BUCKEYE BULLETIN

Most people know that NFB constitutions at all levels of the organization stipulate that a majority of the members and the President and Vice President of chapters and affiliates must be legally blind. The national constitution also says that all members of the national Board of Directors must be blind. The Ohio constitution, as amended last fall, says that all members of the Ohio Board must be blind except that the Treasurer and one at-large member of the Board may be sighted if the at- large member is the parent of a blind child. We currently have a blind Treasurer, but we just elected a sighted parent as a member of the Board.

Sometimes sighted people have commented that they are made to feel like second-class citizens by blind members who make comments about sighted people not being able to understand what blindness is really like. They say that blind people are quite willing to accept the visual assistance they need but then offer no thanks or, even worse, make unreasonable demands or behave rudely once the service is performed. I will say unequivocally that no amount of inappropriate and smothering behavior, condescension, or rudeness by one sighted person excuses a blind person's discourteous treatment of other sighted people. Some blind people are simply unconscious of the proprieties?as, of course, are some sighted people. It goes without saying that one should always treat others with patience, understanding, and courtesy.

But unless you walk around all day beside a blind person, it is almost inconceivable to most sighted people how many annoying, stupid, and even rude things are said and done to us by well-meaning but inexperienced and nervous sighted people. The fifth or sixth time one is asked, "Where are you trying to go?" or "Shall I lead you there?" one's temper begins to fray. Often such comments have little or nothing to do with anything said or done by the blind person. A demand, a grab, and a tug in some direction?and the blind person must immediately find a way to assert that he or she is an adult in command of self and schedule. But as I say, one may handle the first five interchanges well and lose one's poise the sixth time. That sixth person has done nothing more than the other five but is likely to receive the accumulated frustration of a day full of such interchanges.

The more a blind person travels independently, the more one learns to deal tactfully with silliness or inadvertent rudeness. It is, however, important for us to remember that most sighted people we meet will draw their conclusions about the behavior of all blind people from the way we deal with them. We are in the minority, and it behooves us to learn to treat others with the courtesy with which we would like to be treated.

A situation which can be even more complex and emotionally sticky is the interaction between those of us with little or no useable vision and those with somewhat more. With true generosity many Federation colleagues with some useful sight are used to putting it at the disposal of those with even less. And we who do not depend on vision at all often ask as a matter of course if there is anyone around who can spot a room number or read print. We on the receiving end of these exchanges must remember how important it is to offer thanks for the information just as we would if a sighted stranger were to provide the information.

Occasionally one meets a partially-sighted person who believes in the old adage that "In the country of the blind the one-eyed man will be king." Having felt at a disadvantage among sighted people, these folks drift into a community like the NFB because of the emotional high they get from helping those with even less vision. In my experience not many people holding such views stay around the Federation for long. By and large, Federationists with some useable vision work as hard and believe as deeply in the equality of all blind people as do those with no sight at all . We are colleagues, and we are all prepared to offer our personal gifts to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. Sometimes it's computer expertise; sometimes it's the ability to read Braille rapidly and accurately; sometimes it's access to useful visual information.

No matter what the skill or the need to be met, we should all be quick to offer thanks for the help given, and we should never take people or their help for granted. The fact that a person has a car and gas does not necessarily mean that she finds it convenient to drive all over the city taking people home. Or because a person can see where the rest room or coffeepot is, he is not just waiting for the opportunity of showing them to a blind person or fetching her a cup of coffee. When we request such favors or accept their offer, we must remember to do so with courtesy and gratitude and not with the attitude that people ought to be happy to help because, after all, they can see.

I now come to the stickiest part of this discussion. People often ask why the NFB does not devote more energy to fighting the unique battles of the partially sighted. After all, the group of Americans with some vision is much larger than the totally blind. The most obvious answer is that we are the National Federation of the Blind, and most people keep on losing sight once the process has begun, so we concentrate on the most extreme set of problems. Our view is that, if you have some remaining sight, you will always be eager and able to use it. Training you to do things without depending on your remaining vision will enable you to do the task in question whether or not the lighting is exactly right or you are rested or the color contrasts are the ones that work best for you. We aim to give people independence, and if they can get it and the confidence that goes with it without depending on their remaining vision, they will keep it even if more vision is lost.

The other philosophical issue that enters this discussion is our conviction that dealing successfully with blindness does not necessitate rebuilding the world. If you can't see the edges of steps, the difference between a mirror and a window, or the contours of the food on a plate of the same color, we believe that the best solution is to use alternative techniques rather than demanding that the step edges be painted yellow, the mirror be removed, or the serving plate be exchanged for one in a contrasting color.

