efforts came to a head during 1979 and 1980 when working with staff from Sen. Harrison Williams' (D-N.J.) office, we gained committee consideration and favorable action on our bill. The initiative floundered, however, and we were not able to get floor consideration either in the Senate or in the House of Representatives during the 96th Congress. I believe our efforts, however, served as a foundation for later legislative initiatives which resulted in the passage of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. One other important quality about Durward deserves mention here. Durward never asked more of any of us blind citizens than he demanded and extracted from himself. It is virtually a legend about him in ACB circles that he worked -- often for months at a time -- without being paid his salary by ACB. In addition, Durward on many occasions merely took an I-owe-you from ACB for travel expenses and other compensation to which he was entitled. His dedication and personal sacrifice to the purposes and causes espoused by ACB all too often went beyond the call of duty. If Durward asked you for a financial contribution, you could invariably count on it that he himself was making an even larger financial contribution of his own to the cause. This quality of leading through personal example and dedication while never asking anyone to do more than he was willing to do himself are in my mind the signature qualities of leadership which distinguished Durward McDaniel's life's work in the organized blind movement. Yes, personal honesty, integrity and dedication to principle, conscience and purpose were certainly part of Durward's winning formula for success, but Durward's willingness to demand more of himself than anyone else was what for me separated Durward McDaniel from all other leaders in the organized blind movement. Because of such qualities, I was particularly pleased when the ACB board of directors recently established the Durward K. McDaniel Membership Enhancement and Retention Challenge Fund. Durward, I am sure, would be particularly pleased with the challenge aspect of this memorial fund. ACB has committed itself to match dollar for dollar contributions to the fund up to a cap of $100,000 within four years. Thus, ACB as an organization is continuing and perpetuating Durward's finest quality of putting its money where its mouth is and matching the efforts of our members, affiliates and friends. I pray that ACB will have to put up the entire $100,000 in matching funds, because if we do, that will mean that we have accumulated a sizable memorial fund that will go a long way toward guaranteeing ACB's growth and future membership security. Nothing less would satisfy Durward, and I know that he is smiling as ACB challenges its membership to even more ambitious goals and objectives. Durward will clearly be greatly missed, and his passing creates an aching gap in our midst. Yet he would not want us to dwell on him or our loss. Rather, he would want us to keep our noses to the grindstone and keep working every day for the betterment of life of all blind Americans. Let's take Durward's legacy as our personal challenge, and rededicate our efforts toward the ends that we can achieve if we will follow Durward's example. A TRIBUTE TO DURWARD McDANIEL I. Durward McDaniel was truly a "legend in his own time!" The work that he did for the many, many different organizations to advocate for blind people is, of course, a matter of record. But there is no real record of the many people that he not only gave hope and encouragement, except in the memory and hearts of his family and friends. He never failed to offer his help where and when he could, and he enriched the lives of all the people he touched. Without his help and encouragement High Plains Lighthouse for the Blind in Amarillo, Texas, might never have become a reality. When Durward realized that we had failed to get a proper charter after having worked with several different attorneys, he immediately proceeded to obtain one for us. His advice and encouragement were always freely given and appreciated. Others may follow in his footsteps, but no one can fill his shoes! Alice Butler, president emeritus, board of directors, High Plains Lighthouse for the Blind II. From the Internet: Durward convinced me that I should apply for the NAC executive director's position. A few years later, I told Durward that he owed me one! I collected many times during my tenure at NAC. Durward was an honored mentor. Dennis L. Hartenstine, Executive Director, Securities Industry Foundation for Economic Education III. It was with sadness that I read the report of Durward McDaniel's death in the October issue of "The Braille Forum." From 1968 to 1972, I was employed as executive secretary at the American Foundation for the Blind, working with Irv Schloss. During this period we worked with Durward on many legislative issues, including the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Stand Act amendments of 1972. I was attending law school at night during this period. When I neared graduation, Durward offered me a job at ACB, initially as a secretary but he hoped that soon he would be hiring an assistant which I would become. I did not accept the position, but a year or two later, Durward was instrumental in retaining me as counsel for the vendors and others in a law suit against the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (as it was then) regarding what we believed was a lack of agreement between the Randolph-Sheppard Amendments, the legislative purpose and the regulations. This suit went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. We lost, but it was one of my first "big" cases. I had occasion to speak to Durward just last year and send him a copy of the brief. The ACB was well-served with Durward McDaniel as its first national representative. He created a strong, well-respected presence for the organization. He cooperated to the extent possible with other organizations of and for the blind in order to enhance the effect of ACB's lobbying efforts. I was privileged to have known and had the opportunity to work with him. Elizabeth H. Farquhar, Counsellor at Law, Washington, D.C. IV. In 1974, Durward McDaniel assisted ACB members in the Buffalo, N.Y., area in contacting the federal Civil Service Commission (now Office of Personnel Management) to persuade them to allow the use of an abacus when taking a civil service exam. Until this effort, it was commonly believed that the abacus was some kind of calculator. We were able to point out to them that the abacus merely provided a method for "writing" the numbers. As a result, the abacus has been allowed as a tool for assisting blind and visually impaired civil service applicants. Kathy Lyons, Buffalo, N.Y. THANK YOU, RSVA MEMBERS! As president of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, representing blind businessmen and businesswomen across America, which also symbolizes the tireless efforts of our former friend and legal counsel Durward K. McDaniel, I'd like to express the total appreciation of our members, plus an overall affection throughout the whole business enterprise program for his achievements. RSVA has dedicated a recent issue of "The Vendorscope" to Durward, and has initiated an ongoing "Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund -- A Legacy of Legal Support" -- to honor his name and legal efforts. Durward McDaniel was one giant step for RSVA, and one awesome leap for our nation's blind. -- Raymond Washburn THE DURWARD K. McDANIEL MEMORIAL FUND: A LEGACY OF LEGAL SUPPORT The Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund has been established by the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America to honor the memory of a great leader in the blindness field and a great friend of the nation's blind vending facility program. Durward McDaniel passed away September 6, 1994, after a life of service and dedication to the rights and needs of blind and visually impaired people. He gave tirelessly of his time and energy, legal expertise and program knowledge to the cause of blind vendors throughout the country, and he was dearly loved by those who were privileged to know him, work with him, learn from him. For these and countless other reasons, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America created a tangible tribute which will benefit blind vendors and protect their rights in the years to come. The Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund will be used exclusively to retain counsel and to pay related costs and expenses to protect the rights and benefits of all blind vendors and to defend and safeguard the Randolph-Sheppard Act and the programs operating under that federal law. On the basis of decisions made by the RSVA board of directors, the fund will provide an ongoing mechanism for addressing legal issues of national importance. Although the RSVA board may vote to intervene in an individual case which has nationwide implications, the fund may not be used to pay the legal expenses of individual vendors. The national program of blind vending facilities operating under the Randolph-Sheppard Act for the Blind, 20 U.S. Code sections 107-107e, began in 1986 as an employment program for blind people in federal buildings. It now includes some 8,500 vending facilities in federal, state and private locations. Blind vendors and their thousands of employees generate annual sales of food and other goods and services in the amount of $400 million. Blind vending facilities have a priority to operate on federal property. They include large cafeterias, snack bars and kiosks, gift shops and vending machines. The program is largely self-sustaining. Although the Randolph-Sheppard blind vending facility program is widely regarded as perhaps the finest and most successful employment program for people with disabilities ever devised, blind vendors are constantly faced with challenges and impediments to the realization of the full potential of the act. National fast food contracts have been signed which defy the priority accorded to blind vendors under the act: limitations are placed on the ability of blind vendors to obtain income from vending machines; federal agencies and morale and welfare organizations violate the law and usurp money and job opportunities which rightfully belong to blind vendors. The Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund will help blind vendors continue to carry on the fight to preserve their program and their livelihood. Questions concerning the fund should go to the RSVA National Office, 2100 Woodmere [spell] Blvd., Suite 120, Harvey, LA 70058; phone (800) 467-5299. LEGAL ACCESS: POLITICAL TRANSITION: OPPORTUNITY OR NIGHTMARE? by Charles D. Goldman (Reprinted with permission from "Horizons," January 1995.) There is a new mood in Washington. And it's not because the Redskins have been dreadful (again), making "Meet the Press" more appealing than the Superdull. It is January 1995, and the Republicans control both the Senate and House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years! This is a time of major transition in raw political power. We are a year before our quadrennial national catharsis of a presidential election. Democrats, President Clinton and company, as well as the Republican potential candidates (too numerous to