The Braille Forum Vol. XIV July-August 1975 No. 1 Published Bi-Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * President: Floyd Qualls 106 N.E. 2nd Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 * National Representative: Durward K. McDaniel 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 506 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 833-1251 * Editor: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 244-8364 The Braille Forum seeks to promote the independence and dignity of all blind people; to stress responsibility of citizenship; to alert the public to the abilities and accomplishments of the blind. The Braille Forum carries official news of the American Council of the Blind and its programs. It is available for expression of views and concerns common to all blind persons. ***** ** Contents Notice to Subscribers ACB: The Organization Doomed to Fail??? by Floyd Qualls The Oral Hull Story, by Alice Bankston Rehabilitation Centers a Necessity?, by George M. Gillispie Fred Lilley Receives Handicapped Federal Employee Award The Special Income Tax Exemption for the Blind, by John P. Nelson A New Profession for the Blind?, by Harold Rowley National Workshop on Rehabilitation Teaching, by Billie Elder A Ponderance on Independent Travel, by Carol Derouin A One-Way Street -- Thoughts on the Question of Health Costs Assistance for Blind or Deaf Government Employees State Convention Highlights: Arkansas Council of the Blind State Convention, by Billie Elder Washington Council of the Blind Holds Annual Convention, by Alice Bankston California Spring Convention Iowa Council of the Blind Convention, by Chuck Kints First Annual Convention -- ACB of Wisconsin, by Sue Graves Here and There, by Carol Derouin Money Identifying Machines American Council of the Blind Hospital Indemnity Plan ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large type, open-reel tape (dual-track, 3 3/4 ips) and cassette (1 7/8 ips). Send items intended for publication to the editor, Mary T. Ballard, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620, or to one of the associate editors: George Card, 605 South Few Street, Madison, WI 53703 Margaret Freer, 11816 West Blue Mound Road, Wauwatosa, WI 53226 Ione B. Miller, 9291 Fermi Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123 Joseph Wiedenmayer, 5604 Montgomery Street, Chevy Chase, MD 20015 Subscriptions and address changes for all four editions should be sent to Floyd Qualls, 106 N.E. 2nd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104. Those much needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to ACB Treasurer J. Edward Miller, 2621 Chesterfield Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205. Anyone who wishes to remember the American Council of the Blind in his or her Last Will and Testament may use the following language in a special paragraph for that purpose: "I give and bequeath unto the American Council of the Blind, a District of Columbia not-for-profit corporation, the sum of $ _____ "; or: " _____ %of my net estate"; or: "the following described property: ... ". "Said bequest is made and devised to be used for the Council's corporate purposes, in the interest of blind and visually impaired persons." If your wishes are more complex, have your attorney communicate with the Council's national office. ***** ** ACB: The Organization Doomed to Fail??? By Floyd Qualls Fourteen years ago, the American Council of the Blind was organized by men and women from throughout the United States. Their objective was to form a nationwide organization based on ideals and principles of democracy in which they believed. Positive policies and programs were set as goals, and on those principles, policies, and programs they set forth to establish the American Council of the Blind as a force in affairs affecting the blind of the nation. From the beginning, prophets of doom and others who wished to deny the Council the "right to organize" which they championed so strongly for themselves have proclaimed disaster for the young organization. Let us examine the accuracy of these forecasts. Today ACB has more than 12,000 certified members. Members who may be a part of a "special-interest group" cannot be certified in more than one organization. This denies the Council the privilege of varying its membership at will. Each year, each affiliate updates its membership list so that changes may be recorded in the membership roster. Those who drew the ACB Constitution set twenty-five as a minimum number of members in an organization before it is eligible for affiliation and gave each affiliated organization a vote at national conventions, based on its certified membership. The Council now has forty-seven state and interest group affiliates. There are members at large in every state, and there is a growing interest in affiliation where none now exists. In 1968, the Council opened an office in Washington, D.C. and selected a national representative. Although the office is woefully understaffed, it has established an outstanding rapport with Congress and with Government officials. By way of the National Office, ACB has influenced much legislation on behalf of the blind and has been active in suppressing some legislation detrimental to the blind. Our National Representative has supported all bills -- regardless of their sponsorship -- when it was felt such bills served the best interests of the blind. Neither he nor the Council believes in opposing just for the sake of being against. Nor do we believe in destroying without a better solution to a situation. The Council continues to grow. Three new affiliates received charters at the Mobile convention: Visually Impaired Data Processors International, Connecticut Council of the Blind, and the American Council of the Blind of Wisconsin. Others will be affiliating in the near future. It is gratifying to note the large number of distinguished blind men and women who have identified themselves with the council. A vast majority of these members have never been associated with the organized blind before. From them there will come new leaders and new approaches. Their ranks include business, industry, the professions, and many specialty fields. These are but a few of the highlights of the fourteen-year history of the American Council of the Blind. It has resisted all attempts made to draw it into conflict with other groups: No benefit to the blind can come from that. It has ignored innuendos, insults, and outright lies because, as someone once said: "There's little benefit in wrestling a pig. You both get muddy, and the pig probably will enjoy it." The American Council of the Blind is not "doomed to fail"! It is healthy; it is growing; and it is destined to lead the way to dignity and acceptance of the blind as equal members in our "seeing" society. Every many has the right to choose the path he wishes to walk. All those who wish to walk with us are welcome to the American Council of the Blind. ***** ** The Oral Hull Story By Alice Bankston How far can you stretch a shoestring? Ask the little group of dedicated people in and around Sandy, Oregon, who have created the Oral Hull Foundation and its 22-acre park, from a run-down farm and $4.50, which was the initial amount of money in the treasury. It all began in 1962 when Mrs. Oral Hull called on George Howeiler to have him write a will. Desiring to leave her farm to a charity, but undecided as to what one to select, she asked his advice. George made several suggestions, none of which seemed to strike a spark. Finally, remembering that a visit to a place in the country, when he had suddenly lost his own sight, had been the turning point from despair to hope, he suggested leaving the property to a foundation for the blind. The lady was enthusiastic. And so, through trial and error, with some false starts, much faith and wonderful cooperation from many individuals and groups, the Oral Hull Foundation and its attractive recreation park, were born. The farm house was renovated and Mrs. Hull and her husband were assured of life occupancy. Better still, a new cottage was built for them and the farm house was turned into an attractive guest house. New wells were dug; a covered picnic shelter with cooking facilities, was built. A safe, woodsy walk was made down to the river, with a wire hand guide for those who could not see. A quiet fish pond was created, stocked each spring with trout. Perhaps the most unique feature, the Gardens of Enchantment, were lovingly brought into reality by dedicated members of several local garden clubs, women's clubs, and help from the Forestry Department. These gardens are divided into five sections each appealing to a different sense, i.e., touch, taste, hearing, sight, and smell. A small fountain splashes at each end of the winding, stone bordered paths. Each plant, tree, and bush has a brailled and typed label. These gardens have grown with the years, and now a rustic garden house has been added, one of the dreams that has come true or is in process of becoming a reality. A trailer court has been added to the park, and a lodge is nearing completion. These dreams, which have changed the run-down primitive farm into a lovely retreat with excellent facilities for individual and group recreation have come about only through the faith, hard work, generous donations of time, thought, labor, and money of many individuals and organizations who have heard of specific needs and have come forward to meet them. An unexpected addition to the park's attractions is a growing collection of bells, the result of a member's nostalgic memory of the school bell at the Vancouver School for the Blind. Mention of this thought went from one to another until a reporter on a Portland paper wrote an article and the responses began to come in. One telephone call came from as far away as Florida. Now the collection includes an old school bell that probably called pioneer children to their little red school house; three ships' bells, two of them from historic freighters that sailed around the world, and a church bell that came across the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon in 1849, brought by a minister for the church he planned to build. This is not just a look-see collection, but one that will add active interest to the social activities of the blind visitors to the park, for there are games that can be played with bells. Talking about what is going on at Oral