The Braille Forum Vol. XVII October, 1978 No. 4 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind * President: Oral Miller 3701 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 220 Washington, DC 20008 * 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 Report from the ACB President A Creative Convention, by Harriet Fielding Consumer Counselor -- A New Career for the Blind, by Bill Tomlin White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services Update on Federal Legislation Having Civil Rights Implications for Handicapped Persons, by Reese Robrahn Conference Speaker Urges State Officials' Resignation How Important Is One Vote? New Rules on Over-Booking How Does the Department of Defense Directive Affect Blind Venders, by Ione B. Miller Consumer Advocate Alerts Pedestrians to New Dangers ACB Affiliate News: Connecticut, Iowa, and Nebraska Conventions Here and There ACB Officers Contributing Editors ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and two recorded editions-flexible disc (8 1/3 rpm), which may be kept by the reader, and cassette tape, which must be returned so that tapes 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 sent in print, braille, or tape to the Editor, Mary T. Ballard, at the above address, or to one of the Associate Editors. Those much needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to the ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. You may wish to remember someone by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The National Office now has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. 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. If your wishes are more complex, your attorney may contact the ACB National Office. ***** ** Report from the ACB President Although there is still much to be done, excellent progress is being made by ACB Enterprises and Services (ACBES) in connection with the operation of the Thrift Stores. By the time this report is published, ACBES will have taken over operation of the first Thrift Store. Since the transfer of that store may well serve as a model for the transfer and operation of the other stores in the system, representatives of ACBES have been very cautious in their dealings with the former owners and operators, in order to avoid any undesirable tax consequences or other financial problems. It is hoped, also, that, by the time this article is published, negotiations will have been concluded to determine the eventual role to be played by the management company which has played a direct part in the operation of the Thrift Stores. The ACBES Board of Directors has retained James Olsen of Minneapolis to serve as the chief executive officer and fiscal supervisor of future operations. In the very near future, Mr. Olsen will open a small, rented office for ACBES in Minneapolis. The arrangement eventually agreed upon by the negotiators for ACBES will have to be approved by the ACBES Board and by the ACB Board. It is believed that the steps now being taken will significantly increase the amount of income which ACB will receive from the Thrift Stores. I am sorry to report that in early September, the ACB Director of Research and Governmental Affairs, Reese H. Robrahn, tendered his resignation in order to accept a significantly better paying position with another non-profit organization in the Washington metropolitan area. Reese has been in his present position since late 1975 and during that time has done an outstanding job in representing the American Council of the Blind before many Congressional committees, Federal agencies and departments, coalitions, and other organizations. While we are sorry to lose Reese, in view of the expertise he has demonstrated in his position and the stature he has attained in the ever-increasingly complex area of government affairs, we do wish him well as he enters his new position on October 1, 1978. Although Reese's departure will be a loss to ACB in many ways, he has assured us that he intends to remain very active as a dedicated ACB member. Again, we wish him well as he makes this advance in his career. By the time this report is published, the ACB Board will have decided upon the policies and procedures to be followed regarding his replacement. An organization as large and varied as the American Council of the Blind must necessarily rely upon the advice and support of many different committees. The makeup of those committees is now being examined and, although many of the present committee members will undoubtedly be asked to continue serving, there will probably be some changes made, in the continuing interest of geographic distribution and specialization of duties and subject matter. While I cannot guarantee the appointment of any individual to a specific committee, I am asking you as ACB members to let me know of any suggestions or recommendations you may have regarding possible committee appointees (not already serving on one of our national committees). I want to thank all of the ACB affiliates which have invited me to their state conventions this fall. I wish I could have attended every convention, but, due primarily to reasons of economics and scheduling, I have been able to attend only a few. However, in most cases it has been possible to arrange for an ACB officer or Board member, ACB staff member or special-interest organization president, from the region involved to attend most of the conventions issuing invitations. While the list of such speakers will undoubtedly be out of date by the time this report is published, I want to extend thanks to Mary Ballard, Durward McDaniel, Reese Robrahn, Dr. Raymond Keith, Dr. Otis Stephens, Dr. Robert McLean, and George Fogarty. I urge any affiliate that might be interested in inviting an ACB representative to a future state convention to let us know as soon as possible the dates and locations of their conventions. We want to increase communication between the ACB membership and the ACB officers, directors, and staff members. ***** *** A Creative Convention: American Council of the Blind Salt Lake City, Utah July 23-29, 1978 By Harriet Fielding Annual conventions come and go, and those who attend them sometimes take a "Ho-hum, so what!" attitude about the whole thing. This year's convention, held in the hospitable Hotel Utah, was definitely an exception to this. There are several reasons why the 1978 convention belied attitudes of indifference. First, there was the ambience of goodwill demonstrated by the entire populace of Salt Lake City. From the LDS Boy Scouts and young adults who acted as guides and information clerks, to the hotel staff, the spirit of kindliness displayed by all guaranteed the success of this well-planned, well-executed, and well-attended ACB conference. Then there was the formal convention program -- the "meat and potatoes" of any national convention. Sandwiched between talks were committee reports, introduction of visitors from prospective new affiliates, resolutions, legislation, and finally the "dessert," the formal and informal social gatherings. Special thanks go to the following chairpersons and their respective committees: program -- Grant Mack; registration -- Linda Braithwaite; publicity -- Lloyd Jacklin; Days of '47 Parade arrangements -- Mark McLean; Hospitality Room -- NaDeen Hackwell; tours -- Leslie Gertsch; Information Desk -- Tessie Jones; and trouble-shooter -- Dolores Wimmer. The internal affairs of ACB (committee reports, legislation and resolutions) were covered in the September Braille Forum. The formal convention program, Awards Gala, and annual banquet are covered here. ** PROGRAM In his opening remarks to the convention, President Floyd Qualls spoke reflectively of his role over the past six years in the growth and accomplishments of the American Council of the Blind. "The past six years have been an experience in my life. It has given to me opportunities to meet people, to go places, and to see things accomplished that I think could never have come my way from any other source. "I will