We often use the analogy of a toolbox. The NFB advocates that blind people develop skill in using as many different techniques as possible, depending on how many are sometimes useful: print, Braille, cane, hearing, touch, tactile cues, etc. In this way you can listen for the bus, see the number if you can, ask the driver about the route, find the door and steps with the cane, find the fare box with your hand, and so on. One skill backstops the others, and you aren't forced to depend on the ones that don't work well in the circumstances.

The problem is that we humans are pretty well programmed to prefer vision to other cues because that's what we've always done and the way the rest of the world does things. It is as if, instead of learning to use the hammer, screw driver, pliers, and wrench, the blind person grabbed the hammer and tried to loosen a frozen nut, tighten a screw, cut a wire, and drive a nail with the one tool. In fact the analogy breaks down because, when vision is insufficient, people often decide that changes should be made in the jobs to be done. I have seen suggestions that people with low vision change the color of their carpeting to contrast with the color of their pets' coats, float colored balls in the bath to determine how high the water is, put contrasting toilet lid and tank covers on their toilets so that they can see when the lid is up. The sad thing is that people who are losing vision grasp at these straws rather than employing easy methods for gathering the information needed.

So what am I saying about the NFB's attitude concerning sight? We are grateful to all those who are willing to put their sight at our disposal, and we are certainly pleased when someone who is legally blind can use remaining vision efficiently and constructively. We also know that it is human nature to hang on to the familiar simply because it is familiar. Learning new skills is increasingly difficult as we grow older. That is why we urge people to make the effort to master new skills without peeking. We know that, after such skills are learned, it will be easy to add visual cues to the tactile or auditory ones when the student takes off the blindfold. Insisting upon trying to use remaining vision while learning alternative techniques almost always fails. The student strains every nerve to see the things that are more and more difficult to make out and, as a result, has less attention to focus on the new tactile and auditory learning that is supposed to be going on.

We believe that blind people should avoid asking to have the world restructured for our benefit. Training blind people to use the cane, Braille, and access technology is a better solution to our access problems than demanding that nothing be left on the sidewalks, signs be enlarged, and all currency be replaced with bills of different sizes. We are not ashamed to call for modifications in policies, equipment, or information access when necessary. Programming ATM's, information kiosks, or home appliances so that blind people can operate them independently is a good example. But the aim of the National Federation of the Blind is to enable blind people to work and play efficiently without inconveniencing our neighbors. Flexibility, understanding, and courtesy on all sides will help to smooth our path to the future. They will also help to define the points at which real negotiation will have to take place in order for blind people to have an equal chance.

In any case, if the school does its job well, there should never be a population or funding problem. At any given time parents should be banging on the doors of the school to get their children in. If need be, parents should be in the halls of the legislature to get more funding for the school. Unfortunately, instead of this healthy, mutually beneficial situation, parents, alumni, and the legislature had better be concerned about the current direction of the school. The State Board of Education would be wise to work to see that consumer organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio as well as the Alumni Association have regular and meaningful involvement in the operation of the school.

When Dr. Lou Mazzoli was about to participate in his final interview for the superintendent's position at the school, he contacted me to determine what changes the National Federation of the Blind would recommend that a new superintendent make. We discussed several things including the establishment of an advisory board. Mazzoli seemed opened to what I had to say, and I hung up the telephone feeling optimistic about the future of the school and real hope for genuine consumer involvement. Therefore, to say that I have been disappointed by Mazzoli's unwillingness to encourage or even allow consumer-organization involvement with the school is an understatement.

The story told in the following two articles reprinted from the Columbus Dispatch is even more disappointing and should be of great concern to all who care about the school. The first of the articles, by Catherine Candisky, appeared in the May 7 edition. Here it is:

Zelman didn't want to discuss the details yesterday, except to say that inappropriate comments were made to staff members. Students were not involved, she said. But Zelman is angry enough that she is recommending the State Board of Education fire Mazzoli. The nineteen-member board will consider her request Tuesday at its annual meeting.

Zelman's actions follow an investigation initiated six weeks ago. Mazzoli could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The state board named Mazzoli superintendent at the school in July, 1997. Previously he had been executive director of special education and special community projects for Columbus Public Schools, one of several positions he held with the district.

The School for the Blind was founded in 1837 and serves visually impaired students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Most stay long enough to learn Braille and other basic skills before returning to their hometown schools, while those with additional disabilities remain for more intensive training.

