The Braille Forum Vol. XIX July, 1980 No. 1 Housing Protection for the Handicapped Passed by House Battle Moves to Senate Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** * National Office: Durward K. McDaniel National Representative 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 ** Contributing Editors George Card 605 South Few Street Madison, WI 53703 Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 ** 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 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 Report from the ACB President, Oral O. Miller Response to "The Quarantine Issue in Hawaii," by Grace D. Napier On Further Reflection -- The Davis Case, by Reese Robrahn Recent Legal Developments: First the Good News, Then the Bad, by Kathy Megivern Faux Pas, Humorous and Otherwise, by Al Nichols League of Disabled Voters Purposes and Goals Walt Disney Destroys Stereotypes, by George A. Covington World Book Encyclopedia on Cassette Housing Legislation Passes, by Kathy Megivern From the Archives: The Turning Point, by Durward McDaniel BANA Modifies Braille Rules, by Floyd Cargill Hyde Park Corner: Optical Aids for Low Vision, by Stephen H. Hoyt ACB Affiliate News: California, Texas, and Utah Conventions Here and There, by George Card Notice to Subscribers ***** ** Report from the ACB President, Oral O. Miller It is difficult to think of a better way to begin this article than by reporting the formation and launching of the Mountain State Council of the Blind, whose application for affiliation with the American Council of the Blind will almost certainly have been accepted by the ACB Board by the time this article goes to press. Although the first steps toward forming an ACB affiliate in West Virginia were taken several years ago, the process accelerated approximately a year ago, and throughout the past fall and winter the provisional officers, under the energetic leadership of Carla Pingley Matthews of Morgantown, worked hard at preparing provisional by-laws, contacting prospective members, and doing all the other dozens of things that had to be done before a formal organizational meeting could be conducted. However, by late April of this year, the necessary groundwork had been completed and the organizational meeting was scheduled for the last weekend in May in Charleston, the state capital. It was my pleasure, along with ACB National Representative Durward McDaniel and Martin Schaefer of the ACB National Office, to meet with the approximately 25 West Virginians who attended that meeting in Charles­ton. The meeting received excellent recognition from state government officials and the statewide media. The Sunday, June 1, 1980 issue of the largest newspaper in the state carried an excellent article regarding the need for and the objectives of the new organization. The members and new officers went home with the realization that there is an enormous advocacy job to be done and that they, with ACB assistance, have the necessary "know-how" and dedication to do the job effectively. The newly elected officers are John Kolwick of South Charleston as President, Laura Hoffmaster of Romney as Vice President, Christine Cook of Martinsburg as Secretary, and Ninetta Garner of Romney as Treasurer. The members of the Board of Directors are Paula Hall of Wheeling, Dr. Robert Stilwell of Morgantown, Dorris Schofield of Elkins, Sharon Fridley of Nitro, Iva Dean Cook of Scott Depot, Robert Jefferson of Dunbar, and Charles Harris of Huntington. The new organization already has more than fifty members. I want to extend a warm· welcome to all the members of the Mountain State Council. We are looking forward to accepting you officially during the national convention in Louisville in July. Pursuant to the recent reorganization of the former U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, most rehabilitation and education services of relevance to the blind will come under the jurisdiction of the new Department of Education. More specifically, they will come under the direction of Dr. Edwin Martin, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, who is scheduled to be the main speaker at the 1980 ACB national convention banquet in Louisville in July. We are extremely pleased to have Assistant Secretary Martin as our speaker, because he will be in a unique position to answer many questions concerning such subjects as the future of programs for the handicapped, program priorities, specialized versus general service programs, etc. I urge those of you who receive this issue of The Braille Forum before leaving for the convention to plan to attend the banquet on Friday evening, July 18. Although you will enjoy and benefit from the remarks of Assistant Secretary Martin, I want to remind you that attendance at the national convention and participation in its meetings are two of the easiest yet most effective ways to support the American Council of the Blind and increase its national impact as the fastest growing organization of the blind and spokesman of the blind in the United States. In early June, 1980, we issued ACB Action Memorandum 80-03 to publicize as rapidly as possible the fact that ACB would be providing meaningful financial assistance to a representative from every affiliate who was interested in attending the Section 504 and Advocacy Workshop and the Publications Workshop preceding the 1980 ACB national convention in Louisville. The decision to provide such assistance is another example of ACB's desire to use its improving financial condition to educate its members as to essential organizational skills. It is contemplated that the ACB Board of Directors, when it next meets in Louisville, will explore other ways of providing meaningful assistance. However, I shall be pleased to receive from you, the readers of The Braille Forum, any suggestions you may wish to make concerning impartial ways we may further assist the membership on an organization-wide basis. Again, I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the 1980 ACB national convention in Louisville! ***** ** Response to "The Quarantine Issue in Hawaii" by Grace D. Napier (Dr. Grace D. Napier is Professor of Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley Colorado.) As a Seeing Eye dog guide user, I read with interest Emogene Johnston's article and commend her research into the topic of rabies. Although she provided interesting information about the disease and its prevention and about how the State of Hawaii is coping with blind visitors, I feel strongly that one very big issue was not addressed. Her article was one-sided in defending Hawaii's practices. Is there no alternative? I think there is. Dog guides are vaccinated annually against rabies. Owners have reason to be concerned about the possibility of other dogs attacking and biting dog guides. By being vaccinated continuously, dog guides are not threatened with rabies and having to be destroyed. Why, then, will the State of Hawaii authorities not require documentation from a visitor as proof that the dog guide has been vaccinated, and any other statement from a veterinarian that the dog is in excellent health? Is a rabies vaccination administered in Maine or Texas any less effective than one given in Honolulu? I have the same argument for Great Britain, where the quarantine is six months in duration. Is the British veterinarian more competent to prevent rabies with his vaccination than an American veterinarian? I believe not. Even if Hawaii and Great Britain would bend the rule for only dog guides, what a service they would be rendering, without endangering the islands in the least. As a dog guide user, I would be willing to meet stringent requirements beforehand if compliance would mean that my dog could accompany me to Hawaii and Great Britain without having to be impounded. The requirement might be that the dog be examined weekly for six weeks or three months in the continental United States prior to arrival in Hawaii or Great Britain, and that the dog be examined by a Hawaiian or British veterinarian upon entry. I would hold papers that document not only that my dog had been vaccinated within the past twelve months, but also