The Braille Forum Vol. XXIII April 1985 No. 10 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** For the latest legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection after 6:00 P.M. weekdays or all day weekends and holidays. Toll Free-1-800-424-8666. * 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) 442-3131 * 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: Durward K. McDaniel 9468 Singing Quail Drive Austin, TX 78758 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka 6913 Colony Drive Madison, WI 53717 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen American Council of the Blind Summit Bank Building, Suite 822 310 4th Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55415 Promoting Independence and Effective Participation in Society ***** ** Contents ACB Officers President's Message, by Grant Mack The Wheels are Rolling in Las Vegas -- 1985 ACB National Convention, by David Krause "Free Matter" Again Under Budget Ax News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller ACB Wins Top Award for Low-Vision Radio PSA In Conclusion: A Look at Mobility of the "Upward" Variety, by Kathy Megivern Reader-Transcriber Registry New Civil Rights Restoration Act Introduced, by Barbara Nelson Northern Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Trip Congress Considers Social Security Benefit Freeze American Foundation for the Blind Scholarships for 1985-86 Academic Year Workshop Cited for Affirmative Action Failures Pet Peeves of Sighted People Living with Blind People, by Sue Hanson Visualtek Announces Name Change and New Headquarters Location Blind Tuners National Gathering High Tech Swap Shop In Memoriam: Alexander Scourby Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Calendar of Events Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack "Information has come to this office that you 'may have been' declared legally blind, and that this impairment may distract from your ability to practice medicine adequately and efficiently." This was the main thrust of a letter awaiting Spencer B. Lewis when he returned to his office after an unsuccessful vitrectomy operation in Houston in October 1980, which had failed to restore his vision. The letter required him to appear before the State Medical Board's next meeting in New Orleans to discuss the status of his license. Lewis immediately called the State Board to ask what this was all about. His request for the source of the information was denied. He asked if there had been a charge of incompetence. The answer was no. He asked if the state had a law against medicine being practiced by a blind person. The exasperated official at the other end of the line said that, in his opinion, a blind person should not practice medicine. At that point, Lewis realized that he'd better find a lawyer. Lewis engaged a lawyer and made the 300-mile trip to New Orleans, where he defended his right to practice. On January 7, 1981, he received another letter, informing him, "The Board is generally satisfied, given the nature of your practice and your self­imposed restrictions, that your vision problems are not an insurmountable obstacle to the safe and proper practice of medicine." These incidents in the life of Dr. Spencer B. Lewis, a black physician who lived and practiced medicine in Grambling, Louisiana, comprise only a small part of one of the most interesting stories I have ever heard. The son of a tenant farmer in a rural town near Grambling, Lewis graduated from Harvard Medical School -- one of fourteen affirmative action students accepted by Harvard in 1969. He eventually returned to his home town of Grambling in April 1978 and set up a practice -- the first black to open a medical practice in Lincoln Parish. He was motivated to return because he had experienced as a young boy the inadequate medical treatment available to poor blacks in Lincoln Parish. Spencer Lewis had diagnosed his own diabetes at the age of 15 by reading a biology text. At 17 he almost died before his diagnosis was confirmed. Black patients were seen only if the white patients had been attended to first. When he was finally admitted to Lincoln General Hospital, he was in a near diabetic coma. "They put me in a segregated room with a dying old man," he said. "I was just a teenager, and I was scared to death." The poor quality of his own treatment spurred Lewis to study medicine and then to practice in the south. Prejudice and loss of vision could not stop this dedicated young physician. However, his untimely death on April 5, 1982, did cut short his promising career. His 34 years produced a lasting legacy and set an example of dedication and courage which will prove to be a beacon light for years to come. It is predictable that the name Spencer B. Lewis will be known and revered by thousands in the future. The Grambling Health Planning Board is currently building a new health clinic which will be named after him. A rather new, but viable national organization, the American Society of Handicapped Physicians, is growing rapidly. and is currently presided over by a blind physician from Boston, Dr. Stanley F. Wainapel. Dr. Lewis was responsible for founding this organization. The attendees at the 1985 national convention of the American Council of the Blind will learn about this great man from his widow, Mary Lewis, who will be one of the featured speakers at the convention. She will be only one of many important presenters at that convention. We urge you to make your reservations soon, because the headquarters hotel is rapidly filling, and unless you want to commute from a nearby hotel, you should call in your reservation soon. ***** ** The Wheels Are Rolling in Las Vegas -- 1985 ACB National Convention By David Krause, Chairman Convention Host Committee Las Vegas is known for its fabulous conventions, and the Convention Host Committee is planning just such a fabulous week for you. There will be planned events and impromptu happenings to please everyone. The American Council of the Blind convention gets under way Saturday, July 6, and winds to a close a full week later, on Saturday, July 13. Following is a partial schedule of events. Check the May and June issues of The Braille Forum, the convention pre-registration information (which you should receive around mid-May), and the convention program available upon your arrival in Las Vegas for more information. July 6 -- Hoover Dam tour; free blackjack seminar July 7 -- "Las Vegas Laugh-in," a comedy showcase featuring performances by a number of Las Vegas comics -- free to all who register July 7-9 -- Special-interest conferences and special events (see March Braille Forum for a list of ACB special-interest affiliates) July 10-13 -- ACB Convention July 11 -- "Get-Together at Glitter Gulch"; a tour to Casino Center, including visits to the world-famous downtown casinos, followed by a dinner and Broadway type show at the Union Plaza hotel July 12 -- ACB Banquet, Las Vegas style July 13 -- Elections; close of Convention You should now be making your travel plans for Las Vegas. With airfares the lowest in many years, you shouldn't delay any longer. All of the major airlines and many of the smaller ones service Las Vegas. Should you prefer ground transportation, both Greyhound and Trailways buses come into the city. But whether you fly or come by bus, you're sure to want to get to the hotel immediately upon your arrival. From the airport, a taxi should cost approximately $7.00, and perhaps a little more from the downtown bus terminal. Limo service from the airport to the hotel is currently $2.50 to $3.00. Prior to the convention, the Host Committee will make taxi companies aware of the convention as well as of laws pertaining to the transportation of guide dogs. Upon arrival at the Holiday Inn Center Strip, convention headquarters, you will be pleasantly surprised at the accommodations. This 23-story, modern facility offers the ultimate in hotel convenience and comfort. Three restaurants, a swimming pool, and a complete casino are just a few of the attractions. Room rates are $32.00 single or double, $40.00 triple, and $48.00 quad. To make reservations, call toll-free, 1-800-634-6765 (Nevada residents, phone (702) 369-5000), or write the hotel at: Holiday Inn Center Strip, 3475 Las Vegas Boulevard, S., Las Vegas, NV 89109. If you have any questions about the convention, or if we can be of assistance to you in any way, call or write: 1985 ACB Convention Committee, 1500 E. Karen, No. 359, Las Vegas, NV 89109; (702) 737-5714. ***** ** "Free Matter" Again Under Budget Ax The "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" mailing privilege, financed by the revenue foregone postal subsidy, which also funds reduced-rate mailing for non­profit organizations, is again in jeopardy. The President's Fiscal