The Braille Forum Vol. XVI December 1977 No. 6 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * President: Floyd Qualls 501 N. Douglas Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73160 * 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 ACB Officers Notice to Subscribers Fringe Benefits, by Floyd Qualls God's Plan for Oral Roberts University: Only the Perfect Need Apply, by Kathy Megivern First World Conference on Services to the Deaf-Blind, by Jack Murphey Declaration of Rights of Deaf-Blind Persons "The Barricade Syndrome" -- A Blueprint for Execution National Health Insurance -- "The Critical Year Has Begun," by Roger P. Kingsley To Correct the New York Times News on the Civil Rights Front, by Reese Robrahn Welcome, Nebraska! Accidental, Total, Irrecoverable Blindness Insurance Social Security for the Blind -- Six Quarters of Coverage with No Limit on Earnings, by Durward K. McDaniel Frank Lugiano -- Fifty Years of Service ACB Affiliate News: California Convention, by Harriet Fielding Oregon Council Convention, by Kim Young Here and There, by George Card ***** ** ACB Officers * President: Floyd Qualls, 501 North Douglas Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 * First Vice President: Alma Murphey, 4103 Castleman Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 * Second Vice President: Billie Elder, 5317 W. 29th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204 * Secretary: M. Helen Vargo, 833 Oakley Street, Topeka, KS 66606 * Treasurer: J. Edward Miller, 1120 Coddington Place, Charlotte, NC 28211 ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and two recorded editions -- flexible disc (8 1/3 rpm), which is inexpensive to produce and may be kept by the reader, and cassette, which must be returned so that the tape can be re-used. Send subscription requests and address changes to The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. Items intended for publication may be submitted in print, braille, or tape and should be addressed to the editor, Mary T. Ballard, at the above address, or to one of the associate editors: George Card, 605 S. 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 Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to ACB Treasurer J. Edward Miller, 1120 Coddington Place, Charlotte, NC 28211. Anyone wishing to remember ACB 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, your attorney may communicate with the ACB National Office. ***** ** Fringe Benefits By Floyd Qualls Next July in Salt Lake City, the American Council of the Blind will elect a new president. The position is one of honor and of challenge. It has its duties and its responsibilities. The Council has a wealth of talent, and I know the membership will select wisely and well. It is not my purpose here to outline the duties of the office, but I think prospective candidates might like to know of some of the fringe benefits that have come my way because I am president of ACB. I have had a visit to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to the Soviet Union, and to Saudi Arabia. Each of these trips had its own kind of interest and excitement, but perhaps the greatest fringe benefit of all has been my opportunity to attend ACB affiliate conventions. Here you get to know people and get a better understanding of the kinds of things they deal with on the local level. During the past five years, it has been my privilege to attend many state conventions. I do not propose to name all of them or to deal with the matters brought forth for discussion, but I would like to mention three. Near the end of August, I was present in Austin, Texas, when a new organization was formed. The interest of those involved was truly inspirational. ACB had an affiliate in Texas, but it faded away. This new group chose the Council because its members agreed with ACB's structure and its methods of accomplishing objectives Texas is a big state and difficult to organize. But with Curtis McKee as president and with an active board of directors, progress will be made, and I anticipate an outstanding representation at the Salt Lake City convention. On October 29, I was again privileged to be present when a new organization was formed -- this time in Lincoln, Nebraska. In neither state did ACB send in an organizing team. We were asked to assist with the formation of organizations that would request affiliation. Ms. Betty Hofmann presided over the organizing meeting in Lincoln and was elected president. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the ACB Board will vote on the application for affiliation at its midyear meeting. It is a great feeling of satisfaction to see an organization grow and gather outstanding men and women to join forces in a continuing effort to serve our fellow blind across the country. The third affiliate I wish to mention here is the Aloha Council of the Blind. When I was elected president, there was no thought in my mind that I would ever visit Hawaii. At that time ACB had no affiliate in this newest state of the Union. But one year ago an affiliate was formed in Honolulu, and on October 8 of this year, it held its "one year old" convention. Wherever I have been, hospitality has been abundant, but nowhere has hospitality outdone Hawaii's. Before elaborating a bit on my stay in Honolulu, let me say that the Aloha Council convention was outstanding. It attracted local, state, and national officials. Never before have I seen a member of the State Legislature, a State Senator, and a member of Congress attend a Council meeting when none of them were on the program. Besides this, the mayor of Honolulu and directors of state agencies were present. Some participated; some were there obviously because of interest. In one year's time, the Aloha Council has grown in membership and has exerted influence on state legislation affecting the blind. Under the capable leadership of Ms. Coletta Whitcomb and an energetic Board of Directors, this group is making its presence known. I recognize the danger in mentioning names, but with an apology to those I overlook, I must publicly acknowledge a few. Donald Doi, who was with us in Miami Beach, met me at the airport -- but only after a lovely young Hawaiian girl had greeted me as I deplaned and presented me with a lei and a kiss. Right then and there, I decided I had been going to the wrong places. If only I could have gone when I was forty pounds lighter and forty years younger! On Thursday night, Coletta and Walter Whitcomb had me as a guest in their home for dinner. The casual informality made me feel at home immediately. On Friday evening, a group of us went to an authentic Hawaiian restaurant. I cannot name the dishes which were served, but they were delicious, and I did nothing toward getting that forty pounds lighter. Nor did I the next night when we went to a (straight from China) Chinese restaurant. Donald and I walked to Waikiki Beach on Sunday afternoon. As fascinating as were the sand and the surf, I found the quantity of large hotels surprising. Thirty-, forty-, fifty-story buildings are not unusual. and they are lined up one after another. I was told that pineapples, sugar cane, and tourists provide most of the income of the Islands. On Monday, Mrs. Len (Grace) Withington, along with Coletta, picked me up for a drive around the island. Believe me, it was far better than a commercial tour. Mr. Withington is blind and is secretary of the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce. Monday evening was another rare treat. Mr. Yoshiaki Nakamoto and his son Ryo picked me up at the hotel and took me to their home for an "at home" Japanese dinner. Mrs. Nakamoto (Asako) and daughter Mei greeted me warmly and told me that the price of my dinner was to eat with chopsticks. Fortunately, they relented. There is no better way to lose weight than to be restricted to using chopsticks. It was a wonderful day and a wonderful evening! On Tuesday, Coletta and Dottie Murphy escorted me to