annually since the time when the veterinarian for the Seeing Eye, Inc. had vaccinated the dog. Is all this not reasonable and even workable? It is if officials can understand logic. ***** ** On Further Reflection -- The Davis Case By Reese Robrahn On June 11, 1979, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its first decision in a case involving interpretation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (see "Southeastern Community College v. Davis-What Does It Mean?", by Kathy Megivern, The Braille Forum, July, 1979). The Court held in that case that Section 504 does not forbid professional schools from imposing "reasonable physical qualifications" for admission to their clinical training program; and that, on the basis of the facts of the record in the case, "ability to understand speech without reliance on lip reading" is a reasonable and necessary qualification for the clinical phase of the Southeastern Community College associate nursing degree program. Thus, Frances Davis, a hearing-impaired woman holding a license as a practical nurse, the plaintiff in the case, was denied the opportunity to receive the necessary training for licensing as a registered nurse under the North Carolina state laws and licensing procedures. The immediate reaction of disabled people around the country to the Court's ruling was dismay, frustration, indignation, and outrage. This reaction was not engendered so much by the outcome of the case as it was from the Court's voiced lack of sensitivity and appreciation of the competency, capability, and accomplishments of people who have handicaps, and the Court's apparent lack of awareness of civil rights for handicapped people, and from the misleading and erroneous reporting on the case by the news media. Misleading and erroneous reporting by the news media is exemplified by a headline appearing in a daily newspaper of an eastern city, which read: "Handicapped Excluded from Schools." In upholding the action of the college in refusing admission of Frances Davis to its nurse training program on the basis of her hearing impairment, the Court disregarded the fact that there are 157 hearing impaired nurses and 96 hearing impaired doctors practicing their profession in Federal jobs, and many more in the private sector, all of which was documented and cited in amicus briefs. The Court might well have asked what percentage of registered nurses ever practice their profession in the operating room setting where masks are worn by the operating team. And, how many hospitals of today rely on patients' cries for aid or service instead of signal by lights? The court regarded signing interpreters for deaf persons as personal attendants for personal use, and the utilization of such signing interpreters as a downgrading of the program and the lowering of standards. The Court was unwilling to recognize for handicapped individuals, as it had recognized for members of other minority groups and women, that the basis and underlying precept of civil rights is not equal treatment, but equal opportunity. The Court concluded that a hearing-impaired person cannot perform, or cannot safely perform, some functions of a registered nurse in some nursing job situations, and that the nurse training program and the North Carolina state licensing procedures required training and performance of all functions. With regard to the latter conclusion, the Court very conveniently overlooked or chose to ignore provisions of Section 84.10 of the Section 504 Regulation, which deals with the effect of state or local law or other requirements and effect concerning employment opportunities. This section reads as follows: a. The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or alleviated by the existence of any state or local law or other requirement that, on the basis of handicap, imposes prohibitions or limits upon the eligibility of qualified handicapped persons to receive services or to practice any occupation or profession. b. The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or alleviated because employment opportunities in any occupation or profession are or may be more limited for handicapped persons than for non-handicapped persons. Obviously, the physical qualification requirement for admission to the nurse training program of the college and the requirement for the North Carolina state licensing procedures for registered nurses are precisely the kinds of limitation or exclusion that this section of the Regulation was intended to prohibit. At the trial of the case in the Federal District Court, the college introduced the testimony of seven witnesses, all of whom testified that the hearing impairment of the plaintiff would make impossible her meaningful participation in the nurse training program. No testimony or evidence was offered by the plaintiff to rebut that testimony, and no evidence was introduced as to what auxiliary aids such as signing interpreters would be required by the plaintiff, or what course modifications might be required for her. If adequate testimony and evidence had been put into the record at the trial, and if the trial had taken place after the issuance of the 504 Regulation instead of before its issuance, the case would be a very different case from that which came before the Supreme Court. In any event, because of the circumstances of the case, that is to say, the dearth of evidence in the trial court record on behalf of Frances Davis and the clinical nature of the educational program involved, the case can be very narrowly construed. Lower courts are bound to follow the holding of the Supreme Court only where the same factual situation is present. But the opponents of civil rights for handicapped people under Section 504 have used, and will continue to use, the Davis case as their official excuse for their failure to implement the Regulation. Their exaggerated and erroneous claims about the ruling in the case, and that it is the beginning of the end for Section 504, must be guarded against and countered at every turn. Handicapped people must become more assertive of their rights under Section 504. We must become well-informed, strong advocates for ourselves as individuals and for others who have disabilities. We must be ever vigilant in the assertion of our rights and in the protection of our rights. We must get the point across to the public and to our basic institutions such as the courts that we are all in the struggle and a part of the civil rights movement for all people who have handicaps. Lest we forget! Hear it now, feel it, and know it! No one else will do it for us. ***** ** Recent Legal Developments: First the Good News, Then the Bad By Kathy Megivern Legal interpretations of Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are being handed down now with more and more frequency. Within the past few months, there have been several important decisions, and two of the most significant come from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. First the good news ... Camenisch v. the University of Texas was decided on April 28, 1980. Walter Camenisch was a deaf graduate student who sued the University of Texas because of that school's refusal to provide him with interpreter services. The Fifth Circuit's decision is especially important because of the way in which it limits the effects of the Supreme Court's opinion in Southeastern Community College v. Davis. The Davis case also involved a hearing-impaired person who sought admission to nursing school. While the specific facts of Davis are such that it could be narrowly interpreted, Justice Powell, speaking for a unanimous Supreme Court, included a lot of unnecessary, very broad language about Section 504. However, the Fifth Circuit ignored the Supreme Court's gratuitous remarks and chose instead to view Davis as narrowly as possible. Relying on the rationale that Ms. Davis could not have performed safely as a registered nurse, the Fifth Circuit goes on to say: "Read in this light, the Supreme Court's decision in Southeastern Community College says only that Section 504 does not require a school to provide services to a handicapped individual for a program for which