The Braille Forum Vol. XVII April, 1979 No. 10 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor * President: Oral O. Miller 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 236 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 ACB Officers Contributing Editors Notice to Subscribers Report from the ACB President Introduction of Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination Against Handicapped Persons in Employment and Housing, by Reese Robrahn Convention Highlights Update Historical Michigan Post-Convention Tour The ACB Service Net -- What It Is and How It Serves ACB Federal Employees, by Charleen Kobashigawa ACB Parents Organization? by Gretchen H. Smith Two Commissions for the Blind in Trouble Toward a Progressive Alliance, by Kathy Megivern What Price Disunity Identifiable Currency an Uphill Fight, by Billie Chrisman Senator Long's Catastrophic Bill, by Kathy Megivern Eye Research Budget Threatened by Congress and Administration ACB Affiliate News: "Looking Great in '78" -- Kansas Association of the Blind Utah Council Convention, by Tom Mitchell In Memoriam: Andrew Woods, by Claude Grant Evelyn Pickens, by Mae Davidow Dr. Richard Kinney Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ***** ** ACB Officers * President: Oral O. Miller, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 236, Washington, DC 20008 * First Vice President: Delbert K. Aman, 115 Fifth Avenue, S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401 * Second Vice President: Dr. 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 Lennon, 1315 Greenwood Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Reese H. Robrahn, 7809 Bristow Drive, Annandale, VA 22003 ***** ** 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. As a bimonthly supplement, the flexible disc edition also includes ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. 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 Editor Mary T. Ballard at the above address. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to James R. Olsen, Treasurer, c/o 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 the American Council of the Blind in his or her Last Will and Testament may do so by including in the Will a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, your attorney may wish to contact the ACB National Office. ***** ** Report from the ACB President Although a separate article in the March issue of The Braille Forum contained much information about the ACB presidential reception held at the Rayburn Building in Washington on January 30, 1979, I want to add my thanks and commendation to all the hard-working people who made the reception such a resounding success in every way! The event provided an excellent opportunity for countless ACB members and friends to meet with several dozen members of Congress and other Federal officials in order to discuss the objectives of the American Council as an increasingly important spokesman of the blind. The approximately 400 guests came away with the knowledge that new links of communication had been forged and that the cause of the blind would surely benefit from the creation of those links. The significance of the reception to the members of Congress was demonstrated by the appearance of almost the entire Congressional delegation from Minnesota, among other states. ACB Treasurer James Olsen of Minnesota carefully checked their names from a list he had brought with him to his position in the receiving line beside me. Again, we wish that all members and friends of the American Council of the Blind could have been present, because the experience was moving and quite meaningful. I hope that by now all the members and friends of the ACB have made their travel plans to come to the 1979 ACB national convention, to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the week of July 1-7. As in the past, the first part of the week will be dedicated to meetings, conferences, seminars, and workshops of the special-interest affiliates and groups, and the second part of the week will be devoted to the ACB convention. The pre-registration material will be mailed during May, but you should not wait until then to make your travel plans. The practice has varied from year to year as to how much the various ACB affiliates aid their members in traveling to the convention, but this year I am urging all affiliates to provide as much assistance as possible in order to make this the largest and best national convention in the history of this organization. The program which is being planned is an outstanding one, and the convention meetings will serve as an incomparable opportunity for us, the blind, to inform ourselves regarding the latest developments in fields of interest to us, to express our opinions, and to demand full observance of the rights of the blind. Thanks go to the members of the National Convention Program Advisory Committee -- Mr. Adrian De Blaey of Milwaukee, Miss Elizabeth Lennon of Kalamazoo, and Dr. Roy Kumpe of the Little Rock -- for the excellent program suggestions they made. I have learned that there are now seven ACB affiliates which are official supporters of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC), whose newsletter, annual report, and list of accredited agencies may be obtained in flexible disc form by any interested blind person. In the very near future, the ACB affiliate presidents and affiliate publication editors will be added to the NAC mailing list to receive printed and recorded material. Inasmuch as the ACB is one of the sponsoring organizations of NAC, such material will provide very helpful information about the organization, which has been the subject of much discussion among the organized blind in recent years. The NAC invites consumer input, and such input is far more effective when it comes from informed consumers. Anyone wishing to receive additional information should write to the National Accreditation Council at 79 Madison Avenue, Room 1406, New York, NY 10016. Chairpersons for the Awards, Constitution and By-Laws, and Resolutions Committees are listed in "Convention Highlights Update," elsewhere in this issue of The Braille Forum. As for other committees, I am asking those chairpersons and members who were appointed and served last year to continue to serve until new committees are announced in The Braille Forum. Again, make your travel plans NOW to come to the 1979 ACB national convention in Grand Rapids the week of July 1-7! This year's program will deal in a very interesting way with countless topics of very current interest, as well as several others that are of continuing interest from year to year. In addition, the tours and evening activities will provide something enjoyable and interesting for everyone. Oral O. Miller, President ***** ** Introduction of Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination Against Handicapped Persons in Employment and Housing By Reese Robrahn Since publication of the March, 1979 issue of The Braille Forum, not one but two very significant bills were introduced in the Congress which, if passed, will in time result in vast improvements in the stations and conditions of disabled children and adults in this nation. On February 22, Senator Harrison Williams, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Human Resources, introduced S. 446, which amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination in employment against persons by reason of handicapping condition. On March 1, companion identical bills were introduced in both Houses of the Congress which amend the Fair Housing Civil Rights Act, bringing handicapped persons within the protection of that act. Senator Mathias of Maryland and House Members Edwards of California and Drynan of Massachusetts are the introducing sponsors of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1979. The Senate bill number is S. 506, and the House bill number is