the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Although it was nearly 36 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor, being there on the scene brought back some very clear memories of that Sunday morning in December. On Wednesday I visited Ho'opono, the headquarters of Hawaiian Services to the Blind. Mrs. Bea Higuchi is the director -- a very dedicated lady, who realizes that more needs to be done, but politics and funding restrict activities, just as they do in all other states. In addition to the lei presented to me at the airport, I received one from the Aloha Council, one that Asako Nakamoto made from flowers in her own garden, and a most aromatic ginger blossom lei presented to me by Charlene (whose Japanese last name I cannot spell!) If any of you have an opportunity to visit Hawaii, you will enjoy the abundance of flowers. But long after the aroma is gone and the blossoms have wilted, you will delight in the genuine, warm hospitality of the Hawaiian people. What is in store for the next president of ACB, I cannot predict. He will have much work to do, for ACB is growing in size and in influence. May his fringe benefits be as abundant and as delightful as have mine. ***** ** God's Plan for Oral Roberts University: Only the Perfect Need Apply By Kathy Megivern A complaint has been filed with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare against Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In a letter to David Tatel, Director of HEW's Office for Civil Rights, the Oklahoma Coalition of discrimination against the handicapped. The action was not taken lightly, as is clear from the following comments by Mike Phillips, President of OCCD: "We take this action only after a long series of futile attempts to negotiate the matter with University officials. We take this action without anger. We believe ORU to be a fine university. We are sure that the vast majority of its faculty and students are totally unaware of this problem." The complaint outlines the results of a lengthy investigation begun in 1974 by two students at the University; and joined in 1976 by a local consumer organization of handicapped persons, Win Independence Now (WIN). The complaint alleges a de facto policy of discrimination, and several statements from University officials would indicate that the policy is quite deliberate. The rationale is an interesting one: It seems that the command to discriminate has come directly from on high. "The University has not felt led to equip its buildings to meet the needs of paraplegics ... We find ourselves serving a different student population. Each private institution must map its own course of action and serve its own clientele, and that is what we are trying to do and are trying to follow God's leading in the matter as closely as we know. There are many institutions in the state and in the nation that are equipped to handle the needs of the paraplegic. We are not unconcerned about this need. We just are serving a different mission." These words from Carl H. Hamilton, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, explain very clearly the position taken by ORU. On its face, it may seem reasonable that a "private institution" should be able to "map its own course." What Mr. Hamilton has neglected to mention, however, is that the main classroom building and library, as well as a dormitory at this "private institution" were constructed with Federal financial assistance. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 clearly prohibits any institution which receives Federal funds from discriminating on the basis of handicap. The pattern of discrimination alleged by OCCD does not end with the University's refusal to make its buildings accessible. There also is evidence of discrimination in admissions policy. The complaint filed with HEW details four specific cases of otherwise qualified students who were denied admission solely on the basis of their handicap. In a marvelous display of circular reasoning, the Director of Admissions explained the basis for rejecting one handicapped student this way: "When a student comes to our campus, we want to serve him in every way. As you know, we have no special facilities for handicapped students. The distances between buildings and the extensive use of stairs make ORU basically a walking campus. Ramp and elevator service for handicapped students is not available." Thus, their refusal to make the buildings accessible becomes the reason for expanding the discrimination to include admissions. But there are also other, more compelling reasons which call for the rejection of handicapped students. In the words of Oral Roberts himself (in another rejection letter to a handicapped applicant): "... We have a lifestyle at ORU that God commanded me to have. I have no choice but to obey Him. I know it is not easy for people to understand why, but that's just the way it is." The OCCD further alleges that ORU has added yet another oppressed group to its list of those who don't fit into the lifestyle. "It is our belief that an investigation by the Department will reveal a policy of discrimination against persons who are considered handicapped due to excess body weight." As well as alleged discrimination in admissions, this policy goes so far as to threaten suspension of students already enrolled unless they lose sufficient weight to qualify for continuation at the University. Perhaps Mr. Roberts fears his image as a faith healer might be tarnished by the presence of wheelchairs, crutches, white canes, and even "excess body weight" on his campus. Perhaps they truly believe that they are being directed to deny educational opportunities to those who don't fit into their vision of an ideal student body. Whatever the reasons for ORU's policies, Section 504 mandates that if "God's plan" includes Federal financial assistance, it must also include equal opportunities for otherwise qualified handicapped individuals. ***** *** First World Conference On Services to the Deaf-Blind By Jack Murphey The First Helen Keller World Conference on Services to the Deaf-Blind was held at New York's Statler-Hilton Hotel, September 11-16. Attended by some 200 official delegates and observers from thirty countries, the conference was hosted by the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults and ably chaired by Hadley School's deaf-blind president, Dr. Richard Kinney, who is also Chairman of the Committee on Services to the Deaf-Blind of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind. My wife, our daughter, and I were there as observers. From the keynote address delivered by Dr. Peter J. Salmon, a pioneer in work for the deaf-blind, to the unanimous adoption just before adjournment of the Declaration of Rights of the Deaf-Blind, the conference was fascinating. The needs, the problems, the aspirations, the potential and proven usefulness of deaf-blind persons were discussed in papers presented by outstanding workers, including seven distinguished deaf-blind persons, from many parts of the world. And ten of those papers were given special consideration by as many discussion groups, each of which presented a five-minute summary of its deliberations at the final plenary session on Friday, September 16. Thus, from the beginning to the end of the conference, our attention was focused on many facets of deaf-blindness. As Dr. Robert Smithdas, Director of Community Education, National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, summed it up: "The First World Conference on Services to the Deaf-Blind was certainly a tremendous step into the future. And if enthusiasm and dedication can be seen as indications of the value of such a conference, surely future conferences will continue to broaden the horizons of work for the deaf-blind, assuring them of a greater measure of independence and happiness." But, as Dr. Salmon stressed in his keynote address: "There is still one overriding problem which all deaf-blind persons have to face; namely, the reoccurring