The Braille Forum Vol. XVII March, 1979 No. 9 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 National Presidential Reception an Outstanding Success Will You Come to Michigan? ... ACB 1979 Convention Notice to All ACB Affiliates and Members-at-Large A Unique Opportunity for ACB Conventioneers in 1979 The Lions Gallery of the Senses, by Sally Williams Action in Congress to Prohibit Discrimination in Employment for Handicapped Citizens Save Our Security: A New Coalition Defense Department Proposed Amendment to Randolph-Sheppard, by Durward K. McDaniel National Health Insurance: Philosophy Versus Reality, by Kathy Megivern Research, Prevention, and Cure, by James R. Olsen Unique Scarlet Letter Radio Series Produced for Blind Listeners Hyde Park Corner: The Bakke Case -- A Different Viewpoint, by Ira Grupper ACB Affiliate News: California, Washington, and Connecticut Conventions Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ACB Officers Contributing Editors ***** ** ACB National Presidential Reception an Outstanding Success In its 17th year, the American Council of the Blind elected its fourth president, a lawyer from Kentucky, who now lives and works in the nation's capital. Inside and out of ACB, there is strong appreciation of the work and accomplishments of the Council and a confidence that Oral Miller will further develop the indispensable work and role of ACB and its ever-increasing affiliates. All things considered, then, it was appropriate that ACB's fourth president and the organization itself should be acclaimed at a reception in the Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday, January 30. Among the 45 honorary sponsors of the reception were 17 Senators and 22 Representatives. The first Congressman to appear was Carl Perkins, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, from Oral's home district in Kentucky. Space does not permit listing all the sponsors -- Senator Jennings Randolph, Senator Harrison Williams, and Congressmen Joh Brademas and Morris Udall were among the leading members of Congress. Another prominent sponsor was Douglas Fraser, president of the United Auto Workers and of the Committee for National Health Insurance. Anticipation ran high on the day of the reception, and all was in readiness for the first guests to arrive at the announced 4:30 P.M. beginning hour. Government personnel, Congressmen, and friends and members of the American Council trickled in somewhat slowly at first, but activity soon built to a literal crescendo by 6:00 P.M. and remained at that level until eight o'clock and after. One might say that some guests arrived twice -- and many circuitously -- because of the tight security measures that particular evening. These elaborate precautions were in effect because of the simultaneously scheduled reception for China's Teng Hsiao-ping only two doors away. Several legislators were overheard to remark at the evident importance of ACB's reception as gauged by the difficulties encountered in getting to it. Among guests introduced by Ed Walker, Washington TV and radio personality, were Senators, members of the House of Representatives, and many distinguished persons in Government and other Washington circles. Several took the microphone to express their interest in ACB's concerns and their support for its programs. Congresswoman Gladys Spellman of Maryland told the gathering: "... There aren't many members of Congress who can make the same claim that I make. I, too, was blind at one time ... I was very fortunate and today I do have that sight, but I want to use the opportunity that I have here in the Congress to do what I can to help. ... You are right there at the top of my priority list." Congressman James C. Corman of California, author of the Health Security Act, reflected: "I sometimes feel that my chore is working with people who have impairment of sight with the heart, because they so often fail to see the importance of those of us who have so much and who have structured this world to meet our needs, and are so reluctant to put forth a little effort and a little time to broaden the horizons of others. ... I hope that very soon this country will accept the fact that health care is a matter of right to the sick, not a matter of right for those who have lots of money or good insurance. And when we get there, it will be because all of us worked together and because some people had much better sight than others about what's good for the people of this nation." ACB affiliate presidents from the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia were in attendance. Present and standing in the receiving line were ACB Board members Billie Elder, LeRoy Saunders, and James Olsen. On the fringes and behind the scenes were many members and friends of the three local ACB affiliates -- the D.C. Association of Workers for the Blind, ACB of Maryland, and the Old Dominion ACB (Virginia) -- whose volunteer efforts were so important to the success of the reception. Bob Murphy, local blind musician, provided appropriate background music with keyboard and vocal selections. Kathy Megivern acted as page, advising Ed Walker when notables arrived. Barbara Chandler, who designed the invitation, was also on hand. And, working tirelessly throughout the evening with a crew of hosts and hostesses to make sure that tasty morsels and tangy libations were always in good supply was the developer and the prime mover behind the whole concept of this reception, Carlee Hallman of the ACB National Office, Reception Coordinator. The high point of the evening came with President Oral Miller's short speech in which he expressed the basic purpose of the gathering as an opportunity for building communications and for forging links between the American Council and those whose attention and concern help to shape the course of events which influence the lives of blind and handicapped people: "I want to welcome all of the distinguished guests and friends of the American Council of the Blind here today, and I give an especially warm welcome to the members of the Senate and the House and the members of their staff who were able to come ... Although Sino-American relations are obviously very important, we think that the affairs of the blind and the handicapped are also extremely important, because they do in some way affect almost every family in the United States. ... "This reception is not just an opportunity to meet informally with members of Congress and staff members and committee members and Government officials, but it is also an opportunity to open lines of communication about many very important issues that will be coming up in future weeks. We are talking about a variety of critical subjects. The American Council of the Blind has had excellent relations with Congress in the past, and we are looking forward to even closer relations in the future as the American Council of the Blind, as an articulate consumer organization, confers and presents its views on such vital issues as Social Security, rehabilitation, civil rights of the handicapped -- and, in particular, as made clearer when they are defined in statute form. We're talking about education; we're talking about national health insurance, among other things. "We in the American Council of the Blind are hereby offering our assistance and counsel to you, and we ask for your continued support and cooperation, especially as we work further this year to increase the funding of all those vital programs for the blind and the other handicapped people in the United States." ***** ** Will You Come to Michigan? ... ACB 1979 Convention Will you come to Michigan? ... Michigan, the land of Indian lore! Michigan, the land of Paul Bunyan! Michigan -- where Big Mack's mighty span connects two peninsulas! Michigan -- the furniture capital -- the state that gives the world its wheels! Michigan, the Winter Wonderland! Michigan and the Michigan Association of the Blind deem it a real privilege to host the 1979 national convention of the American Council of the Blind in Grand Rapids. ACB Convention Week, July 1-7, begins with a series of special seminars and the annual conferences of ACB's twelve national affiliates. The Council's general sessions begin on Wednesday morning, July 4, and run through