H. 2540. This measure, in addition to extending protection of the Act to handicapped persons, contains significant changes in the existing law, such as giving the Department of Housing and Urban Development a powerful enforcement tool through a cease-and-desist order, which the Department can obtain now only through extensive court procedure. Senator Williams was joined by eight other Senate colleagues in the introduction of the Title VII amendment. As we go to press, four additional names have been added to the sponsor list, and it is expected that the list will lengthen by the month's end to the number of 25. Sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibit discrimination against handicapped persons 1n employment where the Federal establishment is involved: Section 501 in Federal employment, Section 503 by Federal contractors, and Section 504 by recipients of Federal grants and other Federal financial assistance. Bringing handicapped workers within the protection of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 will fill the gap of employment in the private sector, business and industry, which does not fall within these Federal categories. On the occasion of the introduction of the measure, a momentous occasion for all handicapped people of this nation, Senator Williams in his introductory statement made the following remarks: "It is an anachronism in our laws that employers in the private sector are not under a general legal prohibition against discrimination irrationally against handicapped workers. ... The moral obligation of American employers, to treat handicapped persons fairly on the basis of their ability must be made a legal obligation. This legal obligation will provide important protection for the economic security and human dignity of our handicapped citizens; and it will pay large economic dividends to our society as a whole. According to the 1970 Census, there were approximately twelve million non­institutionalized persons aged 18 to 64 years who are disabled. At least seven million of these persons are able to engage in productive employment. The degree to which these handicapped citizens are being denied employment opportunities is shocking and demands legislative action. ... Discrimination against the handicapped is rooted in misconceptions which are as groundless in their origin and as tragic in their consequences as the prejudices which have victimized other minorities and women in our society ..." Senator Williams is joined in his sincere conviction by an ever-growing circle of Congressional leaders such as Senators Javitz, Randolph, and Kennedy. But that is not enough to achieve passage. In the negative atmosphere of Proposition 13, the Section 504 backlash predicated on great expense to the public, and some civil rights backtracking arising out of busing issues, legislation of this nature and significance will not be adopted readily like an "apple pie, the flag, and motherhood" issue. Passage will require unanimity of voice and effort, grassroots support in the form of letters, telegrams and personal visits to Congressmen and women. It will require a cooperative strategy among all groups concerned, racial and religious minorities, ethnic minorities, women, and most of all, organizations of handicapped people and their adherents, everywhere. This is your opportunity to make count what you can do as one citizen. NOW is the time for action! ***** ** Convention Highlights Update Everybody knows by now that the American Council of the Blind and its twelve national affiliates will be holding their national convention, conferences and seminars during the week commencing Sunday, July 1, 1979, at the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The ACB Convention sessions begin on Wednesday morning, the 4th, and will end on Saturday afternoon, the 7th. The Wall Street Journal's critical article on workshops for the blind have stimulated much interest and controversy. Workshop subjects and Federal procurement of products and services from workshops will be discussed by a blind workshop employee and representatives of the Federal Government, National Industries for the Blind, and the General Council of Workshops for the Blind. Edwin W. Martin, Deputy Commissioner for Education of the Handicapped, Office of Education, HEW, has been invited to lead a panel discussion with other educators and a parent on the realities of "mainstreaming" blind children. In what promises to be a spirited presentation, proposed changes in the Social Security Act will be discussed by Wilbur Cohen, Professor, School of Education, University of Michigan, former Secretary of HEW, and now chairman of a new coalition, Save Our Security. Equal time is being offered to Stanford G. Ross, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, to present the Administration's proposals. Vincent Moretti, National Coordinator for the Handicapped Program of the Human Resources Development Institute, AFL/CIO, will lead a discussion with other vocational and training experts on industrial training and vocational placement of visually impaired persons. The 1978 Rehabilitation Amendments give special recognition to centers for independent living for handicapped persons, and an experienced presenter on this subject will be named in time for the next issue. Sam Negrin, Director of Community Services, American Foundation for the Blind, will lead a discussion participated in by three ACB members -- Charlie Crawford of Boston, Raythel Jones of Oklahoma City, and Dr. Mae Davidow of Philadelphia -- on effective consumer advocacy. Carla Franklin of Louisville will talk about local ACB affiliates as providers of continuing services to visually impaired persons. The Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America conference opens with a social time beginning at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, July 1. Monday's program will be highlighted by the keynote address, to be given by Robert Humphreys, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, D/HEW. Monday evening at 8:00, the vendors are sponsoring an auction sale, followed by a dance. An exciting program is in the planning for the second annual conference of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. Opening with a wine and cheese reception on Sunday evening, sessions will continue on Monday and Tuesday with programs on new horizons in low-vision aids; problems of low-vision persons, as identified by them, and techniques of dealing with those problems; implementation of the recommendations of the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals; and updates on Legislation and research. Mrs. Audrey Richmond, 7469 M-65 North, Lachine, MI 49753, has replaced Glenn Veysey as Chairman of Special-Interest Activities. Please make all arrangements for any special events with her as promptly as possible. The names of several key committee chairmen are important to keep in mind. Dick Seifert, 4400 W. Markham, Apt. 19, Little Rock, AR 72205, has been appointed chairman of the Resolutions Committee. He will appreciate receiving draft resolutions as soon as possible prior to the convention. These may be sent in any form, but braille is preferred. Charles S. Hodge will chair the Constitution and By-Laws Committee. He, too, will appreciate receiving proposed amendments to the ACB Constitution and By-Laws in advance of the convention. His address is 2895 S. Abingdon Street, Unit A2, Arlington, VA 22206. An important tradition of each year's convention is the presentation of a number of ACB awards. The recipient of the Ned E. Freeman Article of the Year Award is selected by the ACB Board of Publications for articles written specifically for The Braille Forum during the preceding calendar year. The Robert S. Bray Award, in memory of the late Chief of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, is presented from time to time, not necessarily