periods of extreme loneliness. What is needed is more human contact, and this is not easy to obtain." Which prompts this writer to suggest that all officers and members of the American Council of the Blind heed Dr. Salmon's words and make a special effort to befriend their deaf-blind acquaintances. It isn't enough just to think about them, discuss their problems, wish you could help them ... You should also spare at least a little time to associate with them; let them know that you recognize their needs as fellow human beings; give some tangible proof that you are their friend. And remember: "All that you send into the lives of others comes back into your own." ** A Declaration of Rights of Deaf-Blind Persons Adopted by the Helen Keller World Conference on Services to Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, sponsored by the Committee on Services to the Deaf-Blind of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind; September 16, 1977, New York City, U.S.A. * PREAMBLE Delegates from 30 countries around the world assembled for this first international conference on services to deaf-blind youths and adults, welcoming the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons, have agreed upon and have adopted the following Declaration specifically concerning the needs and rights of deaf-blind persons and commend it to the attention of the world community: * ARTICLE 1 Every deaf-blind person is entitled to enjoy the universal rights that are guaranteed to all people by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the rights provided for all disabled persons by the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. * ARTICLE 2 Deaf-blind persons have the right to expect that their capabilities and their aspirations to lead a normal life within the community and their ability to do so shall be recognized and respected by all governments, administrators, educational and rehabilitation personnel and the general public. * ARTICLE 3 Deaf-blind persons have the right to receive the best possible medical treatment and care for the restoration of sight and hearing and the services required to utilize remaining sight and hearing, including the provision of the most effective optical and hearing aids, speech training, when appropriate, and other forms of rehabilitation intended to secure maximum independence. * ARTICLE 4 Deaf-blind persons have the right to economic security to ensure a satisfactory standard of living and the right to secure work commensurate with their capabilities and abilities or to engage in other meaningful tasks, for which the requisite education and training shall be provided. * ARTICLE 5 Deaf-blind persons shall have the right to lead an independent life as an integrated member of the family and community, including the right to live on their own or to marry and raise a family. Where a deaf-blind person lives within a family, greatest possible support shall be provided to the whole family unit by the appropriate authorities. If institutional care is advisable, it shall be provided in surroundings and under such conditions that it resembles normal life as closely as possible. * ARTICLE 6 Deaf-blind persons shall have the right, and at no cost, to the services of an interpreter with whom they can communicate effectively to maintain contact with others and with the environment. * ARTICLE 7 Deaf-blind persons shall have the right to current news, information, reading matter and educational material in a medium and form which they can assimilate. Technical devices that could serve to this end shall be provided and research in this area shall be encouraged. * ARTICLE 8 Deaf-blind persons shall have the right to engage in leisure time recreational activities, which shall be provided for their benefit, and the right and opportunity to organize their own clubs or associations for self-improvement and social betterment. * ARTICLE 9 Deaf-blind persons shall have the right to be consulted on all matters of direct concern to them and to legal advice and protection against improper abridgement of their rights due to their disabilities. For purposes of implementation of the DECLARATION OF RIGHTS OFDEAF­BLIND PERSONS, the definition of deaf-blind persons adopted by the Helen Keller World Conference on Services to Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults is as follows: "Persons who have substantial visual and hearing losses such that the combination of the two causes extreme difficulty in pursuit of educational, vocational, avocational, or social skills." ***** ** ACB Reader Survey Subjects and Services By James G. Chandler, Chairman, ACB Library Committee The 1976 ACB Reader Survey sheds some light on the types of material being read and types that are desired. (For Statistical Findings from the Survey, see the Braille Forum, June, 1977.) Of the books being read, non-fiction surpasses fiction slightly. About half the non-fiction is in the categories of history, biography and religion. Medicine makes a good showing, half of it in the field of psychology. Surprisingly, among the respondents, only 5 are reading health, 4 cooking, and 1 poetry. * Table 1 Subjects Most Frequently Read (NOTE: A first choice was given a weight of 3; second, 2; third, 1.) Subject, Weight History, 70 Medicine, 45 Biography, 41 "Non-Fiction," 41 Religion, 38 Manual Arts ("How to …"), 20 Technical, 16 Art, Music, Poetry, 7 Scattered, 53 Total Non-Fiction: 331 Table 1 (Cont'd) "Fiction," 100 Historical Novels, 27 Westerns, 24 Science Fiction, 23 Mysteries, 20 Good Fiction, 14 Best Sellers, 12 Scattered, 41 Total Fiction: 261 One half of the respondents had specified comments on categories that have serious shortages of materials. One third did not answer this question. And one sixth stated that they were satisfied with materials currently available. The free-form replies on shortages were widely scattered. Most notable was the grouping of "How to ... " books, amounting to 31 percent of the non-fiction, and 21 percent of all replies received to this question. Best Sellers accounted for 39 percent of the shortage in fiction. * TABLE 2 Categories with a Serious Shortage of Materials Manual Arts ("How to ..."), 21 Religion, 8 Medicine, 7 Technical, 7 "Non-Fiction," 5 History, 4 Scattered, 16 Total non-fiction: 68 Total fiction: 31 Grand total: 99 Three-fourths of those commenting on magazines found them adequate. The 18 replies that suggested specific improvements did not fall into any obvious categories: each wanted a favorite title or subject field. The most devastating comment was "I very seldom use any of this type of material; I read for entertainment only." "Selected articles" appear to be satisfactory for one-third of the 55 who answered this question. But one-third were sharply critical, while nearly one-third have not needed or have not asked for this service. One half of the 50 who commented on "Reports and miscellaneous writings" felt that they are seriously inadequate. The remainder were split between those who were satisfied and those who have not tried for such materials. The sharpest criticism was reserved for "Reference works." Two-thirds of the respondents had something to say, and two out of three of the comments were negative, some bitter. The frequent mention of non-use of these scattered categories was summed up by one reader as follows: "Very seldom use library because I presume they don't have what I want." * Neglected Possibilities The free-form comments on neglected possibilities for access to library materials were widely scattered, but a few trends did emerge. The most frequent was the hope that special libraries for the blind could be better coordinated with general libraries and that all staff members be better informed as to types of service available. There was much concern about increasing braille resources and providing listings of titles in braille. Equally great was the interest in better use of computers and a general upgrading of bibliographical