WISCONSIN CHRONICLE VOLUME IX, SEPTEMBER, 1992 ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________ The Newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin The National Federation of the Blind is not an organization speaking for the blind We are the blind speaking for ourselves. 5331 South 8th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53221 (414) 483-3336 Bonnie Peterson, President Jodi Cowle, Editor David Schuh Cassette, Production ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________ 1992 STATE CONVENTION The Seventeenth Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin will be held in the engaging surroundings of the Best Western Hotel, 321 South Washington, in Green Bay Wisconsin. The Convention will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday October 2, and conclude Sunday October 4 at 12:00 a.m. This year's convention will feature many fascinating speakers who will share their techniques for success relating to employment, job skills, and education. The program will be of great interest to all blind persons, parents of blind children, and those working with the blind. The highlight of the convention will be a banquet address given by our National representative. We are proud to have arranged quite reasonable room rates for this year's convention. The rates are single (one person in a room) $44.95, double (two persons in a room) $53.95, triple (three persons in a room) $57.95, or quad (four persons in a room) $61.95. There will be no charge for children occupying rooms with their parents. Reservations are to be made to the Best Western Downtowner, 123 South Washington, Green Bay, WI 54301, (414) 437-8771. A guarantied reservation requires a major credit card number or one night advance payment on or before September 28, 1992. In order to receive our convention rates you must inform the hotel that you are reserving rooms for the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin Convention. The Green Bay NFBW convention in 1992 is definitely the place to be - hundreds of dollars of great door prizes, a terrific auction, excellent hotel and meeting accommodations, stimulating program items, history making convention business, as well as hospitality and fun. Don't miss it, and get your reservations in today, along with the pre-registeration form at the end of this newsletter. FRED SCHROEDER by Bonnie Peterson Fred Schroeder will be the National representative at the 1992 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin. Fred Schroeder was born in 1957 in Lima, Peru, and came to the United States when he was two years old. He is the youngest member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. Fred Schroeder received his bachelor's degree in psychology from San Francisco State University in 1977 and was elected president of the NFB of California student division that same year. In 1978 he earned a master's degree in elementary education and qualified for a California teaching cer- tificate. At the 1977 national convention Fred Schroeder was offered a job as travel instructor at the Orientation and Adjustment Center in Lincoln Nebraska. While there he met Cathlene Nusser, a leader in the NFB of Nebraska; the two were married in 1981. In 1980 Fred Schroeder moved back to Albuquerque New Mexico to be an itinerant teacher for blind children for the Albuquerque Public School System, then being promoted one year later to the position of Coordinator of Low Incidence Programs. In 1986 he was appointed director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. In that position he has earned a nationwide reputation as one of the most dynamic and innovative ad- ministrators in the field of work with the blind. He has also served as a member of the Braille Authority of North America from 1982 to 1986 and represented the Braille Authority and the National Federation of the Blind at the International conference on Literary Braille in London England. Fred Schroeder served on the governing board of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf in New Mexico beginning in 1984. Fred Schroeder remembers, "In 1976 I was completing a masters degree in education of blind children, a field in which there was a nationwide shortage. After thirty-five or forty interviews I didn't have a single job offer. I had to deal first hand with the very real fact of discrimination against the blind. The National Federation of the Blind makes the difference. It helps people who are coming alone to have advantages we didn't, and in the very act of encouraging and supporting others, we sustain and nurture our own morale and self belief." Associates Committee Report by David Schuh 1991/1992 has been a great year for associate membership recruitment for the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin. The number has risen from 24 the previous year to 87 this year. Wisconsin placed 15th among the state affiliates. David Schuh was one of nineteen people in the country to receive a red, white and blue ribbon at the National Convention. Following is a list of the recruiters with the number of associate members recruited and dollar amount raised: David Schuh 53 $737 Bonnie Peterson 19 $393 Lois Nemeth 4 $ 55 Cheryl Orgas 3 $ 77 Bill Meeker 3 $ 46 Larry Sebranek 2 $ 35 John Fritz 2 $ 20 Total 87 $1283 A GIFT IN GOOD TASTE by John Fritz Imagine a food perfect for today's lifestyles. It would be great tasting, nutritious, all natural and ready to eat in an instant. Wiscon- sin's been making that food for more than a century. It's cheese! No other food comes in so many tempting varieties. It's a part of so many of our favorite