Edward E. Corbett, superintendent of the Ohio School for the Deaf, will serve as interim superintendent while the situation is resolved.

That was the first article to appear. The following article appeared in the Columbus Dispatch following the annual meeting of the State Board of Education. It was expected at that meeting that Dr. Susan Zelman, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, would recommend that Dr. Mazzoli be fired. Until this article appeared, little was known about why Mazzoli had been placed on administrative leave. Here is the May 12 article:

But a twenty-three-page report investigating charges of "inappropriate conduct" depicts the fifty-seven-year-old administrator as insensitive to students' handicaps and inclined to make indelicate remarks. A decision on whether and how to discipline Mazzoli was postponed a month to let state schools Superintendent Susan T. Zelman study testimony supporters presented to the board yesterday morning.

Zelman, who had been expected to call for Mazzoli's immediate firing, said Mazzoli will remain on administrative leave with pay. Mazzoli has been unavailable for comment since the charges surfaced Thursday.

Zelman attended the board's afternoon session but was not there when Mazzoli's backers spoke because she was testifying in the Ohio Senate on the Department of Education's budget request. In the morning session Cecilia Peirano, coordinator of elementary programs at the school, presented a letter of support signed by eighty-seven staffers, including teachers, youth leaders, maintenance employees, and food-service workers. "This is pretty close to our entire staff," she said.

Evette Simmons-Reed, a graduate of the school, said that before Mazzoli's arrival the school was filled with hostility. Teamwork now translates into better care and learning for the students, she said. Union officials said Mazzoli has reduced labor-management tensions, and parents said the superintendent has interacted with their children and traveled with them on outings.

When student wrestlers went to Kansas for a January match, Mazzoli stayed in the student dorm instead of the hotel used by other blind-school superintendents attending a conference, the wrestlers said. Mazzoli's concern was apparent, said wrestler Derrick Watson, when he injured some cartilage in his neck during a match. Watson was taken to an emergency room. "Dr. Mazzoli didn't send someone else; he came himself to see that I was all right." Nancy J. Terry, a youth leader at the school, gave the simplest reason for keeping Mazzoli: "The students are just so much happier."

The investigative report, prepared by a team on loan from the Department of Transportation, portrayed Mazzoli from a different perspective. The team based its report on interviews and e-mails of staffers. According to the report Mazzoli made an insensitive comment during a July, 1998, meeting to a staff member who had poison ivy. Maureen Farrell, administrator of residential services, said Mazzoli offered to bring in some ointment, which he said might make her sterile, "but at your age that wouldn't matter." Mazzoli went on, Farrell said, to demonstrate how his ivy poisoning had spread from his arms to his legs and thighs because of hanging his arms between his legs while "sitting on the john."

In September, 1998, Farrell said, she spoke of a candidate for a nursing job, and Mazzoli said, "Oh, the chocolate-covered nurse . . . I mean the chocolate-colored nurse." She said he also digressed at staff meetings, once describing how, when there were group homes for the retarded in Orient, Ohio, the women would often lie naked on their cots with flies entering their mouths. Another time he told of his son swallowing part of the furry mane of a toy lion and described his wife pulling "clods of this stuff" from the boy when she changed his diaper.

Mary Kraft, business administrator for the school, said Mazzoli once referred to a job applicant as "nothing but a hillbilly from West Virginia." Patti Love, parent mentor, said Mazzoli sometimes referred to students with nicknames related to their conditions, such as "Scar." She said Mazzoli embarrassed her at a February breakfast meeting when she was wearing a peach-colored blouse by coming to the table and remarking, "I didn't think you had anything on under that. I had to come closer to see." Another time, when reviewing job candidates, Mazzoli remarked, "Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of light-skinned blacks that come out of Springfield?" she said.

There you have the second article, and whatever Dr. Mazzoli's virtues, if there is any substance to the allegations in the quotes attributed to him by his detractors, he has certainly shown poor judgment, and his job is undoubtedly in serious trouble. I wrote the following letter to Dr. Susan Zelman on the day that the board was meeting to consider Mazzoli's fate. The letter speaks for itself. Here it is:

May 11, 1999
Dear Dr. Zelman,

I am writing concerning the Ohio State School for the Blind. As you may know, the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is the oldest and largest organization of the blind in the state. We have more than 500 members around the state, and we are an affiliate of the over 50,000-member National Federation of the Blind, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. We have a strong division for parents of blind children; and I would say that no organization in the state does more to benefit blind children and their families.

