The Braille Forum Vol. XXI March, 1983 No. 9 ACB Washington Connection Expanded To Serve Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska National Student Seminar Scheduled For Phoenix Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** * National Office: Oral O. Miller 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 506 Washington, DC 20036 1-800-424-8666 * Editorial Office The Braille Forum: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 244-8364 * Contributing Editor Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 ** ACB Officers * President: Grant Mack 139 East South Temple, Suite 5000 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 * First Vice President: Dr. Otis H. Stephens 2021 Kemper Lane, S.W. Knoxville, TN 37920 * Second Vice President: Dr. Robert T. McLean Box 237 Department Of Mathematical Sciences Loyola University New Orleans, LA 70118 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka 6913 Colony Dr. Madison, WI 53717 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen Summit Bank Bldg., Suite 822 310 4th Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55415 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 President's Message, by Grant Mack Blind Sheltered Workshop Workers Win Victory in Federal Court, by Charles S.P. Hodge Open Letter to Braille Forum Readers News Briefs from the ACB National Office Congress Considers Social Security and Medicare Changes, by Barbara Nelson Look Into the Sun ... But Don't Pet the Cactus, by Ruth Bagby Druding ACB National Special-Interest Affiliates Award Nominations Requested Calling All Students to a Special Seminar Hosting an ACB National Convention, by Carla S. Franklin California Organization's Legal Fight Settled Humanism in Medicine, by De Witt Stetten Jr., M.D. Progress Report on the Legislative Action Project, by Durward K. McDaniel Greater New York City Council of the Blind Boards the Subway Safety Campaign, by Laura Oftedahl Budget Recap '84, by Scott Marshall Hyde Park Corner: A Positive Approach to Radio Reading Service Protection, by John Young Resource Materials Available from ACB National Office Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack One of the interesting fringe benefits that derive from traveling by air comes from the interchange that occurs with fellow passengers. One encounters all kinds of people - movie stars, government officials, U.S. Congressmen, famous athletes - people from every walk of life. It is possible to meet individuals covering the entire spectrum of income and occupations. During a one- to four-hour flight, some fascinating new contacts develop that in some cases result in new friends and new associates. Although some people may have difficulty striking up a conversation with their next-seat passenger, this does not seem to be a problem when I travel with a dog guide. Consequently, traveling by air becomes an adventure, and frequently a stimulating and exciting experience. On a recent flight from New York City to Salt Lake, I sat next to a lady from New York who is in the travel agency business. She told me that the agency has a humorous sign in their office that reads, "WHEN TRAVELING BY AIR, TALK TO YOUR NEXT-SEAT NEIGHBOR ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE AMOUNT HE PAID FOR HIS TICKET." The idea was that because so many different rates are paid for the same flight, it becomes discouraging if you learn you do not have the best rates on that particular airplane. There could be as many as half a dozen different rates on a given flight. It is difficult to know when you are negotiating whether or not you are getting the cheapest rate possible. Because of today's economic constraints, it is important to obtain the lowest available fares. This will be particularly true with members and friends of the American Council of the Blind who plan to attend the national convention in Phoenix next July. We want you to have access to the very best information and the thriftiest rates offered for travel to Phoenix. For that reason, we have made available the services of a travel agency in the Washington, D.C., area which will be able to supply the most economical rates and provide you with travel information regardless of where you live. The name of the agency is GTU. They are located in Alexandria, Virginia, and have a toll-free telephone number which can be used from any area of the United States. Their address is 720 N. St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, and the toll-free number is 1-800-424-5468. Following are quotes from information which the agency has supplied which will be of interest: "We can offer NCGA meeting fares which are lower than the United Super Saver." GTU has a special arrangement with United Airlines that provides special meeting fares not available to the general public. Through an agreement with GTU, ACB members will be able to get the "special meeting fare" rates. Even if you don't live in a city served by United Airlines, GTU guarantees that it will obtain the very cheapest rate possible on any airline. Following is a quote from GTU' s agreement with us: "There are times when the airlines may come up with special limited-time 'promotional' fares which in many cases are less than the meeting fares. If this is the case, and the passenger qualifies for the special promotional fare, this is the fare we will offer. We are determined to offer the lowest fare available based on the passenger's travel itinerary." Whether you choose to use the services of GTU is entirely your option. Perhaps you have a local travel agent with whom you have dealt in the past. You may want to give that agent a chance at your business. It is, however, good to have options, and it also pays to do some shopping around. At least, GTU offers another option, and we urge you to take advantage of it. We want to see all of you in Phoenix and hope that you arrive there traveling at the lowest possible fare. ***** ** Blind Sheltered Workshop Workers Win Victory in Federal Court By Charles S.P. Hodge On January 31, 1983, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued its opinion in N.L.R.B. vs. Lighthouse for the Blind of Houston. The court's opinion reverses an earlier opinion of the same court and enforces an order of the National Labor Relations Board compelling the management of the workshop run by the Houston Lighthouse to bargain with the union which has been elected by the workshop workers as their exclusive collective bargaining representative. The court held that the commercial nature of the business successfully conducted by the Lighthouse's workshop far outweighs the rehabilitative or therapeutic aspects of the business; and that, therefore, the N.L.R.B. was warranted in finding that the workshop workers were employees under the National Labor Relations Act, having the right to organize and collectively bargain with their employer. The new decision, by reversing the earlier result reached by the Fifth Circuit in this case, now agrees with the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in N.L.R.B. vs. Cincinnati Association for the Blind (see "Update - Unionization of Workers in Sheltered Workshops," The Braille Forum, June 1982). With the refusal of the United States Supreme Court to review the Cincinnati Association case on October 4, 1982, and with this recent decision by the Fifth Circuit in the Houston Lighthouse case, it is now clear that the Federal courts uniformly endorse the position espoused by ACB in Convention Resolution 81-10: that blind sheltered workshop workers are covered by the National Labor Relations Act and have the right to choose their own representatives and bargain collectively with workshop management. This result is a major progressive step for the rights under Federal labor law of blind sheltered workshop workers. It is also vindication through Federal court litigation of the progressive position previously adopted on this important issue by the American Council of the Blind. ***** ** Open Letter to Braille Forum Readers From Reese Robrahn, Executive Director American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities As the first treasurer, second president, and former staff member of the American Council of the Blind, I follow closely and with pleasure the progress of ACB. I am gratified that the Thrift Store operation which I helped to initiate during my service as president is providing an ever more stable source of income. I greatly appreciate this opportunity through the pages of The Braille Forum to appeal to you for your support of another organization, the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD). ACCD is the only national organization the membership of which is open to all disability groups. Through the stronger voice of many voices in consensus, ACCD seeks to secure the rights of all disabled individuals to participate fully in the activities of the community in which we live - our rights to equal opportunity in education and employment; equal access to public transportation, housing, and the communication media. To continue our work more effectively, we need the support of your organization. ACB is one of the founding organizations of ACCD. However, prior to last June, affiliates or chapters of national organizations were not eligible for membership in ACCD. That is now changed. Annual dues are $200 for national organizations, $50 for state organizations, and $25 for local organizations. National organizations have ten votes, state 3, and local 1. To qualify for voting membership, the organization's membership and governing body must be composed of a majority of disabled persons. A letter from the ACCD president and an application for organizational membership has been recently mailed to ACB affiliates. We need the voice of your organization - state and local! The ACCD By-Laws also provide for individual membership. The dues are $15 annually. ACCD needs your financial support and your grassroots support. All member organizations and individual members receive our monthly publication, ACCD News Net, and, in addition, action alerts in print or on cassette tape. Join our movement now! ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office Since the American Council of the Blind Board of Directors has just adopted the largest budget in the history of the organization, one of the most appropriate ways to begin this report is by referring to upcoming and expanded programs and services - such as the extension of ACB's incoming toll-free telephone service to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. This means that henceforth, members and friends living in those states and that commonwealth may call the ACB National Office for the services that have been available to the residents of the 48 contiguous states for approximately the past year. In particular, they are urged to call the Washington Connection for updated information regarding governmental matters of great importance to the blind and visually impaired. That toll-free number is: 1-800-424-8666. The dates for the 1983 ACB national legislative workshop have been set. The event will take place in Washington, D.C., from noon on Wednesday, May 11, through noon on Friday, May 13. By the time this article is published, the presidents of all ACB state and regional affiliates should have received a memorandum containing workshop details and inviting every state and regional affiliate to send at least one representative to the workshop. Since Congress will probably be working on budget figures at that time, and since part of the workshop will involve calling on members of Congress, the timing could hardly be more appropriate. The 1983 ACB national students seminar is scheduled to precede national convention week in Phoenix, Arizona, next July, and it is time for all ACB affiliates to start selecting the student or students to be sent to this invaluable workshop. The importance of encouraging students to attend the seminar cannot be emphasized too strongly, so that they may meet other students, exchange information, learn more about the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates, and update themselves regarding their rights and the resources available to them. In an effort to be of more assistance in connection with the preparation of membership lists, the ACB National Office is this year sending to the secretary of each affiliate a computer printout containing the names and hopefully current addresses of their members as of the date of the print-out. At first glance, this list may not seem especially helpful, but it will become more helpful to each secretary when it is remembered that throughout the year, ACB receives address change notices and other information that perhaps has not been sent to affiliate secretaries. However, inasmuch as it is essential for all addresses to be as correct and as up-to-date as possible, each affiliate secretary is strongly urged to check the addresses they are submitting on their membership lists to be sure an incorrect one is not being re-entered into the computer. The National 4-H Council recently introduced "4-H Vision and Education Series," which consists of 18 individual activity guides and a leader's guide. Included in the series are booklets entitled "Living with Vision Loss" and "Dog Guides for the Blind," which discusses the 4-H puppy-raising program. Laura Oftedahl, ACB's Public Affairs Director, has been acknowledged by the 4-H Council for her assistance with these publications. Copies can be purchased from National 4-H Council, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Bumper stickers imprinted with the safety slogan, "I STOP FOR WHITE CANES AND GUIDE DOGS" are available from the ACB National Office. These yellow and black bumper stickers are an excellent fund-raiser or public education handout for ACB affiliates. They are available for 12 cents each in quantities of fifty or more. The ACB Constitution and By-Laws, as amended at the 1982 convention, is now available on voice-indexed cassette. It is recorded at the normal 1 7/8 ips speed and is available free from the ACB National Office. ***** ** Congress Considers Social Security and Medicare Changes By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney The Social Security trust fund, which pays monthly benefits to retired people and their survivors and dependents, must borrow from the disability insurance and hospital trust funds to get enough money to pay the monthly benefits. This authority for Social Security to borrow from the other trust funds will expire soon. Congressional action is needed, but suggesting changes is politically unpopular because solutions to the problem involve either raising taxes or cutting benefits. Last year, the President created a bipartisan National Commission on Social Security Reform to create a plan to deal with this delicate political problem and to determine the actual scope of the Social Security system's financial problems. Even if suggesting changes in Social Security were not so politically volatile, determining the size and scope of Social Security's financing problems is a difficult task. As recently as 1977, adjustments were made in the Social Security tax rate which were expected to solve Social Security's financial problems in both the short- and long-run. Unfortunately, those adjustments were based on assumptions about the economy which simply have failed to come true. Because of the recession, an immediate short-term problem has developed. Using pessimistic economic assumptions, it appears that the Social Security system will need an additional $150 billion between 1983 and 1990. The long-term financial picture is even more difficult to assess. Nearly all experts agree that there will be a substantial surplus in the Social Security trust funds between 1990 and 2010, while the "baby boom" generation is working and contributing to the system to pay retirement benefits to people born during the Great Depression, when birth rates were low. However, some experts believe that after about the year 2010, when the "baby boom" generation reaches retirement age, the system will face another crunch. The scope of the problem actually depends upon many factors, including the birth rate during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It also depends to a great extent upon the state of the economy. The Commission on Social Security Reform estimates that after the year 2015, there will be a yearly shortfall of approximately 1.8 percent of the taxable wages earned in those years. The Commission on Social Security Reform issued its report in January 1983. Its basic finding was that Congress "should not alter the fundamental structure of the Social Security program or undermine its fundamental principles." Thus, the Commission rejected radical changes in the system, such as making Social Security a voluntary program, transforming it into a program under which benefits are product exclusively of contributions paid, or allowing payments only to persons in financial need. The Commission agreed on a solution to the short-term financing problem and on a solution to most of the projected long-term deficit. Differing proposals were suggested for the small remaining portion of the long-term deficit problem. This package has the support of nearly all key Congressional leaders and is virtually certain to pass Congress quickly. Suggested changes include the following: (1) Cover all non-profit and new Federal employees, and prohibit state and local government employees now covered from leaving the system. (2) Tax benefits paid to higher income people. (3) Revise the tax rate schedule and reallocate money within the trust funds, and continue to allow inter-fund borrowing. Of immediate and critical importance to disabled people is the Commission's suggestion of a delay in the