after this convention be your Immediate Past President, and I am sure that I will regret very much losing the opportunities that I have had during the past six years to attend numerous state affiliate conventions. I will miss the opportunities I have had to travel to many parts of the world. I think, also, that I will find that it's a great relief to leave the burdens of decisions, the burdens of primary planning and direction, to hands that are as capable as mine, and perhaps more so. "I want to say that I feel very proud of the accomplishments, the growth, and the influence the American Council has experienced in the last six years. I did not do it. I was a part of it, and I am pleased to have been a part of it. But I have had a very active Board, a very cooperative and helpful Board, and I have had full cooperation from affiliates throughout the country. A person commented to me some years ago that the best way to be a success in whatever you do is to surround yourself with people who make you look good. That I think I have done." * The Citizen With Low Vision A highlight of the with two-day program was a talk by the president of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. This new special-interest organization may have a far-reaching effect on the American Council in a broadening of horizons and viewpoints. Dr. Samuel Genensky prefers to be known as "Sam." Just plain Sam he may be, but to those who listened to him that morning, he was a man who seemed ten feet tall, with a list of academic and professional achievements that is truly mind-boggling. He is a mathematician, physicist, and co-inventor of several electronic visual aids. He is Director of Partially Sighted Research, Santa Monica Hospital Medical Research, Santa Monica, California. He assisted in organizing ACB's new special-interest affiliate, the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. Dr. Genensky's presentation to the convention covered his personal struggles as an individual with low vision and the reasons and objectives of an organization for persons with residual or limited vision. He said that his very limited vision was due to the use of the wrong eye drops immediately after his birth, which destroyed his corneas. He is totally blind in one eye and has 20/800 sight in the other, but with "very good visual field." Speaking from personal experience, Dr. Genensky said: "A low-vision person is in another world. You are in a middle world between the fully sighted and the people who have to function in the blind state. A partially sighted person who has residual vision and the will to use that residual vision regards himself as a person who is not blind." To illustrate his lifetime struggle to function as a sighted person, he said that he discovered a new world when he brought his father's World War I binoculars to a geometry class and thereafter carried the ten-pound binoculars as a visual aid to every class he attended -- high school, college, graduate school, everywhere. "In fact," he stated, "I have a pair with me right now. I always have them with me. Even though I've taken to more sophisticated things, I still carry them." Based on a study made by the National Eye Institute, Genensky has concluded that of the approximately 450,000 legally blind persons in the United States, 340,000 of them (about 75%) have some residual vision, so that with appropriate visual aids, most should be able to read printed materials, write with pen or pencil, and get around by themselves without the help of sighted persons or dog guides. If we take the upper boundary of low vision to mean that the visual acuity in the better eye is 20/70, then we are adding to the low-vision population about 1,370,000 people. The number of persons absolutely without sight or who have light perception only is 111,000. Outlining the objectives of CCLV, Genensky stated: "We have as our objective to try to help people with low vision in the following sense: We want to make sure that they are equipped with the visual aids that they need; that they get the appropriate vision attention, the low-vision examination; that we help them develop their image as low-vision people; and that they come to the recognition that residual vision is not something that you put in a closet, but is something you use with your other senses to function in this living environment. We don't want to isolate ourselves from the fully sighted or from the blind. We are a family of human beings. Relative to visual impairment, we have problems of our own, and there are problems that the blind have, and there are problems we share in common. "We now have 75 members and we are going to grow. We will become a relatively important factor not only in this organization, but in the country." (For further information concerning the Council of Citizens with Low Vision, contact the ACB National Office.) * National Library Service "Libraries of the Future: Standards and Innovations," was the title of a presentation by Frank Kurt Cylke, Chief, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. Among the innovations he mentioned were the following: An indexed cassette dictionary will fill a long-felt need. James Chandler, Chairperson of ACB's Library Committee, has produced this dictionary, and the Library of Congress hopes to make it available to blind patrons in the near future. Mr. Cylke said: "You have a chairperson of your Library Committee not only a very brilliant individual, but a most persistent one. This is a fantastic breakthrough. This is not just putting out a dictionary, but the whole index concept, as it comes to fruition, is that more and more reference books can be recorded so that all of you will have access to reference materials not now available." The new, combination disc and cassette talking-book machine should begin arriving at NLS within the next 18 months, according to Cylke. One feature of the new machine is that the new 15/16 i.p.s. cassettes (four-track) can be played on all four tracks without touching a switch. A public education program is being initiated by NLS to inform the public about the availability of books for the blind and physically handicapped. NLS now has 600,000 patrons, but an estimated three million persons are eligible for national library service. Public-service radio and television "spot" announcements will be used to reach potential patrons. A consumer advisory committee has been set up to evaluate announcements "so that they will not project an image of blindness or physical handicap in any derogatory manner whatsoever." Library standards was another of the innovations mentioned by Cylke. "Consumer involvement in library services would be in the development of standards. The Library of Congress has made an award to the American Library Association to develop standards for library service. Your Library Committee chairperson, James Chandler, is on the committee, with persons from other organizations of blind and physically handicapped persons. Jim Chandler has worked with us in a very positive and constructive way, a very harmonious way, and a way which leads to a very constructive building of program." Cylke said that the Library is now using flexible discs for recently published best-sellers. He said that using the flexible discs allows the Library to start circulating the titles within a month after the print copies are published. "The flexible discs do not have the sound quality that the hard discs have, but they are speedy and economical to produce." "Paper braille is on the way out. Don't be disturbed: This will not happen in the immediate future. But the 'paperless braille' machines will cut the cost of production and storage so that more material in braille will be available." Library service through closed-circuit television is in the future. There may be no need for talking-book machines. Through the use of a small radio type receiver hooked to a closed-circuit television set, a reader may listen to a particular book any time he wishes, and continue reading at the page and