annually, in recognition of outstanding achievement in extending library service or access to published materials or in improving communications devices and techniques. Nominations for this award must be received no later than June 1, 1979, and should be sent to Miss Theresa Snyder, Chairman, Robert S. Bray Award Committee, 26 Island Drive, Old Bridge, NJ 08857. The Ambassador Award is selected each year from among candidates who are blind and who, by their lives, associations and activities, demonstrate their integration into and interaction with the life of the community. It is not necessary that the candidate be a member of or be active in any organization of the blind, nor that he or she be engaged in work for the blind. The George Card Award is presented periodically to an outstanding blind person who has contributed significantly to the betterment of blind people in general. This award is not limited by locality or by nature of the contribution, and it is not necessarily given each year. Nominations for both the Ambassador Award and the George Card Award should be submitted no later than June 1, 1979, to Awards Committee Chairman Mrs. Carla Franklin, P.O. Box 306, Louisville, KY 40201. Look for additional convention details in the next two issues of the Braille Forum. You should receive your pre-registration mailing before the end of May. Our Michigan affiliate has more than 900 members, and altogether we anticipate a record attendance for ACB Convention Week. ***** ** Historical Michigan Post-Convention Tour A tour of "Historical Michigan" is being arranged by Ja-Mar Tours of Grand Rapids. Spend two nights in famous Mackinaw City and a day on beautiful Mackinac Island. Scheduled for July 8-10, the tour will leave from the Pantlind Hotel at 8:00 A. M. on Sunday morning following the ACB national convention and will return by 6:00 P. M. on Tuesday evening. First stop on Sunday is Petoskey, where you can browse through the scenic streets. On Tuesday morning, you will travel to Mackinac Island by ferry. Upon arrival on the island, a carriage tour awaits, followed by lunch at the Grand Hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. There are many shops where you can buy souvenirs or fudge, along with an array of other things to do. The trip home from Mackinaw City on Tuesday will be highlighted by a stop at Indian River Shrine, one of the largest crucifixes in the world. Cost of the trip is $152 per person, based on double occupancy; $32 additional single supplement. Cost covers round-trip transportation by comfortable motor coach; coffee and rolls en route on the first morning; two nights' accommodations at the Ramada Inn in Mackinaw City; two dinners, two breakfasts, one lunch; services of a Ja-Mar tour guide throughout; all sightseeing and admissions listed in the itinerary; baggage handling, taxes, and gratuities. Reservations deadline is June 1. Send $50 deposit per person to Ja-Mar Tours, 825 Leonard Street, N.W., Grand Rapids, MI 49504, attention Jill Skinner. Be sure to identify yourself as an ACB conventioneer. By return mail, Ja-Mar Tours will send you confirmation, a trip itinerary, and a statement of the balance of the cost, which must be paid by June 15. Come get in touch with the past! ***** ** The ACB Service Net -- What It Is And How It Serves 1800 to 1900 G.M.T. Does this mean anything to you? Well according to Travis Harris, W5PGD, of Oklahoma City, this is the time that the American Council of the Blind Service Net goes on the air. To the uninformed, G.M.T. means Greenwich Mean Time, and this translates to 12:00 noon Oklahoma time (Central Standard Time). Seven days a week, 365 days a year, this amateur radio service group convenes on 14.305 mhz. to help blind people of the nation and the world. Founded in 1969, the ACB Service Net has handled emergency traffic such as the recent death of Net member Otto of Tucson, Arizona, priority traffic, and routine traffic of all kinds. With their equipment, the Net can put through a coast-to-coast phone patch for a blind person in California or check in with Net members from all over the nation. One ham is designated "net control" or caller for each day of the week. He acts as master of ceremonies of the Net, controlling the order of calls and making sure that everyone who wants to check in can do so. According to Travis Harris, one of the founders of the Net and its manager for ten years, the ACB Service Net has not missed a day of broadcast since its founding. At least 1,000 radio amateurs have worked with the Net over the years, and of these, over 400 have been visually impaired. Although the Net, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, was founded by blind hams and its purpose is to help blind people, many sighted individuals also lend a helping hand regularly. For example, Dr. Tom of Tucson, Arizona, an osteopathic radiologist, checks in daily. Other regulars on the Net (most of whom are visually impaired) include Gerry Jones of Covina, California, who before losing his sight and contracting a kidney disease was a metallurgical engineer. Leo Heinel of St. Paul, Minnesota, totally blind, was formerly an industrial worker. Rod, from Pocatello, Idaho, before losing his sight was a registered pharmacist. Fred, a blind man from Illinois, was with the armed forces. And Ray, who is also from Covina, California, incidentally, makes gadgets which help blind hams. One additional aim of the ACB Service Net is to help any blind person who would like to get into amateur radio. Net members will teach code, tutor for FCC exams, and so on. Anyone wanting help or information about the ACB Service Net should contact Mr. Travis Harris, P.O. Box 25352, Oklahoma City, OK 73125; (405) 521- 3451. The Net hopes to set up a station at the ACB convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan, beginning July 1. ***** ** ACB Federal Employees By Charleen Kobashigawa Among the five affiliates chartered at the 1978 convention of the American Council of the Blind in Salt Lake City was a new special-interest organization, the American Council of the Blind Federal Employees (ACBFE). This new and fast-growing affiliate, which has great potential for strengthening the goals and programs of the American Council, will join with ACB's other special-interest organizations conducting conferences and seminars July 1-3, prior to the opening of the 1979 ACB national convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At its 1978 business meeting, the membership voted to initiate a newsletter as its first group project. Officers were elected as follows: President, Raymond (Bud) Keith; Vice President, Kathy Crawford; Secretary, Bernice Kandarian; Treasurer, Robert Jones. What is the basic purpose of this new special-interest affiliate? Article II of the Constitution and By-Laws states: "ACBFE shall be a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote recruitment, placement, and advancement of visually handicapped persons with the Federal Government by: (a) creating a more healthy environment for employment through the education of responsible Government officials; (b) providing a forum for the exchange of information and ideas through conferences, seminars, and newsletters; and (c) cooperating with other organizations of the blind in matters of common interest." All current and retired Federal employees who are visually handicapped are invited to join ACBFE in its endeavors. Dues are $5.00 per annum. If you would like to join or wish further information, write Bernice Kandarian, 730-14 N. Mariposa, Los Angeles, CA 90029. ***** ** ACB Parents Organization? By Gretchen H. Smith Does the idea of an organization for parents appeal to you? It happens that I am a sighted parent with a blind child. I see no reason why such an organization should not be for both sighted and blind parents of both sighted and blind children, since the more time passes, I find out how much