The Braille Forum Vol. XI November-December 1972 No. 3 Published Bi-Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * Editor: Earl Scharry 5714 Ridgeway Ave. Rockville, MD 20851 * President: Reese Robrahn 329 Woodbury Lane Topeka, KS 66606 * National Representative: Durward K. McDaniel 818 18th Street, N.W. Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20006 * Associate Editors: George Card 605 South Few St. Madison, WI 53703 Margaret Freer 11816 West Blue Mound Rd. Wauwatosa, WI 53226 Ione B. Miller 9291 Fermi Avenue San Diego, CA 92123 To inform its readers and to provide an impartial Forum for discussion. ***** ** Contents Notice to Subscribers A Pathology in Rehabilitation, by Vernon Metcalf Social Security Amendments of 1972, by Durward K. McDaniel Telephone Directory Assistance Charges The Elderly and Disabled under H.R. 1 The ARTS System, by Glenn W. Smith Iowa Litigation, Ruling and Appeal Presidential Veto of Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments ACB Resolutions The Sky's the Limit, by Kurt Milam Here and There, by George Card "Blind Worker of the Year" An Unusual Committee Meeting, by Travis Harris New Talent Bureau Formed for Blind Musicians ACB Officers Directors ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large type, and on tape – seven-inch, dual track, ips 3 and ¾. Subscriptions and address changes should be sent to Floyd Qualls, who is in charge of our three mailing lists. His address is: 106 N.E. 2nd Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104. Items intended for publication should be sent to the editor or to one of the associate editors. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to ACB Treasurer Edward Miller, 2621 Chesterfield Ave., Charlotte, North Carolina 28205. ***** ** A Pathology in Rehabilitation By Vernon Metcalf, ACSW Assistant Executive Director Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind The rehabilitation movement in the United States is essentially work oriented. This is a salable service reasonably well accepted and increasingly better funded by both the public and private sectors. There continue to be efforts to broaden the criteria of eligibility and to increase the array; of services which may be provided by governmental rehabilitation agencies. The proven salability and the respected methodologies of rehabilitation have been validated in many respects. Some feel that the rehabilitation agencies having proved the efficacy of their efforts should now include other larger populations including the so-called culturally deprived individuals and others who do not manifest a specific physical, mental or emotional handicap. Dialogue and resistance continues. Plausible arguments are heard on all sides. Yet, we are aware there are limited resources for what seems to be unlimited handicapping situations and an increasing number of handicapped persons. The writer respects, essentially agrees with, and supports the accepted methodologies in rehabilitation as promulgated in the Federal Acts, Federal regulations, state laws and state-Federal plans. Some exceptions could be taken to the policies relating to delivery of services or the withholding of services within given states; and, of course the interpretation, application and implementation of policies at the grass-roots level for applicants may leave room for questions at times. A leader in rehabilitation has said: "Obviously, agency goals must be in general congruence with professional goals, or serious problems will arise." 1 Rehabilitation has achieved the status as a profession. Statements of the profession's values and goals are increasingly being improved. Each handicapped person has a right to receive appropriate rehabilitation enabling services. An increasingly better job is being done toward recruiting and staffing with professionally trained persons. It is amazing to find the paucity of comments in rehabilitation literature relating to the propriety of our present means of measuring professional production and giving accountability for the utilization of the limited resources for handicapped persons. Yet, it is rare that one can attend any gathering of rehabilitation workers, particularly counselors, without being exposed to deep-seated feelings of professional persons about the present means of measuring the effectiveness of services, the utilization of limited resources and the measuring of productive activity of rehabilitation workers, particularly counselors. It is felt that this topic should be examined in depth at all levels. Granted, it is significant, appropriate and fitting to measure productive professional activity and expenditure of limited financial resources in the terms currently used, including the number of individuals referred, the number declared eligible for services, the number with whom rehabilitation planning has been completed is being implemented, and the number of persons who have been placed in successful remunerative employment. These and other measures are used as part of the rehabilitation methodology and the process of planning and delivering rehabilitation enabling services. Even further, the individual professional counselor is evaluated on these terms of his productive activity. Accountability is a must and evaluation is an ongoing need. Yet, it seems clearly evident that the present approach toward accountability tends to encourage rehabilitation workers to serve individuals FIRST who are MOST likely to respond MOST readily over the shortest period of time with the LEAST amount of effort and the LOWEST level of expenditure. Reflection of this pathology has been captioned as the "numbers game," "numbers racket," and other negative terms. Accountability demands that the counselor particularly deliver in terms of numbers of production as cited above; and, so he does; and, he moves successfully upward in the system if he achieves large numbers in terms of the parameters used to measure success as a rehabilitation worker. He gains measures of respect of his peers and recognition by his agency. He is rewarded for complying with agency expectation. Yet, the professional who subscribes to the concept that each handicapped person has the right to enabling rehabilitation services finds himself in a dilemma. On the one hand he wants to be considered a success in terms of quantity and quality of production — successful rehabilitation of handicapped individuals. On the other hand, he is aware that if he attempts to serve large numbers of individuals who are severely and multi-handicapped that he will undoubtedly serve a smaller case load at a higher average case cost scoring relatively low on the established criteria. The professional person finds himself in a double-bind situation considering the constraints of his agency which in this instance seem to be out of harmony with those of his profession. This hypothetical dilemma is very much a part of reality for the counselor and certain other rehabilitation professionals delivering direct services. Consideration should be given, and is long overdue, to devise ways and means of minimizing this pathology since it seems highly likely, quite probable and almost inevitable that those individuals who need the services MOST and need the MOST services are less likely to receive prompt services. To be fair, it must be recognized that not all rehabilitation agencies and not all rehabilitation workers are obsessed with maximal achievement of numbers in the present accountability game. Yet, many do this and the multi-handicapped and severely handicapped are less served. The present and future architects of the rehabilitation delivery system are challenged to examine this issue and other related issues and are urged to derive appropriate means for more accurate measurement of productive activity of rehabilitation professional workers. This same move will enhance improved accountability for the utilization of scarce resources. The following two examples are intended to portray some of the inequity involved in the final (and in some instances the major) means of measuring productive activity: 1. A counselor accepts an individual who has a vocational handicap resulting from a specific disability. The physical disability is one which can be corrected through physical restoration. The counselor evaluates, plans with the client, provides supportive counseling, implements the services, provides follow-up and placement on the client's former job. This total process from acceptance to closure as placed and successfully rehabilitated has required a total of less than six months with minimal cost. The counselor receives credit for production on the parameters previously cited. A case closure of (1) credit is achieved. 