name for space reasons), are beginning to maneuver for position. Action, not inaction, is the byword. The task for persons with disabilities is to take advantage of this situation, seizing the momentum for change, and ride with the tide to solidify programs which will be effective in the 21st century, jettisoning the old programs which are institutionally irrelevant or duplicative. If the disabled community fails to do so, the potential is real that the programs which are near and dear, touching the fabric of their lives will be sacrificed on the altars of "downsizing government" and "unfunded mandates." Let me suggest that the time is now to recognize a few basic political facts so that the next two years will not be a debacle, with wholesale disruption of programs across the board: 1. Bill Clinton and the Democrats have a solid 43 percent of the vote. This means Bill Clinton needs more voters to get re- elected. 2. People vote against, including against bureaucrats in Washington. It was against government -- government which is duplicative and intrusive -- as in telling business who to hire, what place to modify, etc. If the Republicans merely continue the status quo and do not cut government, they will lose in 1996. 3. The patchwork approach to government is out. In other words, when government agency number one does not work, we do not create agencies number two, three and four to make it work. Now, if number one is not working or out of date, it could well be gone, particularly after the line item veto (No. 5, below) gets approved. 3a. The corollary to the end of the patchwork approach to government is that the credit card approach to government is also out. Accountability of programs (Do they serve disabled people or the people who run them?), cutting taxes and government workers are in vogue. There will be an attempt to consolidate programs, with states/local governments making the harder choices on what to actually spend the money. There is one exception, no. 4. 4. There will be more money for defense. Clinton has already announced he's for it and Republicans, as part of their rite of passage, always embrace more money for defense. 5. Both President Clinton and the Republicans are in favor of line item veto. That is authority for the president to veto part of a bill and sign into law the remainder of legislation which passes the Congress. No longer will lawmakers be able to protect their pet projects or agencies by including them in legislation which the president must sign (a practice commonly called "Christmas treeing"). Think of the president as the person who takes something out of a basket at the supermarket his family has gathered for him and buys the rest of the goods. Look for support for the line item veto to be included in the president's State of the Union address later this month and for Congress to move quickly on this. The line item veto could be the most profound change effected by the 104th Congress. Given this political climate, it is important to realize the great opportunity at hand. The opportunity is there to shape the debate by identifying the crucial programs and, notwithstanding that we may have personal friends in the others, make the tough choices. The community of persons with disabilities must play to both Republicans and Democrats. Neither party has such a lock on the American voter that it can take the disabled community for granted. Both parties need the community of disabled persons. Democrats need every voter they can garner. Republicans need to show they are not cold elitists, dedicated to the wealthy and indifferent to people with special needs. Republican and Democrat sages know that the loyalty of the American voter has a shelf life roughly equivalent to their last paycheck. There is a real opportunity to make sure that good programs, such as special education (including preschoolers), the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and Social Security, assistive technology, are improved and made more efficient (with the basic authority and rights kept in place). There is duplication and waste in the disability field. How many committees, councils, access agencies do you really need? The little entities are ripe for elimination by the line item veto. The time is now to strengthen good programs and eliminate the waste people know exists. Done right, this is an opportunity. Done wrong, the coming transition will be a nightmare. Stay tuned. AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT The Board of Publications of the American Council of the Blind is pleased to announce the criteria for the 1995 Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award and the Vernon Henley Media Award. Each year, the Freeman Award is administered and granted by the board of publications to an outstanding writer who has made a specific contribution of particular merit in the area of writing by and for blind people. The award is given in memory of Ned E. Freeman, ACB's first president, who at the time of his death was serving as editor of "The Braille Forum." The Board of Publications will accept submissions for the Freeman Award from any writer on a topic that would be of interest to readers of "The Braille Forum." Submissions may be published in the magazine if space allows. Articles published in the magazine between April 1994 and March 1995 are automatically eligible. Materials which have been published by an ACB affiliate will also be considered if submitted. When submitting previously published material, send a print or braille copy of the original manuscript along with the published article. The Vernon Henley Media Award will be presented to a person, either sighted