We do not have enough information to comment on your recommendation that Dr. Mazzoli be dismissed. What we do know, however, is that Dr. Mazzoli has failed to involve consumer organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio in the operation of the school.

When Dr. Mazzoli was preparing for his final interview for the Superintendent position, he contacted me for input from the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio concerning what changes should be made at the school. I suggested that an Advisory Board comprised of parents, alumni, members of the community, and at least one representative from each of the two consumer organizations of the blind be appointed. I told him that, whatever he did, he must find ways to involve blind consumers with the school and its programs. He agreed with this and said that, if he was appointed, an Advisory Board would be appointed. Thus far in his administration this has not happened.

Many members of our organization are OSSB Alumni, though not all. But we are all blind. We understand what is necessary for blind youngsters to become successful blind adults. We want to use our knowledge and experience to benefit the students of the Ohio State School for the Blind.

Several state schools for the blind around the country work closely with their NFB affiliates. Not surprisingly, these institutions are among the best schools in the nation. The Kentucky School for the Blind is leading the way in the education of blind children. Its Superintendent, Dr. Ralph Bartley, and his staff work quite closely with the National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky. Dr. Bartley would be the first to tell you how his school has benefited from this relationship. The Texas School for the Blind is another fine example of an institution that has benefited from such a relationship. In recent years the New Mexico School for the Blind has begun to work with us. I could list other schools that have benefited from working with consumer organizations, but it should suffice to say that the Ohio school has an invaluable resource that it has not taken advantage of.

When the previous Superintendent left his position, I wrote to Dr. Ray Horn asking that the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio be represented on the committee to select a new Superintendent. He informed me that he did not want the committee to be too large, so we could not have a representative on the committee. Dr. Zelman, if a new Superintendent is to be selected, I appeal to you to see that the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is involved in the selection process. I also want you to know that we are here as a resource whenever you are considering issues regarding the education of blind children. I am sure that both John Herner and John Saylor will tell you that we have had an excellent working relationship with them over the years.

I hope that you will do what you can to see that the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio has the opportunity to work collegially with others to build a bright future for the Ohio State School for the Blind. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Eric Duffy
Director of Field Services
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Washington--The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) estimates that about 900,000 people in the U.S. are blind and that each year 50,000 more will become blind. Studies show that only AIDS and cancer are feared more than blindness. Yet the NFB and advocacy groups like it are overcoming the fear of blindness by empowering blind people with new technologies and effective lobbying.

NFB's philosophy is practical and optimistic. In their view, "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight, but the misunderstanding and lack of information which exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance." I couldn't agree more. That's why it's important that we continue to promote efforts to increase literacy and educational opportunities for the blind.

Support from public and private sources has transformed mere ideas on assisting the blind into everyday technologies that can be utilized in profound ways. Consider NEWSLINE? for the Blind. This is a service which uses modern telecommunications technology to bring newspapers directly to blind readers at the time the print publication is released. With NEWSLINE?--and a touch-tone telephone to access it--blind persons can select articles from local or national newspapers and listen to information in full-word synthetic speech.

NEWSLINE? began in 1994 as a pilot program in the Washington area. Since then, the network has expanded to serve forty-eight communities in twenty-two states. [We now have 54 Service Centers in twenty-two states, the District of Columbia, and Toronto, Canada.] The NFB of Ohio has successfully established this service for the benefit of the 7th District's blind residents. With Congress's help we can extend NEWSLINE? to every Congressional district.

Another remarkable program designed to help the blind read is Books for the Blind, which was created in 1931 as part of the Pratt-Smoot Act. Books for the Blind was placed under the auspices of the Library of Congress. After sixty-four years of operation, this program has been a huge success. It has coordinated a process to provide the blind with specialized transcriptions of books and magazines. I expect that Congress will continue to support this important program so we can provide blind citizens with access to reading materials.

Along with developing improved technologies, there are a number of other steps Congress can take to assist the blind. For example, we can reform the way the Social Security earnings test treats the blind. During the 104th Congress, the earnings limit was lowered for the blind. [Actually it was not lowered; it was uncoupled from that of retirees, which will now rise sharply over the next several years.] When blind individuals earn more than the earnings limit threshold, they lose all of their benefits. They are also left with a disincentive to work. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 1601, The Blind Empowerment Act. This bill raises the earnings limit for the blind, allows them to keep their benefits, and removes disincentives to work.

With the proper tools and access to the latest technologies, the blind can fully participate in the information economy. And if Congress continues to collaborate with other public and private entities, we can make life easier and more enjoyable for blind citizens everywhere.