Saturday afternoon, July 7. ACB's national special-interest organizations continue to attract growing numbers of visually impaired people who have common interests. You will receive a pre-registration mailing by May, and future issues of The Braille Forum will carry more details about the events of Convention Week. If you have not been to an ACB national convention, you should examine the list of the twelve national organizations at the end of this article. They and ACB will make you welcome. Grand Rapids is accessible by four airlines. Convention headquarters is the Pantlind Hotel, 187 Monroe Avenue, N.W., Grand Rapids, MI 49502. Room rates are singles, $15; doubles, $18; triples, $27; and quads, $34. Rates for suites are available from the hotel. Traditionally, Thursday afternoon and evening is free time set aside for fun and relaxation. The Host Committee has planned a number of exciting tours: to Marquette State Park, a sand dune park, for a cookout and a swim in Lake Michigan; to Saugatuck, with its dune schooner rides, cruising the slopes and valleys of an area of wild, natural beauty; to Paw Paw and the St. Julien Winery, in the heart of Michigan's wine country, for a tour of the winery and a visit to the tasting house; a boat cruise on the Grand River; to Kalamazoo to visit the Michigan Rehabilitation Center and the Kalamazoo Arts Center; and an evening at the Kalamazoo Center Showcase, a dinner-theater at the Kalamazoo Hilton. This is not an election year, but the annual business meeting will nevertheless affect ACB's policies and course over the next year. You should be giving thought to possible Constitution and By-Laws amendments, to resolutions, and to nominations for the Ambassador, George Card, and Robert S. Bray Award Committee chairmen will be announced soon. If you have questions concerning the convention, the American Council, or any of the special-interest affiliates, you may contact the ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. The dates July 1-7 can be an excellent time for a vacation. Michigan weather is varied, but we'll go on record with a long-range forecast of a week that will be just right for this outstanding convention. We invite you to attend. You'll not be disappointed. With your help, this can be the greatest convention and have the largest attendance of any convention ever. Please come to Michigan! * National Special-Interest Affiliates American Blind Lawyers Association -- Oral O. Miller, President, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., No. 236, Washington, DC 20008. American Council of the Blind Federal Employees -- Raymond (Bud) Keith, President, 737 N. Buchanan Street, Arlington, VA 22203. ACB Service Net (Amateur Radio) -- Travis Harris, President, 3840 N.W. 31 Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. Council of Citizens with Low Vision -- Dr. Samuel Genensky, President, Director, Partially Sighted Research, Santa Monica Hospital, Medical Research, 1225 15th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Council of Rehabilitation Specialists -- Billie Elder, President, 5317 W. 29th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204. Guide Dog Users, Inc. -- Catherine Gleitz, President, 2130 Maple Street, Baldwin, NY 11510. National Alliance of Blind Students -- Brian Charlson, President, 1012 Bellevue Street, S.E., Salem, OR 97301. National Association of Blind Teachers -- Dr. Otis Stephens, President, 2021 Kemper Lane, Knoxville, TN 37920. Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America -- Ione B. Miller, President, 9291 Fermi Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123. Visually Impaired Data Processors International -- Donald C. Blayloch, President, 148 E. Washington Street, Palatine, IL 60067. Visually Impaired Secretarial Transcribers Association -- Patricia Price, President, 337 S. Sherman Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46201. Visually Impaired Veterans of America -- Dr. Michael Young, President, 1740 Robinson, No. 2, San Diego, CA 92103. ***** ** Notice to All ACB Affiliates and Members-At-Large FROM: James R. Olsen, Treasurer The American Council of the Blind Constitution and By-Laws provide that each affiliate shall pay annual per capita dues to the American Council of the Blind in the sum of $1 for each of its voting members, but that no affiliate is required to pay more than $625 annually, even though some affiliates have more than 625 members. Also, each year, each affiliate must send to the Treasurer and the ACB National Office a certified, alphabetical list of the names and addresses of its voting members. If your affiliate submitted its entire voting membership list in 1978, it for 1979, certify deletions, additions, and address changes only. Affiliates having more than 625 members are to include all of their members on these lists. Lists and dues are to be received no later than sixty days prior to the national convention — in 1979, by May 5. Each affiliate in good standing which is represented at a national convention is entitled to case one organizational vote for each 25 of its voting members or major fraction thereof, but with a maximum of 25 votes. Also, members of affiliates whose names have been certified and per capita dues paid thereby become voting members of ACB, and each individual member is entitled to cast an individual vote on all matters voted on by the convention. The right of an affiliate and its members to vote at a national convention, however, is conditioned upon compliance with the foregoing dues and membership list requirements. Any person who has reached the age of 18 years and who is not a voting member of an ACB affiliate is eligible to become a member-at-large of the American Council, and therefore to have the right to an individual vote at a national convention. Annual membership-at-large dues are $2 and must also be received by May 5, 1979. New applications for membership-at-large pay an initiation fee of $3, which includes dues for that year. Application forms are available from the ACB National Office. All membership lists and dues should be sent to the ACB National Office, c/o James R. Olsen, Treasurer, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. Membership-at-large dues should be clearly identified as such. ***** ** A Unique Opportunity for ACB Conventioneers in 1979 The United States Congress authorized and appropriated approximately $9 million for the purpose of the provision of technical assistance on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by the Office for Civil Rights (D/HEW) to the recipients of Federal financial assistance and to handicapped consumers. The bulk of the funds is being expended under eighteen contracts for workshops to be conducted for all the states. The contract covering fourteen northeastern states for handicapped consumers was awarded to the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, commonly known as "PILCOP." This is the law center which handled prosecution of the Transbus case and a blind teacher case in Philadelphia. On February 1-4, the workshop for the State of Maryland was conducted at Baltimore. There were approximately sixty handicapped trainees involved. Reese Robrahn and William T. Snyder of ACB participated in the workshop as trainers, and three ACB of Maryland members participated as trainees. The workshop was designed to familiarize the participants with the Section 504 regulations and to teach the participants to be effective negotiators of grievances under 504 in order to achieve expertness as self-advocates and as advocates for other handicapped citizens. As a function of the ACB Task Force on Civil Rights, Reese Robrahn and Donna Veno-Eggert have offered to conduct a one-day workshop at the ACB convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The workshop will be designed to last all day, including an evening session. All materials will be available in braille and large type and on tape and will be mailed well in advance so that participants will come to the workshop prepared primarily for training in review of the materials and in negotiating. It is planned that the workshop will be conducted on Tuesday, the day before the commencement of the ACB convention program. Participants will work in small