children are so much alike. Possible reasons for the organization could be simply to share with one another and support each other; educational information on parenting and/or education of the public; becoming more aware of our children's future and how we can positively affect their world. What form such an organization would take is open -- whether to physically meet, or have a newsletter, or ... I am willing to help organize and am open to suggestion. If you are interested, please write me: Gretchen H. Smith, P.O. Box 1215, Morgan City, LA 70380. ***** ** Two Commissions for the Blind in Trouble The Texas Commission for the Blind is the largest separate state agency for the blind in the United States. During the past dozen years, its staff has expanded more than tenfold and now consists of more than 600 employees. It has an annual budget of$16.5 million. Burt L. Risley has been the Commission's executive director during this period of expansion. Texans disagree on the causes of growing criticism of the Commission's director, but they seem united in opposition to pending state legislation which would transfer the Commission's functions to an "umbrella" agency. In late January, the Commission's troubles were reported in two Associated Press dispatches. The article of January 27, 1979 stated in part: "Three blind members of the Texas Commission for the Blind called Friday for Executive Director Burt Risley to resign and criticized their chairman, Charles Sapp ... (Sam) Millsap (of San Antonio), John Turner of Dallas, and Walter Musler of San Antonio said at a news conference that Risley has concealed information, usurped the six-member board's authority, and prepared inaccurate reports ... The Travis County District Attorney's Special Crimes Unit is investigating the Commission, the three men said. They declined further comment on the investigation. "State Auditor George McNiel criticized the Commission's accounting practices in November. He said his audit for the 1975-76 biennium showed balances were not reconciled, financial transactions were documented inadequately, and disbursement vouchers were not issued until after the money was spent ... The three commissioners also requested a Commission audit by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare." A January 31, 1979 story reported the following: "The chairman of the Texas Commission for the Blind wants all six commissioners to resign because of internal conflicts among board members ... Sapp sent commissioners a resignation form that would become effective only if all members stepped down and allowed the Governor to appoint a new board. "The chairman said he proposed the mass resignation after a news conference called by Commissioners Sam Millsap of San Antonio, Walter Musler of San Antonio, and John Turner of Dallas. "The three men, all legally blind, accused Sapp of trying to continue as chairman while lacking support of a majority of the board." Risley strongly denies his critics' accusations of wrongdoing. Texas sources say that some of Risley's friends have organized a letter-writing campaign to support his continuation in office. But the National Federation of the Blind of Texas at its February convention voted to support the demands of Millsap, Turner, and Musler. In Michigan, Federation and Council affiliates jointly supported a bill to create the Michigan Commission for the Blind, which became effective October 1, 1978. The Commission is now re-advertising for applications for the position of executive director, to avoid further delay which would have resulted from litigation, reported in part from the Lansing State Journal of February 3, 1979: "The new state commission had narrowed its list of 83 applicants for the director's job to three finalists when the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, Inc. filed suit to stop the hiring. "The federation claims the commission didn't follow proper civil service or civil rights standards in its selection process. "Judge James Giddings issued a temporary restraining order on behalf of the federation preventing the commission from hiring or selecting a director until a hearing on the federation's complaint is held. "At a packed commission meeting Friday, several federation members claimed the commission's finalists aren't qualified to hold the $29,000-a-year job. "But several commission members, annoyed with the lawsuit, contended the federation members are angry because their acting president -- an applicant for the job -- wasn't chosen by the commission as a finalist. ... "But commission member W. Larry Young said the federation won't be content with any director the commission chooses unless it is the group's own candidate. "'We selected nine people out of 83 applicants to interview,' said Young. 'We gave them (the federation) an opportunity to pack the room during the interviews with their people ... But if the good Lord was on earth competing for this job, they wouldn't vote for him over Al Harris.' "Harris, who did not attend Friday's meeting at the Capitol, was one of 83 applicants for the job and is also acting president of the federation, which claims about 400 members in the state. ... "Labor Director C. Patrick Babcock has the ultimate authority to appoint or reject the commission's recommended candidate for executive director. "He said Friday he supports the commission, which has three blind members." The establishment of a commission in Michigan came at a time when the trend had been growing to merge separate agencies into larger and more generalized units of state government. However, there are many strong partisans in this country for state commissions to administer programs for the blind. And they are rightly worried about the possible effect of such controversies on the continued existence of such commissions. ***** ** Toward A Progressive Alliance By Kathy Megivern The concept of coalition is most certainly an idea whose time has come. The effectiveness of joining together to seek common goals has been proven again and again in recent years. Groups such as the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America have demonstrated how much more can be accomplished when people emphasize their similarities and work together for their mutual needs. Yet another such coalition has recently been formed in Washington, D.C. This group is the Progressive Alliance. One of the first major targets of the group is President Carter's proposed budget, including the proposed cut in the Social Security program. The membership and purposes of the Progressive Alliance are best described in the following excerpts from a statement adopted by representatives to the second meeting of the Progressive Alliance, chaired by Douglas Fraser President of the United Auto Workers and Chairman of the Committee for National Health Insurance: "We have joined together to form a Progressive Alliance that seeks to develop and implement new programs for achieving social, political and economic justice in America ... "As America approaches the decade of the 1980's there is a growing danger that its potential will be swept aside by its problems. We, representatives of over 100 national organizations, trade unions and citizen groups encompassing more than 20 million Americans and their families, seek to create an alternative to the direction in which our country appears headed ... "While we can bring our own separate concerns to this alliance, we share a common belief that our individual problems can be solved only through collective action aimed at creating a society committed to humane, progressive policies. It is our intention to build an alliance of working people, minorities, women, the middle class, family farmers, environmentalists, senior citizens, the poor, the handicapped, educators, students, clergy and lay activists, consumers, and all those committed to human dignity, economic justice, and peace ... "The