Year 1986 budget proposal zero funds the revenue foregone postal subsidy. This subsidy, which is appropriated by Congress, reimburses the United States Postal Service for the money which it would have received from mailers who mail at reduced rates (such as non-profit organizations) or those who mail postage-free (such as individuals, libraries, and organizations which use the "Free Matter" mailing privilege). If Congress agrees, library services to blind persons (which is almost 100 percent dependent upon the mail), as well as the mailing of braille, recorded, and large­type materials and specially adapted equipment by individuals and organizations, could potentially be greatly curtailed or even eliminated. What to Do: Read the testimony of the American Council of the Blind, dated March 7, 1985, before the House Subcommittee on Postal Operations and Services (see below). Write your members of Congress, both Senators and Representatives, to let them know the importance of the "Free Matter" mailing privilege. Ask them specifically to recommend to the chairmen of the Budget and Appropriations Committees that full funding be included in the F.Y. 1986 Budget and Appropriations Bill for the revenue foregone postal subsidy, which finances the "Free Matter" privilege. It is absolutely necessary for you to stay in close contact through the "Washington Connection," ACB's legislative and information hotline service, operating during non-office hours at 1-800-424-8666. The latest details on the "Free Matter" issue will be carried by the Connection. Since this is just the beginning of the F.Y. 1986 budget and appropriations cycle, you may be asked to contact your members of Congress more than once concerning this matter. We have prevailed in the past when the "Free Matter" privilege was in jeopardy, and we can do so again if all of us communicate to our members of Congress relative to this critically important issue. At this writing, it appears likely that the Senate Budget Committee will adopt the President's proposal to zero fund the revenue foregone postal subsidy for F.Y. 1986. Obviously, we are not pleased by this action, but we can prevail if users of the "Free Matter" privilege will only get involved. Although the Administration has indicated that it will introduce legislation to provide a subsidy for certain classes of free and reduced-rate mail, this proposal is extremely vague, and it is not likely to be passed by the end of this fiscal year. We must convince Congress not to turn back the clock. It's up to you! * Statement of the American Council of the Blind Before the House Subcommittee on Postal Operations and Services, March 7, 1985, By J. Scott Marshall, Director of Governmental Affairs. Mr. Chairman, Legislation enacted in 1899 permitted blind persons to mail unsealed letters in raised characters at Third Class postage rates. Subsequent changes to the statute, totaling some fourteen amendments through 1970, made significant improvements in the program by permitting materials such as braille typewriters, cassette players, braille/ recorded/large-print books, and other products specially adapted for blind persons to be mailed, by increasing the number of persons who could use the privilege and by reducing mailing costs. For the reasons set forth below, we urge your subcommittee and the full committee to recommend to the, at a minimum, full funding of the "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" mailing privilege in the amount of $37.882 million, in accordance with the Postal Service's appropriation request for fiscal year 1986. Zero funding of the "Free Matter" mailing privilege ... would annihilate one of the most important and valuable Federal benefits for blind and visually impaired Americans. ... In recognition of the need to facilitate literacy among blind people, Congress established in 1931 a special division of the Library of Congress to provide library service to blind adults through a network of regional distribution centers. In that year, with a start-up appropriation of $100,000, the Library of Congress produced 15 titles which were loaned to blind readers through 19 cooperating regional libraries. The Library of Congress soon began distribution of recorded "talking books" and began to loan to blind persons the specially designed "talking book" machines on which the discs could be played. In 1983, by contrast (the latest year for which published data is available), the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) reported circulation of 18,200,000 pieces, consisting of approximately 11 million discs, 6.6 million cassettes, and over 600,000 braille volumes. Readership in 1983 was 526,000, with 41,000 titles maintained in the Library's national collection. These materials, as well as specially designed play-back equipment and accessories, are loaned by the Library of Congress for distribution through a network of approximately 160 regional and subregional libraries throughout the United States and its Territories. Library service is also provided to American citizens residing overseas. The cooperating regional and subregional libraries derive their operating expenses primarily from state and local funds, with some Federal support through the Library Services and Construction Act. The combined expenditure in 1983 from all sources for library service to blind and physically handicapped persons was approximately $60 million. These figures are indeed impressive, but we must keep in mind that the amount of information available to blind and physically handicapped persons in braille, recorded, and large-type media is only a small fraction of the amount of printed information available to the sighted public. Even so, the fine library service which blind and physically handicapped people now enjoy could not exist without the "Free Matter" mailing privilege, since this special library service is conducted almost exclusively through the mail. In fact, free mailing of books, by libraries, authorized by the 1904 amendments to the statute, contributed to the need for a national production and distribution system, which Congress authorized in 1931. The inability to mail reading materials free of charge would greatly inhibit access by blind persons to information vital to a literate society. ... Mr. Chairman, most blind people because of distance could not travel to a regional library to pick up their books ... How much postage would have to be paid by blind persons, libraries and other organizations if the "Free Matter" mailing privilege were not available? This braille copy of National Geographic magazine was produced under the auspices of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and is sent free to blind persons who request it. The braille version does not, in accordance with postal requirements, contain advertising, and unfortunately the Geographic's fine photography cannot be reproduced in braille. This braille edition weighs approximately six ounces and is presently sent through the mail via "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" without postage. Postage for this magazine would be $1.82 for two zones at the Third Class rate. Allow me to give you some other examples. Gone with the Wind ... would cost over $20.00 in postage round-trip to and from the regional library. Mailing of the 24 volumes which comprise Webster's New World Dictionary in large-type would cost $40.00 in postage. ... The effect of postage costs on library budgets would obviously be devastating. And let us not overlook economics of mailing braille and recorded material by individuals. Braille paper and cassette tapes are heavy when used by blind persons for correspondence. Only about two braille sheets (approximately 1,450 characters) can be sent in a No. 10 envelope for a $.22 First Class stamp. A cassette in its mailer weighs three ounces and would cost $.56 for mailing. Many blind persons could not afford these rates, let alone the cost of returning materials to the library. This is because most blind and disabled people are poor. In 1981, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped surveyed its readers and found that 37 percent had incomes of $5,000 or less, compared to 9 percent of the general population with incomes of $5,000 or less. Minority users of the National Library Service were even more impoverished, with 60 percent having incomes less than $5,000. In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that 26 percent of disabled working-age adults have incomes below the poverty line. This poverty rate is 2 1/2 times higher than that for non-disabled working people. ... The National Society to Prevent Blindness estimates that there are approximately 498,000 legally blind Americans who by definition would be eligible to use the "Free Matter" mailing privilege. The Society further estimates that approximately 45,000 Americans become legally blind each year, and that 75 percent of legally blind Americans are 40 years of age and older. ... Thus, it is apparent that payment of regular postage rates on braille, recorded, and other material would be prohibitively expensive and beyond the reach of most blind persons. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I have used the word "privilege" today, referring to the "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" mailing program. This is because the members of the American Council of the Blind value this program and jealously guard it from abuse. ... The Council has consulted with other organizations serving blind persons concerning the use of the "Free Matter" privilege and has, in fact, reported violations to postal officials when, for example, an organization serving blind persons attempted to mail its newsletter in standard type free of postage, as opposed to the 14-point sightsaving type required by the law. ... ... (W)e have had to come to Congress several times since 1981 to protect the "Free Matter" program. Each time we have prevailed, but each time at a cost. I am speaking of not only the human cost of uncertainty and fear of losing this privilege among people who rely upon it so heavily, but also the diversion costs: the time, energy, and resources which would be applied to advocating for blind and other disabled people rather than reacting to what has almost become a perennial exercise. The question, Mr. Chairman, I guess, is: Why? ... ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller From time to time throughout the year, it is necessary for the ACB National Office to communicate with all ACB affiliated organizations. Therefore, it is essential for us to maintain an up-to-date list of the names and addresses of all affiliate presidents. Accordingly, each affiliate is urged to notify the National Office immediately whenever a new president is elected any time during the year. If such information is not kept up-to-date, notices and other important correspondence may be sent to the wrong people. The recognition and stature enjoyed by the American Council of the Blind was recently illustrated when both Scott Marshall and Barbara Nelson of the ACB national staff were invited to make professional presentations at the National Leadership Institute conducted by the American Foundation for the Blind in Washington, D.C., during February 1985. One of the outstanding features of the Institute, which dealt with the transition of blind students from educational to employment status, was the fact that the states present were represented by teams, each of which consisted of an educator, a rehabilitation specialist, a consumer, and a parent of a blind student. Barbara Nelson lectured on the legal rights of blind students and their parents. Scott Marshall spoke about legislative and other governmental developments of importance to the project. Many ACB members from around the country represented their states as team members. As a further example of the stature attained by ACB members in their work, recently Scott Marshall, ACB's Director of Governmental Affairs, was invited to lecture about his role in the legislative process to students from throughout the United States attending the national workshop conducted by the renowned Closeup Foundation. Several times yearly, this Foundation conducts workshops in Washington, D.C., attended by, among others, hundreds of students who are interested in earning about the operations of the Federal Government and the legislative process. Scott was the first handicapped legislative specialist ever to speak to a Closeup workshop, and the students, as expected, were far more interested in his content than in his blindness. During the question-and­answer period, a few persons asked very precise questions about his functioning as a blind person in the sighted world of Capitol Hill. Laura Oftedahl is to be commended for the excellent job she did in editing ACB's airline training handbook, which contains the input of many experienced blind travelers. Other members of the National Office staff also reviewed it and made excellent recommendations. Several responses have already been received from major airlines indicating interest in receiving the handbook and in meeting with the ACB staff to improve their personnel training policies and procedures with reference to visually impaired passengers. In view of adverse publicity received recently by demonstrations by small groups of vocipherous blind people against a few airlines, it is not advisable at this time to list the airlines interested in our handbook and our assistance. Research that is conducted by universities into the implications of blindness must walk a narrow line so it will not be "academic busy work" or "daily nuts and bolts," with no real research value. One of the best ways to stay on this narrow path is by listening to knowledgeable consumers or beneficiaries of the services involved. For that reason, ACB has always taken seriously its opportunity and responsibility to provide informed and reasoned input by means of the National Advisory Committee to the Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision. At the last meeting of that committee during February 1985, the American Council of the Blind was capably represented by Carl McCoy of Tallahassee, Florida, a former member of the ACB Board of Directors. Those who attended the 1983 ACB national convention in Phoenix were privileged to hear a report by the Center's Executive Director, Dr. William Graves. ***** ** ACB Wins Top Award for Low-Vision Radio PSA The President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (PCEH) has selected the winners in its first Media Awards Program honoring media professionals for their outstanding contributions to public awareness of disability issues. Laura Oftedahl, Public Affairs Director for the American Council of the Blind, will receive the first-place award in the non-profit radio category for the Council's 30-second public service announcement on low. vision. Ms. Oftedahl, along with the seven other winners, will receive the award on May 2 during the opening session of the 1985 annual meeting of PCEH at the Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C. The winning radio "spot" has been aired on all major networks and hundreds of stations throughout the U.S. over the past year and a half. It deals with low vision and the many questions encountered by persons who are not totally blind, yet have difficulty doing everyday tasks. The situation portrayed on the PSA is one in which most women with low vision would probably like to find themselves. A woman with a white cane is asked by a passing gentleman if she would care to have his help crossing the street. He says he may be nosy, but he'd like to know why she has a white cane, yet is wearing glasses. She responds by telling him how some unthinking people even call her a faker sometimes because she can see. In answer to the gentleman's question whether or not she can indeed see, she replies, "Yes, big print if there is enough light." Next we hear the gentleman ask, "How about lunch? I know a place with great pasta, and the only small print on the menu is the price." She happily accepts and they're off across the street, and the announcer tells listeners to call the American Council of the Blind to learn more about low vision. The Media Award winners were chosen from among 75 nominations received by PCEH and the American Association of Disability Communicators. Categories included commercial television, commercial print, non­commercial radio, non-profit print, television PSA, and radio PSA. Judges included representatives of leading organizations, public relations firms, and the National Association of Broadcasters. ***** ** In Conclusion: A Look at Mobility of the "Upward" Variety By Kathy Megivern When I started this series last January, I noted that the topic of sheltered workshops was one which frequently causes perfectly rational conversations to deteriorate rapidly into shouting matches. Undoubtedly (except for minimum wage), one of the most "shoutable" aspects of the program is the question of "upward mobility." "Upward mobility" is kind of like pornography! Let me explain. One Supreme Court Justice once noted that he might not be able to define pornography, but he knew it when he saw it. One runs into the same problems with upward mobility. People may not be able to explain precisely what they mean by the term, but they're certain that they know it when they see it. For some in the sheltered workshop program, upward mobility is moving from a work activity center to a regular workshop program, or advancing from