2. A counselor accepts a person who is multi-handicapped. vocationally. This individual is totally blind (congenitally), is exceptionally intelligent, has diabetes, has a heart murmur, has had no work experience, and has a 12th grade education. A counselor diagnoses and evaluates appropriately, plans with the client for personal adjustment services in a rehabilitation center, sponsors college training for an undergraduate degree, provides additional vocational training, and provides placement as a civil service employee. This total process required intensive and extensive counseling, large costs and six years from acceptance to closure status as rehabilitated. The counselor receives credit on one of each of the parameters noted above. A case closure of one (1) credit is achieved. The multitude of inequities in measurement of this counselor's productive activity and use of scarce rehabilitation enabling services should be rather clear in comparing the two situations cited above. The counselor receives the same credit in measured productive activity for each of these two cases. One is led to believe that the professional worker should have received more credit for serving the individual who required more services at a higher cost, required a higher level of professional rehabilitation expertise, and who required more time to accomplish rehabilitation potential. There are a number of models which may be considered in achieving or at least approximating equity in terms of accountability. One might wish to consider the factors of severity of disability, severity of the resulting handicap, the amount of service costs, the amount of time involved, the rehabilitant's achievements, as well as other factors. To consider that all cases closed as rehabilitated are equal in terms of utilization of resources and accountability is questioned. It is strongly encouraged that expectation for delivery of service should be expressed administratively in such a manner that it will in fact encourage the serving of severely and multi-handicapped persons rather than to discourage the serving of these individuals which the present system seems to do. It would seem that this change of focus would be necessary at all levels including Federal, state, district, and of course at the local counselor's office. The anticipated consequence of this change which may be considered negative is that there may be fewer individuals who are served at one time and "rehabilitated." In addition, one must consider that if the rehabilitation workers are receiving equitable credit for services provided that premature closing of cases as well as delaying or denial of services to multi-handicapped and severely handicapped individuals will tend to be minimized. Other professions have similar unresolved accountability and self-evaluation problems. The rehabilitation profession has the strength, maturity, resources and leadership to examine itself and withstand the traumas of change. Organizations of handicapped persons, agencies serving handicapped persons, and each concerned citizen is challenged to speak out and help toward planned change. 1. Hutchinson, J. "Inform Their Discretion," Journal of Rehabilitation, Volume 38, No. 4, Page 16. ***** ** Social Security Amendments of 1972 By Durward K. McDaniel H.R. 1 has been signed by the President and is now designated as P.L. 92-603. It makes a multitude of changes in the Social Security Act and only certain significant ones are summarized here. For the fifth time, the Senate passed the amendment which would qualify blind persons having 6 quarters of coverage for benefits, based on blindness, with no limit on earnings. But the joint conferees deleted this provision before final enactment. The present law requires that a blind person must have 20 quarters of coverage out of the last 40. P.L. 92-603 liberalizes this requirement for blind persons only. Henceforth, blind persons applying for disability benefits must comply with the "fully insured" rule which requires that an applicant must have at least one quarter of coverage for each year which has elapsed since 1950 or since his 21st birthday, whichever is later. The earliest month in which the benefits are payable under the "fully insured" rule is January 1, 1973. The administration estimates that this change will qualify an additional 30,000 blind persons for benefits. The waiting period for disability claims is reduced from 6 to 5 months. The Secretary of HEW controls by regulations the amount of earnings which may be received by a disabled beneficiary without reducing the cash benefits. The new law permits retired beneficiaries to earn $2,100 annually without reduction in benefits. The earnings allowed for beneficiaries whose claims are based on the earnings record of another person continues to be very restricted. For the first time, Medicare benefits are extended to disabled beneficiaries, effective July 1, 1973. Medicare benefits are not extended to non-disabled dependents of disabled beneficiaries. These newly covered groups are under the age of 65 years and include: 1. all disability beneficiaries and 2. all unmarried disabled persons receiving benefits by reason of an earnings record of another insured worker who has retired, died or become disabled. The latter classes included a child whose disability began before age 22; a disabled widower, widow including one receiving a mother's benefits or a surviving divorced wife who qualifies for benefits. Except for the disabled child category, the others in the latter classes must be at least 50 years of age. The Medicare coverage includes both hospital and medical under Title 18. The extension of Medicare is a major enlargement of the law affecting about 2 million persons. The new law provides that disabled beneficiaries will be eligible for Medicare benefits two years after their first entitlement to cash benefits. Medicare is such a complex subject that it would be advisable for anyone who may be affected by these changes to consult his nearest Social Security office for details about eligibility, enrollment, benefits and costs. As indicated above, the new law changes the qualification for childhood disability benefits by providing that an unmarried disabled child whose disability began before age 22 (old law was age 18) and whose claim is based on the earnings record of a parent or other approved insured worker who has retired, died, or become disabled, will be entitled to cash and Medicare benefits. P.L. 92-603 provides for the federalization of public assistance for the aged, blind and disabled as of January 1, 1974. This subject is dealt with critically in a release issued by the Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs and that release is published in the FORUM. After federalization, the first $20.00 of Social Security benefits will be disregarded in determining need. Otherwise, the language of the new law is more restrictive than the present law with respect to the amount of earned income of blind persons to be disregarded in determining need. The income and resources allowance in the all-federal program are more liberal than in most of the states at this time. There is a special provision protecting the states and eligibility of recipients in states having extraordinary allowances of income and resources, notably Missouri and Pennsylvania. The fact that the federalized program provides welfare benefits less than recipients are receiving in some of the states will stimulate state-level action to induce state legislatures to supplement cash welfare benefits as permitted (but not required) by Section 1616 of the revised Social Security Act. P.L. 92-603 contains many improvements in the law, ignores many severe needs and creates some new defects. The 93rd Congress, which convenes in January 1973, will undoubtedly be flooded with new bills and demands for additional changes. ***** ** Telephone Directory Assistance Charges (Editor's Note -- Richard Stansfield, President of the Tennessee Council of the Blind has shown the effectiveness of his negotiations with the South Central Bell. His exchange of correspondence with the Company President are reprinted as examples for action by you.) * Dear President Bauer: It has recently been reported to our state organization, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, that South Central Bell will soon begin to levy a separate per-call charge for use of its information or directory assistance service. We understand that such a policy has already been adopted in several other parts of the country. As President of the Tennessee Council of the Blind, I am writing (1) to determine whether your company, in fact, intends to make this additional charge; and (2) if so, to register our strong opposition to its assessment against visually impaired persons who are unable to make use of printed telephone directories. For obvious reasons of expense and sheer bulk, it is unfeasible to reproduce telephone directories in Braille. It is equally impractical at present to make directory information available on magnetic tape or to put it in any other form rather readily accessible to blind persons. Moreover, it may be highly inconvenient, and at times impossible, for blind persons to rely on sighted friends or relatives to look up numbers for