cost-of-living adjustment normally given every year in July. The Commission has suggested delaying the adjustment for July 1983 until January 1984 and thereafter providing the adjustment each year in January. This will raise about $40 billion to assist with the short-term deficit. Obviously the delay in the cost-of-living increase will cause serious hardship for many low-income Social Security disability and retirement benefit recipients. However, the Commission considered and rejected some proposals which would have had a long-term negative impact on the disability program and on benefit amounts. For example, currently there is no requirement that blind people be employed immediately prior to the time they apply for disability benefits. The Commission on Social Security Reform considered and rejected a proposal to require work just prior to eligibility for benefits. The Commission also considered and rejected a proposal to lower benefit amounts, raise the retirement age, and increase the waiting period for disability benefits from five to six months. Further, in order to ease the hardship caused by the delay in the cost-of-living adjustment, the Commission proposed allowing persons who receive SSI benefits to disregard an additional $30 per month of Social Security income, so that their SSI checks will go up $30 per month. Because the delay in the cost-of-living increase is an integral part of the Commission's proposals, which are virtually certain to pass Congress, and because the one-time delay in the cost-of-living adjustment was adopted instead of other, more damaging proposals, the Save Our Security Coalition (of which the American Council of the Blind is a member) is supporting the package. However, the Coalition is urging Congress to grant a cost-of-living increase in July 1983 as well as January 1984 for SSI recipients, and to allow higher SSI benefit amounts. The National Commission on Social Security Reform did not address the financial problems of the Medicare program, which is funded by a combination of Social Security trust funds, general revenues, and Medicare insurance premium payments. However, the President's 1984 budget suggests a major shift in the system of Medicare coverage. The shift would improve Medicare coverage in cases of long-term illness, but place larger financial burdens on people with short hospital stays. The President's proposal would save about $1.5 billion in 1984 and 1985 and about $4 billion in 1986. In addition, the Administration will propose a new system of payments to hospitals, designed to hold down the cost of Medicare by paying a set amount in advance for the kinds of hospital service provided. This will make it necessary for hospitals to keep patient costs under the amount the hospital has already received, since hospitals will have a financial incentive to move patients out of the hospital quickly. Many critics feel that this type of prospective payment system will harm the quality of patient care provided by hospitals. Congress is expected to adopt the entire package of proposals of the National Commission on Social Security Reform in March. The President's Medicare proposals will be much more controversial and do not have nearly the same level of support on Capitol Hill. ***** ** Look Into the Sun ... But Don't Pet the Cactus! 1983 ACB National Convention By Ruth Bagby Druding While some people may recommend that my literary license be revoked by suggesting that people look into the sun, others are finding it an exciting, anticipated event. Our Valley of the Sun is worth looking into, and all of us here at ACB (that's the Arizona Council of the Blind) are looking forward to making the ACB convention (American Council of the Blind) your most enjoyable ever. We caution you: Please don't pet the cactus! All too frequently, people not familiar with Arizona get the impression from the movies that the place is nothing but a large cactus bed. Movies have that ability to stereotype. The Arizona state flower and state symbol is the saguaro (pronounced sa-war-ro), a species of cactus often used by cartoonists to imply any desert scene; Actually, the saguaro grows only in Arizona. It's a tall, slender tree with stubby-like branches. If you were to stand with your arms out from your sides, make a fist, and bend your elbows, and imagine being covered with toothpicks, you would look like a saguaro (use more arms if you wish). The saguaro is a part of the logo to be used in the promotion of the 1983 ACB convention. The logo will also feature the familiar ACB "eye" and the sun. Look for the logo on the cover of the convention program, on convention T-shirts, and in many other places. By now, many of you are perhaps starting to make your travel plans for Phoenix. We want to call your attention to the "President's Message," elsewhere in this issue of The Braille Forum. It contains information on special rates available through the GTU travel agency in Alexandria, Virginia. Whether you use this service or make your own travel arrangements, you should be aware that there are presently many discounted fares available. Transportation to Phoenix could very well be much less costly than you think. Now is not too soon to check it out; take advantage of the very best special fares. Plan to come to Phoenix on Saturday, July 2, and stay a full week. Saturday, July 2, through Tuesday, July 5, will be packed with meetings, discussions, workshops, and fun planned by ACB's special-interest affiliates and organizations. (See the list of special-interest affiliates immediately following this article. There's at least one with programs to interest every convention-goer.) The 1983 ACB convention will officially run from Wednesday, July 6, through Saturday afternoon, July 9. There will be presentations on many subjects of interest to blind and visually impaired people. The exhibit area will feature an outstanding array of aids and services of interest to the blind. The ACB convention will set the course for the organization during the coming year. There will be discussion of important resolutions, Constitution and By-Law amendments, reports of ACB activities during the past year, selection of the 1985 convention site, and the election of officers to the ACB Board. To be a part of the American Council of the Blind, to make sure your ideas and opinions are heard, you must be present at these important business sessions. Mr. Paul Edwards, 5500 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32069, has been appointed chairman of the Resolutions Committee. He will appreciate receiving as many of your draft resolutions as possible prior to the convention. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee will this year again be chaired by Mrs. Sue Graves, 4504 N. Wilson, #2, Milwaukee, WI 53211. She, too, will appreciate receiving proposed amendments to the ACB Constitution and By-Laws in advance of the convention. On the lighter side: Everyone knows that conventions are fun, and this one is guaranteed to be no exception. There will be two dances, banquets and luncheons, an outstanding Awards Gala, a western style feast followed by live entertainment, and a special "Welcome to Phoenix" on Sunday, July 3. Additional events will be announced in the pre-registration packet and in the convention program. The Phoenix Hilton hotel is a beautiful, modern facility which has every convenience. Room rates are: singles, $30; doubles, $34; triples, $38; and quads, $42. Special suite rates are also available. You may make reservations by writing to the Phoenix Hilton, Adams and Central, Phoenix, AZ 85001, or you may call (602) 257-1525. For more information on the 1983 ACB convention, contact the 1983 Convention Host Committee, 3124 E. Roosevelt, Suite 2, Phoenix, AZ 85008; telephone (602) 273-1510. ***** ** American Council of the Blind National Special-Interest Affiliates American Blind Lawyers Association - John P. Nelson, President, 1209 N. 4th Street, Montevideo, MN 56265 ACB Service Net - Travis Harris, President, 3840 N.W. 31st Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 ACB Federal Employees - Charles Hodge, President, 2895 S. Abingdon Street, Unit 2-A, Arlington, VA 22206 ACB Parents - Gretchen Smith, President, Route A, Box 78, Franklin, LA 70538 Braille Revival League - Floyd Cargill, President, 216 W. Miller Street, Springfield, IL 62702 Council of Citizens with Low Vision - Carl Foley, President, 1357 E. David Road, Kettering, OH 45429 Council of Rehabilitation Specialists - Charles Shecter, President, 135 W. 23rd Street, No. 1004, New York, NY 10011 Guide Dog Users, Inc. - Phyllis Stern, President, 1178 S. Kenilworth Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304 Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers - James Womack, President, P.O. Box 629, Winnfield, LA 71483 National Association of Blind Students - Cynde Vaughn, President, Prairie Creek Village Mobile Park, Route 