an evaluation program to a direct labor job. For others, advancement from one direct labor position to another direct labor position with more responsibility or better pay constitutes upward mobility. Still another group sees upward mobility as nothing less than advancement from production line direct labor to managerial positions within the workshop. And finally, there are those for whom upward mobility in the context of the workshop program can mean only one thing: competitive placement. In other words, it only counts as "upward" if it's "outward." In fact, as long as it's outward, it doesn't even have to be upward. Did I lose you on that one? The point is, some of those people who believe that competitive placement is the only legitimate goal seem to ignore the irony that sometimes competitive placements might actually involve less money or less responsibility than was available to the blind person working in the workshop. Is working in "competitive" industry so innately valuable that it's worth pay cuts or demotions? With all of these different definitions floating around, and with some folks painting a picture of capable blind people being held captive, trapped forever in dead-end jobs by workshop directors who are interested only in exploiting productivity, it is difficult to figure out exactly what kind of job the workshops are doing in the area of upward mobility. As in the area of wages, part of the problem is that many workshops simply do not keep good enough records about promotion, placement, etc. For the year 1983, National Industries for the Blind was able to report that of 82 agencies providing information, 55 reported that a total of 258 blind persons received promotions to higher level direct or indirect labor positions. Sixteen of these agencies reported a total of 21 blind persons who had been promoted from direct labor positions to management, supervisory, or other professional positions. As I noted earlier, for some people, upward mobility has only one meaning: competitive placement. It should be noted that the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act was not intended to establish placement programs for blind or handicapped people. The law itself talks in terms of providing greater employment opportunities within the workshop system. But the Federal regulations implementing the law do state that the employment opportunities created by the Javits-Wagner­O'Day program should be used whenever possible for preparing handicapped people to engage in competitive employment. "Whenever possible" is a key phrase, because for many severely multi-handicapped people, competitive placement is simply not a possibility. That's why we have the workshop program in the first place. But for many workers, placement in private industry is a possibility, and some workshops for the blind are doing a very good job of helping such people find competitive employment. For example, at the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind in North Carolina, there were 90 competitive placements in F.Y. 1984. This number is from a total of 260 program participants. The Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind has a similarly impressive record. But there is still much progress to be made. A 1981 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office noted that as a group, workshops for the blind had a much lower competitive placement rate than the workshops for the other severely handicapped. Proponents of the program responded to this criticism by noting that the workshops for the blind are serving an increasing number of blind persons with additional handicaps, people for whom workshop employment is the only option. Some workshops report that many of their most productive blind workers have chosen to remain in the workshop. Sometimes this is because the agency provides supportive services which the employee would not find in a competitive placement. Sometimes, as noted earlier, it is simply because the wage rate, working conditions, or general atmosphere are better than anything available on the "outside." Whatever the reason, there are capable, productive blind people who choose to remain in a workshop setting. Setting aside the issue of competitive placement, another area of upward mobility where some workshops have less than stellar record is in the more traditional use of the term; that is, being upwardly mobile within the organization itself. Again, if you are talking about a work force which is predominantly composed of multi­handicapped people, it is simply unreasonable to expect that you will have large numbers of direct labor employees being promoted to managerial or supervisory positions. However, in many agencies, the formal policies and procedures make it difficult even for qualified blind people to move upward. In this respect, perhaps the workshops are no better or worse than most private industry employers. But surely, agencies which specialize in serving blind people should be even more sensitive to things like job descriptions which require a driver's license or affirmative action plans which fail to provide for the active recruitment of blind and handicapped people. National Industries for the Blind reports that it has increased its efforts in this area and has offered training to workshop personnel about how to increase and improve affirmative action/equal employment opportunity activities. Much more needs to be done to bring all of the workshops into full compliance with affirmative action requirements. As with the subminimum wage issue, the question of upward mobility in workshops is often distorted, frequently misunderstood, and sometimes misrepresented. Critics of the program pounce upon statistics which don't accurately reflect the situation because of the many factors discussed above. And proponents of the program often do serious harm to their own credibility by insisting that every move "up," whether it be a salary increase or a move from a work activity center to direct labor, should be counted in the numbers of those who were considered upwardly mobile. Moving people out of WAC's into regular workshop programs, promoting workers to increasingly responsible positions in direct labor: These accomplishments are of major importance and certainly should not be discounted. For some multi-handicapped blind persons, that move out of the work activity center into a regular workshop program might well be a far more significant achievement than the promotion of a productive, capable blind worker from direct labor to management. But when you are dealing with the "real world" (or Congress, whichever the case may be), to insist upon counting such accomplishments as upward mobility just might do more harm than good. Perhaps we need to put our imaginations to work coming up with some better terminology. Maybe we need our own version of a "Yuppie Handbook" to help us recognize an upwardly mobile JWOD program participant. Well, with this article, my continuing saga continues no more. No more teasers. No more lurid charges or gory details. The moral of this episode, as in previous instances, is: "Beware the evil of generalization." Many workshops need improving, but the program will not be improved by harsh rhetoric or destructive, unfounded charges. How can it be improved? By the active interest and involvement of well-informed, positive consumers like you, the members of the American Council of the Blind. The Council has a proud tradition of working with all parties involved in an issue, to reach the best solution to problems. You have adopted resolutions calling for the participation of blind persons on the boards of directors and policy-making bodies of all agencies serving blind people. Workshops are no exception. With your positive involvement, in the finest tradition of ACB, together we can make JWOD the best program that it can be. ***** ** Reader-Transcriber Registry One of the very useful services of the National Braille Association is its Reader-Transcriber Registry (R TR). Initiated almost nine years ago, the Registry transcribes non-technical materials requested by individuals, agencies, and businesses. This service, however, could not exist without the hundreds of volunteer transcribers certified by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), who work for the Registry when their local commitments have been fulfilled. I terns transcribed vary in length from a one-page newspaper clipping to a liturgy of over forty volumes. Subjects are taken from homeowner's manuals, cookbooks, handicraft instructions, puzzle and game books, insurance and health information, job-related materials, religious texts, catalogs, and a broad range of general literature. Materials to be transcribed by RTR participants are sent first by the person initiating