groups with trainers. It will be necessary to limit the number of participants to fifty or sixty. If enough interest is shown in the workshop, it will be a part of the convention program. It is imperative, then, if you are interested in participating in the workshop that you contact Reese Robrahn through the ACB National Office or at 5827 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. An early decision must be made so that there is ample time for preparation and distribution of the materials. Therefore, your interest must be communicated immediately. ***** ** The Lions Gallery of the Senses By Sally Williams (Editor's Note: Ms. Williams is Associate Curator of Education, Lions Gallery of the Senses, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut.) The Lions Gallery of the Senses in the Wadsworth Atheneum of Hartford, Connecticut, has come a long way since its conception nearly ten years ago. At that time, a group of concerned volunteers at the Oak Hill School for the Blind interested the Lions Clubs of District 23-B, Hartford and Litchfield Counties, in providing funding for a gallery which would make art accessible to people. The Gallery was conceived of as a place where blind visitors could touch objects of art. Even before it opened, however, the planners realize potential for the Gallery, and the seven years of its existence have been a continuous attempt to realize that potential. In the first place, it was determined that the Gallery should be for everyone, not just the blind. All visitors can benefit from the chance to use their other senses when exploring the visual arts. Everyone should have the opportunity to share this experience. A change as significant as expanding the audience was the change from the idea of a tactile gallery to an approach which uses all the senses to explore the visual arts. Throughout the years of its existence, the Gallery has presented a program of changing exhibitions which have explored sound, space and to through both traditional and unconventional methods. The exhibitions always planned to be accessible to blind and otherwise handicapped visitors. Exhibition decisions are finalized by an advisory board, the majority of whom are blind. The Connecticut Council of the Blind is well represented on this board — currently by members Gert DeLeo, David Bates, and William Patton. Twenty-two thousand people visited the Gallery during the first six months of this season. The present exhibition, "Fifteen Time Smells," is the first time the Gallery has devoted an entire exhibition to the sense of smell. Hartford artist Karl Knoecklein has transformed the main gallery into an odor chamber into which smells are introduced through a system of ducts and vents. The artist has selected smells which have a personal meaning for him in terms of past experiences. After visitors have experienced the exhibition, they are encouraged to share their reactions, particularly about the memories that the different smells evoke. Just as an individual's response to an art object is determined by his personal background and experiences, so each person's response to a smell will be different. The Gallery hopes to explore the richness of these differences and to make people more aware of the sense of smell and the role it plays in their lives. The exhibition will run through April 8, 1979. A major challenge lies ahead for the Lions Gallery of the Senses. The Gallery opens into the main part of the Wadsworth Atheneum, and visitors are encouraged to move freely throughout the entire museum. More can be done to make the collection meaningful for those visitors with handicaps, and the Lions Gallery, already an introduction to new ways of learning about art, looks forward to becoming truly an introduction to the museum. ***** ** Action in Congress to Prohibit Discrimination in Employment For Handicapped Citizens Senator Harrison Williams (D., N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, has agreed to introduce a bill amending protection for handicapped individuals into the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment. This is the one large and important gap in civil rights laws not addressed in Title V of the Rehabilitation Act. The American Council of the Blind has long sought support for this major area of civil rights protection for handicapped persons, and this is the first time an influential leader of Congress has seen fit to sponsor the measure. Durward McDaniel and Reese Robrahn have worked with the office staff of Senator Williams in the writing of the bill and in seeking and cultivating vote support. Backing of the legislation is being sought from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and confidence is expressed that such backing is forthcoming. In the atmosphere of the 504 backlash and political climate of Proposition 13 and inflation, it is essential to success in the passage of this milestone legislation that strategy is carefully conceived, planned and carried out, and that grassroots support is demonstrated as never before by handicapped individuals and other members of the voting public. The importance of that kind of support cannot be stressed enough. As The Braille Forum goes to press, it is our information that the bill will be introduced on February 20, with as many sponsors as can be mustered by that date. It is urgent and necessary that you, the readers of The Braille Forum and members of the American Council of the Blind, take swift action in contacting your Senators, calling on them for supporting sponsorship and favorable votes. Progress of the act will be reported regularly through The Braille Forum and through the ACB President's taped reports to the affiliates. ***** ** Save Our Security: A New Coalition The Carter Administration's budget proposal contains recommendations for serious negative changes in Title II, OASDI, the Social Security Act. A new coalition, Save Our Security (SOS), has been formed to protect present and future Social Security beneficiaries from these regressive and reactionary proposals. Among the leaders of SOS are Wilbur Cohen, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare; Robert Ball, former Social Security Commissioner, AFL/CIO Secretary-Treasurer Lane Kirkland, and United Auto Workers President Douglas Fraser. More than one hundred organizations, including the American Council of the Blind, have joined this coalition. Nelson Cruikshank, President Carter's counselor on the aging (speaking for himself, not the Administration) testified to the House Committee on Aging that the proposed cuts were "trumped up" to grab credit for a quick budget reduction, and that they reflect lack of understanding of the very nature of Social Security and of benefit promises made to persons who have paid in all their lives. The cuts proposed actually will save very little money in comparison with total OASDI outlays (about 1/2 of 1% of fiscal 1980 and slightly more than 1% of fiscal 1981). It is significant that they do not affect the primary benefit which is directly related to earnings, but are aimed primarily at dependents' benefits and benefits weighted in favor of low wage-earners -- thus hurting most the groups which have the least political power. The significant cuts proposed, in the language of the President's budget, are shown below. Our comments are in parentheses. Limit the number of work years that may be disregarded in computing Social Security benefits. -- Under present law, the 5 lowest years of a worker's covered earnings may be disregarded in determining the average lifetime earnings, upon which the benefit is based. The proposal would relate the number of years that may be disregarded to the number of the worker's years of covered employment. Phase out post-secondary school student benefits. -- Currently, student benefits are paid to individuals over the age of 18 regardless of their income if they attend post-secondary schools. It would be more appropriate for needy students to receive assistance under the basic education opportunity grants (BEOG's), which take into account the costs of education and the family's ability to pay. The Administration is requesting full funding for BEOG's in 1980. ((The United States Student Association estimates that at least 