the individual's handicap precludes him from ever realizing the principal benefits of the training. While such a rule obviously needs more clarification, it is clear that in this case Camenisch's claim can succeed on the merits, despite the holding in Southeastern Community College, since he can obviously perform well at his profession." Another legal question decided favorably by the Fifth Circuit in the Camenisch case is the issue of whether there is a private right of action under Section 504. The question of whether such a right exists under Section 504 (and Section 503) has been the subject of much controversy. A private right of action simply means that an individual is allowed to sue. Normally such a right must be included in the language of a statute. However, there are many laws which do not contain the express language. When that is the case, the court then must look to other factors, including the legislative history, to see if Congress intended to imply the right. Unfortunately, Sections 503 and 504 do not contain the express language granting a private right of action, nor is there much legislative history to help guide the courts. As a result, the decisions have been varied. The Supreme Court noted that it was not deciding this question in the Davis case. But the fact that the Court went on to deal with the substantive issues in the case seems a good indication that they believed Ms. Davis had a right to be in court in the first place. The Fifth Circuit agreed with this assumption and specifically ruled that an individual does have a private right to sue under Section 504. In addition, the court said that the individual does not have to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing suit. Normally, if there is an administrative procedure available, courts will require an aggrieved individual to proceed through the administrative steps before resorting to litigation. However, the Camenisch court found that the HEW administrative procedures were not intended to "provide a forum for program beneficiaries to press claims of discrimination against grant recipients." The only result possible of a complaint which is processed through HEW is the termination of Federal funds. The court found that while such a move may have its effect upon recipients, it doesn't necessarily help the individual who was discriminated against. In light of the favorable holdings in the Camenisch case, it is hard to believe that three different judges from the very same Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down such bad news in the case of Rogers v. Frito Lay. The Rogers case was brought under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, but the court never got to any substantive issues of discrimination because of its ruling that there is no private right of action under Section 503. While the Fifth Circuit found such a right under Section 504, they refused to do SQ under this other provision of the same Act. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Rogers v. Frito Lay is the eloquent dissent by Circuit Judge Goldberg, which is 27 pages long and is an exhaustive study of the legislative history and intent of Section 503. The only other Court of Appeals (Sixth Circuit) which has ruled on this issue also found no private right of action. The district courts are fairly evenly divided on the issue. During the month of May, district courts in Illinois and Kansas ruled that the individual does not have the right to sue, while the district court for Alaska upheld the private right. One of the most well-reasoned opinions upholding the private cause of action was written by the District Court for the Southern District of New York in the case of Chaplain v. Consolidated Edison. A Writ of Certiorari has been filed in the Rogers case. This writ requests the Supreme Court to review the case. However, the appeal is not an automatic one and the Court may choose to review or not. The Fifth Circuit's opinion in Rogers is especially bad news for supporters of the blind shop workers who filed discrimination charges against Mississippi Industries for the Blind. While that case also contends violations under Section 504 and the U.S. Constitution, one of the strongest bases came under Section 503. Since Mississippi is in the Fifth Circuit, there is little that can be done to challenge the effect of Rogers on the Mississippi Industries case. The appeal will proceed in the Mississippi Industries case on the basis of Section 504 and constitutional claims. ***** ** Faux Pas, Humorous and Otherwise by Al Nichols I doubt there is a blind person alive who has not had a humorous or embarrassing experience due either to his blindness or to ignorance or misconceptions on the part of others. For quite some time, I have thought it might be fun to recount some of these happenings. Some I have been involved in myself, and some have been related to me by friends. All of us have had the experience of being spoken to in a very loud voice, as though our lack of vision somehow interfered with our hearing. We have all had sighted companions asked to speak for us -- even to think for us. The experiences recounted here go beyond these "routine," everyday occurrences and are more varied and more interesting. When I was attending the Perkins School for the Blind, there were several Jewish students. Each week someone would come from the Temple to take them to services. One day on the way to the Temple, the driver had car trouble and stopped at a garage to have the problem corrected. Being somewhat restless, two of the boys got out of the car and began wandering around. All of a sudden, Bob said in a distant voice, "Lewis, give me a hand!" "Where are you?" asked Lew. "Down here in this darned greasepit!" was the reply. Needless to say, Bob did not attend services that day. Some time ago, several blind friends and I were being escorted through the Newark Airport terminal building by a lone sighted guide. To our embarrassment and chagrin, all of a sudden it seemed as though all hell were breaking loose. Bells began to ring everywhere. It seems that while passing through a doorway, one of our group inadvertently hit some sort of button and set off the burglar alarm system. Two young ladies who had not seen each other for some time met on a street corner. By way of conversation, one asked the other if she were working. "Sometimes I read for blind students up at the college," replied the second young lady. "Oh," responded her friend, "I didn't know you knew braille!" Then there was the blind man who was making his way down a busy sidewalk in a midwestern city. Suddenly a small boy approached him and dropped a fifty-cent piece into his hand. "What is this for?" asked the blind man. "My grandmother told me to give it to you," said the boy. "Go back and find out from your grandmother what it is for," said our friend. A few moments later the boy returned and said, "My grandmother said to give it to you because you are blind." "Oh, that's all right," said our friend. "I don't charge for it." Another blind friend was walking along a busy street, carrying a white cane with the usual leather thong attached to the handle. When he stopped at an intersection to wait for the light to change, a stranger approached and asked, "Pardon me, sir, but aren't you supposed to have a dog on that leash?" Alfred works in a sheltered workshop. Each day he arrives home before his wife. For years it has been his practice to prepare the evening meal. One chilly day, Alfred decided that pea soup would be in keeping with the weather and proceeded accordingly. He started supper early so that the dried peas would have plenty of time to cook. Periodically he checked the pot, but the peas remained as hard as when he had first put them into the pot. Alfred was bewildered. When his wife arrived home, he told her of the dilemma. She checked first the pot, then the refrigerator. "No wonder these peas aren't cooking," she exclaimed. "The peas are still in the refrigerator. You are trying to make pea soup out of popcorn!" During an ACB convention several years ago, a bellman was overheard to remark: "These blind people can't tell