the request to NBA's Braille Materials Production Committee in Rochester, New York. Titles are checked against several catalogs to confirm that the materials are not available from another source. When applicable, permission from the publisher to transcribe the material is obtained. Orders are then sent to the Chair of the RTR for assignment. Each transcriber receiving assignments to be brailled is provided with paper and a reusable mailer. As volumes are completed and returned to the Registry, they are punched and bound before they are shipped to the reader. Frequently, it is felt that a requested book might be of interest to other braille users. When this occurs, the person who initially requested the book receives a thermoform copy and the master is placed in the NBA Braille Book Bank. Such items are listed in the General Interest Catalog, a collection of more than 180 titles. A new edition of the catalog is expected later this year. Anyone who would like to have material brailled should send requests to Mrs. Jane Gill, Braille Materials Production Committee, 1290 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. Cost to individuals is $.06 per braille page. Agencies and commercial businesses pay $.35 per braille page. ***** ** New Civil Rights Restoration Act Introduced By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney After the last-minute defeat of the "Grove City Response Bill" in the Senate in 1984, a new version of legislation to overturn the United States Supreme Court decision in the Grove City College case has been introduced in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. The bill, H.R. 700 in the House and S. 431 in the Senate, requires organizations such as schools, colleges, hospitals, and rehabilitation agencies which receive Federal funds to operate all of their programs so that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or disability. The theory behind the legislation amending Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and other civil rights laws is that the Federal Government should not use tax dollars to subsidize discrimination. Hearings on the "Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985" were held by the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights during March in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, and Washington, D.C. Senator Robert Dole (R., KS) has introduced a much more limited bill which would not solve the problems the Grove City case is causing for people with disabilities. Senator Dole's bill would overturn the Grove City decision only so far as educational institutions are concerned. The rationale for his bill is that since the Grove City College case dealt specifically with the application of a civil rights law to a college, its effect can be stopped by clarifying the civil rights laws only with respect to higher education. This unfortunately ignores the reality that the Department of Justice and the courts have already applied the rationale used in the Grove City case to other situations not related to higher education. Therefore, it is not a realistic solution to the problems caused by the Supreme Court's decision. There are over 170 co-sponsors of the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985 in the House and 46 in the Senate. Are your Senators and Representatives among them? ***** ** Northern Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Trip A touch of warmth begins your day as the sun creeps over the pines, casting sunbeams on to the lake and breaking into millions of sparkling diamonds. Loon laughter greets the peaceful morning as you sip on a cup of tea and ready yourself for another marvelous day of canoeing with new friends. Here's your chance to register for the co-sponsored Bemidji State University and Ski for Light North Country Regional Summer Sports for Health canoe trip. For eight days, travel the Boundary Water Canoe Area wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park waterways. A couple million acres of wilderness will host your journey, and a small group of people with like interests will share in the experience. This adventure is particularly designed for blind and visually impaired people who have limited or no canoeing experience, but are motivated to learn, share, and have fun. This trip also solicits participation from sighted folks who would like to share the experience as a guide/companion. Once in the back country, the group will be self-sufficient, carrying all provisions in the canoes. You can expect to paddle about ten miles per day, so there will be plenty of time for leisure canoeing, fishing, and swimming. For your trip's safety and enjoyment, it is important that you be in good health and physical condition. The first day, June 21, and the last day, June 30, are reserved for your travel to and from home. The University will provide all your canoeing and camping equipment (i.e., tent, pack, canoe, paddle, sleeping bag, life jacket, cooking gear), food, transportation from Bemidji to trailhead, instruction, and guides. The package price is only $125.00. For those in financial need, scholarship monies may be available. For an application and further information, contact Robert Norbie, North Country Canoe Trip, Hobson Memorial Union, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN 56601; (218) 755-3760. ***** ** Congress Considers Social Security Benefit Freeze A proposal to freeze Social Security benefits at current levels is gaining momentum in Congress as a means to cut the budget deficit. A one-year freeze of Social Security benefits would save an estimated $6 billion in fiscal year 1986, or $22.1 billion in three years. Although during the 1984 election campaign President Reagan promised not to tamper with Social Security, he has agreed to a delay of the annual cost-of-living adjustment, if this is supported by Congress. In order to help restore the system to solvency, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA's) were delayed from July 1983 to January 1984, as a result of the amendments to the Social Security Act. The proposed delays in COLA's under discussion now would be used not to bring Social Security taxes and benefits into balance, but to offset Federal spending not related to the Social Security program. According to Robert Ball of the Save Our Security coalition, and former Social Security commissioner, delaying or skipping the cost-of-living adjustments is unwise and unfair. 1. Cutting the COLA is a benefit cut for 35 million Social Security beneficiaries. The COLA is an integral part of the basic Social Security Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance system, and the financing of the program, which is fully adequate, is designed to pay for the cost-of-living adjustment. The COLA is not a benefit increase. The adjustments merely maintain the purchasing power of the benefit. 2. The separately and adequately financed Social Security program is not contributing to the deficit and should not be cut because taxes are too low to pay for other domestic and military spending. Social Security is not contributing one cent to the deficit. On the contrary, the deficit in the consolidated budget is being reduced because of Social Security. In order to build up reserves, Social Security will be taking in more than it pays out for several decades. This, of course, helps overall Government financing. Social Security funds that are not needed for the payment of benefits are leant to the Government at interest. Thus, other activities can be partially financed by borrowing from Social Security, without the Government going into the financial markets and competing with private industry. 3. The overwhelming majority of Social Security beneficiaries have low incomes. Social Security supplies more than half the income for two-thirds of its over 65 beneficiaries. About one­third receive more than 90 percent of their income from Social Security, yet the average benefit payment is less than $450 a month. An estimated 500,000 people would be pushed below the Government's rock bottom measure of dire poverty if their purchasing power were cut by a COLA freeze. If the increase in the Consumer Price Index for next year is 4 percent, the average monthly cut for beneficiaries would be $18.00 a month. These amounts may sound small to some, but to people largely dependent on Social Security, these cuts mean choosing between food and medicine. There is a mistaken notion --that has recently gained some currency -- that Social Security, because it has no needs test, is somehow a middle-class program. Social Security is a universal program and, of course, does cover the middle class, but it is also our most effective anti-poverty program. If there were no Social Security, there would be about 3.5 elderly poor persons for every one now below the poverty level. Social Security cuts the incidence of poverty among the elderly by over 70 percent. 