them. For these reasons most blind persons have no effective alternative other than to make frequent use of the information service now so ably provided. In our judgement, a separate charge for each information call would impose a discriminatory, and in some instances a serious, burden on these telephone users. We are not objecting to the idea of an additional charge for telephone service per se. As costs rise in other areas it is only reasonable to expect the telephone service will become more expensive for each consumer. But we strongly object to any policy that, however unintentionally, imposes an added burden on a group of persons as a direct result of their shared physical impairment. We urge you therefore to consider some alternative means by which any added costs for service could be more equitably distributed among telephone users. Your consideration of our views on this matter shall be greatly appreciated. We look forward to your response. * Dear Mr. Stansfield: I can well understand your interest in whether South Central Bell plans to begin charging for directory assistance calls, and I am glad to have this opportunity to discuss the matter with you. The fact is that we are already charging for directory assistance calls since all of the cost of providing telephone service, including directory assistance, is borne by our customers. It is true, however, that we are giving consideration to a different method of charging whereby those customers who use directory assistance the most would bear a major part of its cost. We will not adopt any method of charging, however, which would impose a burden on the blind and all of the plans we are now considering have provisions for exempting the blind from any specific charge per call that might be put into effect. Again, I fully appreciate your concern about this matter. And, for the reasons you mentioned, we do not plan to charge the blind for directory assistance calls. I appreciate this opportunity to review with you the rationale for our present considerations. I hope that our reasoning appears logical to you, and would appreciate your assistance in gaining acceptance of a plan like this in the event the decision is made to begin charging for calls to directory assistance. ***** ** The Elderly and Disabled Under H.R. 1 Prepared by the staff of the Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs United States Senate October 1972 * Introduction In February of 1972 the Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued a staff report titled: "Hunger and the Reform of Welfare: A Quest ion of Nutritional Adequacy." The purpose of that report was to review the history of the national commitment to ensure nutritional adequacy for all Americans, and to examine the relationship between proposed welfare reform measures -- specifically H.R. 1, and that commitment. The major recommendation of that report was: That the Food Stamp Program be retained until every needy family and individual has access to combined income and food stamp support equaling or higher than the poverty line. This recommendation flows naturally from the fact that the poverty line equals three times the cost of a minimally adequate, emergency diet. Based additionally on the assumption that poor families must spend about one-third of their incomes on food, the poverty line establishes a standard below which households could not be expected to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet. By October 17, 1972, both Houses of Congress had voted to accept the Conference Report on H.R. 1. In that action, the Congress voted to retain the food stamp and donated foods programs for welfare families under Aid to Families with Dependent Children, but to eliminate them for welfare recipients who are elderly, blind, or disabled. The purpose of this report is to examine the effect of that action on needy elderly and disabled persons. It is our finding that the minimum benefits available to the elderly and disabled poor under H.R. 1, and the lack of adequate protections against loss, will leave poor elderly and disabled persons at grave risk of nutritional inadequacy. * Current Law Under the Social Security Act, 3.2 million poor people who are over 65, totally disabled, or seriously blind are eligible for cash welfare benefits provided from a combination of State and Federal funds. The level of benefits, and the administration of the programs, vary widely from State to State. In addition, under the Food Stamp Act all recipients of public assistance are automatically eligible to participate in the food stamp or donated foods programs. Whether receiving welfare or not, the law provides that needy individuals and families are entitled to food assistance while their household income remains below the poverty line. In that way, the food programs are confined to those who are certifiably poor. As recently as the winter of 1971, the Congress called on the President to protect food program eligibility for elderly and disabled welfare recipients. Otherwise, they would have lost their right to food benefits as a result of program regulation changes. At that time the Congress once again affirmed the principle underlying public policy since 1968: until incomes reach the poverty line, needy individuals and families should continue to be eligible for food assistance. * H.R. 1 As passed by the House of Representatives in June 1971 H.R. 1 proposed that anyone receiving cash assistance should lose the right to participate in the Food Stamp Program. That bill also provided for an optional state budgetary device referred to as a food stamp "cash-out." The term implied that anyone now using food stamps would receive instead the cash value of the food benefits on which they relied. In fact, as the report "Hunger and the Reform of Welfare ..." details, the term "cash-out" was a misnomer. Only in a handful of states (those paying the lowest benefits) would H.R. 1 benefits be comparable to a combination of former welfare cash benefits PLUS food stamp benefits. In more than 40 states, H.R. 1 benefits, without food assistance benefits, represented a reduction. The Senate passed a food stamp provision similar to that in the House bill. As part of an amendment offered by Senator William Roth (R-Del.), all elderly and disabled welfare recipients would have lost their eligibility for food assistance. (Because the Senate bill did not contain major program changes for AFDC families, they were not covered by the Roth food stamp provision.) However, in action on the Senate floor, an amendment offered by Senator Clifford Case (R-N.J.) was accepted. That amendment permitted the elderly and disabled to continue to use the food stamp program until their incomes reached the poverty line. The Conference Committee between the House and Senate, meeting on October 14, 1972, dropped the Case amendment, and instead adopted language prohibiting elderly and disabled welfare recipients from participation in the food programs. * New Benefits In place of variable cash benefits provided from a combination of State and Federal funds, there will be nationally uniform minimum benefits, provided entirely out of Federal funds. In place of the range of benefits extending from a low of $70 to a high of $350 per month, elderly and disabled recipients everywhere will be entitled to monthly Federal payments of $130 per individual, and $195 per couple. However, these new, minimum benefit levels are actually lower than the payments being made in about half the states. Twenty-four states already pay more than $130 per month to an aged individual, and 29 states pay more than $195 to an elderly couple, Twenty-five states make payments higher than $130 to blind individuals, and 21 states make payments higher than $130 to totally disabled individuals. In all of those states, elderly and disabled welfare recipients are currently entitled to use food stamps or donated foods in addition to their cash welfare benefits. Nationally, elderly and disabled individuals now receive an average of $175 more in cash benefits than the amount provided in H.R. 1: elderly couples receive an average of $235 per year more. In addition, they are entitled to food stamp benefits which provide a minimum of $120 in food value for individuals, and $240 in food value for couples. In the simplest terms then, the effect of H.R. 1 may be to make elderly and disabled welfare recipients in about half the states some $300-$500 poorer in 1974 than they are in 1972. ***** ** State Supplements and the "Cash-Out" The new Federal benefits are lower than 1972 benefits in half the States, but they free up State money now being contributed to welfare costs. H.R. 1 permits the States to use their savings to make supplemental payments -- including the value of food benefits -- to recipients. It is assumed that because State savings can be applied to supplemental payments, they will preserve the benefits now going to recipients. As a practical matter, optional State supplementation won't protect elderly