control. Several individuals felt that toll free phone calls to the library are important. One person felt that blind readers should pay a fee for recorded magazines, probably equal to the subscription rate of the inkprint edition. This could make funds available to increase the number of titles produced in special media. One reader suggested that verbal descriptions can substitute for some illustrations, especially those of a very technical nature. * Comments On The Replies The better showing by "non-fiction" is explained in part by the disproportionate number of respondents who are professionally trained and who can and do attend national conventions. Some of the questionnaires appear to have been answered without much reflection. For example, on a few of the questionnaires each of the four categories of non-book materials was marked as "fair" or "satisfactory," without a word of explanation. One might suspect that this was a way of saying "No comment." * Implications The sharp criticism about the inadequacy of reference works, coupled with the repeated note that "I never use" or "I don't need" certain types of materials leads this observer to the conclusion that blind persons live in a world of partial library service. Vast portions of the standard library are not accessible. They are not missed by blind persons who do not know they exist or have only the vaguest understanding of what valuable knowledge is there for the asking. We have a long way to go in educating blind students at all levels, and then providing a service that will make it worthwhile for blind persons to ask the questions that will open up the full resources of libraries, one of the greatest assets that a civilized country can provide. ***** ** "The Barricade Syndrome -- A Blueprint for Execution" Saul D. Alinsky, in his book, Rules for Radicals, enunciates certain rules of power tactics, reprinted below, which everyone in our field of interest would do well to consider and deal with intelligently in the interest of visually impaired persons. Which is worse: the syndrome or "neutrality"? What should the treatment be? What is the remedy? What is your diagnosis? Always remember the first rule of power tactics: Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have. The second rule is: Never go outside the experience of your people. When an action or tactic is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear, and retreat. The third rule is: Wherever possible, go outside of the experience of the enemy. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat. The fourth rule is: Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. The fourth rule carries within it the fifth rule: Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counter-attack ridicule. Also, it infuriates the opposition, who then react, to your advantage. The sixth rule is: A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. If your people are not having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic. The seventh rule: A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag. Man can sustain militant interest in any issue for only a limited time, after which it becomes a ritualistic commitment, like going to church on Sunday mornings. The eighth rule: Keep the pressure on with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose. The ninth rule: The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself. The tenth rule: The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign. The eleventh rule is: If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counter side; this is based on the principle that every positive has its negative. The twelfth rule: The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. You cannot risk being trapped by the enemy in his sudden agreement with your demand and saying, "You're right. We don't know what to do about this issue. Now you tell us." The thirteenth rule: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. The real action is in the enemy's reaction. The enemy, properly goaded and guided in his reaction, will be your major strength. Tactics, like organizations, like life, require that you move with the action. ***** ** National Health Insurance -- "The Critical Year Has Begun" Since the early 1970s, major legislation aimed at establishing a national health care and health insurance program has been considered in the United States House and Senate. Most prominent has been a bill co-sponsored by Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D., Mass.) and Representative James C. Corman (D., Cal.). Their Health Security Act was first introduced during the 92nd Congress (January, 1971). Its support in Congress and in the general public has increased every year since. However. while Nixon and Ford occupied the White House, there was no concurrent interest in a national health program on the part of the nation's Chief Executive. Now the Carter Administration is dedicated to a major overhaul of the nation's system of health care and service delivery. As a presidential candidate, Jimmy Carter spoke out forcefully on the issue of health. Addressing the Student National Medical Association in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 1976, he argued that our society has built "a haphazard, unsound, undirected, inefficient non-system which has left us unhealthy and unwealthy at the same time." Mr. Carter pointed out that the present system breeds waste and abuse. He cited the problems of over-hospitalization, inefficient administration of both private and public medical services, and the scandals occurring in Medicare and Medicaid. He noted that the poorest citizens are being hurt most by a health system lacking in controls and suffering fro1n a maldistribution of physicians, which has resulted in low-quality medical service. The American Council of the Blind has long been interested in the establishment of a national health insurance system. At the 1973 annual convention in Knoxville, Tennessee, ACB strongly endorsed the principles and provisions of the Health Security Act. Since then ACB has been an active participant in the Washington Health Security Action Council. On June 16, 1977, a conference called "Health Care: The Underserved and Overcharged" was held in Washington, D.C. ACB was one of the sponsors. Half of this conference was devoted to a "citizens' hearing," in which individuals from all over the country appeared to testify about their personal "horror stories" relating to medical malpractice and the financial hardship incurred through doctor and hospital bills. One woman who had entered the hospital for an ordinary hysterectomy, and then had suffered complications from the surgery, unraveled a hospital bill that measured 66 feet. Another woman had a bill 25 feet long, with a price tag of $44,000. The array of witnesses was impressive because it included not only the poor, the unemployed and the disabled, but also representatives of the middle classes, who themselves cannot afford today's skyrocketing medical costs. At the conference luncheon, the featured speaker was Leonard Woodcock, outgoing chairman for the Committee for National Health Insurance and former president of the United Auto Workers. Earlier that day, he had led a delegation to the White House and had received a reassurance from President Carter that this Administration is dedicated to national health care and insurance. Woodcock pointed out that in 1978, Congress will work seriously on a health bill. "The critical year has begun," he said, "and this conference launches it." The Administration's bill is now being developed in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. A Special Assistant to the Secretary for National Health Insurance, James J. Mongan, M.D., has been appointed to oversee the planning of this program. A public hearing on national health insurance was held on October 4, 1977. Witnesses included Senator Kennedy and Representative Claude D. Pepper, along with the heads of many