4. Modifying Social Security commitments in ways unrelated to Social Security purposes undermines faith in the program. Social Security promises rest on past earnings and contributions, and stretch into the distant future. Workers today are paying for protection that in part will not be realized for 20, 30, or 40 years in the future. To modify benefit promises in ways unrelated to Social Security needs or purposes would further weaken faith in the system and, indeed, in the promises of Government itself. 5. Cutting the cost-of-living adjustment will break the agreement implicit in the 1983 Social Security amendments. The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act restored fiscal solvency to Social Security and have reassured people that their benefits are safe. It seems very unwise to open up the question of benefit cuts again. Failure to keep Social Security benefits up-to­date with purchasing power would be particularly resented because Social Security is now adequately financed and the benefit reduction clearly would be made solely for the purpose of reducing the over-all deficit. ***** ** American Foundation for the Blind Scholarships for the 1985-86 Academic Year The American Foundation for the Blind awards several scholarships each year. These include: -- The Helen Keller Scholarship Fund for Services to Deaf-Blind College Students -- Provides financial support per academic year to help the deaf-blind college student with his/her reading, tutoring, or equipment acquisition expenses. -- The Rudolph Dillman Scholarship -- Provides three $2,500 grants annually to legally blind graduate students studying in the field of rehabilitation and/or education of visually impaired and blind persons. -- The R. L. Gillette Scholarship -- Offers two $1,000 scholarships annually to women who are legally blind and are enrolled in a four-year baccalaureate program in literature or music. -- The Gladys C. Anderson Memorial Scholarship -- Provides two $1,000 scholarships annually to legally blind women studying religious or classical music at the college level. Qualified candidates (U.S. citizens only) are invited to submit applications before June 1, 1985. Winners will be announced on July 31, 1985. For further information and application requirements, contact Susan Jay Spungin, Ed. D., American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. ***** ** Workshop Cited for Affirmative Action Failures The Office of Federal Contracts Compliance Programs (OFCCP) of the United States Department of Labor has determined that Milwaukee Industries for the Blind has not complied with Federal affirmative action requirements. Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that all employers (including workshops for the blind) that provide goods and services worth over $2,500 to the Federal Government shall not discriminate against qualified people with disabilities. OFCCP's investigation of the workshop, prompted by a blind worker's complaint, did not find any violation of this part of the law when the workshop failed to promote a blind assembly line employee to a management position. However, OFCCP did find that the workshop violated a second legal obligation that it must take affirmative action -- that is, make special efforts -- to employ and promote qualified members of minority groups, women, and handicapped people. In an investigation prompted by a complaint filed by a workshop employee who alleged that she should have been promoted, the Department of Labor found that the workshop had failed to review all of its physical or mental job qualifications to make sure that they do not contain unnecessary physical or mental requirements that tend to screen out qualified handicapped individuals. Similarly, the workshop had not notified its employees or applicants for employment that it is committed to affirmative action. The investigation concluded that "Industries for the Blind has not demonstrated adequate affirmative action efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified handicapped persons and women into all non-direct labor positions." The OFCCP will now attempt to assist the workshop to come into compliance with the law. ***** ** Pet Peeves of Sighted People Living with Blind People By Sue Hanson Sue Hanson, formerly of Minnesota, now living in Illinois, submitted the following in response to an article, "Pet Peeves of Blind People Living with Sighted People," in the July 1984 issue of The Braille Forum. "As much as I agree with the seven pet peeves," she writes, "I feel we sighted people shouldn't be forgotten. I have my own list of pet peeves of sighted people living with blind people.": 1. Having to stand outside restroom doors waiting for your spouse while passers-by stare at you and think you're a voyeur. 2. Blind people who try to be cute by using trite statements such as, "No, I don't see what you mean. I'm blind." 3. Objectionable social habits such as rocking and groping. 4. Listening to a stylus rattle around in the washing machine because someone forgot to empty out their pockets. 5. Blind people who forget that just because they might not need lights, mirrors, etc., sighted guests wouldn't like them. 6. Lack of initiative to try things on their own without being dependent on others. 7. Wanting a guide dog, but not being willing to exercise, discipline, and clean up after the dog. ***** ** Visualtek Announces Name Change and New Headquarters Location Visualtek, Inc., announced that it has changed its name to Vtek, Inc. Since the company was founded in 1971, it has been a world leader in the field of electronic low-vision aids for the partially sighted. In late 1984, the company developed and announced some new products for totally blind people, including a braille embosser and a braille output computer access device. According to founder and chairman Larry Israel, company management felt that the "Visual" in the company's name no longer seemed appropriate and was potentially confusing to blind clients who might mis-identify the company's areas of expertise. Simultaneously, the company announced a move to a new headquarters building at 1625 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The move is scheduled for May, and company officials expect it to be complete by June 1. The phone number will remain unchanged as (213) 829-6841. ***** ** Blind Tuners National Gathering The Piano Technicians Guild will hold its international convention July 16-19 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri. An important segment will be the visually impaired, with special classes in grand regulation, directed by three top Kimball technicians. In addition, the Chicago Room will be set aside during the entire four days as a blind tuners' drop-in mecca. There will be an exposition by Aids Unlimited, featuring scores of homemaker and piano technician aids. Alfred Heckman of London, England, a founding member of the English Blind Tuners Association, Ken Serviss, director of the world­famous Piano Hospital and Training Center, and Augie McCollum, internationally acclaimed training and placement worker, will "say it like it is" for blind tuners. Here is a once­in-a-lifetime opportunity to glean a heap of invaluable know-how. Individual appointments with Ken Serviss and Augie McCollum will be taken for coaching on how to efficiently use the Okada grand letoff rack, glueing guide, etc. Tuners are urged to bring along their cassette players, as a tape listing every class, room location, etc., will be available. In registering, mention that you are visually impaired and would want the information taped. Send reservation requests directly to the Piano Technicians Guild, 9140 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64114; (816) 444-3500. Registration is $90 for PTG members; $150 for non-members until June 1, 1985. Room rates at the Hyatt are $52 per day single and $62 double. The PTG office will take your Hyatt reservation as a courtesy. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: TSI Electronic Game Center with speech output-eight games, for one or two blind or sighted persons. Excellent condition. $300.00. Call or write Bob Holdt, 36 Belmont Street, Somerville, MA 02143; (617) 666-8255. ***** ** In Memoriam: Alexander Scourby 1913-1985 "... People who dedicate themselves to furthering the interests and rights of the blind do it in many different ways. Often those people work mainly behind the scenes and therefore do not come into direct contact with the people being served, while others have much direct contact and therefore are well known by the people being served. (Alexander Scourby) does not really fall into either category, because, although his name and voice are known to thousands of blind people in the English­speaking world, he has not been in direct contact with anything like that number. ... "As a young talking-book reader ... I very soon came to recognize and appreciate the name and voice of (Alexander Scourby) ... and over the years, I have listened to that voice, enjoyed the verbal pictures it has drawn, tensed to the frightening situations it has described, and hung on every word while moving through suspense-filled adventures. "I am not especially a romantic person, and I have never been a hero-worshiper. But I have admired, appreciated, and respected Alexander Scourby for his dedication and talent ... " -- Oral O. Miller, National Representative, American Council of the Blind, in presenting the 45th Annual Migel Medal to Alexander Scourby, October 28, 1982. Alexander Scourby, long-time and extremely popular talking-book narrator, actor, and narrator of countless television documentaries, died Saturday, February 23, in Boston following a sudden illness. Mr. Scourby, 71, had gone to Boston from his home in Connecticut to host a National Public Radio production of Handel's opera, Semele, taped there in celebration of the composer's 300th birthday. Born in Brooklyn, New York, November 13, 1913, Alexander Scourby was the son of Greek immigrants who had expected their son to follow his father into the bakery business. Instead, after studying journalism for one semester at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, he turned to acting. Returning to New York, he became an apprentice member of the Eva Le Gallienne Civic Repertoire Theater for the 1932-33 season. For the next few years, he played with various small theater groups in the New York City area and on the New York State "borsch circuit." Mr. Scourby made his Broadway debut in 1936 as a Shakespearean actor, playing Claudius in the Leslie Howard production of Hamlet. Over the years, he was seen in many productions, mostly of the classics. These include Richard II, Henry IV, Crime and Punishment, St. Joan, and Darkness at Noon. At the same time, he had begun a parallel career in radio, playing running parts in five "soap operas," narrating the musical programs of Andre Kostalanetz for a year (under the pseudonym Alexander Scott, at the sponsor's request), and playing the part of Clark Kent's Kryptonial father, Jor El, in a radio account of Superman's origins. During World War II, he did broadcasting in both English and Greek for the Office of War Information. His rich bass voice has been heard on dozens of radio and television commercials -- e.g., for Eastern Airlines, for Zenith, Xerox, the Hilton Hotels ... As television grew in popularity in the 1950's, he was in great demand to narrate scripts for nature and historical documentaries, among them the classic Victory at Sea. For the past two seasons, he hosted the Metropolitan Opera's Live from the Met, broadcast on public television. "Everybody talks about my voice," he once remarked to an interviewer. "Oh, I suppose they mean it as a compliment, but what actor wants to be known as a voice?" Alexander Scourby's association with the talking book program began in 1937. Out of work and "going the rounds" looking for a job, he was directed to the American Foundation for the Blind by his touring roommate, Wesley Addy, who also became a talking book narrator. The American Foundation for the Blind was at that time assembling a cast to record Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, and Mr. Scourby was given a small part. Later that year, he auditioned and was accepted as a talking book narrator. His first book was Rafael Sabatini's Captain Blood. The date was November 1937. He was 24 years old. Between that date and February, 1985, Mr. Scourby recorded over 425 titles -- "some long works, some very short ones; many great books, and very, very few real clinkers," according to Mr. Scourby. Titles included War and Peace (twice), Les Miserables (twice), The King James Bible (four times), Ulysses, The Iliad, and Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain. In 1982 he was awarded the prestigious Migel Medal by the American Foundation for the Blind for his 45 years of service as a talking book narrator. Like Helen Keller, Mr. Scourby was a great admirer of Walt Whitman and in the 1960's portrayed the poet in the acclaimed New York stage production of A Whitman Portrait, a dramatization of the writer's works. Just prior to his death, he completed his last talking book, Walt Whitman: The Making of the Poet, by Paul Zweig. Mr. Scourby was a featured speaker at the 1984 national convention of the American Council of the Blind. Having recently undergone surgery and being confined to his home, he addressed the audience by telephone. Concluding his remarks, he stated: "Looking back over my life, asking myself what in my life was worthwhile, it isn't anything in the theater, it isn't anything in motion pictures or television that pops up. It is this: Those books in my apartment at the Foundation are what I have done that was worthwhile. And I hope that I can continue, even though occasionally, until I die." (Note: Mr. Scourby's address to the 1984 ACB national convention was included as a supplement to the recorded editions of the August issue of The Braille Forum. Copies of the flexible disc are available upon request directly from The Braille Forum office at 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. A cassette recording is also available for $1.00 to cover the cost of tape and handling.) ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From The Missouri Chronicle: Two Korean children, blind since birth because of congenital cataracts in both eyes, recently had their sight restored after being flown to the United States for free eye surgery. "They are able to see fingers now, when they could never see their hands before," said Dr. Charles Casebeer, the ophthalmologist who performed the surgery. Kang Ki-On, 9, and his sister, Kang Mi-Hee, 6, were among 18 South Korean children flown to the United States for free medical treatment recently, paid for by nine American hospitals and several charitable organizations. Dr. Casebeer said that, in time, the children's visual acuity would improve even more. From Computer Disability News: For persons with severe disabilities, a new, computerized house of the future is now available which responds to vocalized requests made anywhere within its walls, and also to commands made over a user-precoded telephone line. This "house with a brain" accepts and responds to requests to dim the lights, raise the temperature level, or answer the phone. It can respond to informational queries as well. For instance, persons who ask the house's main computer to state the day or date will receive a vocalized response indicating the correct information. The firm which designed the system is also equipped to custom design and install a system in any existing home or business. For further information, contact Andrew or Kathy Allocco, Better Homes Construction Services, Computer House Division, P.O. Box 33156, Miami, FL 33156; (305) 667-0003. Associated Press: Elizabeth Rider Montgomery Julesberg, the woman whose stories about Dick and Jane and Spot, the dog, helped more than 20 million children, blind and sighted, learn to read, is dead at the age of 82. She was a first-grade teacher in Los Angeles in 1940 when she wrote the first in her series of primers, "We Look and See," which was widely used by braille readers. Using repetition of simple words and sentences such as, "See Dick run," her grade-school reading primers featured the characters Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot and Puff. Model T87F3467, the latest addition to the Honeywell round thermostat line, responds to the needs of persons with limited vision, or to anyone who needs extra help in adjusting a thermostat. Enlarged, raised numbers indicate temperature range for easy recognition by touch or sight. The large 5, 6, 7, and 8 stand for 50, 60, 70, and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A click is heard and an indent is felt for every two degrees of dial movement. A special indent is felt every ten degrees. A large-print user's hang-tag explains temperature selection and features. A braille card instructs users to call Honeywell Customer Service, collect, if a braille user's guide or additional information is desired. For further information, contact Honeywell Residential Controls, 1985 Douglas Drive, N., Golden Valley, MN 55422. From Hoosier Starlight: Dow Jones & Co., Inc., has introduced a new information and news service that provides the latest stock quotes and business news for investors and business people with push-button