and disabled poor people: States are not required to make supplemental payments. Elderly and disabled recipients in half the states could find themselves with less income support than they now have. States are not required to make up the value of lost food benefits. Elderly and disabled welfare recipients will have to drop their food assistance, but the states they live in will not have to make that up. Recipients can be expected to be worse off in total benefits than they now are. States are protected against financial loss, but recipients are not. There is a hold harmless provision that protects the states against rising welfare costs for the elderly and disabled, but there is no "hold harmless" to protect individual recipients against a loss of benefits. State Supplements cannot exceed January 1972, levels for total benefits. For the states to take advantage of the protect ions in the "hold harmless" clause, they can only pay recipients a total equal to their January 1972, benefits — even though the program goes into effect in 1974 when costs, and even welfare benefits, will be higher. Lost food assistance can only be replaced at 1972 levels. Total food stamp value for an elderly couple will be $80 per month or more in 1974. Yet even if States choose to include food stamp benefits, H.R. 1 requires them to use the January 1972, face value of $60 per month. H.R. 1 amends the Food Stamp Act to change household eligibility. Under current law, a household in which everyone is on welfare is automatically eligible for food assistance for all. If only some of the household members are on welfare, different, more cumbersome administrative determinations have to be made. There will be competing pressures for the welfare savings. The "hold harmless" may permit states to pass along the value of food stamps without adding to total state costs, but NOT providing the value of food stamps would almost always add to a State's savings. Financially hard-pressed States will have competing uses for savings from whatever source. The fact that food stamps are now entirely a Federal cost will also cloud the issue for those deciding the State budgets. In sum: the law as passed provides no real protection that elderly and disabled welfare recipients will not lose benefits. * Related Provisions The aged, blind, and disabled, whose programs usually emerge from the legislative process in some small way improved will be directly and adversely affected by the passage of H.R. 1. The cash benefit provisions are of course the most striking. Elderly and disabled welfare recipients could find themselves substantially worse off as a result of H.R. 1. In addition to the provisions directly affecting total benefits, there are several which deserve passing note. Section 405 would reverse an earlier amendment requiring the separation of services and payments. Although intended as an interim measure, it could influence the assignment of trained services personnel away from the special needs of the disabled and elderly. Section 406 would reverse current law permitting welfare recipients the free use of the manuals which govern welfare programs. Section 407 would affect the rights of the elderly and disabled to fair hearings before an impartial body, and to continue to receive benefits during appeals within a state Section 408 would reintroduce residency requirements struck down by the Supreme Court, and would affect recipients who need to be absent from their State of residence for longer than 90 days. Section 409 allows the States to choose whether shelter payments may be made directly to public housing authorities -- apparently without the consent of the recipients, seriously reducing the little financial flexibility that exists within fixed welfare incomes. Section 410 would lift the requirement that has always been in the law, requiring that services must be equally available throughout a State, raising questions of equal protection and civil rights. (Section 411 contains the prohibition against food program participation.) * Conclusion The importance of the food assistance programs in the effort to assure every American of a nutritionally adequate diet has been noted many times: in the legislation governing these programs, by private, voluntary organizations, by the Secretaries of Agriculture and H.E.W., by three White House Conferences, and by the President himself. We have a publicly enunciated, oft-repeated national commitment to "end hunger in America itself for all time." That commitment should not be set aside without the most careful consideration. H.R. 1, a long and complex bill, contained many provisions which members may have wished to examine more fully. It is possible, for example, that the potentially adverse effects of the bill on the elderly and disabled poor were neither intended nor anticipated by those who voted for its provisions. This report is offered as an aid in the more detailed examinations of that bill which may be appropriate when the Congress reconvenes next year. ***** ** The ARTS System By Glenn W. Smith, Director Computer Services for the Blind, Inc. Blind Kentuckians will soon have at their disposal a new computer system called ARTS. Developed recently by Dr. Kenneth Ingham of M.I.T., Kentucky's installation will be the second in the United States. ARTS stands for audio response time-sharing. Computers ordinarily output information by activating a Teletype. The ARTS system, on the other hand, actually speaks out its answers. This is what is meant by audio response. The system has a vocabulary of 2000 pre-recorded words, and it can spell out any word not in this vocabulary. Audio response will make it easy for the system to be accessed via telephone, since its voice can be transmitted like any other. The ARTS facility itself will be in Louisville, but a person anywhere in Kentucky will be able to use it. He will merely dial the computer's number, and automatic equipment at the central facility will answer his call and connect him to the computer. He will operate it by means of a typewriter-like keyboard attached to the phone from which the call is being made. This terminal, which costs about $600, also contains an amplifier and loudspeaker so that it will not be necessary to use the telephone receiver to hear the computer's answers. The last two letters of ARTS stand for time-sharing. Time-sharing refers to the fact that the computer operates so rapidly -- one million calculations per second -- that it can serve as many as 16 users at one time in a round-robin without any user being able to detect that the computer has momentarily ceased to perform his particular task. The large system capacity made possible by time-sharing means that ARTS can be self-sufficient at an hourly rate per user of $2.00. Large system capacity also ensures that a user will seldom get a busy signal when he phones the computer. Audio response does not preclude other forms of output. The ARTS system can operate any standard computer peripheral. In particular, there will be a Teletype at the central facility on which users can have data printed out and sent to them or other parties by the ARTS staff; The system can also drive an automatic brailler. Both brailler and Teletype can be operated over telephone lines; so it would be possible to employ these devices at a user's location. By way of introduction, the discussion so far has centered on the ARTS equipment. More important are the services it can provide. ARTS, like other computer systems, can perform an extraordinary variety of tasks. Programs have already been written, or are being written, to provide many of the more obviously useful services. The following descriptions of these services should give some idea of the system's potential. ARTS can serve as a convenient means of storing information. An item to be stored is entered through the keyboard; it can be instantly retrieved by entering one of its key words or phrases. For example, typing in the name of a dish could cause ARTS to find and speak out the entire recipe for it. As an extension of this service, the computer can store and produce on demand large quantities of general information likely to be of interest to its subscribers. It could, for example, provide a reading service which might include daily news summaries, a calendar of current events, best-selling books, weather information, and so on. ARTS can serve as a dictionary. The user types in the word he wishes to look up. If he has spelled it correctly, he hears, over his loudspeaker, the full dictionary text relating to the word. If he has spelled the word incorrectly, he first hears it correctly spelled, followed by the full dictionary text. The system can provide the blind businessman with a bookkeeping and accounting service. As bookkeeping entries are typed in, they are recorded and the appropriate accounts are updated by the computer. The operator can also obtain summaries of past transactions in order to develop the information he needs to make business decisions. All