line he left off with when he is ready to read again. This type of service will not replace the mailing service, as it can only be used in cities or areas where there is closed-circuit TV, such as New York, Chicago, Columbus, San Diego, and small towns as well. "Tax cutting such as in California's Proposition 13 will affect us. In order to adjust to budget limitations in the future, we must develop more efficient, more effective delivery systems. And thus, while we will not see increases in budget, hopefully you will see increases in efficiency in the bringing of materials to you in a way you do not have now." * Western Region Affairs As is the custom at ACB annual conventions, interested attention is given to matters concerning the visually impaired and physically handicapped persons who reside in the region where each convention is held. In Utah, a panel discussion was presented on the delivery of services to the blind of Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming. It was especially interesting to learn how blind counselors handle the problem of communication and travel in such sparsely populated areas. Panel participants were Donald W. Perry, State Coordinator, Utah Services for the Visually Handicapped; Mervin J. Flander, Supervisor of Services to the Blind, State of Nevada; and H. Smith Shumway, Director, Services for the Visually Handicapped, State of Wyoming. Also under the heading of "Western Regional Affairs" comes a change-of-pace talk. "Legend of the Mountain West" was the title of a presentation by Larry Pointer, author and employee of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. He told a fascinating story about his years of research for a book about the life of Butch Cassidy, "Robin Hood" outlaw of the Old West. Pointer has come up with what he believes is valid proof that Cassidy was not killed in a shoot-out in Bolivia, as portrayed in the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," but survived, returned to the United States, and became a successful businessman in Spokane, Washington. * Rehabilitation Services and Civil Rights Representing Robert R. Humphreys, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, were Robert J. Winn, Jr., Director of RSA's Office for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, and Eunice Fiorito, Special Assistant to the Commissioner. Both spoke optimistically of work being done by the Commissioner and his staff in correcting and improving the long-awaited rules and regulations covering the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. There seemed to be a pervasive feeling in the audience that with the addition of Dr. Winn and Ms. Fiorito (both visually impaired) to his staff, Commissioner Humphreys will receive reliable and understanding input on over-all rehabilitation services to the visually impaired. Mr. Walter Warfield, Office for Civil Rights, HEW, Denver, spoke on implications for the handicapped of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The function of his office, as well as all regional offices, is to handle the complaints of handicapped persons in cases of alleged discrimination. * General Interest Matters Arthur "Art" Copeland, retired visually impaired businessman of New Jersey and president of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), spoke on the importance of athletic competition for visually impaired youngsters and adults. He told of the first "Paralympics" held in 1976 and the important lessons learned by those who participated. The self-confidence gained, the sportsmanship sometimes painfully learned, and the great sense of accomplishment in winning are experiences that can be, and are, applied to everyday living. The thrust of his talk was that the formation of USABA was not segregation, but integration. "Not only is there the opportunity to meet other blind athletes from many countries, but there is also the person-to-person association with sighted coaches and sighted athletes." "Greater Accountability Through Accreditation: Role of the Citizen/Consumer": A lengthy title for a short, hard-hitting address by Louis H. Rives, Jr., President, National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. Mr. Rives spoke of the advantage gained by private and public agencies serving the blind who have earned accreditation and discussed the important role of the consumer of services in the operation and programs of agencies. Concluding his eloquent talk, he urged his audience not to "get in a broken-down bus headed toward a false Utopia. Cooperation and activism is much more profitable than militancy," he said. Radio information service was not overlooked. A letter from C. Stanley Potter, president of the Association of Radio Reading Services, who was unable to attend the convention, was read. Travis Harris, Director, Division of Visual Services, Oklahoma City, and member of the ARRS Executive Committee, reported in person on the growth of this important service to the visually impaired. He pointed out that the service is filling in the gaps for many persons who want to know what is going on locally and at the time it is happening. He stated that those who subscribe to radio reading service in their localities are getting current information about matters that concern them. In an election year, formal program is necessarily limited to subjects of major importance to the greatest number of people. Heavy matters had to be discussed, yet without some leavening to lighten the "loaf" of information, the audience could not adequately digest it. And there was both lightness and inspiration, to wit: The ACB convention was welcomed to Utah by the Governor of the State, the Honorable Scott M. Matheson. With impressive sincerity, he said: "Your presence and your willingness to have your national convention here provides us with a great opportunity for dialogue and for education, and to give us all a renewed commitment to achieve our policy objectives (re: Utah handicapped persons)." On the second morning of the convention, the Mayor of Salt Lake City greeted the assemblage. He said that the presence of so many blind persons had "sensitized the community." Mrs. Noma Hochstatter, Vice President, Iowa Council of the Bind, was introduced by President Qualls. She gave a brief account of recent events concerning Iowa blind persons and the Iowa Commission for the Blind. Mr. Bill King, Administrative Assistant to Governor George Wallace of Alabama, delivered a short, impromptu speech when introduced by the chair, about the most effective way to obtain needed services "by using a cutting edge, not a bludgeon." He was also obliquely critical of the recent "cane/plane" demonstration. Dr. Mae Davidow of Philadelphia, a friend and colleague of many in the audience, was introduced by President Qualls. In turn, she introduced the president of the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind, Rev. William Hopson. They were accompanied by thirteen other Pennsylvanians. Mrs. Lucille Johnson, renowned lecturer and author, provided much food for thought. "If you think you are living in the wrong time frame," she said, "consider what it was like in earlier times: no refrigeration, no antibiotics, no drip-dry clothing. Think about what you have today. Isn't it better than what your grandparents had? Your attitude can make or break you." A fine talk, and although it was not particularly relevant to the blind, it was certainly relevant to all of humanity. Another excellent inspirational talk was given at the Friday evening banquet by Marion D. Hanks, General Authority, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He held the audience in the palm of his hand while he talked about the benefits of playing fair and square in games and in life. Music at the banquet was provided by the Melodonic Chorus. * Social Events This year's Awards Gala will go down in history as the best ever. Grant Mack, Convention Chairman, planned and presented the program. Master of Ceremonies for the occasion was Edward "Ted" Kimball, syndicated