night from day. They never go to bed!" ***** ** League of Disabled Voters Purpose and Goals Some people estimate that America's disabled population now numbers as high as 36 million. That is a significant percentage of the citizenry and could prove to be a formidable "minority," indeed, for any elected official to contend with. And yet, perhaps more than any other group, disabled citizens are a "silent minority." At a time when the voices of those who call for fiscal restraint and budget cuts are being heard loud and clear, advocates for the disabled are having a difficult time just maintaining the status quo in programs serving handicapped persons. But if those 36 million citizens were to become active -- in the political process, at all levels from local to national, their impact would be felt far beyond their numbers. No politician who knows that he or she has an organized, vocal constituency of blacks or Hispanics can afford to ignore the concerns of those groups. Likewise, if elected officials knew that among their constituents was a large number of registered, involved, disabled voters, issues of concern to those voters would not be ignored. With so many organizations representing all of the various disability groups, the question arises as to how we can best accomplish the goal of an organized constituency composed of voters from all disability groups and all political preferences. The answer to that question is a new organization called the League of Disabled Voters. According to its bylaws, the purposes of the LDV are as follows: a. To assure the full exercise of constitutional, statutory, and human rights of persons with disabilities, through informed and active participation of citizens in government. b. To educate, inform, and motivate disabled persons and other interested persons to register, vote, and participate fully in the political process at every level of government. c. To unite individuals at the local, county, state, regional, and national levels with similar purposes, and to facilitate communication among such persons. It is important to note that LDV, in the tradition of the League of Women Voters, after which it is patterned, shall not support or oppose any political party or any individual candidate. The League will sponsor disabled voter registration drives, conduct educational seminars on all aspects of voting and on political process, and attempt to organize transportation networks for the purpose of getting disabled persons to the polls on Election Day. Membership will primarily consist of physically, mentally, or sensorily disabled persons. However, anyone interested in the problems of disabled individuals may join the League of Disabled Voters. The League will accept membership applications only from individuals. The LDV will not entertain applications for membership from organizations. The LDV will not interfere with the policy determination process of any other organization of disabled persons. In this way, members of any organization devoted to the special interests of a specific category of disabled persons may feel perfectly comfortable joining the LDV without concern for matters of conflict of interest. The League of Disabled Voters had already distributed questionnaires to the major Presidential candidates to find where they stand on issues of concern to disabled persons. The League intends to continue this project through the finalization of the electoral process in November. We urge disabled persons to become a part of this important new organization. The national president of LDV is Eunice K. Fiorito, former Board member of the American Council of the Blind. ACB National Representative Durward K. McDaniel is a member of LDV's Board of Directors. Yearly dues are $20 and should be mailed to: League of Disabled Voters, P.O. Box 23283, L'Enfant Plaza Station, S.W., Washington, DC 20024. ***** ** Walt Disney Destroys Stereotypes by George A. Covington Three short films from Walt Disney Educational Media will go far in helping dispel many stereotypes about individuals with disabilities. The films, part of the "Truly Exceptional People" series, are narrated by former Olympic skier, Jill Kinmont Boothe. Ms. Boothe's struggle to overcome her handicap was dramatized in the motion picture, "The Other Side of the Mountain." The first film deals with Tom and Virl Osmond. The two oldest brothers of the well-known Osmond singing family were born with severe hearing impairment. The film, which is 14 minutes long, shows how Tom and Virl have not allowed near deafness to interfere with an active life style. The second film (11 minutes) deals with Dan Haley, a teenager who enjoys rock climbing and playing in a rock band. Legally blind, he functions with only minimal vision and with the realization that he will eventually go completely blind. The final film concerns the athletic ability and goals of Carol Johnston (15 1/2 minutes). Carol, a nationally recognized gymnast, was born with only one arm. These documentary films are well produced, with the skill that would be expected of a Walt Disney film. However, their value lies in their presentation of disabled individuals as simply individuals with disabilities. The people presented do not regard themselves as exceptional. Instead, they stress that they are people who have not allowed a disability to defeat them. The only criticism is not with the films, but with the promotional materials for the films. These materials stress too much the "exceptionalism" of what many handicapped individuals would consider normal. This shortcoming does not, however, affect the quality of the films. Additional information may be obtained by writing Carl Bearth, Walt Disney Educational Media, Inc., 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521. ***** ** World Book Encyclopedia on Cassette Among new products announced by the American Printing House for the Blind for distribution in the fall is the World Book Encyclopedia -- Recorded Edition -- Copyright 1980. The recorded encyclopedia will come as a package including an indexing cassette player specially designed for use with the encyclopedia and nineteen volumes. Each volume will contain special cassettes on which the content of the encyclopedia is recorded and indexes provided in braille and large type. A total of 219 cassettes is included. Use of the indexes enables rapid access to the recorded contents. The content of this encyclopedia is quite similar to its print counterpart. The encyclopedia's design is based on years of research and is known to be practical and useful for anyone who can read well enough to use the indexes, which are alphabetical listings of the content and locate specific items in such listings. Replacement cassettes and volumes will be available. APH Catalog No. 1-0898. Price, $1,176. For further information, write American Printing House for the Blind, 1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206. ***** ** Housing Legislation Passes By Kathy Megivern The Fair Housing Act Amendments, H. R. 5200, passed the House of Representatives on June 12, 1980. Final passage came quickly after two days of floor debate and some attempted amendments that came perilously close to passage. As promised, Representative F. James Sensenbrenner (R., WI) offered his amendment to remove the administrative enforcement provisions of the bill. This amendment would, in effect, kill the bill, since the heart of the legislation is that portion setting up the administrative proceedings. The Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 to eliminate discrimination in the sale or rental of housing, but the law gave the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) no power to process complaints administratively. Thus, an individual who was the victim of discrimination had only one option — expensive and lengthy court proceedings. As a result, the law has not functioned well and widespread discrimination in housing has remained a fact of American life. Once Mr. Sensenbrenner's amendment was introduced, Representative Michael Synar (D., OK) offered his amendment to amend the Sensenbrenner amendment. Mr. Synar's proposal would move the