few in our nation who possess power and wealth have dominated their public debate as America tries to grapple with its problems. Corporations and their political allies have, in fact, insulated themselves from sacrifice at the very time they demand it of others. "We ask ourselves what sacrifices General Motors Corporation has made in the new era of austerity. We ask ourselves where the spirit of the new realism is for Exxon? What belt-tightening has occurred among members of the American Medical Association? ... "We will mobilize and fight for economic programs that provide full employment and stabilized prices particularly in the cost of the basic necessities of life. We will struggle to achieve equal rights, full civil rights, and civil liberties for everyone ... Our Progressive Alliance shall pursue these and similar goals through a variety of mechanisms. We will organize inside and outside the political parties, hold citizen hearings, sponsor demonstrations, underwrite independent research and publications, communicate through the media, and work with all who seek to apply democratic principles of participation to our economic and political life." ***** ** What Price Disunity After months of bitter controversy and litigation between the National Federation of the Blind of California and the National Federation of the Blind, that state organization of 3,200 members issued a position paper: The NFBC View of the Controversy With the NFB Administration, 1978. Early in September, the Jernigan-Sanders faction on the state board of NFBC filed suit to enforce its purported expulsion of Robert Acosta, president of the state organization. The Superior Court ruled in favor of Acosta. Shortly thereafter, the national board of NFB voted to expel Acosta as state president and as a member. On October 29, the national board of NFB voted to expel the NFB of California. In the meantime, the Superior Court had enjoined the Jernigan-Sanders faction from holding a rival state convention of the state organization in another city. The court also appointed a special master to preside at the state convention, held during the first weekend of November in Los Angeles. The Jernigan-Sanders faction boycotted the convention and held a "seminar" in Fresno on the same weekend. On October 29, 1978, Sue Ammeter of Seattle was expelled from the national board of NFB because of her support for Acosta and NFBC. She is still the president of the NFB of Washington state, which has intervened in the California lawsuit, which now includes Jernigan and Sanders and numerous other individual defendants and the National Federation of the Blind itself. In February, 1979, the national board of NFB expelled the 300-member NFB of Washington. The litigation is continuing and has become very complex because of the claims for damages now asserted against the National Federation of the Blind, Jernigan, Sanders, and many others, including some of their attorneys. Acosta and Ammeter and their organizations are now asking the court to appoint a special master to preside at the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind to protect their rights according to law and the NFB constitution. Both state organizations claim they have been illegally and ineffectively expelled from the NFB. The distributed position paper advertises documents on cassette tape for the information of other Federation members throughout the country. In 1961, when fifteen NFB affiliates left the NFB after having tried unsuccessfully to reform it, there was no litigation. ***** ** Identifiable Currency an Uphill Fight by Billie Chrisman * Dear Editor: I call to the attention of every member of the American Council of the Blind a letter from the Department of the Treasury, again quoting that survey of the National Federation of the Blind that opposed braille on currency. As you know, that survey was made several years ago. We must make the Treasury and the Congress aware that there are other organizations involving visually handicapped that are very much in favor of identifiable currency. It is imperative that research be carried on to effect a method of making currency identifiable. If braille as such cannot be stabilized to withstand public use, then another method must be devised that will. Perhaps a quick-drying fluid that would impregnate and emboss a symbol or lines in the currency, and that could not be destroyed by use by the public, could be the answer. Another method might be the use of different sized bills. The American Council of the Blind and the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America passed resolutions requesting the Treasury to issue identifiable currency. Since your organization represents a great many visually handicapped, letters from you to Congress and the Department of the Treasury in favor of identifiable currency would help keep the subject current and maybe something will be done about it. Will you do what you can to keep this matter before those empowered to act so that we may get currency we can identify? Sincerely, Mrs. Billie Chrisman Salem, Oregon * October 27, 1978 Dear Mrs. Chrisman: Thank you for your recent letter to Secretary Blumenthal concerning the use of braille on U.S. currency. The Treasury Department shares the concern for the sight-handicapped person. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, after conducting experiments with braille currency and consulting with countries already circulating it, found two major problems with the use of raised markings. The markings wear down rapidly and can be easily counterfeited. In addition, organizations of blind persons surveyed by the Bureau generally do not express the view that money handling is a major problem. The National Federation of the Blind, the largest such organization, strongly opposed any proposals to authorize the use of braille on currency. Therefore, the Department of the Treasury has no plans to print money with raised markings. We appreciate your interest in this topic and thank you for taking the time to share your suggestions. Sincerely, Joseph Laitin, Assistant Secretary, Public Affairs, Department of the Treasury ***** ** Senator Long's Catastrophic Bill By Kathy Megivern On February 6, 1979, Senator Russell B. Long (D., La.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, introduced S. 351, the latest version of what has been known as the Long-Ribicoff Catastrophic Health Insurance Bill. This insurance program would take effect on January 1, 1981, and would cover medical expenses incurred after the first sixty days of hospitalization or the first $2,000 of medical costs. In his introductory remarks, Senator Long conceded that the threshold figure of $2,000 may be increased to $3,000, "or even more," in order to cut the costs of the program. A second bill, S. 350, was also introduced by Senator Long. This legislation contains the same provisions for catastrophic health insurance coverage as those found in S. 351. In addition, Title II of S. 350 is "a plan to standardize and federalize Medicaid health benefits for the poor." This title is an attempt to cure the inequities and varying coverage and benefit provisions of the present Federal-state Medicaid programs. The new program would provide health benefits coverage to persons who fall beneath the following income levels: $3,000 annual income for an individual; $4,200 for a family of two; and $5,400 for a family of four. This program is obviously intended to aid those families unable to afford the large deductibles required before any assistance is available under the catastrophic portion of the bill. However, the bill provides no relief for the many people who will "fall through the cracks" -- those with incomes above the levels set in Title II, yet unable to afford the initial $2,000, $3,000, or even higher deductibles. Supporters of a more comprehensive national health insurance program have consistently