radio communicaster and former announcer for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He introduced each award recipient with a colorful profile, listing the achievements of each in the fields for which the award was given. Mrs. Juliet Bindt Esterly received the ACB Ambassador Award for outstanding service to her community and state (California). James Chandler of the ACB of Maryland received the Ned E. Freeman Article of the Year Award for the best article written specially for The Braille Forum during 1977. The George Card Award was given to Charles Buell, retired athletics director of the California School for the Blind, for outstanding service to visually impaired persons. Buell has been active in the formation of the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes. Winner of the first ACB Convention Sweepstakes (a $500 gift certificate donated by the J.C. Penney Company) was Franklin Aicher of Seattle, Washington. Thursday afternoon was "Do your own thing time." Three bus tours to interesting and/or historical areas were offered, and all were well attended. A walking tour of the immediate area in Salt Lake City was also offered. The trip to the Snowbird ski resort apparently proved to be most interesting, as those on that tour arrived back at the hotel almost too late to attend the special concert for ACB conventioneers given by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The concert was one of the most memorable events of the convention. ***** ** Consumer Counselor -- A New Career for the Blind By Bill Tomlin, Rehabilitation Counselor The Office of the Attorney General, State of Arkansas, is the setting for a new and unique type of professional employment for the blind. The development of this job setting resulted from the realization of a need for additional opportunities for placement of blind individuals who had completed a bachelor's degree, but who were experiencing difficulty in locating entry level employment commensurate with their academic skills. The Consumer Counselor position was developed from observations made by a counselor from the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the State Agency responsible for services to the blind in Arkansas, while conducting business at the State Attorney General's Office. It was noted that a significant number of telephone inquiries were being received by that office dealing with consumer concerns spanning a wide range of services provided by both state agencies and private business. The incoming calls consisted of requests for information, complaints regarding unsatisfactory services, requests for legal aid -- any of a host of problems experienced by citizens of the State. Realizing that this setting offered good possibilities for a new type of work for blind persons, particularly those individuals who possessed good educational backgrounds, the counselor contacted the Attorney General's Office regarding their interest in employing a blind person as a Consumer Counselor. The office staff responded quite positively to the suggestion, asking that the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired refer possible applicants who possessed a college education, could type a minimum of 35 words per minute, and could read braille at 90-100 words per minute. Other qualities looked for in the selection process were good verbal skills (these being needed to communicate effectively with individuals from varying levels of socio­economic strata), a pleasant speaking voice, the ability to absorb new information in short periods of time, ability to deal with people, good grooming, and adequate mobility with either cane or dog-guide. The outcome of this selection process resulted in the successful placement of a blind person as a Consumer Counselor on the staff of the Attorney General. Very little specialized equipment was needed to adapt the work of a Consumer Counselor to a blind person. The employee uses a multi-line telephone equipped with a shoulder-rest, thus freeing the hands to use either the slate and stylus or Braille-Writer for initial recording of information. This information is later typed on a 3 x 5 inch Rolodex card for filing. An electric typewriter is used for typing all materials. The counselor may be involved in both receiving and initiating long-distance phone calls, and consequently must maintain a log of such calls. A daily tally of both long-distance and local calls is kept. Among the items developed for use on the job were a Braille Rolodex file containing referral information concerning some 200 offices and organizations, a brailled copy of the State Centrex Telephone Directory, and a light probe. The Consumer Counselor has been working successfully for over six months. It is interesting to note that as a result of this particular job placement, another blind individual also was employed as a General Information Specialist in the same department. Blind persons possessing the entry-level skills such as those required for Consumer Counselor can be seriously considered for similar positions in both public and private agencies. The possibilities for jobs are limited only by the imagination and the salesmanship of those concerned with placement and employment of qualified blind persons. ***** ** White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services Next year, the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services will have an opportunity to give some impetus to libraries in general and to increase the attention given to service for the blind and physically handicapped. The message must get through to this conference and to the public at large that this service is needed throughout the country, in large cities and small, and not just in the few centers that have pioneered over the past decades. It is urgent that each affiliate of the American Council of the Blind use its influence to see that the blind and physically handicapped population is represented directly among the delegates and alternates to the White House Conference. It is equally urgent that representatives of the affiliates contact members of the delegations to the Conference, whether handicapped or not, and guarantee an awareness of the library and information needs of blind persons. This kind of pressure must come from the grass roots. Please do your part, and do it soon. ***** *** Update on Federal Legislation Having Civil Rights Implications for Handicapped Persons By Reese Robrahn ** Department of Education There are two bills, one in each House of the Congress, which provide for the creation of a separate Cabinet-level Department of Education. The two bills are quite different in many respects. The House bill essentially transfers the functions and program jurisdictions of the existing Office of Education in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, while the Senate version, in addition, transfers other HEW programs and functions such as the Indian schools, defense-impacted schools, and the Children's Food Services program and the like. Both bills provide for the establishment of a civil rights office, headed up by an official appointed not by the Secretary of the new Department, but by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate. However, the House bill goes much further on the issue of civil rights by granting certain additional authorities to the Civil Rights Office, to assure its independence from the new Department, such as control and coordination of department-wide statistical gathering for the purpose of civil rights compliance in education programs, authority on budgetary and resource matters with the Office of Management and Budget and the Congress, and final authority over its program policies. Civil rights groups regard these provisions as minimal to safeguard the integrity of the Civil Rights Office in the new Department, in view of the dismal record of the education community generally in the area of civil rights. Both bills are alike in that they transfer the Rehabilitation Services Administration from