of the information he has filed in the computer is, of course, available to him instantly on demand. The system will perform for the operator the full range of functions available on the modern calculator. He can also program from his keyboard the sequence of operations required to solve complex problems. ARTS can serve as a personal secretary. As the blind operator types a composition, each typed character may be pronounced, if he wishes. If he is interrupted momentarily, he may ask to hear the last word or sentence he has typed. When finished, he may hear the composition in its entirety in order to proofread and correct it. He can then command ARTS to print it out in proper format on any Teletype connected to the system. The composition can also be stored within the system for later reference. The ARTS system can provide programmed instruction in braille to the newly blinded adult. In this application, the student receives his instruction orally. His efforts to produce braille characters on a braille printer, which can easily be connected at his terminal, are evaluated by the computer. His printer can also be actuated by the computer in order to produce instructional materials for his examination. In a further extension of its instructional potential, ARTS can provide to its users a wide range of computer-assisted instruction. Possibilities include academic subjects, such as mathematics and foreign languages, pre-vocational subjects such as arithmetic and grammar, and vocational subjects like electronics and computer programming. The ARTS system will make possible a greatly increased supply of braille reading matter. Any person who is an accurate typist can type on the standard typewriter keyboard of an ARTS terminal. The input thus generated is processed by the computer, which then actuates a braille printer, producing properly contracted Grade II braille. Perhaps the most important service available from ARTS is the capacity for users to create and run their own programs. Three programming languages are currently offered: Data General Nova machine language, Fortran, and Basic. This service will obviously benefit professional programmers, but other subscribers will be urged to take advantage of it. The ARTS user who learns how to program will be able to match the system's capabilities more closely to his own needs. Those who do write their own programs will be encouraged to make them available for general use. Programmers at other ARTS installations across the country will be likewise encouraged, and in time a large program library will be built up. Of course, there will be users who have a need which cannot. be met by an existing program and who have neither the time nor the inclination to write their own. There will be, consequently, a salaried ARTS staff whose major job will be creating the desired programs. The basic ARTS computer system costs approximately $130,000 and is available from American Systems, Inc., 456 Belmont Street, Watertown, Massachusetts, 02172. Dr. Ingham is president of American Systems. The ARTS system in Kentucky is administered by a public, non-profit corporation called Computer Services for the Blind. Their address is Room 110, Menges Hall, University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. 40108. ***** ** Iowa Litigation, Ruling and Appeal (Editor's Note -- Following is the text of a court ruling which indicates propriety in using state and federal funds and other resources to promote a private organization inside or outside the state with the approval of the governing board of the agency. The plaintiffs, all residents of Iowa, have appealed from point III of the court's ruling. The case was not dismissed, but will be delayed by the appeal.) The defendants have filed a motion for adjudication of law points. The briefs and arguments of counsel have been considered. The Court has consolidated the questions into 3 main issues: * Issue I Do the plaintiffs have "standing" to bring this action? The plaintiffs are blind and are entitled to the services of the defendants acting as the Blind Commission under Chapter 93 of the Iowa Code. The purpose of the "standing" rule is to make certain that the parties to the case are truly adversary. That is that the parties have a direct stake in the outcome of the case. Recently the U.S. Supreme Court in Sierre Club v. Morton 92 Set 1361 (1972) stated organizations or individuals are not entitled to vindicate their own value preference through judicial process. An organization’s interest in a problem no matter how long standing the interest and no matter how qualified the organization is in evaluating the problem is not sufficient by itself to render the organization aggrieved sufficient to bring the action. Courts do not render advisory opinions nor decide friendly suits or resolve political questions. Courts decide dispute between adversary parties. The plaintiffs as blind people are entitled to receive benefits from the defendant Blind Commission, thus they have "standing" in this case, since they claim loss of benefits to them as individuals by reason of the acts of the defendants. Another part of the standing argument is the question of whether the plaintiffs have exhausted their administrative remedies. Recently the Iowa Supreme Court said in Boomhower v. Board of Supervisors, 173 NW2 95 (1969): "Although we have recognized the doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies, we have not applied to preclude judicial determination of an issue which could be or might have been presented to an administrative remedy. "... the Court held, where it is alleged that the Board of Directors of a school acts without jurisdiction, the Court has jurisdiction to set aside the unauthorized act and either remedy is open to complainant." In this case plaintiffs have alleged defendants acted outside their jurisdiction, thus the court may hear this issue. * Issue II Do the plaintiffs have an adequate remedy at law and, therefore, should not be in equity court? Both parties agree the adequate remedy at law doctrine is a prerequisite to equity jurisdiction. The defendants cite Section 66.3 of the Code of Iowa which provides 25 electors of the state may petition the court to remove a state officer. The plaintiffs do not number 25; thus, this chapter is not an adequate remedy. The defendants cite section 66.16, 24.24, 8.39, 8.40, 8.38 where the executive council and/or the Governor is given the authority to remove state officials on certain grounds. These sections do not require these officials to receive plaintiffs' complaints. Thus the remedy may or may not be available to the plaintiffs, depending upon the discretion of these officials. Moreover, these sections provide alternative administrative remedies not law remedies which are court remedies. The previous section dealt with the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies. Closely related to the adequate remedy of law doctrine is the principle that equity will not enjoin a crime. Campbell v. Jackman Bros., 140 Iowa 475, 118 NW 755, states the law in this regard: "The subject matter of equity jurisdiction except when enlarged by statute, is the protection of private property and civil rights, and courts of equity will not interfere by injunction or otherwise for the prevention or punishment of criminal or immoral acts unconnected with the violation of private right." The plaintiffs claim a denial of private rights as beneficiaries of Chapter 93. The fact that their injury may also be a result of a crime does not defeat equity jurisdiction. * Issue III Does the petition state a justiciable cause of action? Both parties agree that the judiciary will not interfere with the discretionary acts of a public official. The following activities of the Director are matters within the discretion of the Blind Commission and not subject to judicial review. 