96% of student Social Security recipients are already eligible for BEOG's and that this cut, therefore, would have a drastic effect on students from low-income families.) Modify parents' benefit. -- Currently, spouses may receive immediate benefits for which they would not otherwise be eligible until they reached age 60 or 62, if they are caring for a child under 18 of a retarded, disabled, or deceased worker. Present law provides such a benefit on the assumption that the parent cannot work away from the home while a child under the age of 18 is in her (his) care. In today's world, this is unrealistic and costly. Offset Worker's benefits for Federal civilian pensions. -- The 1977 Social Security Amendments provided that Social Security benefits received by dependents of workers be reduced if the dependents receive benefits from other public pension systems such as the Federal Employees Retirement System. The purpose was to avoid windfall benefits from the overlap of both systems. This proposal extends the same principle to retirees themselves. (This proposal would affect most those Federal employees with the least Federal service, thus those with the lowest Federal retirement benefits.) Eliminate minimum benefit for new recipients. -- Under present law, insured workers who retire at age 65 are guaranteed $120 a month regardless of the average level of their past covered earnings. This is a wind-fall to persons for whom Social Security covered employment was not the principal source of pre-retirement earnings. (According to Elizabeth Wickenden of the Project on Social Security for Families, Children and Youth, about 10% of all beneficiaries are now receiving benefits at this level, and for more than half it is their only income.) Replace the lump-sum death payment with a new death benefit in SSI. -- The lump-sum death benefit has not increased since 1954 and is now largely an anachronism. For people with purely minimal resources, an alternative death benefit is proposed in the supplemental security income (SSI) program. Reform the Disability Insurance Program. -- A number of changes in the disability insurance program are proposed to limit opportunities for abuse of the program. These include new maximum family benefits and increased incentives for disabled beneficiaries to return to gainful employment. Other. -- Other changes include a proposal where survivors would no longer be eligible for benefits unless the deceased worker were fully insured. These benefits now go mainly to families protected by other retirement systems. Another proposal would raise the age at which individuals might begin to receive full benefits without regard to their current earnings from 70 to 72. Presently, the age limit benefits mostly high earners and is costly to the Social Security System. There is little prospect that most of these provisions will be enacted by the 96th Congress. Representative J.J. Pickle, Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, said that in view of the new SOS coalition and other factors, it is not realistic to expect passage in time for any savings in the fiscal 1980 budget. He made one specific exception, however: reduction of disability benefits. While the specific Administration proposals on disability insurance have not been introduced, the language of the budget proposal item indicates the direction the so-called reforms will take -- reduction in minimum family benefits and increased "incentives" for return to gainful employment. The Administration package probably will include a cutback in maximum family payments to the disabled by limiting them to 80% of average lifetime earnings, hitting directly at beneficiaries with children and low earnings. The threatened cuts in OASDI can be defeated, but only if all concerned make a determined and concerted effort in this Congress. Organizations representing the aging are supporting SOS enthusiastically because they recognize that while many of their members would not be affected by the current proposals, this challenge to the stability of the system would be only the beginning of a massive effort to substitute the means test for entitlement as a matter of right. The disabled are the group most threatened by the current drive to cut benefits -- ironically, at a time when Social Security actuaries are reducing earlier disability insurance cost estimates because disability applications leveled off in 1976 and 1977 and actually decreased in 1978. Blind people, who stand to lose a great deal if so-called reforms of disability insurance are enacted, should immediately ask their Representatives in Congress to advise Representative Pickle's Social Security Subcommittee of their opposition to the Administration's proposal to reduce OASDI benefits. ***** ** Defense Department Proposed Amendment to Randolph-Sheppard By Durward K. McDaniel We have reported that during the past five years, the number of vending facilities operated by blind persons on Defense Department property has declined from 46 to 29. The 1974 Amendments exempted retail sales outlets under the control of military exchanges or ships' stores systems from vending-machine income sharing. However, the 1974 Amendments do apply to the Defense Department with respect to the operation of vending facilities (including vending machines) by licensed blind operators. The Defense Department is now developing an amendment to the Randolph-Sheppard Act which would exempt such military exchanges and ships' stores systems in all respects. Apparently, the Office of Management and Budget has approved the Defense Department's promotion of such an amendment. The Defense Department would have Congress and the public believe that military exchanges and ships' stores systems, and the income generated from them, affect only military personnel, whose welfare would be injured if the provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act should be effectively applied. The proposed amendment does not appear to exempt all Defense Department property from the Randolph-Sheppard Act, but it would, if adopted, provide the Department with the obvious opportunity to authorize the operation of vending facilities on its property by military exchanges and ships' store systems, thereby accomplishing the broader exclusion of blind operators. When the Defense Department testified against the 1974 Amendments, Senator Jennings Randolph listened to their admissions as to their poor record and extracted a promise of greater cooperation. If DOD had kept that promise, we might be somewhat impressed with their present argument. Recently The Braille Forum reported that the General Accounting Office was conducting audits of three military installations in Texas because of their failure to pay vending machine commissions to the Texas Commission for the Blind. The proposed amendment is the Defense Department's answer to the pressure we have built for its partial compliance with the law. In order to prevent our losing all possibility of vending facilities on Defense Department property, we must let the following members of Congress know our opposition (chairmen of committees dealing with the Defense Department are also included, because the proposed amendment may be attached as a rider to an unrelated bill which otherwise would affect DOD legislation): Harrison Williams, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Human Resources; Jennings Randolph, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Handicapped of the Senate Committee on Human Resources; Carl Perkins, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor; John Brademas, Chairman of Subcommittee on Select Education of the House Committee on Education and Labor; John C. Stennis, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Defense of the Senate Committee on Appropriations; Joseph Addabbo, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations; and Melvin Price, Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services. There has never been, to our knowledge, a public accounting of the expenditures of vending machine or other income of military exchanges ships' stores systems. DOD has stated: "For selected Army and Air Force exchange service operations, there were earnings of $18.9 million from vending machine