2, Box 167, Lot 43, Noble, OK 73068 National Association of Blind Teachers - Floyd Cargill, President, 216 W. Miller Street, Springfield, IL 62702 Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America - Paul Verner, President, 7505 Robindale Road, Tampa, FL 33619 Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association - Kathy Lutz, President, 3003 Van Ness Street, N.W., Apt. W-309, Washington, DC 20008 Visually Impaired Data Processors International - Lee Brown, President, 16205 Fantasia Drive, Tampa, FL 33624 Visually Impaired Veterans of America - Jack Courtney, President, P.O. Box 2002, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 World Council of Blind Lions - George Illingworth, President, 26695 S. Western Avenue, Redford, MI 48239 ***** ** Award Nominations Requested Presentation of a number of awards has become a meaningful tradition at each ACB national convention. The following awards are to be presented at the 1983 Awards and Charter Gala in Phoenix: the Robert S. Bray Award, the Ambassador Award, and the George Card Award. At this time, nominations are being sought for these awards. The Robert S. Bray Award, given in memory of the late Chief of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, is presented from time to time, not necessarily annually, in recognition of outstanding work in extending library services or access to published materials, or improving communications devices and techniques. Nominations for this award must be received no later than June 1, 1983, and should be sent to: Mrs. Kim Charlson, 530 Jefferson Street, N.E., Salem, OR 97303. The Ambassador Award is selected each year from among candidates who are blind and who, by their lives, associations and activities, have demonstrated their integration into, and their interaction with, the life of the community. It is not necessary for the candidate to be a member of or active in any organization of the blind, or that he or she be engaged in work for the blind. The George Card Award is presented periodically to an outstanding blind person who has contributed significantly to the betterment of blind people in general. This award is not limited by locality or by nature of the contribution, and it is not necessarily given each year. Nominations for both the Ambassador Award and the George Card Award should be submitted no later than June 1, 1983, to Margaret Sanderfer, Awards Committee Chairperson, 3601 Allen Parkway, No. 446, Houston, TX 77019. ***** ** Calling All Students to a Special Seminar! Blind students have been saying for a long time that more of them would enjoy coming to the ACB national convention and the national conferences of special-interest affiliates if they could afford to do so. So again this year, something is being done about that situation. More specifically, the American Council of the Blind, with the cooperation and assistance of the National Alliance of Blind Students (NABS), is scheduling a special seminar for blind students preceding the 1983 ACB national convention and is asking all of its state and special-interest affiliates to help by co-sponsoring eligible students. The "get acquainted" mixer and orientation for the seminar will take place on Saturday evening, July 2, 1983, at the Phoenix Hilton hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, and the one-day seminar itself will take place on Sunday, July 3. The committee which is in charge of planning and conducting the seminar is chaired by Delbert Aman. ACB President Grant Mack and National Representative Oral O. Miller are consulting resource persons for the committee. The seminar itself will deal with topics of vital importance and interest to students - topics such as dealing with the printed word (textbooks, readers, equipment); using existing college and other services; Supplemental Security Income and other benefit programs (vocational rehabilitation, basic education opportunity grants, scholarships); advocacy on the campus; career planning and goal-setting; recreational and athletic activities; and the benefits of organization. Useful seminar materials which may be taken home will be provided in braille, large-print, and on tape. Each ACB affiliate is being asked to assist with this seminar by co-sponsoring a blind student (totally or partially blind) who either lives in its state or attends school in its state. To assist the student and the affiliate, ACB will pay the first $250 for transportation, plus 50 percent of transportation costs above $250. The affiliate will pay the balance of transportation costs, and ACB will pay another $125 toward room and board. Under this formula, ACB will pay much more of the total expenses than ever before. It is expected that the sponsored students will attend the special seminar, attend special-interest conferences of interest to him or her, and attend the ACB national convention, leaving no earlier than Friday, July 8. Special-interest affiliates are asked to extend honorary registration privileges to any students who may be interested in attending any of their sessions. In selecting the students to be sponsored, the affiliate should follow these guidelines: 1) The blind student must be at least 18 years of age and must have completed high school by the date of the convention. 2) The blind student must already be, or must plan to be, a full-time student next fall in college or other post-secondary education. 3) The blind student must be pursuing a degree or a certificate in an ongoing educational or train-program. 4) The blind student should be able and willing to take home with him or her the materials and knowledge received at the seminar so they can be shared with others in the student's state or affiliate. 5) The blind student should have demonstrated some leadership ability in his or her school or community. 6) A preference should be given to undergraduate students, as contrasted with graduate students, although graduate students are most assuredly eligible and welcome. Blind students who are interested in attending the seminar should contact the ACB affiliate in their state. Also, affiliates should take the initiative in locating students for sponsorship. Any student who does not know how to contact the local ACB affiliate should contact the ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036; telephone 1-800-424-8666. It should be emphasized in closing that the seminar is not limited to sponsored students only. Any other students, prospective students, and recent students are urged to attend and take part. ***** ** Hosting an ACB National Convention By Carla S. Franklin Have you and your ACB affiliate ever considered sharing the rich heritage of your city and state with the members of the American Council of the Blind? This is just what happens every year in July when the ACB convention comes to town. Before an affiliate decides to submit a bid for an ACB convention, careful consideration should be given to a number of questions. Here are a few: (1) Does the organization have sufficient numbers of people to help with the planning and operation of the convention? A local host committee is made up of individuals who are willing to take the responsibility for organizing various aspects of Convention Week, such as special-interest conferences and activities, exhibits, entertainment, hotel arrangements, registration, and publicity. Your committee will also need a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer, ways and means chairman, and volunteer chairman. Finally, your committee will need a number of people who are willing to serve on subcommittees and volunteer to help with every aspect of the convention. Where do all of these people come from? Look within your affiliate, among your friends, neighbors and relatives, and to active people in the community who are interested in the blind and visually impaired. While it is not possible or necessary to identify all of your help before making a bid, the resources available and general interest in hosting a convention must be considered. (2) Does your potential convention city have hotel accommodations suitable for ACB? Hotels considered for a national convention should be spacious, modern facilities. Fifteen to twenty meeting rooms should be available, with the capacity to accommodate groups of every size from 25 to 1,000. At least 550 sleeping rooms are required. The accessibility of restaurants, and their ability to handle large crowds, is a major factor to be considered. (3) What attractions does your potential convention city offer to out-of-town guests? Look around. Think of the possible tours that might be planned for visitors. Explore: What makes your city or state different? What special flavors or memorable activities can be added to Convention Week to make it unique? These are just a few of the many aspects that must be studied by affiliates wishing to bid for an ACB convention. As ACB Convention Coordinator, and