or blind, who has created a radio, television or print media product conveying positive and useful information concerning blind people in general or the American Council of the Blind in particular. Programs and/or articles written and produced specifically for a visually impaired audience, as well as those intended for the general public, are eligible. Multiple articles or programs submitted by one author or organization will be judged as separate entries. The Henley Award is intended to be a vehicle for publicizing ACB throughout the general media, and to encourage excellence and accuracy in electronic and print coverage of items relating to blindness. Submissions for both awards must be postmarked no later than April 30, 1995. All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter providing details about the submission, its origin, and any other pertinent information. Please include your return address in the cover letter. If you want your manuscript returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to ACB Board of Publications Awards, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. The annual presentation of awards recognizing outstanding dedication, distinguished service, and achievement by and/or for blind and visually impaired people has become a widely anticipated event at recent American Council of the Blind national conventions. The Awards Committee seeks nominations for the 1995 awards and asks that all nominations be sent directly to the ACB National Office, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. For your information, criteria for the several ACB awards for which nominations are sought are: The Robert S. Bray Award, established in 1975 in memory of the late chief of what is now the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, is presented periodically in recognition of outstanding work in extending library services or access to published materials, or improving communications devices or techniques. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award recipient is selected each year from among blind candidates who, through their lives, associations, and activities, have demonstrated their integration into and their interaction with the life of the community. It is not necessary that the candidate be a member of or active in any organizations of the blind, or be engaged in work for the blind. The George Card Award is presented periodically to an outstanding blind person who has contributed significantly to the betterment of blind people in general. This award is not limited by locality or by nature of the contribution. Nominations should be postmarked no later than June 1, 1995. ACB MEMBERSHIP AT LARGE APPLICATIONS The American Council of the Blind Constitution and Bylaws provide that any person who has reached the age of 18 and who is not a voting member of an ACB state/regional affiliate is eligible to become and ACB member-at-large with the right to an individual vote at the ACB national convention. Annual membership at large dues are $5. Application forms for new members-at-large are available from the ACB National Office. The ACB Constitution and Bylaws further provide that all dues are to be received no later than March 15. All membership at large dues must be clearly identified as such and should be sent so as to be received no later than March 15, 1995, to American Council of the Blind, Brian Charlson, Treasurer, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. ACB SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO BLIND STUDENTS by Jessica Beach The American Council of the Blind will award nineteen scholarships to outstanding blind students in 1995. All legally blind persons admitted to academic and vocational training programs at the post-secondary level for the 1995/96 school year are encouraged to apply for one of these scholarships. The Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarships will be awarded to each of the top two applicants in the following categories: entering freshmen in academic programs, undergraduates (sophomores, juniors and seniors) in academic programs, graduate students in academic programs, and vocational school students. Applicants will be compared with other applicants in their category, which means that entering freshmen will be competing for funds with other entering freshmen. Each scholarship award is $2,500. The $2,500 Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship, provided by the Tarver Memorial Fund, will be granted to an outstanding graduate student. The $1,000 Dr. Mae Davidow Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding entering freshman. The Grant M. Mack Memorial Scholarships, sponsored by National Industries for the Blind, will be awarded to two outstanding undergraduate or graduate students majoring in business or management. The amount of each of these scholarships is $2,000. The $1,500 William G. Corey Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding Pennsylvania resident. All qualified Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to apply. The $1,000 Kellie Cannon Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding student studying in the field of computer information systems or data processing. This scholarship is provided by Visually Impaired Data Processors International, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. The $2,000 Arnold Ostwald Memorial Science Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding entering freshman studying in the field of science. This scholarship is funded by a foundation established by the late Arnold Ostwald, a blind lawyer. The $1,000 Xerox Imaging Systems Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student. This