Please share your opinions with me. I can best be reached by writing Congressman Dave Hobson, 1514 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Also visit the 7th District Homepage on the Internet: .

Now, with firm conviction, I can say that we the blind are truly the experts on blindness, and I have been able to do so for many years. When I answered the telephone one morning in early May, I could not have imagined that this conviction would lead to my involvement in a murder trial, but that is exactly what happened. When I realized that the murder victim was blind and that I was being asked to testify on behalf of the sighted defendant, I found the whole situation all the more incredible.

The defense attorney asked me to assume that a set of facts were true and then to form an opinion based on those facts and my education, knowledge, training, and expertise in blindness. Here are the facts:
1. A totally blind woman is five feet five inches tall and weighs 220 pounds.
2. The blind woman has a knife, and she is high on crack-cocaine.
3. She has cornered a man on the side of her bed. The head of the bed is against one wall, and there are two feet between the side of the bed and another wall.

I was then asked, assuming all of these things are true, could a blind person block someone's escape? I unhesitatingly answered yes, saying that blindness in and of itself would not prevent one from initiating an attack or from blocking an escape.

The attorney knew from the beginning that he had a losing case. He also knew, however, that if he could convince a jury that it was at least possible for a blind woman to confine someone in a small space and prevent him from escaping, he had a chance of getting his client out of a murder conviction. He then went on to tell me that his client wanted to claim self-defense and that my testimony would at least make such a claim plausible. However, he went on to say that excessive force had been used, and that in all likelihood a self-defense claim would not stand up. With all this in mind he then asked me to testify on behalf of his client. I told him that I needed to discuss the matter with my boss but that I would call him with an answer later that day.

After discussing the matter with President Pierce, I called the attorney to let him know that I would be available to testify. He said that he would mail me materials to review. When they arrived, I spent two hours reviewing the records, which contained very graphic pictures and gruesome details of a killing. It goes without saying that my secretary was not at all pleased about having to read these things.

The day after receiving the material, I called the defense attorney to ask a few questions. He told me to put everything on hold because he was waiting for a ruling from the court. The judge had to make a decision about the relevance of my testimony and whether or not I qualified as an expert witness. He told me not to invest any more time in the case. He had no idea when or whether I would testify. It could be several days or even weeks before we would know.

One week later I received a call asking if I would be available the next morning for a conference call with the judge and all the attorneys involved in the case. I said I would. I was then told that the judge and the attorneys would ask a series of questions to determine my qualifications as an expert on blindness and the relevance of my testimony. Within ten minutes of the call's completion I was informed that I qualified as an expert witness and that I should expect to testify Monday morning.

The fact that I qualified as an expert witness is significant. A court had recognized that one does not need advanced degrees or specialized training to be an expert on blindness. My own experience as a blind person and my work with the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio were all that was needed for me to qualify as an expert witness on blindness. I was asked to estimate the number of blind people with whom I have worked over the years and to describe the nature of my work with the Federation. Needless to say, blindness itself was not enough to qualify me. It was my work in the National Federation of the Blind and the knowledge gained from that experience that enabled me to qualify as an expert on blindness. Without the Federation I too had questioned my own expertise on blindness, but with the help of the NFB, both the court and I were convinced. Now that I have been qualified as a blindness expert by one court, it is less likely that another court would disqualify me in the future.

During the nearly three hours that I had to wait before I was called to the stand, I had a great deal of time to contemplate my involvement in this case and what it would mean for all blind people, including those who will never hear about it. There was nothing pleasant about this case. A blind woman had been killed, and I was about to testify on behalf of the man charged with her murder. Both the victim and defendant were known drug users. The victim had been stabbed a minimum of eight times with at least two knives. Additionally, she received fourteen blows to the head with a hammer. The night before I was to testify I heard a recording of the victim's calls to 911 for help. I heard her scream that she was being stabbed. I heard her tell the 911 operator that she was dying. I also knew that I would hear the tape again before the trial was over. All of this notwithstanding, I recognized that I had to testify.

How easy it would have been to refuse to stand up and be counted. I would not have had to endure the unpleasantness of the case. I could have avoided the ten-hour Greyhound trip to get to and from Youngstown. Had we chosen to do so, Barbara Pierce and I could have rationalized our way to a decision not to have me involved in the case. But what would have been the consequences of such a decision?