administrative law judges provided for in the Act from HUD to the Department of Justice. This was in response to the criticism often heard that HUD would become too powerful and would abuse that power. While the Synar amendment made certain changes in response to some of the criticisms, the net effect was simply to remove the Sensenbrenner amendment from consideration. The vote came on the Synar proposal, and it was passed 205 to 204. Thus, in effect, the Sensenbrenner amendment was defeated by one vote! Another amendment which was attempted was the Hyde amendment. This proposal by Representative Henry Hyde (R., IL) would have allowed real estate appraisers to take factors such as race, religion, national origin, sex, or handicap into account when determining the value of real property. Basically, this would have exempted appraisers from the non-discrimination requirements of the Act. Again an amendment was introduced to change the Hyde amendment. Representative Andrew Jacobs (D., IN) proposed language allowing appraisers to consider any factors other than race, religion, national origin, sex, or handicap. This proposal passed by a 100-vote margin, and thus the Hyde amendment was defeated. The final drama came with a last-ditch effort by Mr. Sensenbrenner to have the bill re-committed to the Judiciary Committee. This motion was defeated by only 13 votes. Immediately following that vote, the bill was voted on and passed by a wide margin. While there had been much talk by Representative Caldwell Butler (R., VA) of efforts to have the handicapped provisions stricken from the bill, no such amendment was offered on the floor. There was criticism heard about the definition of handicap, but in the end the bill was passed with those portions unchanged. Now attention shifts to the Senate, where Senate Bill S. 506 has been referred to the full Judiciary Committee for action. The version as passed by the House of Representatives is very different from the version before the Senate committee, so there is still much work to be done before the Fair Housing Act Amendments become law. ***** *** From the Archives: The Turning Point by Durward K. McDaniel It is commonly believed that one of the prime motivators of people today is money. Therefore, it should be no surprise that one of the central issues in the internal struggle within the National Federation of the Blind between 1956 and 1961 was precisely that. In this and the next article in this series, material is being presented which sheds light on the major financial issues which caused friction both on and off the Executive Committee. "The Turning Point," by Durward McDaniel, served two major purposes. First, it was written to identify the one particularly crucial element -- among all of the many other elements -- which caused him to begin to change his opinion. In stating his true motivations for changing his attitude, McDaniel exposes as false charges that he was dissident due only to arguments with Kenneth Jernigan and the firing of his friend, A.L. Archibald. These arguments had long been circulated in an attempt to undermine McDaniel's credibility with the NFB membership and to stem the growth of his support. McDaniel's second motivation in writing the article was to call the attention of the membership to the growing lack of financial control within NFB. It pointed up some rather startling credibility difficulties within the administration and surely must have reminded many members of the establishment in 1958 of the Committee on Finance and Budget. This committee's first report was to have been given at the 1959 convention in Santa Fe. In view of events to be related in the next article in this series, June, 1959 was a very propitious time for publication of "The Turning Point." ** The Turning Point By Durward K. McDaniel (Reprinted from The Federation Free Press, June, 1959) Jernigan was quite mistaken when he suggested, in the supplement to the April Monitor, that the difficulty all began in San Francisco when everything appeared to be so harmonious. On the other hand, he is right to the extent that something decisive happened there which affected the attitudes of many Federationists, including my own. He would suppose that competition for the second vice-presidency was the decisive event because he understands ambition and power motivations better than he does others. As a matter of fact, my name was presented to the nominating committee for that office without my knowledge, wish, or consent. Jernigan received the committee's nomination by a narrow margin. My activities during the last 24 hours of the convention were aimed at preventing his election to a position which would place him in the line of succession to the presidency. I supported Clyde Ross for re­election, and as a part of my activity, I said that I would run for the position if Jernigan did not withdraw. I told the president of my opposition to Jernigan and offered to enumerate my reasons. There was no anger between the president and me on this subject. Jernigan was not present when we talked about it at breakfast. The net result was that Clyde Ross was re-elected by acclamation after Jernigan declined. Jernigan and I were re-elected to the executive committee. The real turning point came one night during the San Francisco convention at a special meeting of the executive committee. There we were told by the president that he had built an office building for the Federation on his property and had paid for it from the Federation treasury, having obtained a permit from the City of Berkeley for the construction of a library and study. This he had done more than a year before, but the executive committee and the Omaha convention had not been told about it. A legal problem existed because the structure was contiguous to the president's home and located upon his private property. The president proposed that his investment in Federation money be amortized according to prevailing rents in Berkeley for comparable space, and he had some figures to show how long it would take to use up the investment at those rates. The net result of the president's proposal would have been that the Federation would have had no further interest in the building. Although it did not come to a vote, I believe that this proposal would have been opposed by a majority of the executive committee. Even George Card was adamant in insisting that the building must belong to the Federation. After three hours of consideration, we worked out the only device we could think of to give this unilateral transaction of the president some color of legality and to minimize the adverse publicity which might result if it should ever become known that our president had made such an indefensible expenditure. One need only recall headlines concerning the handling of union treasuries to understand the possibilities which confronted the organization then and now. We authorized the leasing of the ground the building was built on. The president has said that he has signed a lease with the Federation to run for a four-year term expiring in 1960, at which time the NFB is obligated to remove the building. I have not read the lease. It is doubtful that the building can be moved in any useful condition and without damage to the president's home, to which it is attached. No one has given the committee an estimate of the cost of removing this building. If you read the president's release about the office building under date of September 12, 1958, you know that he presented his defense in terms of the need for the space. No one has ever questioned the need for adequate office space, and it is certainly conveniently located for the president. I do not know what you would have done if you had been confronted with similar facts as a member of the executive committee. We did what we thought would protect the organization from adverse criticism and publicity. I cannot adequately describe the effect upon me of the revelation of this unauthorized act of the president. I had been in the Federation for many years, and I had defended Jacobus tenBroek up and down the country as president and had accepted and executed numerous assignments such