scholarship is funded by Xerox Imaging Systems located in Peabody, Massachusetts. The Central Virginia Council of the Blind Scholarships will be awarded to two outstanding residents of the state of Virginia who are attending a Virginia college or university. One $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding entering freshman and the other $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding undergraduate. These scholarships are sponsored by the Central Virginia Council of the Blind, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. The $1,000 Bay State Council of the Blind Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding Massachusetts resident. This scholarship is funded by the Bay State Council of the Blind, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Scholarship applications are available from the American Council of the Blind, Attention: Jessica L. Beach, Scholarship Coordinator, 1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 467-5081. All completed applications and supporting documents must be postmarked no later than March 1, 1995. Leading scholarship candidates will be interviewed by telephone in April. The ACB scholarship winners will be notified no later than May 15, 1995. The scholarships will be announced at the 34th Annual National Convention of the American Council of the Blind to be held July 1-8, 1995, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Scholarship winners are expected to be present at the convention; ACB will cover all reasonable costs connected with convention attendance. Among the criteria to be considered in the selection process of scholarship winners will be demonstrated academic record, involvement in extracurricular/civic activities and academic objectives. The severity of the applicant's visual impairment and his/her study methods will also be taken into account in the selection process. Also, the American Council of the Blind is pleased to offer the John Hebner Memorial Scholarship to a blind or visually impaired applicant who is gainfully employed full time. This is a need-based scholarship enabling an individual to enroll in school while remaining employed full time. This scholarship will be given in the amount of $500. The winning student will receive the scholarship during the 1995/96 school year. Qualified applicants should submit the documentation specified below to the Hebner Memorial Scholarship, American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005 no later than March 1, 1995. Faxed application materials WILL NOT be accepted. All materials in the application packet MUST be neatly typed. Handwritten applications WILL NOT be accepted. Applicants must submit the following in order to be considered: 1. A personal statement explaining how the scholarship will be beneficial. Describe the class/classes to be taken and the benefits to be gained by being enrolled in the program. Applicants should describe their financial need and provide the Scholarship Committee with any relevant personal background information. 2. A resume including information about current and previous work experience, educational achievements, community service, etc. 3. A letter from the applicant's current employer confirming his/her employment status. 4. A statement from a medical doctor, rehabilitation specialist, or other qualified individual certifying that the applicant is legally blind. The definition of legal blindness is as follows: visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better corrected eye or a visual field of 20 degrees or less in the better corrected eye. To be eligible you must be legally blind in BOTH eyes. ACB SEEKS 1995 SUMMER INTERN The American Council of the Blind announces its 1995 Internship Program intended to provide meaningful work experience for a blind post-secondary student. The paid internship will be for a maximum period of ten weeks and will also include, if necessary, a reasonable housing and transportation allowance. Duties will include activities in the areas of public information and education, membership assistance, communications, legislative monitoring and publications. Students wishing to be considered should submit a letter of application by April 1, 1995 to Oral O. Miller, National Representative, American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. The letter of application should include documentation concerning the school being attended or to be attended, as well as information regarding the major field of study, vocational or professional objective (if known), prior educational and employment history, skills (braille reading and writing, typing, computer, low vision aids, etc.), extracurricular and civic activities. The letter should also include a paragraph stating why the applicant would like to spend a summer in Washington and the benefits which she/he would expect to receive from the internship. HERE & THERE by Elizabeth M. Lennon The announcement of new products and services in this column should not be considered an endorsement of those products and services by the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned. WHOLE WORLD LANGUAGE Just published is Audio-Forum's "Whole World Language Catalog." The 56- page book, available free, features the world's largest selection of cassette-based self-instruction language courses. Courses are offered at various learning levels, all emphasizing the spoken language. There are references to a printed text, for which you'd need a reader's assistance. A typical course consists of 15 to 18 hours of recording on 12 cassettes plus a 200-page book. To obtain a copy of Audio-Forum's catalog, call 