1. The Director may allocate his time to activities in the furtherance of the interests of the blind in such a manner as is acceptable to the Commission; 2. The Director may permit employees of the Commission to assist in the organizational activities of any private organization involved in furthering the interests of the blind; 3. The Director may serve as national president of the National Federation of the Blind, a private organization whose sole purpose is to further and protect the interests of the blind; 4. The Director may travel within and outside the State of Iowa, with the permission of his employer, the Iowa Commission for the Blind, for the purpose of promoting the National Federation of the Blind and its goals; 5. The Director may permit his employees to travel within and outside the State of Iowa, with the permission of his employer, the Iowa Commission for the Blind, for the purpose of promoting the National Federation of the Blind and its goals. The Court has examined the depositions of the plaintiff and found no acts the plaintiffs contend the defendants did that are unlawful and thus subject to the Court's review. The legislature has in Chapter 93 of the Code directed the Blind Commission to assist the blind of this state. It is not the duty of the Court to tell the Commission how best to aid the blind. If the Commission or its Director was using public funds for other purposes than aiding the blind, then that would be unlawful conduct subject to the Court's review. ***** ** Presidential Veto of Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments The veto message of this subject is printed in full after this comment. The reference to diversion from vocational goals pertains to provisions of the bill for comprehensive services, including those for older blind persons, which would have been authorized without the requirement of a vocational goal. The reference to provisions which are essentially medical in character apparently pertain to the National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, Rehabilitation Center for Deaf Individuals, end-stage renal disease and National Center for Spinal Cord Injuries. The reference to duplicating and overlapping existing authorities and programs apparently pertains to the attempt to create an 'Office for the Handicapped' which would not have made a significant difference in the administration of the basic program. The reference to the organizational rigidity pertains to the establishment of Rehabilitation Services Administration by statue which would have made its Commissioner responsible to the Secretary of HEW, bypassing the Administrator of Social and Rehabilitation Services. H.R. 8395 authorized $800 million for the basic program for this fiscal year compared to $645 million in the Supplemental Appropriation bill, which actually appropriated $610 million to fund the Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments of 1972, which now do not exist because of the veto. Now it must be decided whether spending will be at the appropriated amount or at the level of last year, pursuant to a continuing resolution passed earlier by Congress. The prospect is that proponents of this legislation will try again early in the 93rd Congress including, if necessary, the overriding of any subsequent veto. "This measure would seriously jeopardize the goals of the vocational rehabilitation program and is another example of Congressional fiscal irresponsibility. Its provisions would divert this program from its basic vocational objectives into activities that have no vocational element whatsoever or are essentially medical in character. In addition, it would proliferate a host of narrow categorical programs which duplicate and overlap existing authorities and programs. Such provisions serve only to dilute the resources of the vocational rehabilitation program and impair its continued valuable achievements in restoring deserving American citizens to meaningful employment. H.R. 8395 also would create organizational rigidities in the vocational rehabilitation program which would undermine the ability of the Secretary of HEW to manage the program effectively. The bill also would establish numerous committees and independent commissions which are unnecessary, would waste the taxpayers' dollars, and would complicate and confuse the direction of this program. Finally, the bill would authorize funding far in excess of the budget request and far beyond what can be made available and used effectively." ***** ** ACB Resolutions * American Council of the Blind Resolution No. 72-07 WHEREAS blind persons frequently encounter the added burden of unjustified discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, free and equal access to the use of public carriers, places of public accommodation and service; and WHEREAS such disabling social practices constitute a significant obstacle to the achievement of the fundamental purposes and goals of the American Council of the Blind, i.e., a full and equal participation of the blind in society, its rights, privileges and responsibilities; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this day, the 7th of July, 1972, that the American Council of the Blind formulate and seek sponsorship in the Congress of the United States, amendments to the Civil Rights Acts to provide specifically for the protect ion of blind citizens and support other appropriate legislation affecting these concerns, not only relating to the blind, but other groups with those physical handicaps which give rise to similar problems, such as deafness or severe orthopedic disability. Approved, July 7, 1972 * American Council of the Blind Resolution No. 72-08 WHEREAS different denominations of United States currency are virtually indistinguishable by their size, color or texture; and WHEREAS this deficiency constitutes an ongoing problem to many blind and visually handicapped citizens which impairs their independence of action in both commercial and day-to-day social functioning; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this day, July 7th, 1972, that the Legislative Committee be instructed to stimulate the formation of appropriate legislation to establish change in the United States Treasury Department aimed at providing a consistent and reliable means for blind persons to identify the various denominations of United States currency. Approved, July 7, 1972 ***** ** The Sky's The Limit By Kurt Milam The role of Vocational Rehabilitation is to provide services so that an individual may overcome the handicap that a disability imposes and eventually be gainfully employed. The counselor has the responsibility of coordinating services and making pertinent decisions that may influence the vocational objective of his client. Every counselor is interested in directing his client toward a vocational area where he may utilize the best of his potential and also be compatible with his interests. Since I work with a blind caseload, this is not always possible because only a small percentage of occupations have been performed traditionally by the blind. From the time of the initial interview with a client, the counselor, along with the evaluation and testing services, attempts to advise and recommend various vocational possibilities that blind persons have performed successfully. If an objective arises that has not previously been attempted by a blind person, there is often much opposition and skepticism on the part of the counselor, as well as other supervisory personnel. Many times such criticism is valid although if placement opportunities are to be expanded, the counselor must be able to exhibit creativity and be willing to test or establish a hypothesis. The following is an example of how one hypothesis was proven to be quite valid. James F. Wantz was first introduced to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation at the age of fifteen and at that time expressed a desire to enter the field of meteorology. Because Jim is totally blind, the initial reaction to this was somewhat negative, although the counselor became interested in investigating this possibility. A letter from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado revealed that it would be a challenge for them to accept a blind person as a candidate for performing research in the field of meteorology. Keeping this in mind, psychological testing was provided which indicated that Mr. Wantz had the ability to pursue a college career. Upon his graduation from high school, Jim attended a Rehabilitation Center so that he might receive intensive mobility instruction and other needed skills for college. After completing a two-year curriculum at the Community College of Baltimore a critical decision had to be made regarding a specific vocational objective for James. Because of his intense desire to pursue a career in meteorology, a number of inquiries were made. It was learned that schools having a major in meteorology were at a loss as to the means by which a totally blind person would be able to complete the necessary courses. They were unaware that any meteorological instrumentation was available and adapted for a person with a visual disability. There was also a question on their part regarding the opportunities for placement and what limitations may be imposed due to a visual handicap. Admittedly, these were valid questions because there has never been a totally blind person employed as a meteorologist with the National Weather Bureau. There was a great deal of concern regarding the sponsorship of this type of curriculum through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Although some felt that this was an unrealistic goal, the counselor realized that this was a justifiable one and was hopeful that it might eventually open a new area for employment of the blind. Mr. Wantz was enrolled at Penn State University which was the only school in the immediate area which offered a bachelor's degree in meteorology. The Meteorology Department became very interested in Jim and was cooperative in working out appropriate lesson plans when needed. Jim successfully completed his undergraduate work