operations, which was 29% of the total income received for operation of these selected installations during the cited period." (fiscal year 1977). We also need to let Secretary Joseph A. Califano, Jr., of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare know of our opposition to the amendment and of our demand that HEW commence immediately to make a national survey of Defense Department property for the purpose of forcing the establishment of vending facilities operated by blind persons. HEW has never conducted such surveys, as required by law, and it has never requested adequate appropriations to fund the expansion of this program. Secretary Califano's address is: Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20201; telephone (202) 245-7000. ***** ** National Health Insurance: Philosophy Versus Reality By Kathy Megivern The Health Security Act, H.R. 21, was introduced into the House of Representatives on January 15, 1979, by Representative James Corman (D., Cal.). However, in this 96th Congress, H.R. 21 has no Senate counterpart. For the first time since he began sponsoring such legislation in 1969, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D., Mass.) has not introduced the Health Security Act the Senate. Rather than continuing his ten-year crusade for the Health Security Act, Senator Kennedy and the staff of the Committee for National Health Insurance are hard at work on the "Health Care for All Americans Act." As has been reported in earlier issues of The Braille Forum, this proposal represents a compromise on the part of national health insurance supporters. It is anticipated that the final draft of this legislation will be introduced into the Senate sometime in mid-April. A summary of what is expected to be contained in the Health Care for All Americans Act of 1979 includes the following points: Universal Coverage -- As in the Health Security Act, the compromise proposal would cover every resident of the United States. Comprehensive Benefits -- Here, too, the principles remain the same, with full coverage of costs rather than deductibles or co-insurance. Immediate Cost Controls and Pre-Negotiated Budgets -- These provisions will remain an important part of the compromise legislation. Administration -- This is where the major change is found in the new plan. Whereas the Health Security Act is a totally public program which would do away with any role for the private insurance companies, the new Health Care for All Americans Act would utilize private insurance companies, Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, and health maintenance organizations. The program would be administered by a Federal Public Authority, a governing board whose members are to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This Public Authority would in turn contract with each state to establish State Authorities to aid in the implementation of the plan. The insurance companies, in order to be included in the plan, would be required to be certified and regulated by the Federal Public Authority. In a statement made at the recent American Council of the Blind reception in honor of President Oral O. Miller, Congressman James Corman reiterated his firm support for a comprehensive national health insurance plan. However, even Congressman Corman acknowledged the difficulties which lie ahead and compared this quest for a Health Security Act to the "Holy Grail." As has been previously reported in The Braille Forum, the new proposal by Senator Kennedy is merely a recognition of the political realities which have for so long prevented the passage of a national health insurance plan. With the powerful insurance lobby protecting its own interests and the Administration shouting inflation at every turn, the philosophically preferable Health Security Act has no chance of passage. It is hoped that by negotiation and compromise, an effective health insurance program with a realistic chance of enactment can be created. ***** ** Photo Essay: ACB National Presidential Reception * Page 16 Reading from left to right: Row 1: Carl Augusto (NAC), William T. Snyder (ALL), Mary Moyer; Senator Richard Schweiker (PA); Willie and Betty Arrington, George Miller (Oral's brother). Row 2: Ed Walker (TV Co-Host); Margaret Rockwell (Washington Ear); Albert Hopkins, Frank S. Wade, Ed Walker, Congressman James C. Corman, Eleanor Snyder; Howard Hallman, Marvin Caplan and Arnold Aronson (LCCR). Row 3: Nathaniel Fullwood (Pres. N.C.), Dr. Robert J. Winn, Dir. Bureau for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, HEW; Oral O. Miller (Pres.), LeRoy Saunders (ACB Bd.), James Olsen (ACB Treas.); Ambassador Clare H. Timberlake, Barbara Chandler. Row 4: Carlee Hallman (Reception Coordinator), Helen Wade, Thelma Hopkins; Mr. and Mrs. William Hallman, Rev. William Hopson (Pres. PA); Robert R. Humphreys, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, HEW. * Page 17 Reading from left to right: Row 1: Marcia Miller, Terrence O'Rourke, and Frank Bowe (ACCD), Reese Robrahn (Indices); Joseph Tarnoff, Kathy Megivern, Ed Walker, Congressman Barber B. Conable, Jr. (NY), Todd and Donna Eggert; John Collins Row 2: Billie Elder (ACB Bd.), Oral Miller, James Olsen; Durward K. McDaniel (National Representative), Thelma Hopkins and Helen Wade (ACB Volunteers); Freddie Peaco, Mrs. Winn, Jim Chandler, Dr. Robert J. Winn. Row 3: Dick Patrick (Pres. Md); Congressman James C. Corman (CA), unidentified woman; Rudy Lutter, Diane Lattin. Row 4: Eleanor Snyder, Billie Elder, Oral Miller, James Olsen, Mrs. Winn, William Snyder; unidentified man, Senator Richard Schweiker (PA), unidentified man, Dr. Mae Davidow, Joseph Tarnoff; Laurinda Steele. ***** ** Research, Prevention, and Cure By James R. Olsen "Research," "prevention," and "cure" are three big words when they relate to eye diseases and blindness. The hope of each vision researcher is to find a means of prevention, and possibly even a cure, for the various diseases that lead to vision loss and in some cases total blindness. The alleviation of the pain and discomfort that accompany some eye diseases is also one of the goals. Through improved health care, many people are living longer, and thus many more are suffering from eye diseases that affect the older population. Research has brought about new treatment and preventive measures for the benefit of those with cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal and choroidal diseases, and other eye disorders. The leading source of major eye research in the United States is the National Eye Institute. This specialized branch of the National Institutes of Health was formally organized in 1969. As pointed out in a paper recently presented to Congress, prepared by Friends of Eye Research, Rehabilitation and Treatment (FERRAT), vision research has contributed not only to progress against eye diseases, but has added to knowledge in a wide range of medical fields. The following are some of the accomplishments in vision research: Cause and prevention -- dramatic decline in infant blindness caused by retrolental fibroplasia after the cause was determined by nationwide clinical study; evidence that retinitis pigmentosa, an important cause of blindness among the young, may result from a defect in the pigment epithelium, a layer of cells adjacent to the sensory retina; evidence that clumping of protein in the eye may lead to cataract associated with aging. Detection and diagnosis -- ultrasonic techniques for evaluating the health of the retina; better techniques for accurate diagnosis of retinoblastoma, a tumor of the eye in children. Treatment -- proof that photocoagulation can dramatically reduce the risks of blindness for some with diabetic retinopathy; new techniques and instruments for surgically removing diseased vitreous in diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases; safer, more effective techniques for cataract surgery; improved surgical and tissue preservation techniques for cornea transplant; new drugs for the treatment of glaucoma. The National Advisory Eye Council has established the following as high research priority areas over the next five years: retinal and choroidal diseases or injuries; cornea disease or injury; cataracts; glaucoma; and sensory and motor disorders