1-800-243- 1234 or send your request to Audio-Forum, 96 Broad St., Guilford, [spell] CT 06437. When placing your order, state that you are a "Braille Forum" reader, that you are blind or visually impaired, and that you qualify for Audio- Forum's special 25 percent discount. WID RECEIVES GRANT The World Institute on Disability has received a grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration which will help fund the 18-month universal access project -- a project focusing on building accessibility for disabled people into the information superhighway. WID's partners for this $338,585 grant are the University of Wisconsin's Trace Research & Development Center and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media. For more information on the universal access project, contact Joy Shulman at (510) 251-4345, or send email to univaccess@trace.wisc.edu. LARGE PRINT CARDS Stephen P. Mickey, a poet with post-polio syndrome, has developed and designed a series of large-print greeting cards. He also has four published books of poetry, two in large print and all four on tape, and poetry for framing. Cards are printed on natural-colored paper. For more information on price and selection, contact Stephen Mickey at P.O. Box 172, 224 W. Main St., St. Nazianz, [spell] WI 54232; phone (414) 773-2686. FREE CALENDARS Free braille 1995 calendars are available on request from the Central Illinois Sight Center, 117 E. Washington St., East Peoria, [spell] IL 61611; phone (309) 698-4001. BAUER RECEIVES CHAMP The Wichita Association for the Visually Handicapped recently presented its second Margaret C. Champ Award to Steve A. Bauer. The award, established in 1993 by the association, honors individuals and groups who keep Mrs. Champ's spirit of service alive by assisting blind and visually impaired persons. Bauer has been a long-time volunteer in the Wichita area who has actively worked for improvement in the lives of blind and visually impaired Kansans. Bauer is employed as telecommunication manager for INTRUST Bank. Letters of nomination for the 1995 award may be sent to the Wichita Association for the Visually Handicapped, 3908 W. 18th St. N., Wichita, KS 67203. Deadline for nominations is October 1, 1995. 40TH ANNIVERSARY The Deutsche Blinden-Horbucherei, Germany's talking book library, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It was the first listening library in Germany and the only one serving German-speaking patrons around the world. It currently serves 6,500 blind and print-handicapped people and offers nearly 8,000 titles. CYPRUS TRIP, ANYONE? The Cyprus Fulbright Commission is seeking an American expert to come to Cyprus to train people for employment and rehabilitation. The Greek Cypriot school for the blind in Nicosia needs training for its new staff, refresher courses for veteran staff, information on new technology for the blind, and training of teachers working on mainstreaming. If you are interested in applying, send for an application from the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden [spell] St. NW, Suite 5M, Washington, D.C. 20008- 3009; phone (202) 686-4010. Applicants should mention that this program is of interest to both Greek and Hebrew Cypriot communities, and that the executive director of the Fulbright Commission, Daniel Hadjittofi, is aware of the need for such a program and would be happy to receive program proposals through CIES. It would be ideal for the person to arrive in early 1996. GROUP NEEDS HELP The Fellowship for the Advancement of Visually Handicapped, 8/4, Block-C, Lalmatia, [spell] Dhaka-1207, [spell] Bangladesh, is in need of braille books, magazines, writing equipment and paper. If you have any of the above materials to spare, send them to them. BROCKMAN HONORED ACB of Indiana treasurer Maurice Brockman received the second annual Mayor's Award recently as part of the Community Council on Handicap Concerns Awards from Mayor Tomi Allison. He is a registered RSVP volunteer, and has been involved with Different Abilities, which is a support group for those with a variety of physical handicaps, taught sign language to children at Clear Creek Elementary School, an ACB volunteer, and much more. CELEXX BASIC Celexx Basic, a new closed circuit TV system, is now available for $1,895 from Bossert Specialties, Inc. It's 15 inches wide, 17 inches deep and 20 inches high. It magnifies from seven to 25 times, normal and reverse modes. For more information, contact Bossert Specialties, Inc., The Magnification Center, P.O. Box 15441, Phoenix, AZ 85060; phone (602) 956-6637. CONVERT E-MAIL International Discount Telecommunications, Inc., offers a service that allows customers to receive email messages that are automatically transferred to the customer's fax machine. For blind customers, the company offers a related service: one that converts email to voice through a voice synthesizer, and automatically relays the message to a user's telephone or voice mail system. The service costs $5 a month regardless of mail volume. For more information, contact International Telecommunications, Inc., 294 State St., Hackensack, [spell] NJ 07601; phone (800) 221-3756 or (201) 928- 1000. NEW RELEASE GW Micro has released its new external speech synthesizer, Speak-Out. Its approximate size is 5 1/4 inches square, 1 1/2 inches tall, and weighs about a pound. It has both a parallel and a serial port with standard Centronics and nine-pin D connectors. It costs $650. For more information, contact GW Micro at 310 Racquet [spell] Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46825; phone (219) 483-3625. NEED BRAILLE? Do you need something put into braille for your group, business, agency, organization, or