public-interest groups and governmental agencies. The fact that HEW Secretary Joseph A. Califano, Jr. himself chaired the hearings underscores the Administration's concern with the national health problem. It is likely that the bill will be introduced in Congress early in the new session. What kind of legislation to expect, however, remains an open question. Secretary Califano's remarks made it apparent to this observer that the Administration is thinking in terms of a health care package that would be considerably less comprehensive and less quickly implemented than supporters of the Kennedy-Corman bill would like. But it is also apparent that the Administration is in the process of researching the whole issue of national health and that the eventual proposal is very available for shaping by proponents and opponents of Health Security. The opponents, led by the American Medical Association, have a powerful lobby. Yet polls have consistently shown that the vast majority of Americans favor a comprehensive, publicly financed health insurance program. It is imperative that the majority viewpoint be heard at HEW, at the White House and on Capitol Hill. But this can only happen if interested individuals and organizations contact their Representatives and Senators to voice their beliefs. In a recent statement presented to Secretary Califano, the positions and recommendations of ACB were carefully detailed. It was noted that this organization believes that a comprehensive health care program has been delayed too long. However, if implementation is to occur in stages over a period of years, first priority must be given to the nearly 40 million Americans who are without any kind of medical coverage. This number includes many persons who have been denied policies by private insurance companies which consider them to be "risks." The statement also points out that many handicapped persons are among the poor populations which reside in rural areas and inner-cities — the very regions hardest hit by the maldistribution of doctors and medical facilities. Moreover, the disabled living in these places are additionally burdened by the difficulty they encounter in traveling to distant medical centers. The statement emphasizes the need for much greater attention to preventive medicine, early detection, and treatment. It is well known that many physical and mental handicaps could be prevented or reduced in seriousness by proper care early in life. Finally, there is a call for a program of education on the need for better health care. Such a public education program, along with medical examinations, must be made a part of our nation's school system. Critical in this regard are eye checkups. The early and regular use of such examinations can benefit individual education (since most early learning is visual), can prevent human suffering, and can curb government costs related to the thousands whose vision would be preserved. For a copy of the complete statement on national health insurance, write to Dr. Roger P. Kingsley at the ACB Washington Office, Suite 506, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. ***** ** To Correct The New York Times (Editor's Note: "All the news that's fit to print" wasn't! The issues involved in reorganization are not merely clashes between two strong egos, Brademas and Califano. -- Lobbyists did not select the Assistant Secretary of HEW. -- The blind can and do benefit from specialization, without a hostile philosophy toward others who have common problems and aspirations.) To the Editor of the New York Times: It is important that you correct the record made by the article published in the New York Times on October 24, 1977, under the caption, "Wider Import Seen in Califano Dispute." The article referred to was written by David E. Rosenbaum. The article states that: "... Mr. Califano circulated among the various special-interest groups a list of names of potential Assistant Secretaries and received comments on the names from the lobbyists." I have inquired of several persons representing organizations of and for the handicapped, and they say that they were not asked for their opinions about possible appointees to the position of Assistant Secretary of HEW. We want to refute any implication in the article that organizations of handicapped persons had a chance to endorse the appointment of Jack T. Duncan and did not do so. His qualifications are well recognized and respected. We agree with Congressman John Brademas on the issues of reorganization of the Office for Human Development and the preservation of categorical service delivery systems. We have had experience with super-generalized systems and have found them to be inferior when measured in results for blind and handicapped individuals. The article quotes a blind spokesman for a national organization of the blind as saying: "We have no more in common with a bunch of wheelchair guys than we have with a bunch of black guys. Wheelchair guys want the curbs out; we want them in." The American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, which now has 70 participating organizations in it, is a living denial of that narrow, separatist point of view. Curb cuts, as they are constructed in Washington, D.C., are used every day by blind pedestrians as an aid to staying within the crosswalks on busy streets. The American Council of the Blind is a strong advocate of including blind and handicapped persons as a protected class in Federal civil rights statutes. We recognize that the patterns of discrimination against handicapped persons are similar in many respects to those experienced by blacks and other minorities, and all of us do, indeed, have much in common. Sincerely yours, Durward K. McDaniel National Representative American Council of the Blind ***** ** News on the Civil Rights Front By Reese Robrahn * Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act On September 16, 1977, the United States Civil Service Commission published its long-promised Proposed Rule on discrimination in the hiring, placement, and advancement of handicapped individuals in Federal employment. In the opinion of the American Council of the Blind and many other organizations of handicapped individuals, the Proposed Rule is wholly inadequate. Since the comment period on the Proposed Rule was only 45 days and did not allow sufficient time for mobilizing the depth and quantity of comment necessary, under the circumstances, and because the Proposed Rule was kept under wraps and organizations of the handicapped individuals were not involved in its development before publication, ACB and other organization sought and obtained an extension of the comment period to December 15. In the meantime, ACB and other organizations are taking collective action to bring into being the kind of effort and cooperation in the development of a satisfactory rule, like that which was mounted on behalf of the Section 504 Regulation. The Proposed Rule merely establishes a complaint procedure. It does not set forth any policy or give any guidance as to what constitutes discriminatory practices in the hiring, placement, and advancement of handicapped applicants for employment and handicapped employees with the Federal Government, but leaves that to the whim and caprice of each department and agency; and it does not contain a timetable for the issuance of regulations by all departments to implement the Rule. It is hoped that this concerted action on the part of organizations of handicapped individuals will bring about the publication of an adequate final Rule no later than February of 1978. * Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act In October, a Federal Court judge in the District of Columbia denied an application by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to consolidate its obligations under orders of the courts in three cases with respect to the enforcement of certain civil rights provisions in the schools, all in accordance with a proposed annual operating