as organizing in North Carolina, Texas, and New Mexico, and investigating conditions at the school for the deaf and blind in Idaho. When I left that meeting, I knew that something had to be done to put the organization on a business basis with procedural controls, especially on expenditures of money, to avoid a repetition of such presumptuous acts. The problem was how to go about democratizing the Federation in a peaceful and harmonious manner without undue delay. I discussed the subject with several responsible Federationists without specific reference to the building incident. It seemed feasible to begin with a resolutions committee including one member from each delegation, chosen by the delegation, to assure direct representation of the members in the respective states. The idea was popular with delegates, and seventeen of them joined in sponsoring a constitutional amendment to establish a more direct representation system -- one which would afford the machinery for progressive reforms. I should not have been surprised to find that it was opposed vigorously and successfully by tenBroek, Jernigan, Card, and John Taylor. My disappointment was keen -- not at losing, because I have lost many battles in my state and in the national organization. Rather, I was disappointed because our principal leaders had told me by their opposition that they intended to maintain a tight control over the policy. making functions of the convention. I knew then that they would never surrender control of the organization gracefully or without a fight. The firing of A.L. Archibald was but another step in the tightening of control of the organization. It had been apparent for months that the administration, and particularly tenBroek and Jernigan, were out to get Archibald. I joined Marie Boring in protesting the autocratic action of the president before the executive committee, and its response was to disregard its constitutional function as the governing body between conventions by giving to the president more authority than he had ever had before. Neither Mrs. Boring nor I ever sought Archie's reinstatement, and he never asked us to. We urged the institution of budgeting and fiscal controls. They were rejected. The Card Amendment, giving the president control of our organization, was the culmination of this drive for concentration of power. After the Boston convention, we had to choose between accepting an action movement with one leader and a multitude of followers, or striving for an action movement made up of many capable and responsible Federationists dedicated to a common cause and working together in a truly democratic manner. There was one other alternative -- we could have gotten out, but we chose to stay in our organization and work for reform. Further examples of the acute need for democratization and the establishment of orderly and business-like procedures have been witnessed since the Boston convention. Among these examples is the use of Federation funds to publish irresponsible attacks upon Federation members, as in the ridiculous "Zoro" articles and the so-called "Warren" letter. (Note: This reference is to two vicious attacks mounted against McDaniel in the Braille Monitor and through a presidential release.) We are now confronted with the hysteria of the April Supplement, with its many allegations of motive and attitude. One key fact cuts through the entire document -- the overwhelming fear of the mounting support for internal reform. Of all possible reforms, the administration fears most that which is implicit in the slogan coined by the president himself -- tenBroek must go. This is the interpretation given to a simple expression of an honest opinion by Marie Boring in a letter to George Card dated December 29, 1958: "You must know that I am referring to the story which you and others concocted to explain your resignation as First Vice President of the NFB ... This recent outrage has convinced me that the Federation can function as a moving force only with a new administration -- an administration which is drawn from persons who have had no active part on either side of this controversy and which will make use of the great potential existing within the NFB." From the violent reaction to this expression, one can only surmise whether the president will ever think that anyone should suggest a change in administration. But the mere expression alone could hardly have produced this frenzy of defense. More likely, it must have brought home to the president as nothing else has the full force of the groundswell for reform and the fear that the slogan he translated out of Mrs. Boring's expression might even now be the common denominator of that groundswell. ***** ** BANA Modifies Braille Rules By Floyd Cargill, Chairman Braille Authority of North America The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) took action during its meeting on April 2 and 3, 1980, to modify a few braille rules. The changes were made as one step toward making the Braille Code more consistent with print and to eliminate the "exceptions to the rule" that make production of braille by computers difficult. The changes were used in material presented to school children and in magazines distributed nationwide. No confusion was created. No objections were raised. No problems are created. Learning braille and producing it by modern technology are expected to be enhanced by eliminating a few instances of inconsistencies in the rules. Division of Compound Words After the Slash. The slash is used many times in written material today to join words. The slash does not serve the same purpose as the hyphen when a compound word such as and/or cannot fit on one line and must be divided after the first word. Such divisions must be shown by inserting a hyphen after the slash. A computer program for braille translation that does not divide words at the end of a line (most do not) does not have to follow this rule. Sports Scores. Present rules require written sports scores to use a dash instead of a hyphen to separate the numbers. The new practice will permit sports scores, results of votes, etc., to be joined by a hyphen, not a dash. The number sign will not be repeated after the hyphen. This may cause a slight bit of confusion on the part of the braille reader to distinguish sports scores from inclusive numbers, but the content will usually clarify the meaning. The advantages in automatic production with compositor tapes are significant. The Natural Pause. One of the most perplexing problems to students learning braille and to professional transcribers is the question of what is known as the "natural pause." That problem is solved by eliminating it. The words "to," "into," and "by" will be permitted to be joined to a word following, whether or not there is a natural pause. The italics or capital sign will be permitted either before or after the signs. Likewise, the word signs "a," "and," "for," "of," "the," and "with" should follow one another without space between. Reader confusion created by eliminating the "natural pause" rule is minimal, but computer processing and automatic production of braille will be greatly facilitated. Other Signs. Signs for coinage, weights, measures, quotations, etc., are not always used in braille in the same order as in print. In general, the rules are modified to permit following print practices closely; i.e., if the symbol follows the number after a space, the braille copy would do the same; if the print symbol follows the number immediately, the braille copy would do the same, inserting the letter sign as indicated by the Braille Code. Likewise, the braille practice would follow the print practice with respect to the use of the double or single quotation marks as the outer quotation marks. Errata. The official Braille Code contained in English Braille, American Edition -- 1959, revised 1972, will be formally attached to reflect these rule changes. The information is expected to be ready for distribution within a few months. The long-range effects of these changes should make more braille material available by facilitating production by automatic equipment and reducing the amount of