of vision. In addition, work will be done with respect to low-vision people and their needs. The goals of eye research are to help prevent, to diagnose, and to cure eye disease, therapy to bring dollar savings to many. Such savings result in reduced medical expenses and elimination or reduction of rehabilitation expenditures, and decrease the indirect costs to society of welfare payments and lost earnings. On February 2, FERRAT chaired a panel of leading eye specialists and representatives of concerned consumer agencies who presented the case for the budget of the National Eye Institute (NEI) to members of Congress. (Editor’s note: Jim Olsen was present at this budget hearing to represent the American Council of the Blind.) The budgeted needs of NEI are $133 million, a very realistic amount. Yet, that amount is threatened by President Carter's budget cuts. NEI needs every dollar requested in order to move ahead within the guidelines outlined by the 1977 National Advisory Eye Council's report, "Vision Research -- a National Plan, 1978-1982" -- a three-volume study of the current accomplishments, needs, and future of eye research in the United States. Marvin Brotman, Executive Director of FERRAT, told me that FERRAT is deeply grateful to the American Council of the Blind for its enlightened policy toward eye research, and that such a policy has helped expenditures to grow from $44 million to $105 million in under three years. Continued growth is needed. Every legislator and Congressman must be made aware how vital the needs of the budget for the National Eye Institute are to the health of this great nation. Let's each do our own part to assist in the needs of vision research. ***** ** Unique Scarlet Letter Radio Series Produced for Blind Listeners National Public Radio will present a two-part Scarlet Letter radio series in conjunction with the TV dramatizations of The Scarlet Letter to air on PBS stations on April 2, 3, 4, and 5. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, a dramatic reading of the novel specially designed for blind listeners, will air on the stations of NPR and on subcarriers nationwide beginning in late March and early April. The eighteen half-hour programs will feature a cast of professional actors under the direction of Joann Green. Ms. Green is Artistic Director of the Cambridge Ensemble in Massachusetts. The readings will be enhanced by appropriate music and sounds of Colonial New England. The second radio series -- four half-hour documentaries entitled The Legacy of the Letter: The Scarlet Letter Commentaries -- will also air at the same time. These commentaries feature lively discussions and conversations with leading humanities scholars, selections from the Scarlet Letter TV audio track, readings from the novel, vox-pops interviews with the general public about issues raised by The Scarlet Letter, music including theme music from the TV programs, and excerpts from 17th and 19th century letters, journals and sermons. Each program will discuss an important set of issues -- crime, sexuality, religion, freedom, American values -- from the triple perspective of the 17th, 19th, and 20th centuries — the Puritan period, Hawthorne's era, and the present. The Legacy of the Letter and Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter are both produced at WGBH Boston, which is also the producer of the Scarlet Letter TV series. The Executive Producer of the radio series is Barbara Sirota; the Producer, George Morency; the Associate Producer, Cliff Hahn; and the Editor/Writer, Dian Miller. The radio series is made possible in part by funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. ***** ** Hyde Park Corner Editor's Note: This column exists to provide a forum for the expression of divergent views of writers on timely subjects. Views expressed need not necessarily be concurred in or endorsed by the publisher. * The Bakke Case -- A Different Viewpoint By Ira Grupper In the August, 1978 issue of The Braille Forum, Reese Robrahn writes that the Bakke decision of the Supreme Court will not substantially affect affirmative action practices in the near future, and that those who mourn its demise are extremists. I am one of the "extremists" who think that this is a racist ruing. I join another "extremist," Mr. Justice Thurgood Marshall. Other "extremists" include Tom Wicker of the New York Times, who write: "The validity and potential of affirmative action have been seriously, if not fatally, undermined." The N.Y. Amsterdam News headline read, "Bakke -- We Lost." And Peter Cohn of the regional NAACP in Washington, D.C., "... this is a very sad day in the (U.S.) ... a step back in time." Dozens of anti-Bakke amicus briefs were submitted to the Court by knowledgeable organizations. What's so significant about this case? Only 3 percent of California's medical students are black and brown, while 25 percent of California is black and brown. Bakke, in effect, upholds an exclusionary quota for non-whites. One must distinguish between an inclusionary quota, which permits non-whites to overcome past institutional racist practices, from an exclusionary quota, which traditionally has kept Jews and blacks and others out. To rectify past preferential treatment for whites, the requiring of quotas for the admission of non-whites is only reasonable today. An attack on affirmative action anywhere is an attack on affirmative action everywhere. Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is affirmative action for the handicapped. It would be meaningless without rules and regulations to force and enforce compliance. Similarly, slots in admissions programs are affirmative action. Disabled people have as much to fear from Bakke as do women and non-whites. The Bakke decision may already have set the clock back on affirmative action. The Supreme Court recently agreed to review the case of Weber v. Kaiser. Brian Weber, a white worker in a Louisiana factory, has claimed that his company's affirmative action plan to include blacks in an apprenticeship program is reverse discrimination. This is the Bakke case applied to the field of employment. Historically, only when organized protest emerged did social change occur. Dred Scott of 1857 was torn apart by the Civil War and overruled by the 14th Amendment adopted in 1868. The civil rights struggles led by the NAACP and other groups forced passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Congressional Black Caucus felt it necessary to lead a demonstration in Washington to support the Humphrey-Hawkins full employment bill. Sit-ins and demonstrations were needed to put teeth into Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Mr. Robrahn is full of "wonderment" that the admissions criterion of handicap was excluded in the Bakke case. Congressman Dellums called Bakke a "racist decision by the Nixon Court." Why should a racist care about the handicapped any more than about women and non-whites? The Supreme Court has had many "racists" in its midst. Chief Justice Taney in the Dred Scott case, said blacks "had no rights which the white man was bound to respect." Today we see the pushing aside of the Labor Law Reform Act, the emasculation of Humphrey-Hawkins, unemployment and inflation unchecked, the taxation burden on working people, the rise of the New Right and its flailing attack on anything progressive. And now Bakke! A struggle will be needed to reverse Bakke. I hope the American Council of the Blind will be part of that struggle. ***** ** ACB Affiliate News The American Council of the Blind of California held its 39th semi-annual convention in Sacramento early in November. The local affiliate, Sacramento County Club of Adult Blind, was host chapter. With the exception of the banquet speaker, ACB's nationally known Raymond "Bud" Keith, the program speakers and their subjects were the usual discourses on rehabilitation, social services, education, and medical research. All of the formal program was presented on the first day of the convention. It was the second day of the convention and the internal affairs business session on the following day which made the 39th really unique and outstanding. Special-interest group meetings were held in the morning of the second day. ACBC has about the same number of