as a member of a former host committee, I will be happy to work with any affiliate interested in making a bid. For more information, feel free to contact me by mail or telephone: Carla S. Franklin, 117 Coral Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206; telephone (502) 897-1472. Hosting an ACB convention is a lot of work, but it is also one of the most gratifying projects that can be undertaken by an affiliate. Sharing the heritage of your city and state - making Convention Week both a learning experience and an enjoyable vacation for 1,500 blind and visually impaired people from every state in the union - it's an experience to which nothing can be compared. ***** ** California Organization's Legal Fight Settled On January 31, 1983, the National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of California agreed upon a settlement of a lawsuit which was filed against the California organization more than four years ago. At the outset of the controversy, National Federation partisans attempted to expel the state president and others, but the court prevented the intended result. Robert Acosta was and is still the president of the state organization. Subsequently, the national organization expelled the state organization, and that action became one of the many issues in the litigation. The national organization contended that it owned the name and the assets of the state organization. There were many claims and counterclaims for damages against the organizations, some of their officers, and some of the lawyers in the case. The state organization contended that its ouster was illegal and that it should be reinstated as an affiliate, with full rights of membership, including, among other things, a financial accounting of the national's assets and expenditures. The issue of the state organization's treasury was settled in a separate suit filed by a bank to determine the owner of the substantial account. The expelled state group won, the court ruling that it was not subordinate to the national group. That decision caused the National Federation of the Blind to amend its by-laws last July to provide for subordinate status for its affiliates and the superior right of the national organization, and also to require the re-chartering of each affiliate to assure the national's predominance. It was no secret that a major political goal of the Californians had been to reform the National Federation, which was tightly controlled by its president. However, they found too little political support from other organizations, and leading members concluded that they could not effect such reform through their litigation. Even though they still believe their organization was illegally ousted, the Californians realized that their rein statement would undoubtedly lead to a new expulsion under the new by-laws, and that without democratic reform, they would not want to be a part of the national organization. Accordingly, California is now added to the list of more than 25 which have been expelled or "reorganized" in the past 22 years. The NFB of California was formed in 1934 as the California Council of the Blind and was one of the seven organizations which formed the National Federation of the Blind in 1940. Now, none of the original seven organizations remain in the NFB. Under the terms of settlement, the state organization will use its original name, California Council, and will retain the name of its periodical. Any gift made by Will dated in July 1983 or earlier to the NFB of California will go to the California Council. The NFB now owns the name NFB of California and can use it as of August 1, 1983. The National Federation received no money in the settlement, marking the sixth time it has failed to win state treasuries in suits against expelled affiliates. Each organization is responsible for its own costs and attorneys' fees. Thus, the national organization has successfully expelled its largest affiliate and has acquired its name - at a cost estimated to be in excess of $600,000. ***** ** Humanism in Medicine By De Witt Stetten, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. (Reprinted from Vision Views, Fall 1982. Published by Vision Foundation, Inc., Watertown, Mass.) In response to my article, "Coping with Blindness," New England Journal of Medicine, August 1981, I have received a deluge of letters and telephone calls pointing out numerous cases where physicians failed to meet the day-to-day needs of their visually handicapped patients. A young woman, blind for eighteen years, was seen by a dozen ophthalmologists before anyone told her about talking books program of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress ... I heard about one ophthalmologist who discouraged the use of talking books on the grounds that this program was merely a "crutch." The talking book is a crutch to blind people precisely as the printed book is to the normally sighted. Besides, what is wrong with crutches? Another blind woman noted that some blind people cannot read or write. Because she was progressively losing her vision, she learned touch typing. She is now totally blind, but still literate. She has typed her own memoirs and maintains active correspondence on her typewriter. This is a simple and inexpensive remedy which any ophthalmologist can suggest to any patient whose disease may lead to blindness. It is advice not presently included in traditional ophthalmologic training, but it serves as an example of the kind of humanistic medical practice which I would hope to encounter. A man with a very evident coarse intention tremor was fitted by his ophthalmologist with a contact lens for his aphakic eye. He was frustrated by his inability to insert or remove the lens. This anecdote reminded me of a lecture I heard fifty years ago on what the physician might learn during the three seconds while the patient was walking into his office and seating himself. It summarized the information available through the observation of the patient's hair, eyes, lips, skin color, neck, hands and nails, posture and gait. In order to do this, it is of course, necessary for the physician to look up. Apparently, the ophthalmologist above failed to do so. A person with macular degeneration who was a patient at one of the most prestigious ophthalmological institutes spent many hours in its patients' waiting area. He wondered why there were no large-print or braille magazines available to the patients. There is no intrinsic incompatibility between the delivery of highly scientific, highly technical diagnostic and therapeutic services and giving consideration to the patient's quality of life. What is needed is to instill into each specialist a perception of the handicaps and frustration felt by his patients. It has been frequently reported to me that physicians who have had personal experience with disease or surgery have modified their attitudes toward their patients. A doctor who has suffered anxiety, pain, or insomnia may have greater sensitivity toward these symptoms and a finer appreciation of a patient's complaints. These reports suggest the value of including simulations of disease symptoms in the training experience of each specialist, where possible. For example, I suggest that during the three years normally assigned to an ophthalmologist's residency training, a few days be scheduled for the candidate to experience one or more types of visual loss. This can easily be achieved by a blindfold or heavily frosted glasses. Devices exist which simulate specific types of visual loss. I would set up a fully active schedule, including rounds, consulting with patients in the outpatient department, or lunching in the cafeteria. I believe that these and other activities experienced while blindfolded will be revealing and rewarding to the aspiring ophthalmologist and will provide him with a level of sympathy and understanding which might otherwise be lacking. This type of training during residency may serve to direct the attention of the specialty resident to the true subject of his attention, which is not the patient's stomach, the patient's heart, the patient's eye, but, rather, the patient - the homo, which is the etymologic root of humanism. Frequently, the blind man bangs his shin against the coffee table - a complication of blindness not mentioned in standard ophthalmology textbooks. These are samples of very human complaints which may fall outside the ken of today's population of specialists. The level of humanism which I should hope to find among a population of specialists in medicine is a very modest one. I simply wish that every specialist would, from time to time, consider the needs of the whole patient, which will always exceed the needs of his specialty. (Dr. Stetten is a member of Vision's Scientific Advisory Board). ***** ** Progress Report on the Legislative Action Project By Durward K. McDaniel, Chairman Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America