the Department of HEW to the new Department of Education. The new Office of Rehabilitation and Special Education under the two bills will have as its head an assistant secretary. The Senate bill and the House bill both have been reported out of committee and await consideration by their respective chambers. Both are slated for action sometime before the October 14 recess of the Congress. Our goal is the retention of these protective provisions or similar ones which will assure substantial independence of the Office for Civil Rights on education programs in the new Department of Education, and to protect it from the domination and control of the administrators of the new Department. ** Civil Service Reform Act Under the President's Government reorganization authority, the United States Civil Service Commission has been divided into two administrative structures to handle its traditional functions. Thus, one office handles all personnel matters -- recruitment, selection, advancement, job descriptions, etc.; the other will handle matters of personnel complaint and appeal and will be known as the Merit Systems Protection Board. In addition to this reorganization, there are two bills, again one in each House of Congress, which are known as Civil Service Reform Acts. The provisions of these two bills are intended to make changes in the system to upgrade the caliber and efficiency of Federal employees. Two civil rights issues are involved. The Senate measure, already passed by the Senate, contains a provision which authorizes Federal agency heads to assign or employ persons to provide reading services for blind employees and interpreter services for deaf employees. This provision was placed in the bill because the Civil Service Commission, notwithstanding Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, its regulations and reasonable accommodation, still received protestations from agency people that there is no legal authority for the expenditure of Federal funds for such purposes. The House bill is under debate as we go to press, and the American Council has the commitment of a House member that this Senate provision will be amended into the House bill. If this occurs, then there is every assurance that it will become a part of the final measure adopted by the Congress. The second issue is much more broad, because it would affect all civil rights groups members who are employed in the Federal Government. The Senate measure requires that all complaints that are both personnel action complaints and discrimination complaints shall be handled by the Merit Systems Protection Board, thus taking from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission the right to handle the matter of discrimination in employment where there is a mixed complaint. The very negative record of the Civil Service Commission on discrimination is the reason why all civil rights groups supported the transfer of discrimination in Federal employment from the Civil Service Commission to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ACB supported that transfer. Our objective here, then, is to retain that jurisdiction for EEOC. ** Transbus There's good news tonight! The lobbying efforts participated in by ACB members and members of every disability group, and by the aging groups, has succeeded in overcoming the lobbying force of the General Motors Corporation on the transbus issue. The objectionable Section 323 of the House authorization bill before the Department of Transportation will be deleted from the bill when it comes on the floor of the House (now calendared as we go to press for September 15). This agreement has come about because handicapped people got out on the streets in rallies and went to Capitol Hill and talked with their Congressmen and women, and because of the cooperation and assistance of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Department of Transportation officials, and leaders in Congress. It is a great victory! General Motors, through its president, who met with representatives of organizations of handicapped persons on three occasions, has agreed to discontinue its opposition to transbus. The General Motors head stated that General Motors did not wish to have any further confrontation with handicapped people over the transbus issue. So, there is a new bus in your future! ** Rehabilitation Act Amendments The House bill carrying the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1978 was passed in May. The Senate version, although reported out of committee in May, is still suspended in limbo awaiting floor action. What is worse, the bill is being altered by the committee behind closed doors in very major ways so that it is a mere shadow of its former proportions. Both bills contain provisions important to the enforcement of Sections 501, 502, 503, and 504. Since the House bill is a strong, progressive measure, a moderately strong final bill is still hoped for. * Section 501 As reported in other issues of The Braille Forum, an ad hoc Task Force on Employment of Handicapped Persons in the Federal Government, co-chaired by Reese Robrahn of the American Council of the Blind and Debby Kaplan of the Disability Rights Center, has been developing an affirmative action rule for employment of handicapped persons in the Federal Government. The proposed rule has been completed and documented with commentary and rationale, with the able assistance of the Institute for Public Interest Representation of the Georgetown University Law Center. On August 9, a petition for its adoption was filed jointly with the Civil Service Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Unofficially, the proposed rule is regarded very highly by officials of the Civil Service Commission. However, the Commission has requested a conference with Reese Robrahn of ACB and Charles Hill of the Georgetown University Law Center to discuss certain possible problem areas. Another meeting is being scheduled with officials of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which will receive jurisdiction of all discrimination in Federal employment and affirmative action from and after January 1, 1979. ***** ** Conference Speaker Urges State Officials' Resignation (Reprinted from the Arkansas Gazette Sunday, August 27, 1978. By William Green of the Gazette staff.) Dr. Harold Snider of Washington, Co-Ordinator of Programs for the Handicapped of the Smithsonian Institution, Saturday in a conference on the rights of the handicapped at Little Rock called for the resignation of Louis H. Rives, Jr., and E. Russell Baxter, administrators of state agencies for the blind and handicapped. Dr. Snider charged the men hadn't adequately represented the blind. Rives is administrator of the stat Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Baxter is the commissioner of the state Rehabilitation Services Division, of which the Office for the Blind is a part. They were in the audience of about 100 persons at the Game and Fish Commission when Dr. Snider, who is blind, spoke. They later denied the charge and said that much of what he said was inaccurate. They also said that it was unfortunate that Dr. Snider had used the conference to make such personal attacks on them. ... The conference was sponsored by the State Attorney General's Office to help the handicapped become more aware of their legal rights and the services that are available to them. Dr. Snider, 30, who stressed that he was speaking as "a private citizen," charged that Rives, who also is blind, and Baxter were "too calloused and indifferent to speak with (blind and other handicapped) consumers or to allow consumers to speak for themselves." He said that there were consumer councils in the state agencies that were charged with helping the handicapped, "but they are only individuals speaking for themselves. They don't speak for anyone." He added that the only meaningful consumer representation "can come from consumers who are elected to speak for consumer groups," an apparent reference to the National Federation of the