plan for the Office for Civil Rights of the Department. The proposed annual operation plan involved the allocation of the resources of the Office for Civil Rights of HEW on the basis of the ratio of complaints received based on race, sex, national origin, and handicap. The judge ordered that the resources of the Office for Civil Rights must be focused on the elimination of the tremendous backlog of complaints first, and directed that the Department of HEW should seek additional resources. Since Section 504 is a new program, it is very unlikely that there will occur much enforcement of the rights of handicapped individuals under Section 504 unless and until additional resources have been obtained. In this connection, HEW is seeking authorization and funding for approximately 500 additional personnel for the Office for Civil Rights for the present fiscal year and a like additional number for the next fiscal year. Much public pressure and support for these requests will be necessary if such authority and funding is to be forthcoming from a Congress which appears to be suffering from "backlash-itis" on consumer and citizen rights. * Civil Rights Reorganization One of the major areas tagged by the Carter Administration for reorganization is civil rights. Thus, there was established a Civil Rights Reorganization Task Force in the President's Reorganization Project. A representative of that Task Force spoke to several groups at the ACB convention in Miami Beach, including the ACB assembly. That representative invited and urged ACB and other organizations of handicapped individuals to file statements and position papers with the Task Force. A comprehensive position paper and recommendations was prepared by Reese Robrahn and filed with the Task Force jointly on behalf of ACB, the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, and the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. The leaders of these three organizations, representing aggregate membership of over six million, have taken the following basic positions: 1. The Carter Administration should demonstrate its commitment to, and develop public awareness and understanding of, civil rights by establishing a coordinator of civil rights on the White House staff level. 2. There should be a consolidation of certain civil rights programs into one agency, such as consolidation and transfer of all civil rights employment programs, both public and private, into the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or some similar agency. 3. All civil rights laws and programs for the handicapped should be located and administered along with similar programs for the other minorities and protected groups. 4. Amendments to all civil rights laws should be adopted to bring the handicapped within the purview and protection of such laws. As the result of recent discussions with representatives of the President's Reorganization Task Force on Civil Rights, it is our understanding that it will make the following recommendations to the President: 1. That, for the time being, affirmative action in Federal contract compliance, including Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, should remain under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor; and that another look should be taken at these programs after two years to determine whether a change should be made at that time. 2. That Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 should be transferred to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, together with all other affirmative action and non-discrimination in employment programs in the Federal Government. 3. That when the Carter Administration proposes its comprehensive civil rights amendments (allegedly to occur in late 1978), amendments should be included to bring the handicapped within the purview and protection of all civil rights laws. The President's plan for reorganization of civil rights employment programs should be forthcoming sometime before the first of the year. ***** ** Welcome, Nebraska For the third time in as many months, blind people statewide gathered to organize their efforts on behalf and in the interest of blind people. Following Texas in August and Virginia in September, on October 29, 35 Nebraskans met in Lincoln and formed the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska. Nebraska will become the 52nd affiliate of ACB and will receive its charter in Salt Lake City next July. "We are a Nebraska roots group," stressed President Betty Hofmann, "concerned about what is happening to blind people in Nebraska." A constitution and by-laws were adopted, legislative goals set, and the following officers elected: President, Betty Hofmann of Lincoln; Vice President, Jim Faimon of Lincoln; Recording Secretary, Jo Anne Kurisu of Lincoln; Corresponding Secretary, Sue Spicer of Wayne; and Treasurer, Jim Lennemann of Beatrice. The American Council of the Blind was represented by President Floyd Qualls, who forecasts rapid growth both in size and in influence of this latest ACB affiliate. ***** ** Accidental, Total, Irrecoverable Blindness Insurance Earlier this year, a new profit-making corporation created widespread curiosity and discussion by its advertisement of a group accident policy which would pay $75,000 to an insured person for the accidental, total, irrecoverable loss of sight. The fact that the director of the Iowa Commission for the Blind was president of the new corporation, which stated that it would offer the insurance through optometrists, some of whom in Iowa render professional services for the Commission's clients, prompted some members of the Iowa Legislature to raise the issue of a conflict of interest. The corporation advertised membership dues of $10 per year for an individual membership and $19 per year for a family membership, which automatically includes the insurance coverage. Critics have pointed out that statistics from the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness and the National Eye Institute indicate that accidental, total blindness occurs with less than one out of every one million persons per year, and that for every $100 received in membership dues, the corporation will pay out less than $1 in benefits. The loss of sight must be irrecoverable and must be confirmed by an ophthalmologist and an optometrist. The "irrecoverable" factor probably makes the statistical odds considerably more than a million to one. ***** ** Social Security for the Blind -- Six Quarters of Coverage With No Limit on Earnings By Durward K. McDaniel On November 4, the United States Senate adopted a Social Security I amendment for the seventh time in a dozen years. Senator Birch Bayh offered the amendment which would qualify blind persons for Social Security benefits with only six quarters of coverage and without limit on their earnings. The Social Security Administration estimated that this amendment would cost the Disability Trust Fund an additional $400 million annually if it should become law. Heretofore, similar amendments have failed to survive the joint conference between the Senate and the House, and most of the Senate conferees -- notably Senator Russell Long, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance -- have been opposed to the amendment's purpose. On the House side, the amendment's leading sponsor is Congressman James Burke, Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Congressman Burke introduced H.R. 3049, identical to the Bayh amendment, but it was not accepted by his subcommittee and has never been approved by the Committee on Ways and Means. It is certain that Congress will raise Social Security taxes and the earnings base to which such taxes are applied. It has been estimated that the Disability Trust Fund would be broke before the end of 1979 without the proposed tax increases. Thus, the Bayh-Burke Amendment will have a very serious challenge because of its cost, as well as the older philosophic challenge which is based primarily on