human intervention needed for such processes. ***** ** Hyde Park Corner: Optical Aids for Low Vision By Stephen H. Hoyt 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. Readers of the January, 1978 issue of The Braille Forum may recall an article about optical aids for low vision. The article, entitled "Rehabilitation Teaching and the Low-Vision Client," suggested, among other things, that rehabilitation teachers could and should provide a very important new service to their clients -- one whereby they could see to read, everything from the daily paper to the dials on a stove. A short list of optical aids was recommended -- a group of aids which had been screened out of all the many devices available, to find the very best. The article also appeared in a professional periodical, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. The favorable response to these articles indicated a vast amount of interest. Correspondence came from visually impaired people and professional workers from all over the country, even from the islands of Bermuda and Aruba. For the professional people, mostly rehabilitation teachers, I was able to provide complete information on the procedure for determining which aid would work best for each individual and on sources of materials. But for those who had read the article in The Braille Forum and had written to me, I was frustrated because I could only refer them to "the nearest rehabilitation teacher" and then hope that that teacher had obtained the information or could be induced to. This worked in a number of cases. Even with this response, however, it was only a drop in the bucket compared to the great numbers of both professional people and low-vision people. So I remained frustrated. I had enjoyed such success with this procedure as a rehabilitation teacher that I wanted everyone to know about it. The reaction of my own clients when suddenly they could see to read, and to do it so easily, meant that I had one happy experience after another myself. To paraphrase an old saying: Frustration is the mother of invention. So, I invented a way to bring this service to every visually impaired person who can use it. I have tested it and it works beautifully. I have written a brochure which tells about the optical aids, with pictures, and includes a simplified self-testing procedure by which a visually impaired person can decide for himself which magnifier is best. To quote from the original article, "This is a program capable of becoming available to all who need it now." I am sorry I am so late, but here it is. For the brochure, write to Stephen H. Hoyt, 1000 Riverside Drive, Holly Hill, FL 32017. ***** ** ACB Affiliate News * California 42nd Semi-Annual Convention The 42nd semi-annual convention of the American Council of the Blind of California lived up to California's reputation for uniqueness and innovation. First of all -- the 42nd semi-annual was the last semi-annual convention. For 21 years, ACBC has held two conventions per year, and this was all to the good. Now, what with the high cost of every kind of transportation and astronomical hotel rates, two meetings a year are not sensible. So, the San Diego convention attendees voted to hold one annual convention, with regional meetings of one day's duration to be held each spring. The one-day program planned by Program Chair Michael Young was certainly far from "run-of-the-mill." The subjects discussed by the three guest speakers were "Psychological Aspects of Debilitating Mental and Physical Disabilities," "Problems Encountered in Dental Surgery on Mentally and Physically Disabled," and "Being the Parent of an Adult Schizophrenic." The highlight of the entire convention was the banquet address by ACB President Oral Miller. His presence at the convention provided a definite increase in interest and pride in ACB and its California affiliate. His obvious sincerity in telling of the accomplishments of the American Council of the Blind over the years enthralled his listeners. Although the program was certainly a departure from the norm, its effect on the visually impaired listeners was a fresh insight into the world of other handicapped persons, which surely broadens the sometimes narrow horizons of the blind. * Texas State Convention The American Council of the Blind of Texas held its third annual convention in Houston the last weekend in April. Speakers included Mr. Evans Wentz, Executive Director of the Texas Commission for the Blind (Austin), and Durward K. McDaniel, National Representative, American Council of the Blind. Members were also treated to a panel of local speakers on the topic, "Opportunities Unlimited." Guest speaker at the banquet Saturday night was Mr. Gibson DuTerroil, new President of the Lighthouse of Houston. Afterward, members attended a dance featuring music of the "Big Band era." The highlight of the Sunday morning session was the election of new officers as follows: Margaret Sanderfer, President; Steve Conradt, Vice President; Barbara Paape, Secretary; and Ed Bradley, Treasurer. * Recreation, Self-Expression, Employment -- Utah Council Convention, 1980 New ideas for recreation, self­expression, and employment — exhibits, awards, a new president -- and, of course, all the usual good fellowship! These were among the many elements which made the 1980 convention of the Utah Council of the Blind an outstanding success. Among the speakers at this one­day meeting were Maryann Fisher, who told of her experiences as a musician and teacher, and currently as singer with the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Linda Braithwait, who described her recent ceramics course and showed some of the articles she has made; Vicki Hathaway, crafts teacher, who stressed the value of crafts as a creative outlet; Adolf Seher, long-time amateur radio operator and active member of the ACB Service Net; Don Chambers, who urged members to join the UCB Credit Union; and Kent Wimmer, who told of plans for blinded veterans. A panel discussion on employment of the handicapped included representatives of Federal and state government, private industry, and blind persons. On display in addition to the many crafts items were products available from the Telephone Pioneers of America. The national American Council of the Blind was represented by First Vice President Delbert K. Aman of South Dakota. In his luncheon address, he spoke of some of the false ideas of rehabilitation held by both the sighted and the blind. The Albert M. Talmage Award for outstanding work for the blind of Utah done by a blind person was presented this year to Past President Grant Mack. The Sarah Talmage Award for outstanding work for the blind done by a sighted person was given this year to Mr. Jerry Buttars, Head of the Utah State Library Commission, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Because of his recent appointment to the Utah Governor's Committee on the Employment of the Handicapped, David K. Gordon found it necessary to resign his position as president of the UCB. Ms. Leslie Gertsch was elected to fill the remaining one year of his term. Other officers elected were Tessie Jones, Vice President; Norma Hoppe, Secretary; Dolores Wimmer, Treasurer; and two new Board members, Nels Lendorf and Donna Olsen. ***** ** Here and There By George Card Majorie Hooper, former head of the American Printing House for the Blind and the recipient of many awards and honors, has chosen Clearwater, Florida for her retirement years. She continues, however, to do a considerable amount of volunteer work for the benefit of blind people. A recent note from her began: "Thank you both for remembering my eighteenth birthday." Marjorie was born on February 29. From The Matilda Ziegler Magazine -- There are now 84 radio reading services broadcasting on 106 stations in 36 states. It is estimated that there are now about 40,000 listeners and a potential audience of around three million print-handicapped people. From the SDAB newsletter (South Dakota): Permanent damage to the eyes can be caused by the laser light shows which have become a spectacular feature of some discos. The problem with lasers, according to Glen Conklin, a