Hull, and the plans that are still dreams, George Howeiler voices the philosophy that has helped him to lead a full and rewarding life, and which is the touchstone of successful living for others who have met and conquered handicaps. "Practicing the law has its depressing aspects, as well as its constructive ones," he says. "Having this compelling interest to help create this lovely place, making and meeting friends, has helped to banish depression and has added joy and excitement not only to my life but to the lives of many other blind persons who have been involved in this project." The Oral Hull Park is located about 30 miles from Portland, but is not for Oregonians alone: The park welcomes any blind persons and their sighted friends, for a day's recreation or for several days' relaxation. Contact the caretakers, Joe and Marie Webb, at Rt. 1, Box 860, Sandy, Oregon 97055. Or phone (503) 668-6195, when desiring to stay overnight in the Booster Cabin or with camping equipment. ***** ** Rehabilitation Centers a Necessity? By George M. Gillispie Recently it was my pleasure to represent with our president, Floyd Qualls, the American Council of the Blind at a meeting which considered the place of residential rehabilitation centers for the blind and visually impaired. The conference was held in St. Louis, Missouri. The first conference in this series had been held in 1971 in New Orleans. The conclusion of the first conference implied that centers would aid the blind in their overall adjustment and rehabilitation. It was my impression from the recent St. Louis meeting that rehabilitation centers are now considered to be a necessity if services are to be complete and all-encompassing. Here is a summary of the conference. Participants were divided into groups, each focusing on a particular function of a rehabilitation center. Each group developed its subject matter and shared its results with members at large at the end of the conference. Following are a few of the findings presented and accepted: 1. Low-vision services are essential when one considers that approximately 80 percent of all blind persons have some vision. 2. Services such as mobility, communications skills, and skills of daily living should be taught in concentrated courses rather than in fragmented form. 3. Modern devices such as closed-circuit TV, ultrasonic spectacles, Optacon, etc., should be made accessible to the blind who have a desire and need for such appliances. 4. Personal vocational and family counseling should always be included in a rehabilitation center. It is essential that continuous communication be maintained between the center and the vocational placement specialists to bridge the gap when the client returns to his community. 5. It is recognized that many of the blind have multiple disabilities. It was emphasized that these multiply disabled persons can best be assisted when they receive comprehensive instruction in the center from a variety of well-trained specialists. All centers need access to medical-care facilities. 6. There are many ways in which state and private agencies can finance a residential rehabilitation center. Dr. Douglas MacFarland and the Office for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and the American Foundation for the Blind are to be commended for making this conference a success. You may look forward to publication of the conference Proceedings from the AFB in the near future. It is my opinion that any private or state agency considering the development and establishment of a new rehabilitation center will find this material a necessity, and that any agency revising its program will find this material helpful. The goals of the blind are well served when the many organizations of and for the blind can work together, as was demonstrated at the conference held in St. Louis. ***** ** Fred Lilley Receives Handicapped Federal Employee Award For the third straight year, a prominent member of the American Council of the Blind has been named one of the ten "outstanding Handicapped Federal Employees of the Year." The award was presented to Fred C. Lilley of St. Louis, Missouri, by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller at ceremonies in Washington, D.C. on April 3. Similar recognition was accorded Oral Miller in 1974 and to Fred's wife, Assunta, in 1973. This almost certainly makes Fred and Assunta the first husband and wife team ever selected for that honor by the Federal Government. A native of Cincinnati, Fred lived for 37 years in Chicago before moving to Missouri eight years ago, to assume his duties as Benefits and Services Administrator, U. S. Army Aviation Systems Command. He worked for 20 years in the vending stand program, and immediately prior to moving to St. Louis had served for several years as Assistant Director of the Illinois Vending Stand Program. His present job, and indirectly the award, Fred credits to Assunta, who he says encouraged him to take the Federal Service Entrance Examination in 1967. In one capacity or another, Fred has been active in work for the blind since 1935. For eight years (1964-1972) he served on the ACB. Board of Directors. He is president of the Missouri Federation of the Blind, one of ACB's 47 affiliates, and is also president of RITE (Real Independence Through Employment), a chapter of the Missouri Federation. He was instrumental in establishing the World Council of Blind Lions, one of ACB's special-interest groups, and in 1974 received the Presidential Award from the President of Lions International, one of the only seven Lions worldwide to be so honored. He is a certified parliamentarian and a member of the American Institute of Parliamentarians. The Handicapped Employee Award was first conceived by the Interagency Advisory Group Committee on Selective Placement Programs, to focus attention on the job capabilities of those handicapped persons already employed by the Federal Government and to publicize Federal career opportunities available to other handicapped persons. It was established by the Civil Service Commission in 1968 as a nationwide recognition program, with the criterion, "exceptional job performance in spite of severely limiting physical factors." Fred Lilley's job lists 63 separate functions which he performs routinely. "The ability to see," he points out, "is relatively unimportant in an administrative job." He's certainly doing his part to convince the Federal Government and private employers that they might be passing up some pretty good brains for the sake of eyesight. ***** ** The Special Income Tax Exemption for the Blind By John P. Nelson Each individual who files a Federal Income Tax report is granted a personal exemption, which at this time is in the amount of $750.00. An additional exemption is granted for each dependent. There are also special exemptions for the blind and for those who are over 65 years of age. A single blind person with no dependents and who is under the age of 65 years is entitled to two exemptions. If the blind person is over 65 years of age, he or she is entitled to three exemptions. A married couple, both of whom are blind and are over 65 years of age, would be entitled to 6 exemptions plus exemptions for any dependents they might have. The special exemption for the blind is granted to those who are legally blind. To claim the exemption, a doctor's certificate setting forth the fact of blindness may be submitted to prove the fact of blindness. However, if the exemption is claimed on the return and the person is obviously entitled to the exemption, the Internal Revenue Service has not always insisted upon proof of blindness, but under the regulations, it may do so. This special exemption for the blind is justified on the grounds that additional expenses are made necessary because of a person's blindness. However, there are other groups of handicapped persons who are now claiming that they should also be entitled to this exemption because they also have additional expenses as a result of their handicaps. There are even some who advocate the abolition of this special exemption entirely, claiming it to be one of the loopholes which should be eliminated from our tax laws. Any blind person is entitled to this exemption regardless of his income. It is sometimes argued that those blind persons who have an income well above the average, have an income advantage which more than offsets the additional expenses incurred because of their blindness. It may be that because of this, the exemption will eventually be limited to those receiving an income below a certain level. This exemption will continue to be the subject of a lot of discussion. When and if there is a general revision of our income tax laws, which has been advocated for so many years, the exemption will doubtless be given further consideration by Congress. ***** ** A New Profession for the Blind? By Harold Rowley I hardly believed it was happening to me. On April 4, 1975, I boarded a plane in my home town of Battle Creek, Michigan, for the National Airport in Washington, D.C., where I would attend a training session for paralegals. Paralegals? -- Even the word was still a little mystifying to me, much as I had bandied it about. Ever since I had left school, I had written articles for Michigan dailies, and after moving to Battle Creek in 1962, had zeroed in more and more on that city's Enquirer and News. Among the stories I did was a series on the Legal Aid Society. Every time I sold a Legal Aid yarn to our local daily, the Executive Attorney of our Legal Aid Society, William Coash, would say, "Some of these days, I am going to work you in here as a full-time employee. You just see." I would counter with, "Okay. I expect to hear from you any day." Actually, I never expected to hear from him. Again I'd do a story on Legal Aid, again his promise, again my skepticism. Then came the CETA-Manpower program (Community Employment Training Act, more commonly called the "Manpower" Act), and Bill Coash said, one day last December, "You get right down here and fill out an application." I did, and he called me on the last day of January and told me to come to work on February 3. So that was why I was boarding that plane. I had worked as a paralegal -- an assistant to the attorneys -- for two months. But still it seemed that every day presented a flood of terms and procedures that I had never heard of. So, in one week, and so far as was possible, I was to brush up on everything I