Blind, whose Arkansas affiliate for some time has been a critic of Rives and Baxter. ... Dr. Snider, who said that he was a nationally known consultant for programs for the handicapped, added that he was acquainted with Attorney General Bill Clinton. Dr. Snider said he was sure Clinton, Democratic gubernatorial nominee, would, if elected, replace the two. Clinton had been scheduled to speak at the conference Saturday morning, but instead attended a meeting of the State Correction Board at Cummins Unit of the State Correction Department. Several persons in wheelchairs challenged Dr. Snider in the lobby outside the auditorium. Gene Hamilton of Manila (Mississippi County) told Dr. Snider to "prove" the things that he had said. Dr. Snider repeated that the State had received a lot less Federal money for rehabilitation than it was entitled to, but he said he didn't know the amount. Hamilton said, "You pop your mouth off and you can't back it up." Dr. Snider left. ... (Note: Informed sources in Arkansas say that Dr. Snider had told people privately, prior to the meeting, that Bill Clinton, as governor, was going to appoint him to be Commissioner of Human Resources. In the meeting, when Snider called for the resignation of Baxter and Rives, Harry Vines (who was himself director of the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired until he was fired by Russell Baxter in the fall of 1975) said that Snider was speaking for Clinton, according to persons present at the meeting. Other informed sources in Arkansas say that Harry Vines has made no secret of his expectation to succeed Russell Baxter as Director of Vocational Rehabilitation. Although the newspaper account does not report it, we are informed that Snider strongly criticized Max Woolly, Superintendent of Arkansas School for the Blind, but did not call for his resignation.) ***** ** How Important Is One Vote? (Reprinted from Stars and Stripes) In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. In 1649, one vote caused Charles I of England to be executed. In 1839, one vote elected Marcus Morton Governor of Massachusetts. In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic. In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the Presidency of the United States. In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party. And in 1941, one vote saved the Selective Service System, just twelve weeks before Pearl Harbor. How important is one vote -- your vote? A wise man once said, "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." Do you dread it, or do you consider liberty your responsibility, to be preserved where it counts most -- in the ballot box? Is one vote all that important? You bet your life it is! ***** ** New Rules on Over-Booking (Reprinted from the Airline Passengers Association Newsletter) The Civil Aeronautics Board has changed regulations for handling passengers "bumped" involuntarily because of over-booking, increasing the present maximum compensation from $200 to $400. With over 150,000 passengers a year being bumped off flights against their will, the CAB mandated the airlines to seek volunteers who will agree to be bumped in return for payment, of the airline's choosing. If there are too few volunteers, however, the airlines may involuntarily bump passengers according to a priority seating plan approved by the Board. Airlines will provide a written statement that explains denied boarding compensation and the passenger's rights in case of an over-sale. Included in the statement, which will be available at all ticket counters and boarding points, will be the carrier's boarding priorities. Effective September 3, passengers bumped against their will must be given the full value of their ticket up to the destination or first stop-over, from a minimum of $37.50 to a maximum of $200.00, even if they are booked on another flight within minutes. If the airline cannot provide alternate transportation that brings the bumped passenger to his or her destination within two hours of the originally scheduled arrival time, the airline must double the compensation, with a minimum of $75.00 and a maximum of $400.00. This new regulation will apply to scheduled flights of United States airlines as well a foreign airline flights to or from United States points. Airlines will continue to be allowed to deliberately over-book in order to take into account the people who make reservations, don't cancel them, and then don't show up. ... Passengers are not eligible for denied boarding compensation when flights are cancelled or delayed due to weather, mechanicals, or small equipment substitutions. ... ***** ** How Does the Department of Defense Directive Affect Blind Vendors? By Ione B. Miller In December of 1974, the Randolph-Sheppard Act Amendments passed in the United States Congress. ON December 23, 1975, proposed rules and regulations for the Act Amendments were published in the Federal Register by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Many letters, opinions, and communications were sent to the Department of HEW about the proposed rules at that time. On March 23, 1977, final rules and regulations for the Act Amendments were published in the Federal Register by the Department of HEW. There has been considerable concern that these regulations as published wholly comply with the statute. On July 7, 1977, the Department of Defense published a different set of rules and regulations in the Federal Register. The rules and regulations as proposed by the Department of Defense did not comply wholly with those published by HEW or with the provisions of the statute. The statute gave HEW authority to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the Amendments. On June 12, 1978, the Department of Defense published a Department of Defense Directive (DODD) in the Federal Register. Although the provisions of the DODD were more in line with the HEW rules and regulations than the DOD proposed rules and regulations had been, there are still differences between the two. The greatest difference seems to be in the extended exemptions taken by the Department of Defense from income sharing from vending machines on Federal property, designated in the statute to be shared with blind vendors. Payments of collected revenue from machines on DOD components property were to have been made to licensing agencies on or before April 30, 1978, and agency personnel were requested to contact local commanders in the event payments were not received by that date. Some of the money collected is required (if determined by vote of the vendors) to be used for retirement, health benefits, sick leave, or vacation pay benefit plans for blind vendors. The implementation of these provisions is expected to be extremely beneficial to the health and morale of vendors operating within the vending facility program. ***** ** Consumer Advocate Alerts Pedestrians to New Dangers In New York City representatives from concerned organizations met on June 22, 1978, and formed the Committee to Abolish Right on Red, or "CARR," for short. Incorporated in the new Energy Conservation Act is a mandatory clause which stipulates that in order to qualify for Federal emergency conservation funds, states are required to pass legislation which grants motorists the legal right to make a right turn on a red light. It is a "carrot and stick" approach, because all states are in need of Federal funds. Thus, we find states are rapidly complying with mandated conditions. New York State has complied, but did exempt cities of over one million (New York City). What are the additional dangers now faced by pedestrians, and who are the potential victims? (1) Young children. For decades, millions of mothers have impressed upon young children that they can cross safely on a green light. (2) The older person. This group has spent a lifetime crossing in safety on green. There is a natural loss of agility and perception in older persons, and for this group, there is a high potential of increased hazards. (3) The visually and physically