physicist with the Bureau of Radiological Health of HEW, is that many of them are much stronger than the sun's light, yet "the eye can't even blink fast enough to protect itself, as it can with the sun." With only three inspectors in the whole country, Conklin states that most laser shows violate safety guidelines. There are undoubtedly many people who are completely unaware that great damage is being done to their eyes. What happens is that the eye absorbs light energy as heat energy. It can dissipate only a certain amount of heat in a given time. The intense light from lasers overheats cells in the retina and. destroys them. Some disco owners, including the owners of New York's famous Studio 54, regard laser shows as too dangerous and have no intention of showing them. -- And from the same issue: Vernon Williams, a blind attorney from Aberdeen, South Dakota, addressed a large group last October at Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind. The World Council for the Welfare of the Blind Newsletter reports that membership dues will be substantially raised; also that on January 28, Dr. Robert J. Smithdas, Director of Community Education at the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, was honored by St. John’s University with an honorary doctoral degree. It was fifty years prior to this that Helen Keller became the first deaf-blind person to receive a degree from Radcliffe College in Boston. -- It is now more than 25 years since UNESCO published "World Braille Usage" as part of its world Braille Uniformity Program. Those concerned with the education and welfare of visually handicapped people in countries throughout the world now feel that a revised edition is needed, as braille codes have been changed or enlarged and some new ones have been created in the last two and a half decades. Publication of the new book is planned for 1981, with ink-print and braille copies in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. -- The budget for the carrying on of the campaign against river blindness and the little black fly that causes it has been doubled for the coming year by the World Health Organization. The infestation of many rich river bottomlands has caused an almost complete desertion by the stricken inhabitants and the end of agriculture. But in the past nine years, five out of the ten countries affected have been freed from this infestation and hopes are high that the remaining areas can also be rendered habitable once more. -- Hadley School for the Blind in Paris recently organized a first-aid course for blind and visually handicapped persons, with the help of the Paris Fire Brigade. AH the students were successful in obtaining their diplomas. The following sentence was included in the President's Message reported in the KAB News (Kansas): "The word 'Involvement,' the theme of the KAB's 1979 convention, might well be the battle cry of all the blind and visually handicapped through the 1980's." The ACBC Digest (California) reports that Ione Miller has retired after 23 years as a vending stand operator. Ione served for a number of years as an Associate Editor of The Braille Forum and is currently President of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America. -- Effective January 1, 1980, the substantial gainful activity amount for blind SSDI recipients was increased to $418 a month. This means that blind SSDI recipients may earn up to that amount without having their cash benefits terminated. -- The fight to keep the California School for the Blind has been hotly renewed. George Fogarty, ACB Board member, has become chairman of the Legislative Committee, which has had a proud record of achievement in the past. From the CNIB National News of the Blind (Canada): A spread-eye needle for sewing and darning means no more lost threads. You simply pull the needle apart, insert the thread, and release. A slight tug on the thread upward toward the dull shank end locks the thread in. A slight tug downward releases the thread when you are through. Approximate cost: $1.10. -- When hung over the lid of a liquid container with prongs inside, the battery-operated indicator emits a high-pitched warning sound when the liquid reaches the prongs. Two sets of prongs are provided for two liquid levels. Approximate price, $14.00. Write to CNIB, Bakerwood, 1921 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4G 3E8. The latest Annual Report of the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the largest organization of its kind in the world, said that it had been able to expend 10 million pounds helping Britain's 120,000 blind people in the year 1978-79. -- The report describes the role of voluntary organizations as "to make quickly available what is missing from the statutory services, and then to work in close cooperation so that there is no overlap, but each supplements the other." The Matilda Ziegler Magazine reports that Jack Murphey of St. Louis, long-time editor and publisher of Good Cheer, a magazine for the deaf-blind, is receiving the Richard Kinney Challenge of Life Award for his distinguished service to the deaf-blind. Several ACB affiliates contribute toward the support of Good Cheer each year. Jack and Alma now have quite a collection of awards in recognition of their achievements. From The Braille Reporter (Seattle, Washington): The Northwest Foundation for the Blind makes "Chess Challenger" available at the regional library. Library users interested in examining or borrowing the game should contact Cher Ravagni at the library. This is the strongest chess program ever placed in a microprocessor. Approximately twice as fast as any previous model, this is the first Thinking Device that after thinking speaks out and talks. It is so smart it is available in English, German, French, or Spanish. The toll-free number is (800) 542-1866. The Montana Observer reports that the Board of the Montana Association of the Blind has voted to apply for a Federal grant to set up a center for independent living. In Iowa, according to The Trumpet's Voice, our affiliate is seeking legislation which would make it illegal for any member of the Iowa Commission for the Blind to belong to any organization of the blind -- this to avoid a repetition of previous abuses. From the CCB Outlook (Canada): For the first time in its 900-year history, Westminster Abbey has a memorial stone carved in braille for the convenience of blind persons. The memorial is to Lord Fraser of Londale, who was blinded in the Battle of the Somme in France in 1916, but served in the House of Commons and the House of Lords for 35 years. The braille inscription is made up of 580 phosphor­bronze rivets produced in St. Dunstan's Institute for the War blinded. Each braille dot was drilled and fitted by St. Dunstan's research engineer and fixed to a bronze plate bearing St. Dunstan's official crest. The cost of the memorial has been borne by war-blinded men and women all over the world and by members of Lord Fraser's family. Lord Fraser was chairman of St. Dunstan's for 53 years. He defied blindness by riding horseback, playing cards and chess, and directing his family's wholesale clothing business. (Darlene and I had the honor of meeting Lord and Lady Fraser at a World Council affair in London a quarter of a century ago.) The Aloha Council of the Blind Newsletter reports that Leonard Withington, an executive who recently retired from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, has been elected to a life membership in the Chamber. Withington, who lost his sight in the early 1950s and who has been an active member of ACB's Hawaii affiliate, worked nearly 37 years with the agency. From The Promoter (North Dakota Association of the Blind) comes news of the recent election of Duane Rasmusson, a member of ACB's North Dakota affiliate, as mayor of his home town of Surry. This is a big step forward for the blind of North Dakota. ***** ** 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 a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The National Office 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, you or your attorney may wish to contact the ACB National Office. ###