opposed the catastrophic approach. While such a program may seem at first glance to be a positive step toward improving the situation, its impact is far more likely to be negative. The high deductibles which must be met serve as an incentive to health care providers to further increase costs in order to trigger coverage. Long hospital stays will be encouraged and needless and expensive treatments imposed in the name of helping the family or individual to become eligible for catastrophic benefits. In addition, the program can provide little in the way of quality or cost control, since no controls could be instituted until after the 60th day of hospitalization, when the coverage takes effect. Politically, the passage of such a bill would seriously harm any chances of more comprehensive legislation being enacted, since it would seemingly have dealt with the most serious problems, thus making further action unnecessary. The Senate Committee on Finance scheduled March hearings on S. 350, S. 351, and other health care proposals. ***** ** Eye Research Budget Threatened by Congress and Administration A budget of $133 million for fiscal 1980 is needed if eye research is to continue making significant progress, according to Marvin F. Brotman, Executive Director, Friends of Eye Research, Rehabilitation and Treatment (FERRAT). The Carter Administration advocates a budget of less than $105 million for the National Eye Institute (NEI) in fiscal 1980, Brotman said. This would force severe cutbacks in new grant programs and would severely cripple ongoing research, Brotman explained. A budget of $133 million is compatible with the five-year plan which eye research scientists have created for NEI. The five-year plan pinpoints exactly where research money from Congress must go in order to win the fight against diseases of the retina and choroid, glaucoma, cataract, sensory motor disorders, and corneal problems. Brotman urged all members of the American Council of the Blind to contact their Congressmen and Senators by letter or telegram, urging them to vote $133 million for fiscal 1980. This amount should be contained in the Labor-Hew bill, the FERRAT director said. Time is of great importance because Congress soon will begin actual mark-up of the Labor-HEW bill. In a year when even Congress is talking about major cuts in biomedical research budgets, it is critical that ACB members help by direct intercession in the form of letters and telegrams. ***** ** ACB Affiliate News * "Looking Great in '78" -- Kansas Association of the Blind "Looking Great in '78" was the theme of the annual convention of the Kansas Association of the Blind, held in Topeka in mid-October. The tone of the convention was set in the opening moments by Rev. Harry M. Davis of the St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church He prayed: Bind these together with the bonds of fellowship and unity." "We're looking great in '78," President Darlene Howe told those present at the opening session, "because we're working together -- Board, officers, and members -- to promote the welfare of blind persons; to make the public aware of the capabilities of the blind, their needs and desires." Keynote speaker was Dr. Merle Bolton, Kansas Commissioner of Education, whose topic was, "The Education of the Handicapped Act -- Implementation in Kansas." Dr. Bolton saluted the KAB as an organization and its members as individuals and stated: "I consider us co-workers to provide quality educational services to visually impaired children in this state ... The viewpoint of the Department of Education is that of delight to serve as partners with persons interested in the education of visually impaired students." Dr. Bolton went on to discuss some essentials of education for the visually impaired: "As a team, we must not permit training for visually impaired children of Kansas to remain in neutral ... We must be willing to discard outmoded programs and to try new ideas. Kansas cannot afford to have handicapped persons with lack of effective training. We must have high estimates of human potential and the net worth of each individual." Dr. Bolton stated that it is important to keep working at the task of expanding vocational education; also educational opportunities in post-secondary schools. Another need is for the expansion of services to all children in the areas of counseling and guidance. He believes it is possible to get at the need for mobility training through the individual education plans. Mobility cannot be divorced from the total education plan. Said Dr. Bolton in conclusion: "Let's not worry about who is getting the credit. Let's just be concerned about education for our children. Let's develop a cafeteria for learning, rather than continuing plate-lunch style." Other highlights of the convention included a Friday night benefit show by Red and Peggy Graham; a Saturday noon membership luncheon; a presentation on services of the probate court; presentations by a deputy state fire marshal and a local meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Ron Todd, Assistant Commissioner of Insurance, reviewed the various areas in which his agency works to enforce laws pertaining to insurance programs throughout the state. One such area of enforcement relates to discrimination against the handicapped by life and health insurance companies and in home protection programs. The Director of Customer Service of the U.S. Postal Service in Topeka told how the Postal Service works to serve the visually and physically handicapped. Five per cent of all mail passing through the Topeka office, he stated, is mail for blind and handicapped persons. The convention was happy to welcome Dr. Hugh Pace, new superintendent of the Kansas State School for the Visually Handicapped. Dr. Pace stated, "In the past, KSSVH and KAB have simply refused to communicate." He wants to form an advisory committee with KAB representation, to further cooperation in the future. A panel moderated by Lowell Holland presented "Employment in Health-Related Occupations." Panelists were Gary Hastings, X-ray film processor; Marion Armstrong; clinical transcriptionist; Dr. Orville Clothier, chiropractor; and William Lewis, vocational rehabilitation social worker. The banquet speaker on Saturday evening was Mrs. Lu Wolff, Associate Professor of Communication Arts, Washburn University. Her subject was non-verbal communication — what you say with your clothes, the way you walk, your posture, tone of voice, your gestures ... At the banquet, Augie McCollom presented President Darlene Howe with a scroll of appreciation from Paraguay, commending KAB for its assistance to the visually impaired of that country. * Utah Council Convention By Tom Mitchell The 1979 convention of the Utah Council of the Blind was held Saturday, January 27, at the Murray B. Allen Center for the Blind in Salt Lake City. Theme of the meeting was, "You Are a Part of the Community." The morning session began with welcoming remarks by Jack Yeaman, Coordinator of Professional Unit, Utah State Department of Rehabilitation, who spoke of concerns he has about legislation which will affect the Department and job placement and education of blind people in Utah. Rex Wallgren, Director of the Library Commission's Radio Reading Service, spoke of current programming and outlined some of the things they would like to do in the future. Jerald Buttars, Director of the Library for the Blind, outlined the recently adopted National Standards of Libraries Serving the Blind and Physically Handicapped and mentioned specific areas where the Utah library is and is not meeting these standards. Barbara K. Murphy, Executive Secretary of the Utah Governor's Committee on the Employment of the Handicapped, talked about Section 504 and urged all blind persons to become more interested in legislation concerning the handicapped, and to lobby with legislators, or do whatever is necessary to