these as had national ACB. The Business Enterprise vendors group and the Federal employees group were well attended. In an innovative departure from standard procedure, four workshops were held in the afternoon. They were on Advocacy and Involvement, Leadership, Public Speaking, and Public Relations. Each workshop had an outside leader, with an ACBC member as facilitator. All workshops were well attended, and those present came away firmly convinced of the value of this type of activity as a substitute for the more formal convention program. Another innovation was the assignment to various standing committee meetings of each ACBC member. In previous years, conventioneers were given free choice as to which committee meeting they wished to attend, with the result that most bypassed all of the meetings. Having definite assignments to committees seemed to stir the conscience of members, and there were glowing reports of committee chairpersons as to interest shown and progress made during meetings. For the first time in ACBC history, the convention hospitality room had more hosts and hostesses than guests. Everybody was at one committee meeting or another. The highlight of the convention was the banquet address given by Raymond "Bud" Keith, Equal Opportunity Specialist, Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, D.C. His inspirational and humorous talk about his personal involvement in the world of the non-handicapped touched the hearts and minds of the nearly 150 persons who heard him. *** The Washington Council of the Blind held its seventh annual state convention in Seattle, November 10-11, 1978. In spite of a conflict with the meeting of the Governor's Conference on the Handicapped, attendance was excellent. The theme of the convention was "mainstreaming" in its broadest sense: that is, people working together -- be they sighted, blind, or otherwise handicapped -- for the common good, even though their needs and points of view may differ. The dilemma of special education in the State was explored in depth by a panel moderated by Ralph Baird, Administrative Assistant in Special Education for the Blind, Tacoma. Other participants were Dr. Kenneth Finlayson, Principal of the Washington School for the Blind; Mrs. Audrey Foster, a member of the School's Board of Trustees, a teacher, and the mother of a blind infant; Mrs. Gene Horsey, Coordinator of Educational Materials for the Blind in the Seattle schools; and Mrs. Carol Foster, itinerant teacher in a seven-school-district cooperative east of Lake Washington. The director and several members of the Washington Commission for the Blind participated in a "roundtable" in which they presented their plans for the coming year. As a direct response to these discussions, at the annual business meeting later in the convention, four resolutions were adopted concerning projects in which WCB plans to assist educators and the Commission in accomplishing expressed goals. A highlight of the convention was the exhibit of aids and appliances, with representatives from Telesensory Systems, Inc., and from the American Foundation for the Blind. Mr. John Beard, TSI's regional representative, spoke to the convention about "paperless braille" and other innovative TSI projects. The banquet speaker was Mrs. Eileen Hancock, Northwest Representative for AFB. Her message was fresh, and rather startling. She does not feel that "mainstreaming" gives the blind equality. Instead, it implies that they are different and, therefore, places them at a disadvantage. The year 1978 was a time of expansion for WCB. In October, Irving Smith, who is a member of the Washington Commission for the Blind as well as a WCB officer, and Alice Bankston conducted a membership drive in Spokane, the result being a new chapter in that part of the State. Mrs. Bankston plans to visit other parts of the State, with every expectation of forming several new chapters. *** A poolside lunch and a banquet skit by Red Graham of Old-Time Radio "Duffy's Tavern" fame were among the highlights of the fall convention of the Connecticut Council of the Blind, held in Cromwell, November 18, 1978. "Recreation and Leisure for the Blind" was the theme of the formal program. A well-chosen panel explored the subject both statewide and nationally. Ron Milligan, Study Coordinator, brought those in attendance up-to-date on progress being made in starting a radio reading service in Connecticut. Sally Williams of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford told of present and upcoming art exhibits to be shown at the Atheneum's Lions Gallery of the Senses. Other panelists included Paul Farina, Athletics Director at the Oak Hill School for the Blind in Connecticut, and Mike Caterzello, head of the Department of Recreation and Physical Education, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, Massachusetts. They spoke of changes taking place in recreation and athletics at schools for the blind. An overview of sports for blind adults included, on the national level, the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes, bowling tournaments, golf tournaments, and mountain climbing; and on the state level, tandem cycling, camping, hiking, fishing, skiing, roller skating, and a theater for the handicapped. Any banquet program fortunate to include Red and Peggy Graham assures a memorable evening. Many Braille Forum readers will remember their appearance at the ACB annual banquet in Chicago in 1974. Since then, they have participated in a number of ACB affiliate conventions. Peggy's songs and Red's "Duffy's Tavern" skits, always changed to include names and direct references to people within the group, never fail to steal the show. And Connecticut was no exception! Red and Peggy Graham have traveled extensively throughout the country over the past several years doing such shows for the handicapped, largely at their own expense. Nowhere near enough can be said in thanks and praise for the fine work they are doing. Other banquet speakers included William Patton, Director of the Connecticut State Board of Education and Services for the Blind, who described that agency's current and future programs, and Bob Ellsworth of Radio Station WTIC/AM, Hartford, who spoke concerning trends in the broadcast industry. The following officers were elected for two-year terms: President, Gertrude DeLeo, Manchester; First Vice President, Robert Fitzgerald, Wolcott; Second Vice President, Elizabeth Wilkinson, Monroe; Third Vice President, Gilmore Haddon, New Britain; Secretary, Anna Godrie, Fairfield; and Treasurer, Doris Flanagan, West Willington. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From ALL-O-GRAMS (Affiliated Leadership League): An acoustical measuring device used in the Polaroid one-step camera has been made available to the American Foundation for the Blind for application to devices that would assist blind persons. The device would be suitable for acoustical canes, head protection devices, or hand-held measuring instruments. The transducer, located on the top of the camera, emits an audible, high-frequency, pulsing sound that strikes the object to be photographed and bounces back. The camera measures the time it takes the sound to travel back and forth, determines the distance, and then drives a motor that focuses the lens. The Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, Illinois, now has a toll-free telephone number. The number is (800) 323-4238, except for residents of lllinois. Persons living in Illinois should call (800) 942-4193. The North Carolina Council of the Blind at its 1978 annual convention presented three awards for outstanding service: to Immediate Past President Theodore Bryant, the Distinguished Service Award; to Judge C. Coleman Cates, the Outstanding Blind Citizen Award, in recognition of the unique and outstanding accomplishments of a North Carolinian who is blind; and to Dr. William C. (Bill) Friday, President of the University of North Carolina, the Distinguished Leadership Award, in recognition of unusual assertiveness in breaking down barriers facing the blind and handicapped of the State. According to the SATH NEWS (Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped), a new and expanded edition of Access Travel: Airports, has been published