didn't know and come back a one-week boy wonder! Well, it didn't quite work that way, but still the experience was exhilarating and informative. But why paralegals? Up until five years ago, the term wasn't even coined. Now there are some fifty thousand of them in the United States, as against 300,000 attorneys. The fact is that only about one-tenth of the population can afford legal counsel at prevailing rates and retainer fees. The remaining nine-tenths of the people would have no recourse to legal services were it not for Legal Aid (also called Legal Services in some communities). At these offices, the client pays little or nothing for counsel and services. So the wages of the staff are paid by local and state grants that are then matched by grants from the Federal Government. Legal Aid offices employ law students during their summer vacations, law school graduates who want a few years' practice before hanging out their own shingle, and experienced attorneys who head up each office. So this was the most logical place ever for paralegals to find employment. But whether the movement of paralegalism originated with Legal Aid or not is debatable. What does a paralegal do all day? His duties are so varied that he may never do the same thing two days in a row or get back to the same thing two days in a month. At the training session in Washington (actually, it was held a block outside D.C., in Silver Spring, Maryland), we discovered that the duties of paralegals will differ widely from city to city and state to state. In some areas, a paralegal will interview divorce clients. In others he will act as advocate before fair hearing boards for clients who have been summarily dropped from SSI rolls. In New Jersey, at least, some now act as labor negotiators for Spanish-speaking agricultural workers who are not articulate enough in English to voice their grievances and wishes properly. Since I had been writing public relations articles for Legal Aid before I became a full-timer, this continued to be one of my primary duties when I became a full-timer -- and, incidentally, the one I like best. I enjoy doing stories on everything exciting that goes on in this office and taking them around to newspapers, radio and TV stations, who may or may not use them -- which is their prerogative, of course. I get no pay from the media even when they do use these stories, however, as they are public-relations pieces done on "company time" and for "company furtherance." But I can't do publicity all the time, because my stories would get out of focus if I didn't have real client contact. One other duty that I particularly like is investigation. A few weeks ago, a 69-year-old woman came to this office and told a story that was reminiscent of Delphine Lalaurier's antics in Cable's Old Creole Days. She had gone to work for a so-called nursing home. She not only got none of her pay from this establishment, but she witnessed scenes of brutality, sadism, and you name it. My astute boss, however, felt that she may have been exaggerating a bit, as she seemed over-emotional while telling the story. His technique was to hold the matter for a couple of weeks, then send me out to the woman's home to do an in-depth interview to see if she would change her tune or if the facts I got would corroborate those she had spoken into Bill's recorder. In such in-depth interviewing, whether for journalistic or legal purposes, the same questions are asked at the beginning and end of the interview, to see once again if the interviewee can be caught in a discrepancy. Maggie (that was the woman's real name) came through beautifully. The story I brought back corroborated that which she had given a couple of weeks before in every major detail. But of course my "story" would never see the light of day insofar as the media are concerned. It will only see the darkness of our file cabinet, as all of our investigations are super-confidential. Then there's the story of Joe Doke. Without the use of his legs due to cerebral palsy, he works in Battle Creek's Goodwill Industries. That is, he does when he can get transportation. As many of our cab drivers dislike loading his wheelchair at his home and unloading it at work, he often gets the run-around from dispatchers who tell him that all the cabs will be busy for at least an hour, or that every driver on duty has a bad back or a heart murmur. Consequently, Joe loses much time from his job. This situation presented two avenues of approach: the legal way, and the publicity way. Legally, our city statute provides that a cab company licensed by the city must respond to every fare except a drunk. Okay, so we could either charge the cab company with negligence and have its license revoked or better, make it shape up. Or we could get out some news features on Joe's dilemma and perhaps have another wheelchair donated to him so that he could have one at home and one at work — thus eliminating the need for loading and unloading wheelchairs by cabbies. It is just about always best to go both ways, because even when you utilize every resource at your command, you still do not end up with much. Paralegal work is often frustrating and ineffectual, but occasionally we win a few. One story now building around here is more exciting than the rest put together. That is the story of making parelegalism a profession for, and open to, the blind. Why not? The blind now work for IRS and Social Security. They have long been attorneys. But one of their biggest obstacles to entering paralegalism at this time is the lack of training materials in braille or recorded form. Bill Coash is an activist, however, and one with a heart. He didn't have to go to bat to get me this job; but he did it. He doesn't have to go all out to get other blind people into paralegal work; but that's just what he wants to do. Already he is amassing as much braille and recorded paralegal literature as possible, which he hopes will soon be used by other blind paralegals. He is also trying now to get a grant of at least $25,000 for the establishment of a training course, perhaps right here in Battle Creek, that would make blind paralegals competent in their field so that they would not have that woebegone feeling of inadequacy on their first day on a new job. In order not to arouse false hopes, however, it must be stressed that, although paralegalism definitely seems to be opening for the blind, it is still very much in the pioneer state. The training course envisioned by Bill Coash is not yet a reality. Funds, as always, are the big thing holding it up; funds for sophisticated recording equipment, for IBM electronic typewriters, for at least one Optacon, for many braille and recorded books. Living costs and stipends for students in training would presumably be furnished by local sponsoring agencies, such as rehabilitation offices, civic clubs, etc. Does such a program sound interesting to you? Do you want to work in the law profession without going through the rigors of four years of college and three years of law school? Would you like to be in on the ground floor of a developing new profession for the blind? Okay, then you can write to Mr. William R. Fry, Director, National Paralegal Institute, 2000 P Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Mr. Fry can tell you of any new developments that he knows about in paralegalism that could involve the blind in any way. Or you can write to Mr. William L. Coash, Executive Attorney, Calhoun County Legal Society, 205 Capital Building, Battle Creek, MI 49014. He can tell you of our progress here in making our training course a reality. Actually, I do not believe I would ever have sought out the law as a profession. It's difficult and requires a logical mind. But now that this job has sought me out and enmeshed me in its toils, I think I should stay with it and help build this work into a new area of employment for the blind. Besides, paralegalism, like journalism, has windows on many other exciting professions. In both, you are one day listening to the problems of some minority group; the next, you are brushing shoulders with politicians; the next, you're in court, learning a little more about the legal profession -- which never hurts a paralegal. Paralegals are now being urged to jump into the gap whenever and wherever they see injustice. And by so doing, they may get into trouble. For it is not as yet clear just where paralegals' jurisdiction ends. But only by "jumping into the gap" can we obtain precedents that will one day make our duties and liabilities as true professionals more understood to everyone -- including ourselves. This is truly the mark of a young profession -- that quest for boundaries. It might now be said with some truth that a paralegal is to an attorney much as a nurse is to a doctor. But already the nursing profession has a professional level called Licensed Practical Nurse; and already the medical profession has a rank known as paramedic. (There's that para- again.) The way to build a new profession is by being professional in standards and workmanship. I think the blind can acquit themselves beautifully when it comes to building the new profession of paralegalism. ***** ** National Workshop on Rehabilitation Teaching Sponsored by AFB By Billie Elder Thirty participants were invited to attend the National Workshop on Rehabilitation Teaching, sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind in St. Louis, Missouri, June 9-12, 1975. J. Albert Asenjo, Specialist in Independent Living, AFB, served as Workshop Coordinator. George Magers, Assistant Director, Office for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, represented the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which provided partial funding for the workshop. At the opening session, Loyal E. Apple, Executive Director of the American Foundation for the Blind, Inc., gave the welcome. The keynote speaker was Sam Negrin, Director of Community Services Division, AFB, who spoke on "The Nature of Professions." Each participant submitted a paper on an assigned topic related to the field of rehabilitation teaching. After the opening session, participants were assigned to committees, where the papers were read and discussed. Committees and chairmen were: The Rehabilitation Teacher's Relation to the Vocational Rehabilitation Process - Douglas Smith; Curriculum and Communication Skills - Frieda Wiegle; Curriculum and Personal Adaptive Skills - Ann