Organizations of and for the blind have never had a coordinated system of information sharing on Federal legislation. We acknowledge the very substantial activities of national, state, and local organizations working separately, and often very effectively, on Federal legislation affecting blind and visually impaired people and service delivery agencies and institutions. Plans for a nationwide Legislative Action Project have grown out of the realization that we can achieve greater efficiency through the use of a network which will permit timely and informed action and reaction as such legislative issues arise. The initiative for this project began early last year and has developed through several planning meetings participated in by chief executive officers of the national organizations and by their Washington, D.C., staffs. As Braille Forum readers know, a legislative manual was produced last spring in time for its distribution to Congress by participants in the American Council of the Blind's legislative seminar. The manual is now being revised, and it will again be shared with members of Congress and with legislative action participants across the country. One of the immediate plans for the project is a two-state pilot project to apply and test some of the various ideas and methods which have been suggested for the larger project. The two states chosen for the pilot are Florida and Pennsylvania, and a joint committee from those states is working on the details of the project, assisted by organizational staffs and consultants. The joint committee of eight persons is chaired by Don Wedewer of Florida and co-chaired by Trudy Ulshafer of Pennsylvania. Early last year, the Board of Directors of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of American agreed to have ALL coordinate the Legislative Action Project. The project planning has been done by representatives of the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, the alliance of the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Association for Education of the Visually Handicapped, the Blinded Veterans Association, and National Industries for the Blind, as well as by the Affiliated Leadership League. The first six organizations listed above have Washington offices and staffs and are participating members of ALL. ALL's National Delegate Assembly, where delegates from its 80 affiliated organizations will meet in convention, will be held at the Westpark Hotel in Rosslyn, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C., June 23, 24, and 25. Further details will be published in ALL-O-GRAMS, which is available in print and in braille, and which is published as an addendum to the recorded editions of The Braille Forum. ***** ** Greater New York City Council of the Blind Boards the Subway Safety Campaign By Laura Oftedahl On December 27, 1982, Bert Zimmerman, a blind social worker, fell between two subway cars in Queens, New York, and was killed. Just eight days before this tragedy, David Schnair, another blind person, fell between the same type of subway cars on a different transit line in New York City and was injured. The Zimmerman death never reached the media until the Greater New York City Council of the Blind decided to do something about this hazard. Probably the only reason the Schnair accident appeared in the papers was because an unemployed father of eight rescued Schnair and was later honored by President Reagan. The President phoned a prospective employer and asked him to give the hero a job. Since late December when Dorothy Matano, president of the American Council of the Blind of New York State, contacted the media about this tragic death and the continuous hazard blind people face when using the subway, things have really started happening in New York City. Several phone calls to the media, to local agencies, and to government officials have proved very beneficial. The subway problem, caused by the design of the R-44 and R-46 cars, has been brought out in the New York Times, the Long Island News Day, National Public Radio, three New York City radio stations, two New York City TV stations, and other media outlets. Then, early in January, representatives from more than a dozen agencies and organizations, including the Greater New York City Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the New York chapter of the American Association of Workers for the Blind, formed the Concerned Citizens for Subway Safety. This is an excellent example of how an ACB chapter can work to bring a problem area to the attention of the public and then work constructively to find a solution. It's unfortunate, though, that it took these two recent accidents to bring this story to the forefront. The Greater New York City Council of the Blind has been trying for years to get people to listen to them. They filed a complaint back in 1978 with the New York State Division of Human Rights against the New York City Transit Authority and the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The New York City chapter of ACB bought a study by the Margaret Gate Institute and had an inter-car safety device designed for the R-44 and R-46 subway cars. These gates would block the wide spaces between these types of cars, which blind people can easily mistake for open subway doors. Transit representatives have even gone out to look at this gate. However, the issue of whether or not the New York human rights law requires transit authorities to correct such problems is still awaiting a decision by an administrative law judge. The Concerned Citizens for Subway Safety held a very organized and effective protest demonstration January 26, 1983, at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Over two hundred blind consumers, agency personnel, and professionals gathered to show the MTA that they want to work for a solution to this dangerous subway situation. The demonstration was productive in that transit representatives were present at the Concerned Citizens meeting in late January, Furthermore, New York City transit authorities said they will lay textured strips along the platform edge on the lines which use the R-44 and R-46 cars for a short-term safety solution. The Transit Authority has also stated that they will approve a gate project guide by the end of February. When contacted in early February, Gerry Miller of the American Foundation for the Blind, Chairman of the Concerned Citizens for Subway Safety, was optimistic that the New York City Transit Authority will continue to explore solutions to the dangerous subway car situation. The Greater New York City Council of the Blind as well as the other organizations on the committee should be commended for their constructive and diligent attempts to improve subway safety. ***** ** Budget Recap '84 By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs The President's budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1983, was sent to the Congress on January 31. The President indicated in his State of the Union message that the F.Y. 1984 budget proposal was to involve a spending freeze. However, as Representative James Jones, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, later observed, the President's characterization of his budget was "more of a phrase than a freeze." Although defense expenditures were generally increased and many social programs were decreased, certain changes represented a shift of spending priorities rather than a cut in the overall program. For special education, for example, the bottom-line budget authority was the same as F.Y. 1983, namely, $1,110,000,000. However, the components of the overall figure changed quite dramatically. State grants, which represent the Federal share of the cost of educating handicapped children, were increased to $998 million - up almost $25 million - while deaf-blind centers were cut back $5.8 to $9,560,000. Special education personnel, which received a supplemental appropriation from Congress last August, was cut $49,300,000 to $33,600,000. Even if funding remains constant for F.Y. 1984, it is expected that, after adjustment for inflation, the actual amount available in each program will be cut in the magnitude of 3%. The administration again proposed that the Department of Education should be abolished (a proposal which went nowhere last year), with the functions of the DOE to be spread among other appropriate executive agencies. Rehabilitation services also will remain at F.Y. 1983 funding; i.e., $1,037,000,000, with no programmatic funding adjustments (at least for the present). The budget documents reveal that the Administration will propose new legislation which will gear state grant funding to a state's success in rehabilitating and placing disabled people. By 1985, up to one-third of the state grant funding (i.e., the money which represents the Federal portion of case service dollars) will be contingent on such success. What