Let's look at what we knew at the time we made the decision to testify:
1. The victim was totally blind.
2. The defendant alleged that the victim was high on crack-cocaine when she began attacking him with a knife.
3. The struggle took place in a confined area.
4. According to the defense attorney, the blood patterns at the scene and the knife wounds on the defendant's hands were consistent with his account of what happened.
5. This is the key to my involvement. I was asked to offer my opinion as to whether or not a blind woman could block a man's escape given the specific conditions presented to me.
6. We knew that the clear and obvious answer was yes. Blindness is not synonymous with helplessness. We are no less willing to defend ourselves than are the sighted.

Had we decided that I would not testify, we would have sacrificed the opportunity to educate an entire jury, several attorneys, a judge, and all others attending the trial during my testimony. We could have let all of these people continue to believe that the blind are more timid and incompetent than the sighted.

Society as a whole tends to put a protective shell around the blind, believing that we are easier prey to criminals, less capable of defending ourselves, and in need of greater protection. But we know without a doubt that these things are not true. We do not need greater protection from the law; we need equal protection under the law.

If we are to take our rightful place as first-class citizens of these United States, we must stand up and be counted. We cannot take the easy way out. We must not think of ourselves or allow ourselves to be seen as the helpless victims of criminals solely because we are blind.

In this case I testified that 20/20 vision would not have saved the victim. Nevertheless, the defendant was convicted of murder because he changed his testimony while on the witness stand. Had he not done so, according to members of the jury, he would probably have been convicted of a lesser charge. It is quite likely that justice was done. Fortunately, that is not for me to decide.

What I do know, however, is that my participation in this case was another small step on the road to first-class citizenship. The end of the road draws nearer each day with each small step that we take, and our journey is possible and much more pleasant because Dr. tenBroek and the blind of 1940 were tired of walking alone and began marching together. Dr. Jernigan strengthened our ranks and decisively charted our course. Dr. Maurer was then handed the torch, and he will be our leader well into the next century. I am proud to be a part of this organization at every level. You too should be proud, and the world should know that the National Federation of the Blind is always prepared to stand up and be counted.

Wow! Do we have a deal for you! You can get away from home for the weekend, stay in a first-class hotel, enjoy good food and good music, renew old friendships, make new acquaintances, and much more. Believe it or not, you can do all of these things without wiping out your savings account. But if you don't begin to plan to attend the 1999 convention of the National Federation of the Blind now, you just might miss this wonderful opportunity.

The convention will be held during the weekend of November 4 to 7 at the Clarion Hotel in Worthington. The address is 7007 North High Street. You can make your reservations by calling (614) 436-0700. As usual our room rates are good; they are $57 per night across the board. This does not include tax. You must inform the hotel that you are attending the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and be sure to register for the convention in order to get these rates.

This hotel was a part of the Hilton chain when it hosted our last Columbus convention. We have recently held several meetings there, and I think all who have attended were quite pleased with the facility and service.

By early fall you will receive preregistration packets in the mail. We ask that you complete the forms and return them as quickly as possible. Preregistering will save you money and allow us to improve our planning.

Again, we need your help in order to be sure that we have plenty of door prizes on hand. Please collect the kind of prizes you would be happy to win. They should be small in size but large in value. Door prizes may be brought to the convention and given to Paul Dressell, door prize chairman, or they may be sent to Eric Duffy, 575 E. Beechwold Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43214. We ask that all door prizes have a minimum value of $10 and that they be labeled with the name of the donor and identification of the prize in both print and Braille.

This is going to be a wonderful convention, and I can't wait to see you there. Please make your room reservations soon and plan to have a good time.

We are now in the process of surveying NEWSLINE? readers who live in the 614, 740, and 937 area codes in order to determine which three national newspapers should be offered by the Columbus Service Center during its third year of service. We also ask for comments concerning the performance of the service center.

NEWSLINE? has been a tremendous success in Cleveland. Cheryl Fischer and other members of the National Federation of the Blind of Cuyahoga County are doing great work, and they are making NEWSLINE? more than just a dial-up reading service. Here is what Cheryl has to say about what they are doing:

NFB of Cuyahoga County chapter members and I call all new NEWSLINE? subscribers a week or two after they are sent their codes to be sure that they have received them and that they are using the service without difficulty. Many of these individuals are senior citizens (about half of them), and they often need extra one-on-one help. Thank God for three-way calling! We call up NEWSLINE? while we have them on the line and do a demonstration with them. A demonstration lasts on average about a half hour. We then provide another follow-up call for each person who has received a demonstration. One of my favorite NEWSLINE? subscribers is a 101-year-old lady who loves to read Dick Feagler's column in the Plain Dealer. She has gotten good at using NEWSLINE? independently, but I receive a call from her from time to time when she can't find his column.