Yeadoe; Community Resources and Use of Volunteers - Damaris Bradish; and Professional Training at All Levels - Ruth Kaarlela. Interspersed between committee meetings were general sessions. George Magers moderated one session and served as resource person. William Gallagher, Director, Program Planning Department, AFB, moderated the other general session. At the closing session, a summary of the findings and proposals of the workshop was given. The AFB will publish the Proceedings of the workshop in the near future. ***** ** A Ponderance on Independent Travel By Carol Derouin It sure can be great As I walk with my mate To use his guide elbow so trusty. But I've found that it's true If that's all that I do, My M and O skills get quite rusty. ***** ** A One-Way Street: Some Thoughts on the Question of Health Costs The Wall Street Journal recently printed an article entitled "Health Costs -- A One-Way Street." The author, Mr. I.D. Robbins, begins by stating: "A characteristic of most health and hospital programs in the United States is that there is no effective control of costs except by those who stand to gain by increasing costs: the physicians, dentists, hospitals, and their staffs." He goes on to document other ways in which our present health-care delivery system makes soaring prices an inevitability: "As any businessman knows, cost-plus is a partnership with the devil. Yet Blue Cross, private insurers, and the Federal Government operate on a reimbursement-of-costs basis." Perhaps even more alarming than the runaway economics is the fact that rather than ensuring higher quality care, the system encourages unnecessary surgery and lengthy hospital stays for conditions which could have been treated just as effectively on an outpatient basis. "George Crile, Jr., the eminent Cleveland surgeon, offers evidence of equally discouraging non-economic effects in an article in the current Harpers: 'Blue Shield's payment plan (two to three times as much for a radical as for a simple breast cancer operation),' he says, 'may have something to do with the fact that the United States, virtually the last western nation still dominated by a fee-for-services system, is likewise the last to give up the radical procedure." Mr. Robbins examines several possible options to improve the situation. However, it is his treatment of the question of national health insurance which evoked the following Letter to the Editor of the Wall Street Journal from Max Fine, Executive Director of the Committee for National Health Insurance: Dear Sir: I.D. Robbins' excellent diagnosis of the health costs problem (May 8) suggested strong remedies: "We must start with a new public policy objective: to provide higher quality health care at a significantly lower cost. Heroic measures can achieve this result; some were proposed by Mr. Robbins. However, he is dead wrong when he writes that, "No matter what national health program is finally adopted by Congress, medical costs are sure to go higher ..." The Health Security Bill (H.R. 21, S. 3) sets finite sums of dollars each year under a controlled budgeting system to pay for all personal health-care services. This would do away with cost-plus hospital reimbursement, which Mr. Robbins deplores. Payments to physicians would be made on the basis of negotiated amounts within the overall annual budget. This would eliminate the built-in conflict of interest in medical fees. Health care based on insurance principles would be consigned to the museum shelf, along with other relics of the post-World War II period. This would save $3 billion annually in operating costs. In 1975, American business and industry will spend over $30 billion for health insurance premiums. This is a tenfold increase in twenty years. In the first quarter of 1975, hospital and medical costs resumed their historic runaway escalation at two to three times the overall CPI increase. Next year, industry's health insurance costs will increase by a conservative 15 percent. American business can continue to subsidize the waste and inefficiency clearly documented by Mr. Robbins. It can continue to pay billions more in premiums each year to the insurance industry. Or it can resolve to use the leverage and support of the Health Security program to cause innovations, economies, and controls. Business cannot do this alone. It requires national legislation and national action. the 94th Congress may very well act on national health insurance. 'Tis strange that while Blue Cross, Blue Shield and the health insurance industry are effectively pursuing their interests in the matter, the rest of the American business community has been silent or ignored. The best hope for reform lies in the fact that the "Blues" and the insurance industry are in alliance with the American Medical Association. The ability to innovate along the lines suggested by Mr. Robbins suffers from constraints imposed by the AMA. The Congress, however, is nearing the point reached by Samuel Clemens. When he found out M.D.'s were trying to put osteopaths out of business in his state: "I don't know that I cared much for these osteopaths until I heard you were going to drive them out of the state," he wrote. Sincerely, Max W. Fine Executive Director ***** ** Assistance for Blind or Deaf Government Employees (Reprinted from Washington Report, June, 1975) As a means of furthering employment opportunities for blind or deaf individuals in the Federal Service, Senator Jennings Randolph (D., W.Va.) has introduced legislation to require employment of reading assistants for blind federal employees and interpreter assistance for deaf federal employees. The bill, S. 1607, was introduced on April 30 and would amend provisions of law originally enacted by Public Law 87-614 to authorize reading assistance for blind federal employees with­out compensation from the Government. P.L. 87-614 was the result of a joint effort by organizations of and for the blind and the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped to remove a legal barrier which prevented blind federal employees from hiring readers or to use the services of a volunteer reader or one provided by a non-profit organization, if these readers were to work with the employee at their places of business. S. 1607 provides that not later than one year after date of enactment, at least 2 per cent of all positions in each agency shall be classified to authorize the employment for such reading assistants and interpreters. The percentage of federal employees designated to be readers and interpreters would be increased to 3 percent two years after enactment and to 4 percent three years after enactment. The requirement for employment of readers and interpreters for blind or deaf employees would apply only to Executive Branch agencies, the Government of the District of Columbia, and the Library of Congress, the latter being the only Legislative Branch agency covered. It would not apply to the Congress itself or other Legislative Branch agencies such as the Government Printing Office and the General Accounting Office. ***** ** State Convention Highlights * Arkansas Council of the Blind State Convention — A Time of Celebration By Billie Elder "Broadening Horizons" was the theme of the 1975 state convention of the Arkansas affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, held April 11-13 in Little Rock. The reason for celebration was the passage of Act 393 by the Arkansas Legislature. The Arkansas Council was one of the leading sponsors of the Act, which established by statute a separate and identifiable agency for the blind. The Act provides for a nine-member advisory committee appointed by the Governor. The Arkansas state chapter of the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Lions of Arkansas were co-sponsors of the Act. Dr. Jim Fowler provided leadership for the Lions in their efforts in behalf of the bill. Lions who were members of the Legislature helped facilitate its passage. ACB National President Floyd Qualls of Oklahoma City attended the convention. Loyal E. Apple, Executive Director of the American Foundation for the Blind, gave the Saturday night banquet address. Other special guests included Vito Proscia of the Sensory Aids Program for Telesensory Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, California; Dr. Roger Bost, Director of Arkansas Social and Rehabilitative Services; Dr. Larry Dickerson, Project Director of the Regional Continuing Education, Rehabilitation, Research and Training Center, Hot Springs, Arkansas. Dr. Bost spoke on the impact of recent legislation concerning the blind and visually handicapped in Arkansas, with particular emphasis on Act 393. Dr. Dickerson spoke on new horizons in continuing education which concern blind and visually handicapped persons. Vito Proscia, who has worked in developmental research technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, delivered an address on the expanding horizons in technological areas for the blind and visually handicapped. A panel discussion on agencies serving the blind was moderated by Bill Tomlin, who is with the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. Panelists included Cleota Mullen, librarian with the Arkansas Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; Bill Lively, Executive Director of the Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind; and J.M. Woolly, Superintendent of the Arkansas School for the Blind. A second panel discussion on new rehabilitation service programs for the blind and visually handicapped in Arkansas was chaired by Arkansas Council Vice President Raymond Pasley of Fort Smith. Harry Vines, Deputy Commissioner of the State Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, and five members of the state agency made up this panel. A highlight of the convention was the presentation of the annual Employer-Employee of the Year Award. These awards are given each year by the Arkansas Council to the outstanding employer of blind and visually handicapped persons and to the outstanding blind employee. The awards were presented by Dr. Roy Kumpe, Executive Director of Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind Rehabilitation Center. Other featured convention speakers included Trudie Musier of IBM's Franklin Lakes, New Jersey office, president of the Visually Impaired Secretarial Transcribers Association; Dean Wyrick, Regional Representative of the National Center for Deaf Blind Youths and Adults, of