telephones. The system, through a series of codes, provides up-to-the­minute information on more than 6,500 companies, as well as general news, sports, weather, business and market news, and industry information. The service, called Dow Phone, costs $.50 a minute plus phone charges. A limited-time offer waives a $25.00 membership fee for new subscribers. A recorded demonstration can be heard by dialing 1-800-854-1200. For further information on Dow Phone, write Dow Jones & Co., Inc., Box 300, Princeton, NJ 08540. From Dialogue: Music Partner Database is a new braille music sharing group being organized by Betty Krolick of Fort Collins, Colorado. The aim of the group is to share music parts -- e.g., tenor parts to oratorios, soprano choral parts, single roles from operas, instrumental parts for band or orchestra, etc. -- which are often difficult to obtain by themselves in braille. Ms. Krolick will keep the central database of what is available from whom and will make the information available at no charge. For further information, write Betty Krolick, 724 Powder Horn, Fort Collins, CO 80526. *** American Telephone and Telegraph has introduced a device which enables users to get emergency help with one touch of a hand-held transmitter. The Emergency Call System Medical Alert Console, which is attachable to any modular telephone, receives a message from the transmitter, repeats the word "Emergency" for 30 seconds to prevent false alarms, and automatically dials pre­programmed emergency numbers. The console synthesizer voice reports the medical emergency and gives the address and phone number of the caller. For further information, contact your local AT&T phone center. The Social Security Administration has a braille services division from which one may obtain information about Social Security and related programs in braille. Brailled materials may be obtained by writing: Braille Services Section, Social Security Administration, 1-H-23 Operations Building, Baltimore, MD 21235. Additionally, the Social Security Administration, as it revises public information materials, will improve spacing, increase type size, and take other actions to enhance readability by individuals with visual impairments. "Please Touch" is a sculptural exploration for the blind and visually impaired, children through adults, to be held at the Queens Museum, Flushing, New York, from April through November 1985. The project includes guided hands-on exploration of full-scale casts of Classical and Renaissance sculpture, a gallery talk, and a "sculpt your own" workshop. Tours will be specially tailored to meet the level of interest of each group. For information and group reservations, contact Gail Feld, Special Education Coordinator, The Queens Museum, New York City Building, Flushing Meadow-Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368; (718) 592-9700, Thursdays and Fridays from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. Two exciting tours scheduled for early summer 1985 should be of interest to many blind and visually impaired travelers. (1) A trip to exotic China, June 28 through July 14, is one of the most exciting trips ever to be offered by Evergreen White Cane Tours. It includes everything you have ever wanted to learn about China: the Ming tombs, the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the sculptured figure of the Sacred Way, and more. For full information, contact Evergreen White Cane Tours, 19505L - 44th Avenue, W., Lynnwood, WA 98036; (206) 776-1184 (Washington only, 1-800-562-9298). (2) The Philadelphia Blind Association invites you to visit the Holy Land, May 9-19. The trip includes six days of touring plus one walking tour of Jerusalem. For further information, contact Mrs. Amy Gold, Rosenbluth Travel Agency, Inc., 1515 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102; (215) 563-1070, Extension 207. The Association on Handicapped Student Service Programs in Post­secondary Education (AHSSPPE) is holding its eighth annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, July 24-27, at the Atlanta Hilton. AHSSPPE is an international, non-profit organization with more than 600 members representing 400 institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada, and other countries. The annual conference provides an opportunity for service providers and students to come together to exchange ideas. For further information, contact Jane Jarrow, P.O. Box 21192, Columbus, OH 43221; (614) 488-4972. United Press International: Kimberly Smith, a totally blind 17-year­old Peoria, Illinois, high-school senior, is being forced to take driver's education course (classroom portion only) to satisfy graduation requirements. State law requires students to take either driver's or safety education courses, but Peoria's Woodruff High School does not offer safety education. Although the principal argued that Kimberly would be a passenger and a pedestrian and might find herself in an emergency situation where she might have to drive, the legal adviser for the State Board of Education insists Kimberly is wasting her time and the school should offer a safety course or substitute class designed for disabled students. School officials point out that this would be impractical, since it would really be a course for just one student. From ACB Ohio Connection: It is estimated that an additional 102,000 employees will be needed by the horticulture industry by the year 1990. Four states (including Ohio) are cooperating in a special effort to fill many of these jobs with disabled people. For further information, contact Horticulture Hiring the Disabled, 904 Comprint Court, Suite 103, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; (301) 948-3010. An adult tricycle is now available which enables two adults to ride tandem. The person in front guides the tricycle while pedaling, and the person in the rear just holds on and pedals. The tricycle is similar in some respects to a tandem cycle, the main difference being the three wheels. There are two sets of handle bars, two sets of pedals, and two seats. For a blind person and a sighted friend, this vehicle provides excellent exercise, pleasure, and safety. Anyone interested in further information may write or call the Adultrike Manufacturing Company, 11134 Wisconsin Avenue, Youngtown, AZ 85363; (602) 933-2607. ***** ** Calendar of Events This Calendar of Events is prepared by the Public Affairs Director in the National Office of the American Council of the Blind to assist ACB affiliates as well as national organizations of and for the blind in publicizing their events. We need your conference dates to maintain this popular services. Please contact Laura Oftedahl at 1-800-424-8666 as soon as your meetings are set. April 18-21 - ACB of California Spring Convention - Sacramento April 20 - Connecticut Council of the Blind Spring Convention - Wallingford April 26-27 - Mississippi Council of the Blind State Convention - Jackson April 27 - New Hampshire Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention - Manchester April 27 - Arizona Council of the Blind State Convention - Phoenix April 30-May 2 - National Braille Association, Inc. National Conference - Saddle Brook, NJ May 2-4 - Association of Radio Reading Services 11th Annual Conference - New Orleans, LA May 17-19 - Louisiana Council of the Blind State Convention - Metairie May 24-26 - California Council of the Blind Spring Convention - Millbrae (San Francisco Airport) May 24-27 - ACB of Texas State Convention - Houston June 6-8 - American Society of Handicapped Physicians 4th Annual Conference - Anaheim, CA June 7-9 - Florida Council of the Blind State Convention - Lakeland June 7-9 - Iowa Council of the Blind State Convention - Cedar Rapids June 7-9 - North Dakota Association of the Blind State Convention - Dickinson June 13-16 - American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities Delegate Council Assembly - Little Rock, AR June 15 - Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Spring Convention - Providence June 16-23 - American Association of the Deaf-Blind Annual Convention - Upper Montclair, NJ June 29-30 - ACB of Nebraska State Convention - Omaha July 6-13 - American Council of the Blind National Convention - Las Vegas, NV August 17 - Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention - Honolulu September 28-29 - Mountain State Council of the Blind (West Virginia) State Convention - Harpers Ferry ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and cassette tape (ips 15/16). As a supplement, the braille and cassette editions also include ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent 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, 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/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. ###