constitutes a "successful" rehabilitation is not yet known, nor is the effect of this proposed legislation upon independent living programs which serve the more severely, often elderly, disabled group for whom employment is an unrealistic expectancy. In addition, the proposed legislation will by 1984 afford states "greater discretion" in matters of service delivery. Whether this means that certain disabled groups could be neglected by a particular state also is unknown at this time. The American Council of the Blind will continue to monitor developments, but will neither endorse nor oppose any legislation until such legislation has been seen and analyzed. Finally, rehabilitation services is a part of a "new Federalism" initiative which would put this and 21 other Federal categorical programs into state hands. Funding through 1988 would remain at 1983 levels and would be disbursed to the states through a Federal trust fund. The Federal Government would not decide until 1986 whether it would continue to provide revenue to the states for these 22 programs past 1988. This "new Federalism" initiative would, of course, require authorizing legislation, since it goes well beyond the scope of the budget itself. A similar "new Federalism" scheme was proposed last year and failed to gain much Congressional support. Four million aged, blind, and disabled recipients are expected to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in F.Y. 1984. Outlays of funds are expected to total $7 .8 billion in F.Y. 1984, down from $8.8 billion in F.Y. 1983. This is due, in part, to the fact that the number of claims and new awards is expected to be lower in F.Y. 1984. However, benefits to current recipients will increase by an estimated $341 million in F.Y. 1984. This is the net effect of the delayed cost-of-living adjustment scheduled for next July and an increase of $30 of Social Security benefits which will not have to be counted as income when calculating the SSI benefit. This means that SSI and SSDI recipients will receive an additional $30 per month if this proposal is adopted, but will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment next July. Again, these SSI changes are only a proposal and must be acted upon by the Congress. "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" appears safe next year (at least from a budget perspective). Although the revenue foregone postal subsidy is cut from over $700 million to $400 million in F.Y. 1984, thereby increasing the postal rates paid by non-profit organizations and other special classes of mailers, the budget documents request a full appropriation for free matter of $50,455,000. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a requested appropriation has been contained in the Presidential budget. Free matter is an important Governmental benefit to all of us, and it is the responsibility of each blind and physically handicapped person to continue to see to it that this privilege is not abused by persons and organizations which do not comply with the Free Matter regulations. Unfortunately, the Legal Services Corporation is again zero-funded for F.Y. 1984, and a long battle to save LSC is again expected. Those who have received assistance from a Legal Services office are particularly urged to get involved. Finally, the Taxpayer Service Division of the Internal Revenue Service is once again cut in F.Y. 1984 and is included with the Investigation and Collections function of IRS. Taxpayer Service, which employs many blind telephone representatives, is targeted for a proposed cut from $248 million to $130 million next year. The exact effect of this cut on the jobs of IRS employees is unknown at this time. However, if jobs of blind taxpayer service representatives are again in jeopardy, ACB will continue to be in the forefront on this issue. It is recommended that you keep in close contact through ACB's Washington Connection during the coming months. The leadership in the Congress intends to expedite work on the budget, and a first budget resolution could be on the floor by April (instead of May 15 or June, as was the case last year). In addition, fast?breaking news on reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and many other legislative matters is anticipated. As always, if you have any questions after reading The Braille Forum or listening to one of the Washington Connection hotline tapes, feel free to call the ACB National Office during regular business hours. ** 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.) * A Positive Approach to Radio Reading Service Protection By John Young, Director University Radio Station University of South Florida Tampa, Florida This is a critical time in the life of the typical National Public Radio member station, as Federal funding is in a decline as costs are rising. It is, therefore, very important that radio reading services, which use the subchannels of National Public Radio (NPR) members far more than any other means of transmission, back NPR in its effort to deregulate those subchannels. Here in Tampa, we have seen our annual grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting cut by 22 percent from last year. Since our radio reading service is a part of radio, its budget is affected by this reduction. While we intensify on-air pledge requests, we are also looking hopefully to the activities of NPR in developing new sources of revenue for this station and the network. One of the most promising is the use of the subchannel for commercial ventures. This requires deregulation by the Federal Communications Commission and, for us, the creation of a second subchannel, since the one we have is already committed to the radio reading service. Of the two subchannels (the present one at 67 kHz and the proposed one at 92 kHz), both have been found to be virtually identical in the transmission of voice, but the one at 92 kHz may have problems carrying digital data. All the testing is not completed, but if these preliminary findings are found to be the case, we are prepared to move our radio reading service to the higher channel. The company NPR has formed to engage in this commercial activity has budgeted funds to pay all station costs for the transition. That's why we, and most other NPR stations, hope the FCC will not reserve the 67 kHz subchannel for "public service." If they do, our entire station, including the radio reading service, could be denied this important source of revenue. Moreover, any attempt to reserve a subchannel for radio reading services or other public service could backfire upon those it is intended to help. Services which are well managed and have developed a supportive relationship with their NPR station will find they are as important to the station's mission as its main-channel programming. Not one NPR station has planned to drop its radio reading service as a result of the proposed deregulation. But new services which approach an NPR station in hopes of becoming a part of its service to the community must not be thought of as opponents of the efforts that station is making to increase its revenue potential. By supporting NPR member stations in their efforts to conquer the funding challenge of the '80s, radio reading services will become a strong ally. ***** ** Resource Materials Available from ACB National Office The Public Affairs Department of the American Council of the Blind has compiled a tape library of "how to" manuals which ACB members may find useful. The following booklets are recorded on C90 cassettes on two tracks at the standard 1 7/8 ips speed, and are available from the ACB National Office for the indicated price: Club Rules, from Robert?s Rules of Order (one tape) - $1.00 Making Things Happen: The Guide for Members of Voluntary Organizations (three tapes) - $3.00 Guidelines for Effective Association Membership Development (three tapes) - $3.00 Making Your Convention More Effective (three tapes) - $3.00 Also available for a nominal fee are recordings of several 1982 ACB presentations. The Leadership Training Seminar, contained on eight tapes, is $8.00. The Atlanta convention, on five cassettes, is $5.00. The 1982 Student Seminar held in Atlanta is three tapes for $3.00. All tapes are C90 cassettes, recorded on two tracks at the standard 1 7/8 ips speed. Order from the ACB National Office. Your payment must accompany your order. ***** ** Calendar of Events March - May 1983 March 11-13 - Arkansas Council of the Blind State Convention - Little Rock March 19 - Utah Council of the Blind State Convention - Salt Lake City March 25-26 - Gopher State Blind Associates (Minnesota) State Convention - Minneapolis April 9 - Badger Association of the Blind (Wisconsin) ACB Day/State Convention - Milwaukee April 8-10 - ACB of California Spring Convention - Fresno April 15-17 - Old Dominion Council of the Blind (Virginia) Spring Convention - Arlington April 22-24 - ACB of Texas State Convention - Fort Worth April 30 - New Hampshire Council of the Blind Spring Meeting - Concord April 30 - Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Spring Meeting - Providence April 30 - Mississippi Council of the Blind State Convention - Jackson May 11-13 - Third Annual ACB Legislative and Leadership Training Seminar - Washington, D.C. May 13-15 - Louisiana Council of the Blind State Convention - Baton Rouge May 14 - Arizona Council of the Blind State Convention - Phoenix May 21 - Connecticut Council of the Blind Spring Meeting - Bridgeport May 25-28 - American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities National Conference - Oklahoma City ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From The Log (Dialogue Publications): Lion Burt Stauffenburg while Governor of District 1-B, Lions International, became a one-man bike-a-thon. He rode his three-wheeled bike from Essex, Illinois, to the Lions International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, last June. Lion Burt received pledges ranging from one cent per mile to one dollar per mile from fellow Lions and other friends. The trip of nearly 1,100 miles raised in excess of $50,000 for eye research. These funds are to go to the Lions of Illinois Foundation's efforts to raise $5 million to build an eye research center on the grounds of the University of Illinois Circle Campus in Chicago. From The Orbit (Hadley School for the Blind): Television for the blind? It's already happening in some parts of the country. The award-winning NOVA science program is being simulcast in 18 cities this season with special audio descriptions for the blind and print-handicapped. This unique service is available only to listeners who have been loaned special closed-circuit receivers. Audio Description is expected eventually to become as much a feature on television as closed-captioning is for the deaf. ... Western Union will deliver large-print messages and braillegrams throughout the continental United States. These are $2 for the first 25 words and $1 for the next 25 words. The toll-free number is 1-800-325-5100. Position available: Executive director of new, non-profit agency consolidating three existing agencies serving the blind in Philadelphia. Individual should have demonstrated experience in administration, preferably non-profit or social services. Will have responsibility for day-to-day administration and coordination of a variety of services for the blind, financial management, including fund-raising, public relations, and personnel management. Candidate must have no less than ten years' experience, five in administrative position. Master's degree preferred. Agency budget: several million dollars. Salary range: $40,000 to $60,000. Send resumes no later than March 21 to Search Committee, P.O. Box 42616, Philadelphia, PA 19101 Equal opportunity employer. G.K. Hall and Co., which for the past decade has published large-print materials available primarily through libraries, is now establishing a new program to make their books available to the public. The "Large-Print Books by Mail" program will begin with an initial selection of 15 hard-cover and six paperback titles, including fiction, non-fiction, a poetry anthology, and a dictionary. The company stresses that the new program will not function as a book club; there will be no obligation to buy a specific number of books. A catalog to be published in April will be sent upon request. Write G.K. Hall and Co., 70 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111. Helen Vargo, a rehabilitation counselor at the Kansas Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Topeka for 25 years, retired recently and moved to Conway, Arkansas. Helen has served the American Council of the Blind in several capacities over the years, including secretary and chairman of the Board of Publications. You can now order stamps by mail, whether you want just ten stamps or 500. Just call your local Post Office and ask for the Stamps by Mail form. Then complete the form, make a check or money order payable to Postmaster, enclose in the envelope, and send to your nearest Post Office. You will receive the stamps within about three days. From Programs for the Handicapped: The publishers of Exceptional Parent magazine are developing a pen-pal program for parents of handicapped children who wish to share experiences and for children with disabilities who wish to exchange letters. Parents who wish to participate, or whose children wish to participate, should send a letter giving age, sex, and disability of the child to: Pen Pals, The Exceptional Parent, 296 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. The National Library Service, Library of Congress, has reproduced in braille the publication, "Existing Legislation Relating to the Handicapped," published in 1980 by the Clearing House for the Handicapped. The booklet capsulizes Federal legislation enacted over the past two decades affecting the disabled population. NLS patrons may order the booklet, BR4957, from their cooperating library. From the Michigan Labor Register: Included among inventions and projects displayed at the recent convention of the Telephone Pioneers of America in Detroit were several devices for the visually impaired. An Audioptic Bowling Aid helps bowlers to spot the headpin through the use of a modulated light beam, a photodetector, and an audio amplifier. The unit is portable and can be easily installed on any bowling lane. Another device opens up archery for the blind and visually impaired. This attachment to the regular bow consists of a photoelectric cell set up in a hollow tube, an amplifying device, and an earphone. When a light on the target is picked up by the photoelectric cell on the bow, a buzzing sound is emitted through the earphone. From The White Cane Bulletin (Florida): Goodwill-Suncoast created several new jobs for handicapped persons last year when they entered the market for the sale of commercial wiper cloths. For years, 80% of Goodwill's funding has come from the sale of usable clothing and merchandise. Unusable, worn, stained, and soiled clothing was sold to salvage dealers. During the 1970's, prices paid for this clothing dropped nearly 50%. This resulted in the closing of several job stations and caused a drastic reduction in employment of the handicapped. As a result, the Goodwill board in August 1981 opened a plant in Tampa for sorting, grading, and manufacture of commercial wiper cloths. They are now not only using their own salvage, but are buying from other Goodwill areas. Currently, handicapped persons are manning 22 job stations. Goodwill is also exploring foreign markets in the emerging nations for the sale of usable clothing which may be unacceptable here. Researchers are turning to ordinary wavelengths of visible light to help treat a rare form of eye cancer in children, according to an article in The Missouri Chronicle. At the University of Southern California, Dr. A. Linn Murphree is attacking retinal blastoma, a childhood cancer of the retina, with a combination of a light-sensitive chemical and wavelengths of red light. The chemical, hematoporphyrin, is injected into the patient and concentrates in the cancer. Three days later, the red light is focused on the tumor. When it is absorbed by the chemical, a violent reaction takes place which kills the tumor cells. The treatment is experimental and has been used with only a few patients, but results are encouraging. From the Kalamazoo, Michigan Gazette: Sure, you know carrots can help your vision, but take a look at these eye-openers provided by the American Optometric Association: If you know your friend's vision is similar to yours, can you use his glasses in a pinch? Not if you want to see clearly. Your eyes are as individual as your fingerprints, and there is only a one-in-four-trillion chance of two people having the exact same glasses. Which creature sees best - a cat, a bird, a bee, or an elephant? Birds have just about the best vision of all. If we had the eyesight of a hawk, we could read a newspaper headline a quarter of a mile away. Why did John Hancock sign his name in large print at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence? Why else! So aging King George could read it without his glasses! ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and two recorded editions - flexible disc (8 1/3 rpm) and cassette (15/16 ips). As a bimonthly supplement, the recorded editions also include ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. Send subscription requests and address changes, as well as items intended for publication, to The Braille Forum,190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. 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 ACB 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 a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you or your attorney may wish to contact the ACB National Office. ###