self? Contact Maureen Pranghofer [spell both] at 4910 Dawnview [spell] Terrace, Golden Valley, MN 55422; phone (612) 522-2501. CLASSIC CARS In 1990, the Young Adult Support Group, a group of visually impaired people who live in and around Detroit, created the opportunity to become tactile judges at the "Eyes on Classic Design" show, a classic car show sponsored by the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology held on the grounds of the historic Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. Each year a class of vehicle is chosen by the group of visually impaired judges. The group is currently seeking visually impaired individuals who own noteworthy preserved vehicles - - vehicles that have been preserved by the visually impaired person. If you are such a person, contact Nino Pacini [spell] at 5237 Hillcrest St., Detroit, MI 48236; phone (313) 224-2059. WINK'S CRAFTS Rev. Adelaide Wink of Florida has useful crafts available, such as woven potholders, knitted potholders, dish cloths and washcloths, covered hangers, and baby sets. Woven potholders are available in red, dark blue, light blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, pink and white, and cost $2 a pair. Knitted potholders cost $3 a pair; dish cloths and washcloths cost $3 each; covered hangers cost $2 each, and baby sets cost $26 each (available in sizes 6 months to 9 months). She also enjoys corresponding with blind people in braille or on tape, and would like to hear from blind people in New Zealand, Africa, Switzerland, the West Indies, Holland and Germany. She requests that German, Swiss or Dutch writers tape their letters since she cannot write braille in any of those languages. And if you know of any home employment available for the blind, please let her know. Write her at 59 S. Lee St., Beverly Hills, FL 34465-9130; phone (904) 746-3087. CHRISTIAN TAPES Ruth Versaw, 11104 N. Brauer [spell], Oklahoma City, OK 73114, has a large tape library for the blind, consisting of sermon tapes, church service and music tapes, evangelical message tapes, bible studies series, and books. Write to her at the address above, or call her at (405) 751-5121. SEARS + ADA= JOBS Sears, Roebuck & Company proves that compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act does not have to be a hardship. According to a report released in mid-November, the average cost of most accommodations is $36. Less than 10 percent of Sears employees who identified themselves as disabled required any kind of accommodation. Of the 436 ADA-related accommodations Sears made from 1978 to 1992, 69 percent cost Sears nothing, 28 percent cost less than $1,000, and only 3 percent cost more than $1,000. The total cost of accommodations to Sears was $52,939, and the average cost per accommodation was $121. If accommodations costing $1,000 or more are excluded, the average cost per accommodation is $36. For more information, or to receive a copy of the report, contact Lisa Spodak at (202) 393-7100. JOB OPENING Moorhead State University is currently seeking applicants for the job of Vice President for Student Affairs. Applicants must have an appropriate advanced degree with substantial, relevant experience in student affairs administration; demonstrated leadership at the program director level; success in advancing diversity; commitment to open and effective communication with campus and community constituencies; excellent verbal and writing skills, and a commitment to affirmative action/equal opportunity. The vice president for student affairs supports student development, participates as a senior-level member of the president's cabinet, supervises student affairs planning and budgeting, advises the student senate, and participates in system-wide planning and operations through the chancellor's office, among other things. Send application letter, resume, and names, addresses and phone numbers of at least three references, and any other materials you consider appropriate to: Lynne Ebner [spell], Chairperson, Selection Advisory Committee, Moorhead [spell] State University, Box 415, Moorhead, [spell] MN 56563. ID CARD DISCONTINUED The American Foundation for the Blind will no longer issue its identification card, effective January 1. People needing a new or alternative source of identification should apply for non-driver ID cards through their state's Department of Motor Vehicles. ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sue Ammeter, Seattle, WA Ardis Bazyn, Cedar Rapids, IA Patricia Beattie, Arlington, VA Christopher Gray, San Jose, CA John Horst, Wilkes-Barre, PA Jean Mann, Guilderland, NY Kristal Platt, Omaha, NE M.J. Schmitt, Berwyn, IL Pamela Shaw, Silver Spring, MD Otis Stephens, Ph.D., Knoxville, TN Richard Villa, Bedford, TX BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Billie Jean Hill, Chairperson, Alexandria, VA Kim Charlson, Watertown, MA Thomas Mitchell, North Salt Lake City, UT Mitch Pomerantz, Los Angeles, CA Edward Potter, Goldsboro, NC Ex Officio: Laura Oftedahl, Watertown, MA ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT LEROY SAUNDERS 2118 N.W. 21st ST. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73107 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT CHARLES S.P. HODGE 1131 S. FOREST DR. ARLINGTON, VA 22204 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT STEPHEN SPEICHER 825 M ST., SUITE 216 LINCOLN, NE 68508 SECRETARY PATRICIA PRICE 5707 BROCKTON DRIVE #302 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46220 TREASURER BRIAN CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVENUE WATERTOWN, MA 02172 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ELIZABETH M. LENNON