I have also been referring people to other services such as the Library for the Blind and Ameritech's free 411-information service for the blind. Because I ask all those who register for NEWSLINE? whether they receive services from the Library, I hear a great deal of commentary about their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the books they are receiving and the condition of the tape players. I lost count long ago of the number of people (again mostly seniors) whom I have instructed about how to call the Library and tell their librarians what kinds of books they really want to read. So many people think they have no choice and are just stuck with what comes to them in the mail. I also tell people how to trade in their broken tape players for a good one through the Cleveland Sight Center or through the State Library.

If you or someone you know would like more information about NEWSLINE?, call 1-800-396-6326. In Cleveland call (216) 721-5163.

My eight year-old daughter, Macy, really takes Braille for granted. When she wants to read, she expects that there will be Braille to read. This is because the NFB and we have taught her the value of Braille. If a blind child is truly to be literate, then he or she must learn to read and write Braille. With today's technology we have the opportunity to provide blind children with more Braille materials than were ever available to previous generations of the blind. That is why it amazes me to realize that we must continue to work so hard to promote the use of Braille as a viable method of literacy for the blind. It is with this in mind, however, that the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest was created.

Each year the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children sponsor a contest to encourage Braille reading. Students from the primary grades through high school are recognized in several categories. This year we had four winners from Ohio who all deserve special recognition. They are Corey Grandstaff, Honorable Mention (5th place) in the 2-4 category. He will receive a tee shirt and a print winners certificate. Dustin Grandstaff, Macy McClain, and Andy Love are all in the most improved category for their grade levels and will receive a tee-shirt, a print winners certificate, and $15 for their efforts.

All contest participants will receive a total of $10 from the Parents of Blind Children and the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille Divisions of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. If your child did not participate in the contest this year, please see that he or she is involved in the contest that will begin on November 1. He or she will receive a minimum of $10 just for participating and will undoubtedly improve his or her reading skills.

Please come and be a part of our family camping weekend. This year we will be at the Wagon Wheel camp ground in Shelby, Ohio, June 18 to 20. For more information please call Carol Akers at (419) 347-8519. These weekends are always a lot of fun, and this year we are in a new location and have new activities to look forward to.

There will be a camp for the blind at Faith Ranch Camp in Jewett, Ohio, Aug. 1-8, 1999. This is for children nine and over. There is a $35 registration fee. For an application call James Farber @ 740-545-7179 or e-mail him at .

I want to close with a sincere thank-you to everyone who helped with our gourmet food basket drawing and our football drawing. Selling tickets is usually not a lot of fun, but our success with this project demonstrates the commitment that the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio have made to blind children.

Ideas are quite powerful. In fact, it has been said that ideas can move mountains. Certainly the ideas that are planted in our minds as young children are very powerful. I know many blind people who like the elephant were told that they could not accomplish a given thing, and therefore they came to believe that what they were told was true. They believed it so much that they gave up trying.

There is really no need to be specific: name the dream, and you will find a blind person who has been convinced that he or she cannot make it come true. Somewhere out there a blind boy or girl has been told that he or she cannot participate in the local scout troop because of blindness. Somewhere a young boy has been told he cannot learn to repair engines or do woodworking because he is blind. Somewhere young blind adults have been told that blind men and women cannot have and raise children. Like the elephant, many of these blind people will never break loose from the heavy burden of outdated notions about blindness to which society has tethered them.

At a very early age I knew that my parents didn't really believe that I would ever be able to care for myself. They assumed that they would care for me until they were unable to do so, and then I would go live with a brother or sister who would care for me.

With this in mind I knew my parents did not expect me to marry and have children. When as a teen-ager I mentioned a girlfriend, my mother would often say, "I'm not taking care of her too." If that wasn't clear enough, she would sometimes add, "I'm not taking care of a baby." Thus I didn't discuss my hopes, dreams, or plans for the future with my parents until it was time to begin planning for college.

My oldest son is now three. We are already talking about the future. He says that, when he is a man, he will get married. He will be a daddy, and he will have a job. When I was his age, I might have said those things too. But later I simply didn't talk about those things. I knew that those expectations were not for me. I reinforce the things my little boy says with positive responses.

But though I never talked about it much, I always knew that I wanted to get married and have a family. In 1994 I married Tracy, my high school sweetheart. I knew without a doubt that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and raise a family.

Though my parents lived to see us married, they did not live to see our first child. John was born in July of 1995 and was named after my father. Though I never told him, I always knew that I would name my first son after my dad.