Dallas, Texas; and Durward McDaniel, National Representative of the American Council of the Blind, Washington, D.C. Oral Miller, National Convention Coordinator, also attended. * Washington Council of the Blind Holds Annual Convention By Alice Bankston The Washington Council of the Blind held its annual state convention on June 7 in Seattle. The focus of the morning session was on the present status of statewide services to the blind population and plans for their improvement and expansion by the State Department of Social and Health Services and the state-run Library for the Blind. Under its new director, Ms. Sharon Hammer, the Library for the Blind now supervises the braille and taping service and the radio talking book program. Ms. Hammer outlined a number of innovations which she was initiating, including the recording of books of local or special interest by the Library and expansion of the braille and taping service to include recording of textbooks for elementary school children and, when and if possible, for non-students requiring study or professional materials not otherwise available. Plans for expanding area coverage of the Radio Talking Book through relay contracts were explained by John Kean, who has been in charge of technical aspects and broadcasting techniques since the inception of the program. It is hoped that the coming year will see this radio service established throughout the entire state. Mr. Barry Van Lare of the State Department of Social and Health Services gave an excellent outline of the proposed state program for delivery of services to the blind population, geared to the present critical condition of state finances. He agreed that these services were not adequate to meet all of the needs of the people, particularly in the rural and outlying suburban areas. Questions from the floor were searching and indicative of a keen awareness on the part of Council members of the special needs of all segments of the blind population, especially the aged blind, who are not now receiving anything like the amount or kind of services they should have. Mr. Kenneth Hopkins, the new Supervisor of State Services for the Blind, addressed himself to this same general subject, explaining in detail what his plans for realignment of the agency staff and functions were, and how he hoped to meet some of the challenges of giving maximum service with the limitations imposed by budget and staff cuts. He indicated that it was hoped to increase the effectiveness of the Center's rehabilitation program and the extended home services program. He emphasized the need for cooperation of all organizations and volunteer help and expressed the hope that WCB members would provide any feedback of information that would help the agency to pinpoint needs and evaluate services rendered. Following lunch, Mr. Arnold Sadler presented an excellent description and demonstration of the new "talking calculator" which voices each item of input and the results obtained. This new aid to blind students and workers is being developed and refined by a special grant to the State Services to the Blind, Audio Programs Learning Department, with expert technical engineering help from outside, and should prove of tremendous aid to blind people, significantly expanding the field of business and scientific work they can qualify for. The annual business meeting followed, with a new slate of officers elected: Miss Sarah McSparran, President; Christopher Gray, First Vice President; Irving Smith, Second Vice President; Addie Quigg, Secretary; Phillip Collier, Treasurer. Gary Myrene, retiring president, and Frank Stewart Braille Reporter Editor, will be the two directors. The by-laws were amended for two-year terms for all officers, with one consecutive re-election. The speaker at the banquet was Dr. Angelo Pellegrini, who has been Professor of English and lecturer at the University of Washington for years. Dr. Pellegrini is an authority on food and wine, with an intriguing gourmet touch, and a wide-ranging interest in all aspects of these fascinating subjects. The meeting adjourned after a full day of activity, with a feeling on the part of members that considerable progress had been made in clarifying the important matter of needed improvements in services to the blind and understanding of what present plans are. * California Spring Convention "Whatever you expect from a convention — education, information, new ideas, unusual insights, constructive action, direction, exciting entertainment — all of these will issue forth for your benefit ... whether student or retired, or in between!" So proclaimed Mack Riley's Convention Announcement of the spring meeting of the Associated Blind of California, held April 18-20 in Hollywood. One of the largest in attendance in the fifteen-year history of the organization, the convention certainly lived up to that advance billing. The formal program began and ended with film presentations. The first depicted activities of the Blind Children's Center in Los Angeles. The second, titled "A Matter of Inconvenience," was presented by Dr. James Stanfield, Department of Special Education, California State University, Los Angeles. Several well-planned panels stimulated audience thought and participation. The California Industries for the Blind was the subject of one such discussion, moderated by Robert Campbell, with CIB President James Gibson and Directors Catherine Skivers and Walter Thomas as panelists. Handicapped students from several universities led a panel on services now available for handicapped students. They indicated that since students had organized, many improvements had come about in physical arrangements in campus buildings. Panelists urged the cooperation of the Associated Blind of California, in combination with their own organizations, to seek improved services for handicapped students. "Employment of the Blind in Social Security Administration Offices" was the theme of a very timely panel moderated by Nancy Albrecht, Administrative Assistant, Social Security Administration. The wide range of speakers included the following: Philip Schwartz, Continental Casualty Insurance agent, who spoke of matters connected with ABC's group insurance and described several types of insurance now available; Juliet Bindt Esterly, who described several of her recent trips in a talk entitled "Sight-Seeing Without Sight"; Manuel Urena, Program Manager, Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted, State Department of Rehabilitation, who described services within his division; Phyllis Cairns, Library Supervisor, Braille Institute of America, who brought the convention up-to-date on library services available from the Library of Congress, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; John Millen, Regional Coordinator, Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted, California State Department of Rehabilitation, describing a variety of services now available to blind students; and Mrs. Schecter, Editor of the California Braille Transcriber, who reported on International Services for Braille Transcribers and told of braille devices offered by several European and African institutions. According to some, the highlight of the entire convention came on Saturday afternoon, with talks on human sexuality by Drs. Tessa Albert-Warschaw and Ernie Bruni, who spoke to a packed house. "A tough act to follow!" was the comment of the next speaker. In a rather rapid switch from "earthiness" to the sphere of the intellectual, a representative of the State University of California, Los Angeles, reported on the Master Plan for Special Education, Department of Special Education, after which ABC Past President Cathy Skivers, totally blind Taxpayer Service Representative, spoke concerning the Internal Revenue Service as an employer of the blind. With an attendance of nearly 150 persons, the Saturday evening banquet was a gala occasion. Donald Wilkinson, blind retired Judge of the Superior Court, Humboldt County, was presented an award by the ABC membership. President Harry (Casey) De Lint turned over his gavel to First Vice President George Fogarty, who will fill out the unexpired portion of Casey's term. The De Lints have moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where Casey has accepted a position with Arizona Industries for the Blind. The program was climaxed by the surprise appearance of Dr. Robert Smithdas, deaf-blind author and lecturer and Director of Community Education for the National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults. In a special election at the Sunday business meeting, Mack Riley, President of the American Council of the Blind's National Alliance of Blind Students and Charter-President of the California Alliance of Blind Students, was named First Vice President, to fill the office left vacant by George Fogarty's elevation to the presidency. * Iowa Council of the Blind Convention By Chuck Kints The Iowa Council of the Blind held its sixth annual convention June 20-22 at the Ramada Inn in Marshalltown. The turnout was one any organization could be proud of: 75 percent of the membership was in attendance. Friday night was set aside for visiting old friends and getting acquainted with newcomers and, one the more serious side, for the ICB Board meeting. Saturday morning saw registration begin at 8:30. Following the invocation and welcome, James Saeugling, ICB president, gave the keynote address. He enumerated the many accomplishments of the Iowa Council since its beginning six years ago. This was followed by various committee reports. After a break for lunch, a four-member panel of Iowa legislators addressed the group. Rounding out the afternoon program, Floyd Qualls of Oklahoma City, President of the American Council of the Blind, spoke generally on matters of concern to the blind. Lamont Jensen of Waterloo was master of ceremonies for the Saturday night banquet, and those who attended are still talking about the fine job he did. Two awards were presented at the banquet. The Chester A. Hill Award is presented annually by ICB for service to the blind. This year's recipient was Earl Scharry of Dubuque, in recognition of his long years of work with and for blind people. In his absence, the award was accepted by his wife, Hazel. Dubuque has long been "home" to Earl. Prior to the mid-1950s, he practiced law there and owned and operated a vending machine business. His involvement in organizations of the