by the Federal Aviation Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 20-page booklet lists 69 accessibility features in 220 airport terminals throughout the country. The guide covers special needs of the physically handicapped, the blind, the deaf, and the aged. Single free copies may be obtained from Consumer Information Center, Department 619-F, Pueblo, CO 81009. Although Seeing Eye plans to celebrate the golden anniversary of the school throughout 1979, its official birthday was January 29. It was on that date in 1929 that the school was incorporated in Nashville, Tennessee, home of Morris S. Frank, Seeing Eye pioneer. Later this year, according to the Seeing Eye Guide, a commemorative stamp will be issued by the U.S. Postal Service and a history of the school, Love in the Lead, by Peter Brock Putnam, will be published by E.P. Dutton & Co. From OPPORTUNITY (National Industries for the Blind): The Delaware County Branch of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind recently celebrated the opening of Stinson Tower, a barrier-free, high-rise apartment complex for blind, physically handicapped, and elderly persons. The 150-unit complex was constructed with funds from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and a community development grant. The world's largest trade show devoted exclusively to products and services the handicapped will be held April 19-21 in Los Angeles, California. To be known as the International Abilities Unlimited Exposition, the show's 700 exhibitors, some from outside the country, will display the latest in communications equipment for the deaf and many technological advancements for the blind, visually impaired, and physically handicapped. Many medical and rehabilitation products are expected to be introduced. For more information, write Richard Wooten, International Abilities Unlimited Exposition, 2945 Harding Street, Suite 107, Carlsbad, CA 92008. From HOOSIER STARLIGHT: The Ford Motor Company is offering copies of its Annual Report on cassette. For a free copy, write Stockholder Relations Department, Ford Motor Company, The American Road, Dearborn, MI 48121. The National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped, is conducting a nationwide search for adult handicapped artists willing to become involved in planning and implementing arts programs. A booklet of short descriptions of handicapped artists and their work will be compiled. Anyone wishing to contribute may request a questionnaire from the Committee at Suite 801, 1701 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006. Subscriptions to the Braille Feminist Review, a quarterly publication containing unedited excerpts from the Feminist Press, are available for $5 a year from Sandra Kay Elinson, Media Projects for the Blind, 510-4 Main Street, A-36, New York, NY 10044. Sample copies, $1.25 each. The National Eye Institute has invited scientists to apply for research grants to study the use of marijuana as a possible treatment for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Laboratory tests with animals and some scattered human tests have shown that marijuana can lower the pressure of fluids between the cornea and the lens of the eye. It is this pressure build-up, caused by obstructions in the tiny canals, that damages the optic nerve. The Eye Institute said that even though marijuana does lower the eye pressure, there is no evidence yet that it can actually prevent loss of vision. The Institute wants researchers to determine if use of the drug causes any adverse side effects. Archives of International Medicine, the scientific journal of the American College of Physicians, reports that researchers have reversed diabetes in rats by transplanting a fetal pancreas in a delicate procedure that some day may be used to cure the disease in human beings. Partially developed fetal pancreases were transplanted into adult diabetic rats and, after a three-week growing period, produced enough insulin to return the rats to normal. It is anticipated that tests with human volunteers will begin in two to three years. Materials and devices used in the education of blind persons, such as writing equipment, mathematics cubes, white canes, a Thermoform machine, etc., etc. are very much needed by the Alouile School for the Blind in Casablanca, Morocco, according to Lee Howard Weinstein, Peace Corps volunteer. The school enrolls 200 students, aged 4 to 50. Most of the teachers are blind. Anyone having materials to donate or wishing more information may contact Lee Howard Weinstein, 20 Rue des Iris, Apt. II, Beause jcus, Casablanca, Morocco. From DISABLED USA: The Xavier Society for the Blind announces publication of Deaf-Blind News Summary, a newsletter written in very simple English for deaf-blind persons just beginning to learn to read. The newsletter is being published in large print and Grade One braille and will be sent every two weeks to any deaf-blind person requesting it. Write Ms. Karen Jernigan, Deaf-Blind Department, Xavier Society for the Blind, 154 E. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010. A special tour for blind persons and educators of the visually impaired now being organized to visit Scandinavia and Russia. The tour, which wills emphasize facilities and services for the blind and handicapped, will leave New York City on June 25 and return July 17. The all-inclusive cost is approximately $2,000. For more information, write Gayle Hodge, 1350 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The Federal Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (A&TBCB) and the City of St. Louis have reached agreement on plans to provide handicapped pedestrians safe access at an intersection facing the city's new convention center. This is the first time Federal funds have been stopped over violations of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, the law which the agency enforces, according to A&TBCB general counsel, Charles Goldman. The 1968 law requires all Federally funded facilities to be accessible to handicapped persons. Five Ohio University students have designed an electronic calculator for the blind which they believe is an improvement on the models currently on the market. They claim the instrument is smaller, less expensive, more durable, and easier to use than those now available. By re-designing and compacting the layout of internal electronic components, the students were able to make the calculator smaller. A collection of Hutterite literature is available in Grade Two braille, on free loan, from the Plough Publishing House, Norfolk, Connecticut 06058. A list of holdings is available upon request. The second edition of "3D Guitar Chords" is now ready for distribution. Initially developed in 1970 for the Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Music Services Unit, it has been expanded in format and purpose, and now most disabled individuals, whether physically, emotionally, or intellectually handicapped, can enjoy the course. The complete package includes five cassettes and a book of three-dimensional chord diagrams made of raised plastic, with black, extra-large print for the partially sighted. The five cassettes, covering a good six months' self-instruction, make up a complete beginner's guitar course. The price is $60, plus $3 to cover postage and handling. For further information, write Natalie Lamken, 1724 17th Street, N.W., Apt. 72, Washington, DC 20009. The Board of Directors of the Illinois Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in December approved the National Accreditation Council of Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped as the official accreditation agency for all blind services of the Illinois Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. This matter had been under study of a special ad hoc committee on accreditation of blind facilities, appointed in April of 1978 by Board Chairman Leonard Grazian. The committee consisted of Board members Richard Kent, Dr. Robert Larson, and Robert Gomsrud. The committee's recommendation was unanimous. After some discussion, the motion was approved on December 4, 1978. ***** ** 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. ***** ** 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 ###