express our interest in bills which would affect us in the future. She said that the time is now; that decisions are being made which will affect handicapped persons for many years to come; and that it is up to us to make sure that our lawmakers understand exactly what we need to make our lives more productive. David Seaich and Linda Whitten spoke about Mrs. Whitten's job as a telephone operator with Mountain Bell and how she obtained the employment. The morning session concluded with an informative talk by Sherry Repscher on the Student Services Unit at the University of Utah -- what it is and how it helps students on campus. At the afternoon business session, David K. Gordon of Provo, Utah, was elected the new UCB president. Norma Hoppe was re-elected to the post of secretary, and Deloris Wimmer was asked to complete the last year of a two-year term as treasurer. Four new members of the Board of Directors were elected: Kent Wimmer, NaDeen Hackwell, Tom Mitchell, and Ivan Hoppe. Grant Mack takes a position on the Board as Immediate Past President. ***** ** In Memoriam: Andrew Woods By Claude Grant The American Council of the Blind and the American Blind Lawyers Association have lost a great warrior, Andrew Woods. Andrew passed away on Saturday, February 24, in a New York Hospital. Andrew Woods was an active, dedicated member of the American Council of the Blind and the American Blind Lawyers Association, as well as a member of the national board of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. He fought vigorously for the rights of all people — handicapped and non­handicapped, black and white, Americans and non-Americans. One of his greatest dreams was to see America become totally accessible to all individuals. Whenever we went into a restaurant, Andrew would always request a braille menu. If none was available, he would ask for someone in a managerial capacity and request that braille menus be provided. Often he would personally have the menu brailled and return it to the restaurant. I recall well one day at the Smithsonian Institution cafeteria Andrew's demand that the facility be made accessible to handicapped individuals. The waitress smiled and began to beat around the bush. Andrew stated simply: "You may smile, but I am not smiling. I mean business." The next time I visited that cafeteria, a wheelchair ramp had been installed. Andrew graduated from the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind in New York City. He received a Bachelor's degree with distinction in business administration from Pace College in New York City and a Juris Doctorate degree from Columbia University Law School. At the time of his death, he was pursuing a Master's degree in tax law from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and was employed as a trial attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Andrew had a great love for the American Council of the Blind and the American Blind Lawyers Association. All who knew will miss the voice of a great bugle on the handicapped warfront. The family of Andrew Woods has indicated a preference that expressions of sympathy in memory of Andrew be made in the form of contributions to the Columbia Law School. The school has recently established a fund for handicapped law students, and contributions will be dedicated to that fund. The proceeds are being used to provide special study facilities and aids in the law library for students with a variety of handicaps, including the lack of sight. Checks should be made payable to Columbia Law School, and there should be an indication on the check that it is in memory of Andrew Woods. Send contributions to Columbia Law School, Alumni Office, 435 W. 116th Street, New York, NY 10027. ***** ** In Memoriam: Evelyn Pickens By Dr. Mae Davidow It is with regret that we announce the death of Evelyn Pickens, who passed away on Tuesday, December 19, 1978. Evelyn Pickens was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind (formerly the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind). She had always played an active role in the PFB and was best known to us as treasurer of our organization. Evelyn Rose Pickens was a graduate of the Overbrook School for the Blind and was one of the first successful blind women to be placed in office work. Thanks to her outstanding performance, doors were opened for other blind people to work in offices. A memorial service was held for Evelyn in Harrisburg on December 21, 1978, and she was interred in West Virginia on December 22, 1978. Evelyn will indeed be missed by all. ***** ** In Memoriam: Dr. Richard Kinney It is with great sorrow that the Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, Illinois, informs its many friends and students of the death of Dr. Richard Kinney. Poet, lecturer, educator and friend, Dr. Kinney, 55, president of the Hadley School, died February 19 in an Evanston hospital. He was born June 21, 1923, and became blind as the result of an illness at age 7. It was at the age of 20, while a sophomore at Mt. Union College, Alliance, Ohio, that he became totally deaf. He withdrew from college and after a time initiated a magazine subscription service by mail to become self-supporting and started taking correspondence courses from Hadley. Through the aid of scholarships, Dr. Kinney returned to Mt. Union and, assisted by a fellow student who manually translated lectures for him, he completed his studies. After graduating summa cum laude in 1954 as class valedictorian with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history, he accepted a job as instructor with the Hadley School. He became successively assistant, associate, and executive director, and was named president in 1975. February marked Dr. Kinney's 25th anniversary with the School, during which time he visited and lectured in 36 countries around the world. He was the third known blind-deaf person to earn a college degree. In 1966 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Mt. Union College, and in 1977 he was awarded another such doctorate by Loyola University in Chicago. Dr. Kinney wrote four books of poetry and two textbooks, Independent Living Without Sight and Hearing and Relevant Braille. He was a consultant on services to the deaf-blind for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Services for the Deaf-Blind of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults. He was also on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Workers for the Blind. Dr. Kinney's awards include the Francis Joseph Campbell Award from the American Library Association in 1978. He was named Illinois Handicapped Citizen of the Year and was the recipient of the Helen Keller Gold Medal Award for Literary Excellence. He was a member of the Winnetka Lions Club and the North Shore Chess Club. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Newly blind persons in Middle Tennessee are now able to obtain initial rehabilitation services from a mobile van. Volunteer Blind Industries of Morristown, which serves 48 counties in mid-Tennessee, has equipped a van to take pre-vocational and diagnostic evaluation services to clients in their homes. Assistance can also be given in learning to travel independently and in skills of daily living. From DISABLED USA: From Michigan comes a first-of-its-kind product. Using handicapped people as models, LPK Productions designs, produces, and distributes counter-culture posters. They are not the "pity poster": Far from it! Each impacts on a major issue -- civil rights, transportation, self-determination, sexuality ... For more information, write LPK Productions, 900 Long Boulevard, Room 211, Lansing, MI 48910. A national hotline has been established by Mainstream, Inc., according to the Matilda Ziegler Magazine. The hotline will provide confidential answers to questions from handicapped consumers on compliance with Federal regulations, particularly Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The toll-free number, to be used between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., is (800) 424-8089. From ACBI NEWSLETTER (Indiana): Word games such as "Search and Find" and crossword puzzles in large-print are available from Ronco Products, c/o B-K Inc., 332 N. Water Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Because of concern that many older persons are losing income by failing to take advantage of legal tax deduction mechanisms, the U.S. House Select Committee on Aging has made available a checklist which can serve as an invaluable tool when preparing Federal income tax returns. It is available free from the House Select Committee on Aging, Room 712, House Office Building, Annex 1, 300 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20015. In order to determine whether there is sufficient interest in a magazine in braille devoted exclusively to poetry, Media Projects for the Blind is putting together a representative issue which readers may sample. The magazine will contain a wide spectrum of poetic literature and will seek to encourage blind poets to contribute their works. Those desiring the sample copy should send $1.50 to Media Projects for the Blind, 80 N. Moore Street, Apt. 4K, New York, NY 10013. According to AFB WASHINGTON REPORT, the removing Federal Trade Commission, by unanimous vote, has issued a final rule removing public and private restraints on advertising the price and availability of prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, and eye examinations. The rule requires that consumers be provided with a copy of their prescription after they have had their eyes examined. It also permits the states to require that advertisements disclose whether the price advertised for eyeglasses (1) includes single-vision and/or multifocal lenses; (2) refers to hard and/or soft contact lenses; (3) includes an eye examination; (4) includes all dispensing fees; and (5) includes both frames and lenses. From THE BRAILLE REPORTER (Washington State): Learning the complex details of anatomy may be easier for both blind and sighted students as a result of plastic models of various layers of the eye and the brain being created by Randall Harris, an art student and sculptor, and Paul Piesch, professor of optometry at Indiana University. Actual specimens of these objects are expensive and fragile. The two scholars have already developed a book, in looseleaf binder form, with a collection of sixteen plastic models of different layers of the eye. An accompanying audio tape instructs students going through the book. The Woodside Terrace Kiwanis Braille Project has available on two-months loan a collection of books in braille for leisure-time reading — fiction, best-sellers, non-fiction, and poetry. Titles may be purchased for 8 cents a page, plus $.70 for volume binding. For a list of holdings, write Woodside Terrace Kiwanis Braille Project, c/o Mrs. Murray Draper, 850 Longview Road, Hillsborough, CA 90410. Registrations for Vacation Camp for the Blind, Spring Valley, New York, are being extended this year to include legally blind residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. This is the largest, most developed vacation spot for the blind in the United States. Included are a lake, pool, craft shop, gymnasium, bowling alleys, lounges, a large dining hall, and a recreation area. While the cost of serving campers is $250 for each twelve-day stay, fees are adjusted according to ability to pay. For more information, contact VCB, 117 W. 70th Street, New York, NY 10023. The National Museum of History and Technology of the Smithsonian Institution is arranging lesson tours, discovery corners, demonstrations, museum outreach, orientation services, and teacher workshops for visitors. The programs and displays are available and accessible to everyone. To request a large-print, braille, or cassette copy of the brochure describing tours, write Division of Education, Room B-1016, National Museum of History and Technology, Washington, DC 20560. Prices on braille greeting cards distributed by Harry Fribush, Parkwood Apartments, No. 104, 400 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY 12203, have risen, according to the producer. Birthday, get-well, and all-occasion cards are now 12 for $1.25. Easter greeting cards are 8 for $1.25. All cards have both print and braille messages. Rudolph V. Lutter, of Washington, D.C., an active member of the American Blind Lawyers Association, who is employed as an active attorney with the Federal Communications Commission, was recently appointed to a fifth three-year term on the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. The 1979 convention of the American Association of Workers for the Blind will be held in Oklahoma City from Monday evening, July 16, through Thursday, July 19. These dates are a revision of those previously announced. From THE STANDARD BEARER (National Accreditation Council): The Board of Directors of Vocational Rehabilitation Division, State of Illinois, recently adopted of a policy recognizing NAC as the organization for the accreditation of voluntary rehabilitation facilities serving the blind in that state. This policy calls upon agencies which primarily serve the blind to be accredited by NAC. The Illinois Federation of the Blind, ACB's Illinois affiliate, was a strong supporter of this policy and played a major role in its adoption. -- Two more ACB affiliates have recently become official NAC supporters -- Gopher State Blind Associates (Minnesota) and the Michigan Association of the Blind. The 1979 Interagency Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering will be held at the Atlanta-Hilton, Atlanta, Georgia, August 26-31. The conference theme, "Living Independently," will address four major topic areas: public transportation, wheeled mobility, home and public buildings, and vocational and educational groups — blindness, hearing disorders, mobility disorders, vocal communication problems, etc. -- will be dealt with. More information is available from Conference Management Consultants, 5401 Kirkman Road, Orlando, FL 32805. A legally blind Queens, New York high-school senior, Laurie Koehler, was one of 300 contestants who won honors in the nation's largest high-school science scholarship program, the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. Her project was vision tests to be administered to the mentally retarded. She used flash cards with trees, houses, umbrellas, etc., rather than alphabet symbols for her tests. From THE ICVH EDUCATOR: Perkins School for the Blind, the oldest school for the blind in the United States, observed the 150th anniversary of its incorporation on March 2, 1979. Governor King of Massachusetts was joined by governors of other New England States in proclamations in honor of the occasion. New York City's first apartment building designed for the exclusive use of the blind is now under construction and will be available for occupancy by the spring of 1980. The building was designed to avoid sharp, open corridors; it has textured doorknobs, elevator and stove buttons marked in braille, and a security system that links rooms in every apartment to a 24-hour security unit. From JOURNAL OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND BLINDNESS: Chemical Bank of New York now has a braille check service. Blind customers are given a braille checkwriter free of charge. By using the checkwriter, which is similar to using a slate and stylus, the customer can braille information on the check and stub. At the end of the month, a braille statement is sent to the customer so that he can check his balance against his stubs. Chemical Bank will tell other banks how to set up the system and will sell them checkwriters at cost. For further information, contact Jeanne Hausman, Consumer Affairs Department, Chemical Bank, 20 Pine Street, New York, NY 10005. ###