blind dates from the early 1950s. He was active in the Iowa Association of the Blind, then an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind. In 1957, he was employed as a staff person by the NFB in Washington, D.C., and in the late 1950s took a position with the Library of Congress. For several years in the early 1960s he was employed by the American Printing House for the Blind. In 1967 he returned to the Library of Congress, where he worked until 1972, when he retired on disability following a serious stroke. He was a member of the ACB Board of Directors for five years. Among his special interests was the Braille Forum. He served for a number of years as Associate Editor; then as Editor from 1969 until 1973. (A personal word of congratulations, Earl, from the editorial staff of the Braille Forum for an award so well deserved.) The Joe Klostermann Award was given to the Waterloo, Iowa Water Hawks for their efforts in working with and training students at the Iowa Blind and Sight Saving School. The award was accepted in their name by John Powers, President of the Cedar Valley Council of the Blind, to be presented to the Hawks at a later date. On Sunday morning, a short business meeting was held to elect a delegate to the ACB national convention in Mobile. Joe Klostermann was selected to represent ICB. Mrs. Beulah Maddalozza of Dubuque was elected to fill one year of the board term of Chuck Kints, who resigned that position. Next year's convention will be held in Dubuque. * First Annual Convention -- ACB of Wisconsin By Sue Graves The first annual convention of the American Council of the Blind of Wisconsin, and the first statewide convention of the organized blind in Wisconsin, was held June 28 and 29 in Milwaukee. The convention was attended by over 100 people. The morning business session was devoted to the discussion and adoption of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. The afternoon program was designed to give information on subjects and projects of interest to any visually impaired person in the state. Included were talks by representatives from the State Library, the Wisconsin Radio Reading Service, Blind Outdoor Leisure Development, the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped. The program was very well received, as evidenced by the enthusiasm of the audience participation in the question-and-answer sessions. The evening banquet, with Adrian De Blaey in his usual good form as toastmaster, was the occasion by the Wisconsin Council of the Blind for presentation of its first Employer of the Year Award, with Gordon Haldinman doing the honors. An excellent musical program was performed by two of our members, Elvita Clementi, soprano, and Arthur Colby, piano. The featured speaker of the banquet was Mr. Floyd Qualls, ACB president, who gave one of the finest dissertations on the history and philosophy of the ACB that this writer has ever been privileged to hear. Mr. Qualls' speech was interrupted several times by spontaneous applause from his enthusiastic listeners. The business session on Sunday morning was well attended and produced lively discussion concerning the future of our new organization. The major portion of activity during the next year will be centered around the formation of local chapters. We are very pleased that after only six months of our own organizational efforts, without the benefit of an out-of-state organizational team, we had a total of 260 members at the end of the convention. The following officers were elected: President - Sue Graves, Madison; First Vice President - Adrian De Blaey, Milwaukee; Second Vice President - Richard Johnson, Janesville; Secretary - Virginia Leach, Milwaukee; Treasurer - George Qualls, Milwaukee; Board members: Herb Pitz, Oshkosh; Rosemary Swisher, Milwaukee; Paul Schroeder, Milwaukee; and George Card, Madison. This first convention is certainly a good indication that the ACB of Wisconsin will be a strong, active affiliate to the American Council of the Blind. ***** ** Here and There By Carol Derouin Representative Hamilton Fish (R., N.Y.) has introduced H.R. 402, to authorize denominations on currency to be marked in braille. Similar bills have been introduced in the past two Congresses, but were never enacted into law. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has been opposed to this type of legislation for a variety of reasons: (1) only a small minority of blind people can read braille; (2) the American public gets upset when any change in paper currency is made and deluges the Bureau with letters inquiring about the legitimacy of the money; (3) it would take approximately fifty years for existing stocks of unmarked paper currency to be used up; and (4) the alternative destruction of existing stocks of paper currency would cost in excess of $20 million. The Xavier Society for the Blind is now publishing the Sunday Propers in large print and braille. For further information, write the Society at 154 E. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010. Illinois Bell provides a 33-1/3 r.p.m. recording which describes how blind people can save time and money on their telephone service. It can be ordered from the Chicago Public Library, Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625. The National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped announces publication of its "Standards for Physical Facilities of Agencies Serving the Blind and Physically Handicapped." The publication provides guidelines for renovation of existing facilities and for construction of new facilities, with a view to more effective programs and with expanded emphasis on involvement of users of services and of other community groups. The Standards emphasize effective planning and use of physical facilities and updating to reflect relevant legislation and developments in the fields of health, safety, and removal of architectural barriers. Copies of the revised Standards are available for $1 from National Accreditation Council, Suite 1406, 79 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. More About SSI: Did you know — Depending upon parents' income and resources, payments can be made to blind or disabled children until they are 18 years of age — or 21 if they are in school. The average SSI payment to a blind or disabled child is now $95.00 a month. Starting at age 18, or at 21 if the individual is in school, blind or disabled persons may be eligible for SSI payments regardless of income or resources of their parents. From NEGRO BRAILLE MAGAZINE: "What's New in Electronic Arts for the Visually and Auditorily Handicapped" is a monograph compiled by the Howe Society of Greater New York, based upon its electronic aids exhibit in March of 1973. Twenty-four devices are presented and described. Persons interested may contact the Howe Society of New York, P.O. Box 1140, New York, NY 10001. ---- Mauch Laboratories of Dayton, Ohio, under the sponsorship of the Veterans Administration, is developing an electronic reading machine for the blind. As a probe the size of a short, fat pencil is moved over a line of print, a camera inside the probe recognizes each letter. Then a recording device within a small box connected to the probe is triggered to pronounce each letter. Glendon C. Smith, Mauch's Senior Project Engineer, estimates the machine will be marketed within two years and will cost several thousand dollars. ---- Stevie Wonder was named Best Pop Male Vocalist of 1974 at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. He also won Best Album of the Year, Best Rhythm and Blues Songwriter, and Best Rhythm and Blues Male Vocal Performance for "Boogie on Reggae Woman." ---- The First National Convention of the Deaf-Blind is to be held at Highbrook Lodge, the summer recreation estate of the Cleveland Society for the Blind, August 4-10, 1975. Richard (Rick) Joy is a gymnast, swimmer, wrestler, skier, electronics expert, bowler, and bookbinder, and was the first deaf-blind person ever to become an Eagle Scout. This year, he was named over 15,000 other candidates as California Rehabilitant of the Year. He is employed at a Santa Rosa electronics factory as an assembler. His favorite hobby is talking with ham radio operators all over the world. This he does by transmitting in Morse code. Incoming Morse code messages are felt through a vibrating box. Most of his sophisticated electronic equipment he built himself. While attending a school for the blind, Rick developed an interest in sports — particularly wrestling and bowling. He says he built confidence through sports. He dismisses his accomplishments as routine and attributes his extraordinary success in life to his parents. "They taught me that I can overcome any obstacle if I want to." From VCVH VIEWS AND VENTURES (Newsletter of the Virginia Commission for the Visually Handicapped): Colorado Services for the Blind now uses a mobile unit — a 27-foot motor home -- containing a complete kitchen and sewing center for instruction in techniques of daily living, and equipped with facilities to teach braille and other communications skills to the blind. The project is designed to help older blind persons learn how to live more full and active lives. The first tour included a five-member team, headquartered in Greeley, and serving over 55 residents in an 11-county area. Plans call for making available some medical services in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of eye problems. According to figures of the World Health Organization (WHO) which recently polled its 135 member nations, some ten to fifteen million people in the world are blind. In Europe and the United States, the blindness rate is one in 500; in Asia and Africa, the rate is one in 100, and sometimes higher. WHO estimates that half of the cases of blindness in the world could have been prevented or avoided had they been detected in time. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, there are 1,000 eye injuries in every working day in industry, and in one year (1969) 169,000 school children had eye injuries, many from accidents in laboratories and workshops. Appointments: Stewart Grout has been elected Executive Vice President of the Seeing Eye, Inc., effective July 1, to succeed George Werntz, Jr. Mr. Grout has served since 1966 as Director of Academic Planning at Boston University. In his new post, he will direct the day-to-day program at the school in Morristown, New Jersey. Since it was founded in 1929, the Seeing Eye has placed more than 6,500 trained dog guides with blind persons. ---- After 28 years of continuous service to and with blind persons, John F. Brady retired as the fourth Executive Director of the Industrial Home for the Blind, effective July 1. Succeeding him is Joseph J. Larkin of Brooklyn, who has been with IHB for some 27 years. From VENDORSCOPE: We Lose a Friend -- Kenneth Decker died on January 9, 1975. He entered the vending stand program in 1953, operating stands in Springfield, Peoria, and Chicago, Illinois. He was elected president of the Operators Association for two terms and was an outstanding leader in the progress of the Illinois vending stand program. In 1963, Kenneth Decker was the Illinois representative for establishment of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America and was elected second vice president of the organization. In 1973, he was presented the RSVA Award of the Year in Knoxville, Tennessee and 1974 was awarded the first life membership in RSVA. From ARIZONA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND NEWSLETTER: Speed Queen has specially designed control panel applique for certain models of its automatic washers, which has the various times and control settings in braille and extra-large black print. Blind or nearly blind people purchasing Models DA3690 or DA3691 automatic washers may get one of these panels at no extra charge, according to Steve Lorge, Advertising Manager, Speed Queen, McGraw-Edison Co. Division, Ripon, WI 54081. From OFB NEWSLETTER (Okla.): Angela Keele, age 15, served as a page for Senator Jim Inhoff of Tulsa from April 21-24, 1975. Her involvement in this venture came about at the March quarterly board meeting of the Oklahoma Federation of the Blind. In a chance meeting with Senator Inhoff at the hotel, where Oklahoma Republicans were also having a statewide conference, OFB member Bob Qualls mentioned the success of persons serving as pages in other states. The Senator readily responded that he needed a page, and arrangements were made for Angela to participate. Angela, totally blind, has been attending the Oklahoma School for the Blind at Muskogee and will do so one more year. She then plans to enter public school to complete high school. Her vocational plans include law school. Herbert Pitz of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a member of the ACB Board of Directors, suffered a serious heart attack and stroke on June 2. He was in critical condition, unconscious for three days. Then, according to his wife Vivian, miraculously on the third day he began to recognize members of his family, "and typically like Herb has been fighting back ever since." He was under intensive care for ten days and is now in a private room. Though still seriously ill, the prognosis is encouraging. Doctors are now hopeful that in time he can possibly make a complete recovery. "He feels good," writes Vivian to Floyd Qualls, "and it is hard to convince him that anything happened. Of course, he will not be able to be at the Mobile convention. Please keep Herb in your prayers and greet a lot of our old friends. You might have them send cards now, as he does remember lots of old friends, and it sparks him up for a few minutes." Herb's home address is 403 Merritt Avenue, Oshkosh, WI 54901. The 30th national tournament of the U.S. Blind Golfers Association was held in Toledo, Ohio, June 13-15. Twenty-four totally blind golfers competed, with invitations being based upon ability to shoot 18 holes in 120 strokes or less. Winning this event is regarded by many as the nation's top award for a blind athlete. This year's U.S.B.G.A. first-place trophy was won by tall, distinguished-looking Pat Browne, a New Orleans attorney, who had finished second on three previous occasions. While in college, before losing his sight in an automobile accident, Pat was captain of Tulane's basketball and golf teams. The top four finishers were: Pat Brown with a 196; Chuck Mayo of San Jose, California, with a 203; Jeff Jankot of Boston, Massachusetts, with a 208; and Joe Lazaro of Waltham, Massachusetts, last year's champion, with a 210. This year's tournament was hosted by the District 13A Lions Clubs of Ohio and was sponsored by the Owens-Corning Corporation. Celebrities participation included Bob Hope and Bill Cosby. For further information about the U.S.B.G.A., write Charles Boswell, 221 Brown, Marx Building, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue at 82 Street, New York, NY 10028, will open an education exhibit of musical instruments in August of this year. Chief types of European instruments since the Renaissance will be displayed, along with related non-European types, for purposes of comparison. Attention will be directed to the instruments' materials, mechanisms, textures, and other features that can be appreciated by touch. The exhibit will be designed so that blind persons can handle the instruments and will be accompanied by explanatory tape recordings. After a time at the Met, the entire exhibit will go on tour to other communities. Temple Beth-Israel Sisterhood of Portland, Oregon, has provided Mindy Fliegelman with a scholarship for the past two years at Hebrew Union College in the School of Sacred Music, New York City, where she is studying to be a cantor. She is taking the five-year course along with ten other women in the Cantoral College. Mindy is formerly from Miami and worked for a year as a library clerk and braille teacher at the Jewish Braille Institute of America. ***** ** Money Identifying Machines (Reprinted from Vendorscope, June, 1975) A rip-off of a blind vendor by a dishonest individual who misrepresented a $1 bill and insisted on $10 worth of change brought about a review of money identifying machines in Illinois. Two machines on the commercial market were checked out against the old model that RSVA President Homer Steele has been using for over 20 years. The machines that produce sounds as they are passed over the bills can be confusing, as they can pass over a slightly different area of the bill and the sounds are left up to the individual to distinguish. The machine which Homer has had for so long is not being sold at this time. However, the decision was made that his machine was more reliable than the others, as the money was placed on the inside of the machine and buttons popped up as the machine determined the denomination of the bill. Investigation showed that the patent has run out on the machine. Warren Reynolds, Corporate Secretary for Keystone International Fence and Wire Co. in Peoria, and an engineer from Caterpillar Tractor Co. are working to develop a machine like Homer's, using transistors in place of tubes. Donations from the Oppenheim Fund have been given to assist in the development of a reliable money identifying machine for the use of blind persons. ***** *** American Council of the Blind Group Hospital Indemnity Plan American Council of the Blind National Office 818 18th Street, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20006 Dear Members: As you know, we want to secure any special service possible for our members. For that purpose the American Council of the Blind sponsors the group hospital insurance plan described herein. It has been carefully planned to be in keeping with the standards of our Council. By combining the mass purchasing power of our members, the insurance company is enabled to make this plan of insurance available to our membership with advantages you could not other­wise obtain as an individual. When hospitalized, you will need money for any number of reasons that ordinary medical insurance may not provide. The American Council of the Blind's Hospital Indemnity Plan pays you benefits for each day you are hospitalized for a covered accident or sickness. It pays you, not the doctor nor hospital, unless you specify, in addition to any hospital insurance you or your spouse may now have. During the initial enrollment period, all members and affiliate members, regardless of age, are eligible to enroll in this plan. An affiliate member is one who is a member of one of the 47 organizations affiliated with the American Council of the Blind. The program merits your serious and immediate consideration. Since the initial enrollment period will end on October 15, 1975, members wishing to participate should complete and return their enrollment forms which they will be receiving in the mail in the near future. Sincerely yours, Durward K. McDaniel National Representative ** An Explanation of the ACB's Hospital Indemnity Plan A plan of group insurance approved by the American Council of the Blind designed especially for the membership and their families. There are two plans available: Plan A and Plan B. Plan A provides: $20, $40, $60, $80 or $100 for each day you are confined in a hospital as an in-patient because of a covered accident or sickness for as long as one year. Your premiums vary depending on the plan you select. These benefits are provided for each accident and sickness when you are confined as an inpatient in a hospital accredited by the American Hospital Association which has available 24-hour nursing services and has facilities for major surgery (but not a nursing home or alcohol or drug treatment facility). Coverage Is Doubled for Cancer oOr Intensive Care. Benefits are automatically doubled for all covered members under age 65 for hospital confinement due to cancer or hospital confinement in an intensive care unit. Coverage Begins the First Day of Hospitalization: Coverage under the Council's Hospital Indemnity Plan begins the first day of hospitalization and continues to provide benefits for each day up to 365 days. Eligibility: All members, affiliate members and their families may enroll in the plan. Both you, your spouse and children who are two weeks of age to 19 years of age and unmarried dependent children who are full-time students up to 25 years of age are eligible for this protection. (An affiliate member is one who is a member of one of the 47 organizations affiliated with the American Council of the Blind.) Benefits Are Available To You Regardless Of Any Insurance You Or Your Spouse May Have. Benefits under the American Council of the Blind's Hospital Indemnity Plan are not reduced if you have other insurance. The plan is designed to provide benefits in addition to any other insurance you may have. Group Premiums: This insurance plan is available under a master