handicapped. This group is especially vulnerable, for they must depend upon a complete halt by vehicles before attempting to cross a street. (4) New and dangerous attitudes by motorists will develop as they come to believe that they, not the pedestrian, have the right of way. This will be particularly ingrained in the new generation of motorists. (5) Rise in insurance. Accidents to pedestrians are bound to rise and, accordingly, so will insurance costs. When public hearings were held regarding the Federal Energy Conservation Act, apparently the Washington representatives of concerned groups and the influential insurance lobby were not alerted to the potential dangers and effects of mandating legal sanction for right turn on red. Moreover, no study of the effects of the legalized right turn on red has been made in the larger cities such as Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Boston, and Chicago, all of which have large pedestrian flow. The goals of the Committee are: (1) To inform and educate the public with regard to the inherent dangers of the right turn on red. (2) To prevent the imminent legislation for left turn on red from being enacted, and thus the total dilution of the meaning of the red light. (3) To foster the abolition of right turn on red in highly urbanized areas and/or at dangerous intersections. (4) To encourage New York City to maintain its policy of no right turn on red. (5) The safeguarding of the basic concept that the pedestrian shall have the right of way. (6t) To combat special-interest groups that show little or no regard for the welfare of the pedestrian. (7) This Committee affirms its support of energy conservation. However, it will never condone so-called energy savings at the cost of life and limb to the public. ***** *** ACB Affiliate News: Connecticut, Iowa, and Nebraska Conventions The spring convention of the Connecticut Council of the Blind was held May 20 in Manchester. The turnout was the largest ever, writes CCB secretary, Anna Godrie, both in number and in statewide representation. James Moran of the Connecticut Department of Transportation outlined steps which can and are being taken to revitalize bus transportation, especially for the handicapped and elderly. These include purchase of new buses specially equipped to meet the needs of handicapped persons, updating of service, and public education. Referring to the handicapped as the "silent minority," he pointed out that in many instances their needs are unknown to transit company officials, and he stressed the importance of organizations such as CCB identifying themselves and their needs. Dr. Lawrence Kline of New Haven, for the past six years consultant to the State Board of Education and Services for the Blind, spoke on low vision and low-vision aids. He stressed the value of the team approach, working in conjunction with a patient's rehabilitation counselor and mobility instructor, and the desirability, wherever possible, of evaluating a person's low-vision needs in the home environment. David Loux, Field Representative for the Seeing Eye, stressed the importance of attitude and approach of the trainee in determining how well that trainee and his dog will function together. Mr. Loux outlined criteria for eligibility and the desirable attributes of both a good dog user and a good dog guide. Much attention also focused on legislation, particularly with regard to bills relating to the right turn on red light and to curb cuts, which have recently been passed in Connecticut. *** More than 50% of the members of the Iowa Council of the Blind registered for the annual convention held in Waterloo on June 9-11. Keys to the City of Waterloo were presented to two out-of-state guests: Red Graham, or Archie of old-time radio "Duffy's Tavern" fame, who will be well remembered by those in attendance at the ACB national convention in Chicago, and who served as Master of Ceremonies at the Saturday evening banquet, entertaining ICB members with a "Duffy's Tavern" skit; and to Mary Ballard, editor of The Braille Forum, who gave the banquet address. Keynote speaker was ICB member Mary Berdell, who is blind and who is a former councilwoman for the City of Waterloo. "Where Are We at and Where Are We Going?" was the provocative title of her remarks. "Remember, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something," she told her audience -- a thought which every ACB member would do well to keep in mind, whether participating on the national, state, or local level. Messrs. Ray Benson and Larry Preminger spoke of the goals and activities of the Iowa Federation of Handicapped Individuals, which is working in close cooperation with the Iowa Council. The Convention adopted two resolutions of significance to blind Iowans: The first demands a change in the policy of the Iowa Commission for the Blind "so that persons using dog guides are enrolled as full-time students to receive the skills that are taught within the center." The second reads in part as follows: "NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Convention of the Iowa Council of the Blind on this 10th day of June, 1978, that Council members and officers dedicate their efforts between now and the general election in November to the following goals: "1. Replacement of the three current members of the present Commission board, and the expansion of the Commission board to seven members, to add more expertise and a closer relationship with the community ... "2. Replacement of politically oriented Commission staff with academically and professionally trained persons; ... "4. The immediate discontinuation of the spending of public funds in joint cooperative efforts with private political organizations or for private business activities of Commission employees; "5. The obtaining of a commitment from each candidate for the State Legislature and each candidate for Governor for a reformed Commission consistent with the foregoing goals; "6. The enlisting of all interested blind and sighted taxpayers in Iowa in a campaign to make Commission reform a major issue of the 1978 elections." Officers were elected as follows: President, Joseph Klosterman; Vice President, Noma Hochstatter; Recording Secretary, Phyllis Byrnes; Corresponding Secretary, Helen Cunningham; Treasurer, Hilda Klosterman. *** The American Council of the Blind of Nebraska held its first annual statewide convention in Lincoln on June 17, with some 30 persons in attendance. President Betty Hofmann opened the convention by introducing the representative of National ACB, Noma Hochstatter of Des Moines, Iowa. Mrs. Hochstatter told of the development of a variety of issues concerning delivery of services to the blind and visually impaired of Iowa, with emphasis on the problems some persons had encountered in obtaining such services. ACBN Vice President James Faimon spoke on recreation, primarily outdoor recreation, engaged in by visually impaired persons. The luncheon speaker was State Senator Steve Fowler, who spoke on the future of human services in Nebraska, with comments and discussion with conventioneers on the effects of "lid bills" on human services. Other speakers included representatives of the Nebraska Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, and the State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. ***** ** Here and There From DISABLED USA: Perhaps the most unusual unit in the 1930s Federal Theater Project, one of the innovations of the Roosevelt WPA, was in Muskogee, Oklahoma -- the Federal Theater for the Blind. Only two people were on the pay roll, the director, Floyd Qualls, and his assistant, Gladys Fearnside. Actors were students at the Oklahoma School for the Blind, and the project was designed for them and for an audience of blind students. But a large number of sighted people also attended. John Dunn, the then Oklahoma Federal Theater Project state director, reported that, "No one watching a performance would know the actors were blind unless he noticed a strip of carpeting stretched across the front of the