and at that time an intense effort was made to secure suitable employment in this area. The counselor, along with the head of the Meteorology Department, made several contacts, one of which resulted in the employment of Mr. Wantz with the National Weather Bureau in Kansas City, Missouri. Jim is presently working as an instructor in meteorology and is responsible for training new personnel in the techniques of interpreting and diagnosing various weather conditions. Because it is necessary to keep up to date with current weather conditions, a braille teletype terminal was purchased by the Maryland Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. This electronic device will enable Jim to collect instantaneous weather data which he can incorporate in his daily instruction. An electric braille typewriter with a standard keyboard enables a secretary to type messages and new lesson plans. Jim is interested in eventually working as a meteorologist collecting on-the-spot weather information and mathematically calculating atmospheric changes to predict and analyze their effects. The counselor has found the personnel working with Jim to be very cooperative. His co-workers and supervisors feel that this is a tremendous challenge and may have unlimited possibilities. I feel that this example exhibits a breakdown in the stereotypes which have inhibited new areas of work for the blind. There needs to be more creativity and objective thinking rather than emotional or irrational approach. I also feel that the services that the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation may provide are only a vehicle for achieving a positive end and without the strong motivation and perseverance on the part of the client such a precedent could not be set. ***** ** Here and There By George Card From the AARP NEWS BULLETIN: More than 600 nursing homes receiving Federal Medicaid support have been officially decertified or have voluntarily withdrawn from the program since stricter inspection and regulation controls were introduced a year ago. From the MISSOURI CHRONICLE: Among the distinguished speakers scheduled to appear at the MFB convention in October are Senator Thomas Eagleton and Robert Smithdas, famous deaf-blind New Yorker. -- At the MFB Board meeting June 24, a motion was adopted that the President and Attorney Busch investigate the feasibility of building a nursing home, chiefly to serve the blind of Missouri, on ground adjoining the United Workers for the Blind's apartment complex. At the same meeting $300 was donated to the ACB as an expression of gratitude for its legislative efforts. -- The site has been chosen, the land purchased, the architect hired and the plans drawn for a new Center for the Joplin chapter which is to be built by the combined Lions Clubs of Joplin. -- Victor Johnson is convalescing after major surgery. -- Jack Murphey, well-known to ACB convention goers, sustained a severe nosebleed following a graduation party for daughter Mary and was found to be suffering from acute and chronic high blood pressure. Though he has had to restrict his activity somewhat, Jack is much improved at this time. From the AP, September 28: A Cuban refugee has told fellow ophthalmologists he has developed a new treatment using heat which restored near-perfect vision to ten persons declared legally blind. They were suffering from keratoconus, a condition causing the cornea to become thin and bulge almost to cone shape. The treatment, which takes less than one minute, may have potential for correcting extreme nearsightedness caused by irregularity in the curvature of the cornea. The procedure involves heating a pencil-slim probe to about 322½ degrees F. and swiftly applying it to the protruding cornea. It is far less complicated than a corneal transplant. From the Arizona Council NEWSLETTER: The entire Welfare Department is now under the new Manpower Commission with several other departments and the exact position of DRVI is still unknown. -- New ACB Board member John Vanlandingham was a candidate for the State Senate. From the OCB NEWSLETTER: August 12, on the occasion of her retirement, a testimonial dinner was given for Sally Jones, home economics teacher at the Oakland Orientation Center by the alumni association of the institution. Originally from Denver, Sally will be fondly recalled.by many of our older members. From the ABC DIGEST: Ferne Pritchard writes, "For my vacation this year -- the best ever -- I spent ten wonderful days in Hawaii, seven of them on Maui." -- Julie Bindt Esterly retired from her position at the Orientation Center on July 7. -- When the uncle of Honore De Balzac died and left the famous French novelist a goodly fortune, the latter wrote his friends, "Yesterday, at five in the morning, my uncle and I passed to a better life." -- Bill SB-197, signed by the Governor, will allow licensing of 18-year-old vending stand operators rather than making them wait until age 21. -- ABC members and friends were appalled some weeks ago to learn suddenly that the schools for the blind and deaf in Berkeley were being closed. We learned that the real reason for closing the schools was because of the enactment into law in 1971 of a section of the Health and Safety Code which classifies blind persons as non-ambulatory. We are pleased to tell you, however, that the schools for the blind and deaf in Berkeley will reopen this month and that ABC has requested that we be permitted to sit in on discussions of future plans for the education of blind children in California. ABC will endeavor to bring together groups of former alumni of the schools, parents of blind children and all organizations interested and concerned. The Legislative Committee of ABC will request time to discuss its recommendations to bring about legislation to remove the reference to blind persons as non-ambulatory from the law. Earl Swann, of Cortland, Ohio, writes: "There are thousands of books on everything from fiction to chicken farming, yet not one in braille that I know of on the transistor. If we had comprehensive material, I could build my own hearing aid sets. Everyone who would like to see data on the transistor in braille should write to Robert S. Bray, Library of Congress, 1291 Taylor Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20542." The CCB OUTLOOK announces the retirement of Sadie Brooks Bending, its Editor, former President of the CCB and former Canadian delegate to the World Council. -- Last year in fourteen Commonwealth countries, medical teams examined the eyes of 695,117 patients and treated 398,176 of them for conditions which could have led to blindness. The most encouraging figure, however, was that the teams performed 34,068 operations for the restoration of sight and 13,358 operations for the prevention of blindness. These figures represent the largest international sight saving program in the world. -- It is estimated that there are a million blind people in Bangladesh of whom 300,000 are needlessly blind for want of cataract surgery and 50,000 are children, mainly blinded by vitamin deficiency. -- Blind hockey in Canada is played with a 48-ounce apple or tomato juice tin instead of a puck. When the game ends, capacity of the tin is considerably less and there's no way it'll hold fluid ounces of anything. From the AFB NEWSLETTER: The first of six AFB sponsored symposiums on "Attitudes Toward Blindness" began in Philadelphia where a dramatic "blind dinner" experiment was the feature of the opening banquet. The experiment was based on the idea of role reversals. At each dinner table there was one blindfolded sighted volunteer, one blind person who acted as his only aide during the three-course meal, and an observer who took notes on the proceedings. (I was one of those invited to the central states symposium held in Chicago October 2-4.) Dr. Tessie Okin, professor of Social Administration, Temple University, was the chairman for this symposium and she was tremendous. Among other things, she said: "Part of our purpose here is to stir up the feeling of people -- sighted people -- to make them feel uncomfortable. If people are comfortable, they have no reason for changing things ... The blind themselves must organize to achieve certain goals which may contribute to increased group esteem and thereby to individual self-esteem despite the attitudes of the sighted majority." The Society for Visual Care states that a black eye can mean serious internal damage to the eyeball and an eye care specialist should be seen. Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye, Inc., has trained its 6,000th dog guide. More than 3600 blind men and women have received one or more dogs. From the NEW OUTLOOK: In January 1973 a rehabilitation facility will open for retarded blind, deaf and deaf-blind adults 16 years of age or older. It will be headed by Lars Guldager, former assistant principal at the Perkins School for the Blind. The goal is to develop each person's capabilities to the fullest extent in an environment that is conducive to personal dignity. -- The Veterans Administration owns a patent on an obstacle detection device consisting of spectacles fitted with lasers which is still in the laboratory stage. -- On July 1, 1972, the Catholic Guild for All the Blind, Newton, Mass., became the Carroll Rehabilitation Center for the Visually Impaired in honor of the late Rev. Thomas J. Carroll. -- Joseph V. Hunt, one of the principal architects along with the late Mary E. Switzer of the federal rehabilitation program, retired on June 30 after 30 years of government service. -- A blind University of New Mexico student, Noel Runyan, has been named the top electrical engineering student in the U.S. in a competition in which there were 200 entries and which was sponsored by Eta Kappa Nu, the national electrical engineering honor society. Hadley Correspondence School for the Blind, 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093, announces three tuition-free courses of interest to university students and prospective students. They are Note-taking and Speedwriting in Grade 3 Braille, Using the Abacus and College Typewriting. From QUAZAR (Ark.): A non-operator's driver's license for the purpose of identification can now be obtained free in Arkansas. From THE BRAILLE MESSENGER: For the first time in six years the two largest Illinois organizations concerned with the blind (the Lions and the Illinois Federation) met in Chicago to reconcile differences between the two groups. It was agreed to form subcommittees for continuing liaison and there will be another such joint conference in December. -- George Wolber is one state President who is demonstrating that he takes his office seriously and that he is willing to assume real responsibility. After inviting all Illinois blind citizens who feel they have been unjustly treated to bring their troubles to IFB, he goes on: "It is my job to contact the heads of various state and private agencies serving the blind to ascertain how the IFB can be of help to their agencies and to promote better relations and services." -- Radio station WMRY will cover approximately 17 counties in Missouri and 18 counties in Illinois with "The Talking Book" via radio, sponsored by the Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate, Belleville, Illinois. The subject matter will include current magazine articles, retail sales information, books, newspaper editorials, employment information, homemaking and sports. From the WCWB NEWSLETTER: Nepal has become the 60th member country. -- The Canadian Council of the Blind has contributed $2,300 to the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind and $1,000 to the American Foundation for Overseas Blind. -- Income tax exemptions for blind Canadians have been increased from $500 to $1000. This exemption can also be claimed by a Canadian taxpayer with a blind spouse and by all Canadians 65 years of age and over (blind or sighted). -- A law approved on July 29 provides for a contribution from the sale of cinema and theatre tickets in the first fortnight of March each year, during "White Cane Week," for the benefit of the National Union of the Blind of Tunisia. From the Illinois BRAILLE MESSENGER: At a meeting of the Advisory Council of the Dept. of Children and Family Services, the members agreed to eat lunch blindfolded and got a "taste" of some of the problems encountered by blind persons. A sample of the mealtime conversation: "The luncheon was an enlightening, if somewhat messy, experience. -- Each person found how disconcerting it is to chomp down enthusiastically on a bare fork that has mysteriously lost its contents between plate and mouth -- And how it feels to reach for the bread and bring back a butter patty clinging to a little finger. -- Oops! How did the glass of water get there? I thought it was ... Gee, it's cold ... (as water runs into lap and down leg) -- Am I having trouble cutting my fish? No, I'm having trouble finding it!" – The chemical process that strengthens the glass windows of the Apollo Lunar Landing Module may be used to make stronger and safer lenses for eyeglasses. The new lens is four times stronger than a standard glass or plastic lens. ***** ** "Blind Worker of the Year Award" Reprinted from the Washington Post, Wed., Oct. 25, 1972 For 20 years, Mazelle Sullivan of Talladega, Ala., has been spending her working days hemming mattress covers on a sewing machine in a factory for the blind and her after-hours cooking and cleaning for her two children and husband. Yesterday Mrs. Sullivan was at the White House to receive the "Blind Worker of the Year Award" from Mrs. Richard M. Nixon. The award is given by the National Industries for the Blind for "outstanding leadership and accomplishment." Mrs. Sullivan lost the sight of one eye at age 5 and of the other when she was 17. Her husband, John L. Sullivan, who was with her yesterday, has been partially blind all of his life. They met on the job at Alabama Industries for the Blind in Talladega. They go to work together by taxi with other blind workers. Her husband is foreman of the activities shop. Their son and daughter are now 19 and 16 and have no sight problems. ***** ** An Unusual Committee Meeting by Travis Harris On November 7, 1972, the Committee appointed by the President of the American Council of the Blind met at 12:30 pm, Central Standard Time. The members in attendance were Travis Harris, Chairman, Ed Donnelly and Betty McWethy, members, In addition to the Committee, there were 12 from other states present. What is unusual about this? Read on. This Committee meeting was held over the air with each individual at his home in his own state at little or no cost to anyone. It was unusual in that it involved many radio amateurs, most of whom were blind. It provided much information for those moving into the radio talking book service. Much lively discussion was held by persons attending the Committee meeting as well as the Committee members, and a great interest was shown by all those participating. The Committee's affirmative recommendations have been forwarded to ACB's President for consideration by the Board of Directors. Persons interested in obtaining information on the radio talking book service are invited to communicate with Travis Harris at 3840 N. W. 31st, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. The Committee is very enthusiastic and hopes to see this program move forward very rapidly. The next meeting will be held once again on the air on Saturday, January 6, 1973, at approximately 1800 GMT on 14.305 KHZ's. Join us then. ***** ** Talent Bureau Formed for Blind Musicians Josephine Whitford, (Dean of Students, Manhattan School of Music), President of the LOUIS BRAILLE FOUNDATION FOR BLIND MUSICIANS (national non-profit, New York headquartered agency), announced the formation of a special division for the management and placement of blind musicians. The division will be known as the LBF ARTISTS BUREAU, and will concentrate on the promotion of blind Classical, Jazz, Folk, and Country Western performers. Werner Landshoff will serve as bureau director. Mr. Landshoff is a renowned music educator and cellist, who has appeared with the world-famous Cleveland and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, as well as the N.B.C. Symphony under the direction of Arturo Toscanini. Dean Whitford said, "The creation of this new division will help offset the prejudice against blindness which exists in the entertainment world, on the part of potential employers, agents, managers, and the public. At the same time we may uncover some great talent." The services of the LBF ARTISTS BUREAU, like those of its parent agency (THE LOUIS BRAILLE FOUNDATION), will be available to any talented, blind musical artist in the nation, regardless of race, religion, or color, and will operate on a non-profit basis. Information on available talent for social, business, and fraternal functions, can be obtained from the LBF ARTISTS BUREAU, 112 East 19th St., New York, 10003. ***** ** ACB Officers * President: Floyd Qualls, 106 N.E. 2nd Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 * First Vice President: Dr. S. Bradley Burson, 917 Kenyon St., Downers Grove, Ill. 60515 * Second Vice President: Mrs. Billie Elder, 5317 W. 29th St., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 * Secretary: Mrs. Catherine Skivers, 836 Resota St., Hayward, California 94545 * Treasurer: J. Edward Miller, 2621 Chesterfield Ave., Charlotte, N.C. 28205 ** Directors George Card, 605 South Few Street, Madison, Wisc. 53703 Paul Kirton, Rt. 1, Box 56 C, Woodford, Va. 22580 Lester McGlaughn, 2403 Monroe Ave., Gadsden, Ala. 35901 Wallace Menning, 2750 Ellis Ave., Salem, Ore. 97301 Norman Robinson, 7107 South King Dr., Chicago, Ill. 60619 Reese Robrahn, 329 Woodburn Lane, Topeka, Kan. 66606 Earl Scharry, 5714 Ridgway Ave., Rockville, MD 20851 John Vanlandingham, 5800 North 19th Ave., Phoenix, Ariz. 85015 Vernon Williams, P.O. Box 826, Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401 ###