policy issued to the American Council of the Blind. Therefore, by combining the group purchasing power of the ACB's membership, the premiums are substantially lower than you would pay for the same coverage if you purchased it on your own. All Those Who Enroll Will Be Covered: During this enrollment period, all enrollment forms from members, regardless of age, will be accepted. Pre-Existing Conditions: A pre-existing condition is a condition for which a person may have received medical treatment or advice within a 12-month period immediately preceding the effective date. Benefits for pre-existing conditions are not payable until you have been insured for one year (except that benefits will be payable for hospitalization due to a pre-existing condition beginning with the 15th day of continuous hospital confinement). After one year from the effective date, the insured members will be covered for pre-existing conditions. Benefits Go Directly To You: Under this plan, benefits are provided to the insured member, not to a doctor and not to a hospital, unless assigned by the insured member. Exclusions: War or act of war, service in the armed forces of any country or international authority at war, whether war is declared or not; pregnancy (including childbirth or resulting complications); intentionally self-inflicted injuries, suicide or attempted suicide, whether sane or insane; hospital confinement in a V.A. or any other National Government-owned or operated hospital, and pre-existing conditions as noted in this article. ** Plan B: A Medicare Supplement Plan for Members Eligible for Medicare This coverage helps supplement the Federal Medicare Program, but is not connected with the government in any way. Medicare provides other benefits which are not supplemented by this plan. 1. Eligibility: All members and their spouses eligible for Medicare may enroll and are guaranteed issuance of a certificate. Members enrolled in Plan A will automatically be transferred to Plan B upon attaining age 65. 2. Even Pre-Existing Conditions are Covered: There are no restrictions or limitations for any prior conditions or disabilities. 3. Hospital Benefits Payable: The following benefits payable under this plan are not covered by Medicare: (A) this plan pays for Medicare "Part A" deductible which is currently $92 during hospital confinement of at least three (3) days; (B) during any one benefit period, this plan pays a daily benefit while confined in a licensed hospital for all covered accidents and sicknesses in accordance with the following schedule (Medicare pays the first 60 days in full). This Plan pays: 1) 61st thru 90th day - $23 per day 2) 91st thru 150th day - $46 per day 3) from 151st day - $92 per day 4. Special Nursing Home Benefit: (A) This benefit pays the Medicare deductible of $11.50 per day beginning on the 21st day of nursing home care. (Medicare pays the first 20 days in full.) (B) The insured member or spouse must enter the nursing home within 14 days after discharge from hospital confinement of at least 3 days. (C) The maximum benefit payable will be equal to 25 days for each day of prior confinement. 5. Maximum Benefit: The maximum benefit provided under this plan is $25,000. 6. Supplements Other Insurance: Benefits for covered accidents and sicknesses are payable regardless of any other insurance you or your spouse may have. 7. Exclusions: Benefits under this plan will not be paid: when any insured member or spouse is a member of any armed forces; losses from war or act of war, losses from self-destruction or attempted suicide, while sane or insane, dental care, losses covered by Workmen's Compensation shall not be covered. * Questions and Answers Q. When will my coverage become effective? A. Your coverage will become effective October 15, 1975. After the plan effective date, each active member of the organization may apply for insurance under this policy only during an enrollment period specified by the Company and the American Council of the Blind. Q. What is the need for the ACB Hospital Indemnity Plan? A. Most of us have purchased some form of insurance to cover the expense of hospitalization; but, even the best of the currently available policies does not cover the full expense connected with hospitalization. Your ACB Hospital Indemnity Plan is designed to help supplement any program that you or your spouse may now have. Q. What if I am eligible for Medicare? A. Plan B is available to persons eligible for Medicare. This plan will cover participants regardless of any other insurance or Medicare benefits that they might have. Q. What about termination? A. Your insurance will not terminate unless: (1) you cease to be a member of the ACB, (2) your premiums go unpaid, (3) the Company declines to renew all such coverage for members of the ACB. Dependents' coverage ceases when they cease to be "dependents" or your coverage terminates. Q. What is my proof of coverage? A. Individual certificates of insurance will be sent to all members stating the essential features of coverage and to whom benefits are payable. Q. Am I covered while traveling? A. Yes, and you are covered worldwide. Q. How are claims paid? A. When you or a covered member of your family is hospitalized, you complete a claim form provided by the administrator, stating why and how long you were hospitalized and return it with an itemized hospital bill to the Plan Administrator. Q. Under the pre-existing clause of this plan, what constitutes medical treatment or advice within the twelve-month period preceding the effective date? A. This refers to any and all conditions for which you are under treatment or being advised about. For example: This refers directly to those who have diabetes. The self-administered insulin would be considered treatment and thus pre-existing. However, it should be pointed out that 12 months after the effective date, that condition would be covered. Further, during the first year, benefits would be payable for hospitalization due to a pre-existing condition beginning with the 15th day of continuous hospital confinement. There are no pre-existing limitations for the Medicare Insurance Supplement Plan B. The Companies behind the American Council of the Blind's Group Hospital Indemnity Plan: * Underwritten by: Sentry Insurance, a Mutual Company Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54481 (licensed in all states and D.C.) Sentry Insurance A Mutual Company is part of the Sentry Group which began in 1903. The group consists of more than 40 companies in over 70 locations throughout the world. Administered by: Kirke-Van Orsdale Incorporated The Financial Center 666 Walnut Street Des Moines, IA 50309 800-621-1917 Kirke-Van Orsdale Inc. through Robinson Inc. administrators of insurance plans for professional and business associations throughout the U.S. and Great Britain with a combined membership in excess of 2 million. The Companies currently serve over 150,000 participating members. Members of ACB and its affiliates will receive all of this material by mail for consideration and use. The enrollment form which will be sent to you should be filled out according to the following instructions and should be returned in the envelope which will be enclosed with the material. ** How To Enroll: 1. Check the appropriate box to indicate the plan you have chosen. 2. Make check payable to: ACB Hospital Indemnity Program. 3. Send your enrollment form and check in the addressed, enclosed, (no postage required) envelope provided to: American Council of the Blind, Group Hospital Indemnity Plan, Lock Box 1778, Des Moines, Iowa 50306. ** Sample Enrollment Form Please print. First name, middle initial, last name: Address: City, State, Zip Code: Date of Birth (Month, Day, Year): To be completed if applying for spouse's coverage: Spouse's name: Date of birth: * Semi-Annual Premiums Please check the appropriate box or boxes for the benefits and the semi-annual premium for the plan you have chosen. Plan A -- $20 per day ($40 for cancer or intensive care) Numbers below are as follows: Age, Male Member, Female Member, Member & Spouse, Member Spouse & Children, Male Member & Children, Female Member & Children Under 30: $15.80, $22.20, $33.00, $51.40, $34.20, $40.60 30-39: $17.40, $25.00, $37.40, $55.80, $35.40, $43.60 40-49: $26.20, $32.20, $53.40, $71.80, $44.60, $50.60 50-59: $38.60, $38.20, $71.80, $90.20, $57.00, $56.60 60-64: $49.00, $45.00, $89.00, $107.40, $67.40, $63.40 * (SAMPLE ENROLLMENT FORM Continued) All premiums and benefits are based on the attained age of the member and change on the first premium due date after the member's attainment of ages 30, 40, 50 and 60. Members attaining age 65 will be automatically insured under Plan B. You may purchase additional coverage of $40, $60, $80 or $100 per day and double coverage for cancer or intensive care confinement. To determine your premium for $40, $60, $80 or $100 per day plan, please do the following: 1. Check the appropriate box above indicating age and coverage (i.e. Member, Member & Spouse, Children, etc.), and the premium for the $20 per day plan. 2. Now choose the plan below that you desire and fill in the blanks. Plan A - $40 per day benefit ($80 per day for cancer or intensive care) Premium from above: $ Multiply by TWO: x 2 Amount of your check: $ Plan A - $60 per day benefit ($120 per day for cancer or intensive care) Premium from above: $ Multiply by THREE: x 3 Amount of your check: $ Plan A - $80 per day benefit ($160 per day for cancer or intensive care) Premium from above: $ Multiply by FOUR: x 4 Amount of your check: $ Plan A - $100 per day benefit ($200 per day for cancer or intensive care) Premium from above: $ Multiply by FIVE: x 5 Amount of your check: $ * For Members Applying For Plan A Only I understand that any condition for which I or any insured dependents received medical treatment or advice within 12 months prior to the effective date of insurance will not be covered until 15 days of continuous hospital confinement or until after 12 treatment free months or until coverage has been in force for one year, whichever occurs earlier. _____ YES _____ NO * Plan B — For Members Eligible for Medicare Member Only $27.50 Member & Spouse $55.00 I understand that the insurance applied for shall become effective on October 15, 1975. My first semi-annual premium check in the amount of $_____ is enclosed. Member's Signature: X __________________________ Date: _________________ F640-206 ###