the removal of all limitation on the amount a blind beneficiary can earn. The arguments for the amendments were presented succinctly in a written statement filed by the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America: * 1. Disability Coverage of the Blind The Affiliated Leadership League supports H.R. 3049 by Congressman Burke and similar bills which would make disability benefits payable to blind persons who have six quarters of coverage earned at any time, and would change the definition of disability for the blind to permit them to qualify regardless of earnings. This would afford many blind persons a genuine opportunity for security and a decent standard of living. Enactment of this provision would remove a substantial percentage of blind recipients from the SSI rolls and would lower administrative costs for both the SSI and DI programs. This concept is supported by all of the major organizations of and for the blind. Congress has permitted veterans whose sight loss was service-connected to qualify for disability compensation regardless of earnings. Surveys have shown that blinded veterans have established good records of gainful employment because their compensation is not reduced or lost as a result of that employment. This incentive to work and be self-supporting should be provided to blind Social Security beneficiaries, also. ***** ** Frank Lugiano -- Fifty Years of Service (Editor's Note: The following excerpt was taken from We the Blind (September, 1977) and was written by Dr. Mae Davidow, then President of the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind.) Many of you are aware that by convention time Frank Lugiano will be completing fifty years of service to the blind of Pennsylvania! Frank was among the leaders who pioneered the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind. When they were trying to decide what to name the new organization, it was Frank who said, "Let's call it the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind." Thus it was that in 1936 when the PFB was incorporated in this Commonwealth, it became known as the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind. We were four years old when people from seven states met in Wilkes-Barre in 1940, liked the idea of the name Federation, which Frank Lugiano had given to us, and named the national organization the National Federation of the Blind. Interesting, isn't it, that now the NFB says the word, Federation, belongs to them? The courts will decide ... Let us honor Frank this year by referring to this, our 42nd Annual State Convention, as the Frank Lugiano Convention. I hope that many, many of you will come out to help honor him. This is indeed one of the pleasant tasks -- planning a convention to honor one of our founders. ***** ** ACB Affiliate News * California Convention October 20-23, 1977 By Harriet Fielding Amid the subtropical setting of a motel in San Diego on the shore of West Mission Bay, the members of the American Council of the Blind of California pondered, argued, and deliberated for three days in late October. The California affiliate was especially honored to have ACB President Floyd Qualls present and participating for the entire convention. President Qualls was the banquet speaker, addressing his remarks to an "SRO" audience. Consumerism and handicapped interaction were subjects uppermost in the midst of those in attendance; consumerism insofar as participation in policy­making and program planning with public and private agencies serving visually impaired consumers. Interaction with other handicapped persons and organizations was stressed by several speakers. The idea of cooperation with such organizations for the greater good of all was readily accepted by ACBC members. The Radio Reading Service of San Diego County, the first in California, was carefully detailed for the purpose of giving information which might be useful to others who wish to establish radio reading services elsewhere. ACBC will have a new president in January, 1978. He is Mack Riley, well known to ACB as the first president of the National Alliance of Blind Students. Mack was also responsible for organizing the California Alliance of Blind Students, an ACBC affiliate. He lives in Los Angeles, is a graduate of the University of California, and teaches in the Los Angeles City School System. Other newly elected officers are: Second Vice President, Ione Miller of San Diego; Treasurer, Esther Peart of Sacramento; Corresponding Secretary, Christine Emley of San Jose; and Director, Janie Ford of Sacramento. * Oregon Council Convention By Kim Young With the accent on service and promotion of greater awareness among and concerning the blind, the Oregon Council of the Blind held its 23rd annual convention in Eugene on October 14, 15, and 16. Featured speaker at this year's convention was Mr. David Keith of Guide Dogs, Inc., San Rafael, California. Mr. Keith held the attention of those in attendance with his comments generally concerning the use of a dog guide and the work of this outstanding West Coast dog guide training facility. A number of progressive resolutions were passed by the assembled membership. One, in particular, is sure to prove itself both innovative and beneficial. OCB voted to fund and to establish a toll-free telephone line to serve the entire state of Oregon. This will be used as a communications medium for the dissemination of resource information concerning various aspects of blindness and services to the blind, to answer questions of the general public, and generally to improve communications an1ong OCB members throughout the State. Of particular significance is its potential as the key to coordinating and promoting the Council's statewide legislative efforts. OCB members feel that as a service project, this will be well worth the expense of its creation and maintenance. A new slate of officers was elected as follows; President, Loreen Harrison; First Vice President, Wilbur Harrison; Second Vice President, Darian Slayton; Secretary, June Evans; and Treasurer, Abe Siemens. Outgoing President Carol Derouin was elected delegate to the 1978 ACB national convention in Salt Lake City, with Kim Young as alternate. ***** ** Here and There By George Card Writing in her column in the MISSOURI CHRONICLE, Xena Johnson quotes an AP story datelined Little Rock, Ark.: "Ann McDaniel, 21, has become the first blind long distance telephone operator in the nation, according to Southwestern Bell officials. She works a computer which connects with the switchboards and converts 82 buttons into 12-character Braille messages ... The device was developed by Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind, Southwestern Bell and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The computer is the size of a two-drawer file cabinet." ... Another item in her column records the first commercially installed atomic clock in the world in downtown St. Louis. It is accurate to within eleven millionths of a second. From the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind NEWSLETTER: Dr. Isabelle L.D. Grant died on June 26th from heart failure in an intensive care clinic in Davis, Calif. She was the Editor of the Braille International, was an ardent campaigner for the rights of the blind and devoted her life to the education and employment of her fellow blind. She was a member of the U.S. Delegation to the World Council and attended the international conference on the situation of blind women in Belgrade in 1975 ... A computer program is being developed to translate music notation into the Braille Code. The program permits an operator, without any knowledge of computers or the Braille Code, to input music from a standard keyboard. The music is displayed in the standard music notation on a graphic terminal for checking against the original score, and the operator can interactively edit the data. The data is translated and output on the on-line embosser without human intervention ... On the