Since John was born, many people have said how sorry they are that neither Tracy nor I can see him. My little sister has told me that several of her friends have told her how unfortunate it is that her brother can't see his son. We then talk about all of the fathers who are fully sighted and never see their children because for one reason or another they are separated from them. We then recognize that there are parents of both genders who are not involved in their children's lives.

Though my wife and I cannot see our two children, we will be involved in their lives. We want our children to know that they are loved and to feel free to discuss anything with us as they are growing up. Since September of 1999 I have been taking John to swimming lessons at the YMCA. When my job has prevented me from taking him, I have made arrangements for someone else to do so. This is our chance to spend some time together, so I work hard not to miss a lesson.

The day after Thanksgiving I took him to see Santa Claus light the courthouse in the town where I grew up. This is something that I enjoyed doing as a boy and wanted to share with him. He has three computer games that we play together, and Tracy takes him to a variety of church activities and a music class.

Recently we had an experience that I am sure we will never forget. John and I went to the circus and rode an elephant. When I learned that elephant rides would be available, I made a special effort to get to the circus early so he would have the chance to ride. I did not plan to ride. However, as we waited in line, I learned that adults were permitted to ride, and I simply couldn't resist. That night (not for the first time) I thought of how fortunate I am to have my family. Lucas was born on November 13, 1999. Although he is too young for elephant-riding, I am sure that he and I will have our own special activities.

I write this for blind children and their parents. To the parents I say, believe in your blind child. Help him or her to grow up with a strong degree of self-confidence. To blind children and young blind adults I say, believe in yourself. Be strong and come to understand that you are not like the elephant. You must realize that an idea (no matter how firmly planted in your mind) does not have to prevent you from living your dreams. Believe in yourself, and you too can ride the elephant.

The National Federation of the Blind of Licking County will host an information and technology dinner on Thursday, July 15, 1999. For more information contact Sandy Crane at (740) 522-6613.

Crystal McClain, President of the Parents of Blind Children Division, writes as follows: We are accepting orders for rhinestone NFB and guide dog pins. These pins are of high quality and are selling like hotcakes for $8.50 each, which includes shipping. The NFB pin simply has the letters NFB all done in clear rhinestones, and the letters are approximately one half inch high. The guide dog pins are clear rhinestones making the outline of a dog's head. The pins are great for both men and women to wear to NFB banquets and many other occasions.

We also have Cane Walk T-shirts for sale. The shirt has two stick-figure people on the front (an adult and a child) both using canes. Above the picture in large letters it says, "Take a Hike!" Under the picture it says, "Annual White Cane Walk Sponsored by the Parents of Blind Children Division." The back of the shirt has a cane in a diagonal position with the message:
THE LONG WHITE CANE: A necessary tool for a blind kid to achieve independence, acceptance, safety, and a FUTURE! The shirts are available in royal purple with white lettering in the following sizes: Youth: 10-12 or 14-16; Adult: Large, XL, or XXL. We also have bright yellow shirts with white lettering in youth sizes 6-8, 10-12, and 14-16. The shirts are $12, which includes shipping. Send your order and your check to Parents of Blind Children of Ohio, 1070 Twp. Road 181, Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311; or call (937) 599-5782; or e-mail .

We extend our congratulations to Ken Velkovich and Becky Riley, who were married on Saturday, May 1, 1999. Ken is the longtime president of the National Federation of the Blind of Cincinnati and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.

The next time you see Donnie Boggs, be sure to congratulate him for making the honor roll at the Ohio State School for the Blind. You might also ask him to demonstrate his ability to sing like Hank Williams Sr. He displayed this unique talent during the annual spring concert at the school. He was the star of the show. Donnie and his mother Ruth are members of our Southeast Ohio chapter, and Ruth is the First Vice President of our Parents of Blind Children Division. They both deserve credit for Donnie's success.

The man we have all come to know and love as John W. Smith has changed his name. He is now known as Dr. J. Webster Smith; his friends are free to call him J. or J.W. Dr. Smith says, "The name has changed, but the wonderful personality is still the same."

On April 29 Barbara and Bob Pierce became grandparents for the first time. Their daughter Anne and her husband J.J. Schaum gave birth to Miranda Pierce Schaum, who weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces and measured twenty-one-and-a-half inches long. She has lots of light brown hair and blue gray eyes, and except for some confusion about when to sleep and when to stay awake for conversation, Grammy and Granddaddy pronounce her perfect in every way.

Back to Home Page