stage." The Federal Theater for the Blind ended in the late 1930s when Congress cut off all funds from the Federal Theater Project. From NLS UPDATE (National Library Service): On May 22, 1978, David Abraham, who designed the Perkins Brailler and supervised its production for more than a decade, died in Pinellas Park, Florida. He was 81. Mr. Abraham's dream as a teacher at the Perkins School for the Blind was to produce a precision brailler with tolerances so fine that user wear and tear would be minimal and machine noise would be reduced. The idea was conceived before World War II. The hand-made prototype was ready for demonstration and trial in 1946. A production model was developed by 1951. From the response of early users, the potential market was estimated at 2,000. Since 1951, however, more than 112,000 machines have been produced by Howe Press. They are in use in 120 countries and the U.S. Merilyn Carol Rosenthal of Highland Park, New Jersey, is the first blind woman to attend Harvard Law School. This year, Miss Rosenthal was the recipient of one of several scholarships awarded annually by Recording for the Blind. She is a student member of the American Blind Lawyers Association. McDonalds is the latest among the growing number of restaurant chains to introduce braille menus. These will be available at 265 New York outlets. As well, the Big Mac chain is providing chairless tables at the same outlets to make eating easier for handicapped persons in wheelchairs. From THE STANDARD BEARER (National Accreditation Council): Dr. Otis H. Stephens, chairman of the Commission on Accreditation, has announced that eight agencies and schools were accredited for the first time at the Commission's June meeting: Foundation for Blind Children, Scottsdale, Arizona; Florida Association of Workers for the Blind, Miami; Department for the Blind, Florida State School for the Deaf and Blind, St. Augustine; Georgia Factory for the Blind, Bainbridge; Georgia Academy for the Blind, Macon; New York Institute for the Education of the Bind, Bronx; Division of Visual Services, Oklahoma City; and Industries for the Blind, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This brings to 75 the number of NAC-accredited agencies and schools. ---- Special funding has been procured to continue producing NAC's newsletter and annual report on flexible disc. If you wish to be placed on the mailing list, write to National Accreditation Council, 79 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. ---- NAC's self-study and evaluation guides are being made available on cassette and open-reel tape by Recording for the Blind, 215 E. 58 Street, New York, NY 10022. ---- The annual membership and board meetings of the National Accreditation Council will be held November 4 and 5 at the O'Hare Hilton, located at O'Hare Airport, Chicago. The meetings are open and observers are welcome. Featured speaker at the annual dinner on November 4 will be Dr. Robert J. Winn, Jr., Director, Office for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, RSA. Youngsters of 4 and 17 are at their mental peak. At 4, they know all the questions, and at 17 they know all the answers. ACBI NEWSLETTER (Indiana) reports that Earlham College and the Art Association of Richmond, Indiana, are co-sponsoring a tactile art exhibit to be held in March 1979. The purpose of the exhibit is threefold: (1) to build an awareness of the tactile art experience; (2) to provide a quality art exhibit accessible to people who are visually impaired; and (3) to promote integration of visually impaired and sighted persons in museums. The Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America offers, on a loan basis, cassette recordings of two presentations made at ALL's Third Delegate Assembly, held in San Antonio, Texas, on June 30 and July 1, 1978: Keynote Address by Eunice Fiorito, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, RSA, and Director of Office for Advocacy and Constituencies, HEW; Panel on Fund-Raising and Ethics, Cleo B. Dolan, Cleveland Society for the Bind, presiding, and participants Richard W. Bleecker, National Accreditation Council, and M.C. Van de Workeen, Executive Director, National Information Bureau. To borrow these tapes, write William T. Snyder, Executive Director, Affiliated Leadership League, 879 Park Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201. As the result of a letter from a blind couple, Braille Forum readers Ellen and Andrew Logue of Brooklyn, to State Assembly Speaker Stanley Steingut, it is now far easier for blind New Yorkers to deal with their state government. The Assembly now has the capability to answer constituent mail and inquiries in braille, large-type, or cassette tape. TTY service is soon to be added for the deaf. To ensure maximum use of the new facilities, Steingut is making the new service available to all members of the Assembly, State Senators, and the Governor's Office. It will also be used to prepare testimony for blind people appearing before legislative committees. Two typists in Steingut's office are not only being trained in braille, but also have become so enthused that they are training for certification so that they will be able to help the Library for the Blind during their spare time. From HORIZON (University of Tennessee at Knoxville): Each year, the University of Tennessee recognizes four members of its faculty with Outstanding Teacher Awards. In June, 1977, one of these awards was presented to ACB Board member, Dr. Otis Stephens, Professor of Political Science at UT Knoxville. "That award was one of the most meaningful expressions of recognition I have ever received," said Dr. Stephens, adding that there are limitless opportunities for teaching at the college level. "Teaching undergraduate and graduate students is stimulating. It's a never-ending, fresh experience that happens every year." The American Optometric Association NEWSLETTER for July 1 reports that Dr. William Feinbloom, internationally recognized expert in the field of low vision and developer of the "bioptic telescope," has joined the faculty of the recently established $5.3 million William Feinbloom Rehabilitation Center at the Eye Institute on the Philadelphia campus of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. The Center is a specialty care unit designed to care for people with partial sight and is expected to develop into one of the most comprehensive ambulatory eye care centers in the world. "Action 504," a conference on the human and legal rights of people with disabilities, will take place in Los Angeles, California, October 14-15, 1978. The conference goal is to ensure full participation in society of the disabled by training lawyers, administrators, and consumers in the application of the law. Topics dealt with in the 22 workshops range from employment to education, to transportation, housing, constitutional rights, employment disincentives, communications, recreation, etc. Initiating sponsors are the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Western Law Center for the Handicapped, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Combination braille and large-print Christmas greeting cards are now available at low cost in packages of six or twelve. To order, write directly to Andrew Woods, President, Braillemark, Inc., P.O. Box 7144, Washington, DC 20044, or call (202) 488-1656 ***** ** ACB Officers * President: Oral O. Miller, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 220, Washington, DC 20008 * First Vice President: Delbert K. Aman, 115 Fifth Avenue, S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401 * Second Vice President: Robert T. McLean, 2139 Joseph Street, New Orleans, LA 70115 * Secretary: M. Helen Vargo, 833 Oakley Street, Topeka, KS 66606 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen, 6211 Sheridan Avenue, S., Minneapolis, MN 55423 ** Contributing Editors George Card, 605 S. Few Street, Madison, WI 53703 Elizabeth M. Lennon, 1315 Greenwood Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 ###