day of her Silver Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth congratulated the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind on a record achievement of having restored sight in one year to 113,714 blind people in the fifteen Commonwealth countries. This is a number equal to all the blind people in England and Wales. From the LANTERN, via the BRAILLE REPORTER, (Washington State): The one hundred thousandth Perkins Brailler was produced on January 8, 1977, a quarter century after the first production model ... The electric Perkins Brailler is now in production and selling well. It will prove a blessing to transcribers who use their machines for long hours at a time. Washington has now authorized states to use set-aside funds to purchase Talking Calculators for blind vending stand operators ... The Washington Council of the Blind (ACB), the Lions Clubs and other service organizations have jointly sponsored a project which will make travel by the blind in King County less expensive. One-half of taxi fares, up to five dollars, can be saved by those properly qualified. From VISUALLY HANDICAPPED VIEWS (S.D.): Effective July 1, Jules Cote assumed his duties as Superintendent of the S.D. School for the Visually Handicapped ... Following a successful legislative effort, the Division of Services to the Visually Impaired came into being ... It is anticipated that Division status within the new Department of Vocational Rehabilitation will offer a sound foundation on which to build a vibrant, new and diversified service to the visually impaired of this state. From the STYLUS, (Oregon): Since the last issue of the STYLUS the Oregon Council of the Blind has lost two of its most devoted members -- Agnes Moser, who served as OCB Vice President and William Derouin, husband of our state President, Carol Derouin ... The Editor reports an unsuccessful legislative year for the blind of Oregon -- especially in the passage of the bill restructuring the Board of the Oregon Commission for the Blind, which the OCB strongly opposed. A letter from Fred Krepela tells me that the Governor is appointing persons with conflicting interests to this new Board and much bickering and resultant ineffectiveness is feared. The TCB (Tenn.) reports the retirement of Bill Farrell from Services to the Blind. Bill received the George Card Award at Hot Springs last year and he will be sorely missed. Claude Seale, of Florida, was picked as the New Director of Services to the Blind. The lawyers' bills in the current suit by the Randolph Sheppard Vendors of Tennessee to secure their rights have already totaled more than $2,900 and various blind groups are contributing all they can to help these operators. From the TRUMPET'S VOICE (Iowa): The State Board of Regents announced the appointment of Richard B. Mott, 37, as Superintendent of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. Two Iowans who attended the National Blind Bowling Tournament in New York City reported having taken a Sunday morning walk to the United Nations Building and Rockefeller Center, where hamburger sandwiches were $4.75 each -- they didn't order any. When Darlene and I attended the Paris meeting of the World Council in 1954, one of my colleagues and strong allies was Mrs. Sadie Bending, then President of the Canadian Council of the Blind. In the current issue of the CCB OUTLOOK appears the announcement that she and her husband have just celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary! From the ACBC DIGEST (Calif.): Harriet Fielding, of San Francisco, recently returned from a two-week vacation in Spain. George and Martha Fogarty have returned from visits to Paris, London and Amsterdam. Judith Stevenson, of Temple City, left July 1 for London. She will spend three weeks studying the educational systems in England and the Soviet Union ... The blind musicians of the state are preparing to organize. At Miami last July, Don Cameron told me he planned to retire this coming winter and take a long holiday in Mexico, where he would try to put into shape a number of fictional plots which he has been mentally refining for a long time. Don majored in English Composition in college. From the Florida WHITE CANE: The Division Bill passed; our State Agency is now the Division of Blind Services!! With the increased status comes an increase in responsibility and we look forward to providing helpful input which will assist the Agency in providing quality services to the blind citizens of Florida. Congratulations to the new Director of Vocational Rehabilitation of D.V.S., our own Carl McCoy. Carl replaces Claude Seale, who is now Director of Services for the Blind in Tennessee. The MAB NEWS regretfully reports the retirement of Jack Chard from the Michigan School for the Blind, with which he was associated for fifty-five years. He was largely responsible for the excellent music program there. Many of his concert bands, marching bands, dance bands, pep bands, handbell choirs have been outstanding. Mark Tomkins, graduate of the Michigan School for the Blind, was one of three hundred applicants for admission to the School of Physical Therapy at Wayne State University. The screening eliminated all but twenty-four. Mark survived the rigid tests and became the first Michigan blind person to make the grade in this field. In England and other European countries, physical therapy has become a major profession for the blind, but it has been almost totally ignored by the vocational authorities in this country. Ronald L. Miller, Ph.D., has been named national president of the Blinded Veterans Association. Dr. Miller will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Dennis R. Wyant, made to avoid a conflict of interest with Dr. Wyant's recent appointment as Special Assistant for Handicapped Activities to the Administrator of Veterans Affairs. From VCVH VIEWS AND VENTURES (Va.) -- Curtis Merritt, just past 18 and totally blind, is currently working for the National Park Service in Virginia as a park ranger aide. Curt's responsibilities include handling telephone and radio communications, the information desk and bookstore sales, overnight fishing permits, beach party permits, and hiking and camping reservations and permits. Many readers will be saddened to learn of the death of Jim Jones of New York City. Jim was founder and executive director of In Touch Networks, Inc., New York's only radio reading service for the blind and physically handicapped. He played an active part in each of the three national conferences on radio reading services for the blind, and at the Third Annual Conference, held in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1977, was elected to the Executive Committee of the newly formed Association of Radio Reading Services. Jim died of a heart attack. He was 39. Evelyn-Jane Davis, blind attorney and tax specialist with the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C., recently won first place in the Toastmasters International speech contest in Toronto. Competing with eight other finalists before an audience of over 1100 Toastmasters and guests, Ms. Davis's winning speech was entitled "A Tool for Survival." Ms. Davis is the first woman to win the international speech contest, which is, in effect, the world championship of public speaking. "Expectations 1977," the annual braille anthology of current children's literature published by the Braille Institute of America, is now available free to any blind American child in Grades 3 through 6. The 1977 edition contains eight complete books, chapters from three outstanding children's books, four embossed pictures, and a page of micro-fragrance labels. The special cover for the 1977 anthology is a tribute to Beatrix Potter and commemorates Peter Rabbit's 75th birthday. Blind children and any organization serving blind children who wish to receive the volume should write to Betty Kalagian, Braille Institute of America, 741 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029. ###