meals from breakfast to a late-night snack. Cheese is a natural for today's healthy and hectic lifestyles. The goodness of milk is concentrated when making cheese ten pounds of milk are needed to create one pound of most varieties. Cheese is a natural dairy product, rich in calcium, protein and other essential nutrients. The Wisconsin Gift Cheese Box contains NFB literature along with one pound of delicious Wisconsin colby cheese and two pounds of America's favorite Wisconsin cheddar cheese, two eight ounce boxes of no-salt Groft's crackers one of wheat and the other of garlic. These items are contained in a box with Holstein cows on the outside. A Wisconsin Cheese Box will make a wonderful Christmas gift, definitely a gift in good taste for family and friends. Send your prepaid order of $19.95 within the continental United State to Wisconsin Gift Cheese Box, 1612 Winnebago Street, LaCrosse, WI, 54601. For orders outside the continental United States add $20.00 per box. Payment can be made with check or money order with checks payable to the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin. The Verdict is In by William D. Meeker Editor's Note: William Meaker is the President ot the Milwaukee chapter of the NFB of Wisconsin. Who me, who never wins anything except an occasional $1 scratch off lottery prize or an opportunity to buy some choice property accessible only to helicopters and mosquitoes, summoned to jury duty? Impossible! Someone must be suing me instead, or else this is a newer and more cleverly packaged real estate scam. I'd better read that summons again more closely. But no, I am to be a reserve juror, that is, I must call the Milwaukee County Courthouse Jury Management Office Monday morning, August 3, 1992 to see if I am needed to report. What if I'm actually picked to serve? I feel excitement and fear simultaneously. Co-workers and friends rallied to support me. "Don't worry, you don't stand a chance. You're a federal employee. They don't pick federal employees." "They won't pick you. They rejected me twice after I told them I was a musician. It was pretty boring but the hot chocolate was great." I am not a musician. Interestingly, no one mentioned my blindness as a possible reason for rejection. Nobody had considered two pivotal factors. First, people will go to almost any extremes of whining, crying, preposterous excuses, and grovelings to avoid jury service. Second, jury selection was now underway in the trial of a Cedarburg man for the brutal and highly publicized murder of his wife. So I was needed, and I did report to the auditorium-like jury assembly room just in time, as it turned out, to catch the last half of the exciting western movie "Hangman's Knot" on the wide screen TV. From time to time the overhead loudspeaker blared my name along with a number, usually above twenty-five, which corresponded with a number painted on the floor on which I was to stand. So far, nothing to exceed my intellectual capabilities. Having found my numbered spot using my eight plus years of parochial school training in "forming an orderly line", I visited a number of courtrooms and listened to a variety of questions from lawyers and judges and heard an amazing array of preposterous whining, groveling excuses for why these potential jurors are unable to serve. It was a humbling experience, seeing otherwise ordinary people displaying a level of creativity normally reserved for writers and fantasy. In a civil courtroom on my second day of call and wait and march in line enough people ahead of me in the line had presented creative enough excuses to be excused from jury service that it became my turn to sit in the jury box and be questioned by the attorneys. When I arose from the general seating to approach the jury box, opposing counsels rocketed from their seats to intercept and escort me around the video tape player (present to play a recorded deposition) into the jury box. To my surprise, not a single question about my blindness was asked, and when the final jury selection was made I was among those selected. The trial, a trumped-up defamation of character suit, lasted two days. Seeing me using my Braille'n Speak, the judge asked if I was taking notes and answered "good" in a tone which made me think that he wished more of my fellow jurors would do likewise when I said that I was. My fellow jurors exhibited a piece of noteworthy behavior. When the time came to be marched from the jury room into the courtroom each day, and after breaks and lunch: they all hung back deferentially to allow me to lead the procession into the jury box. But when court recessed for breaks, lunch, and the evening they stampeded off, not caring if I was first or last. Well, "when the going gets tough..." After rendering our verdict on the third day we were thanked for our service and assured that we would not be called again for at least two years. Too bad, I enjoyed serving. Also, I enjoyed the attention that was "not" paid to my blindness. Ladies and gentlemen: the jury has reached a verdict, there is justice for blind people in the Milwaukee County court system. NFB NET by David Andrews With more and more Federationists using computers, speech synthesizers, refreshable Braille displays, Braille'n Speaks and modems there has been increased interest in the National Federation of the Blind's offering a bulletin board service. We are now doing so with the opening of NFB NET. At this point some of you are probably asking "What is nfb net?" Well it isn't a way to capture new members. It is the official bulletin board service of the National Federation of the Blind. A bulletin board system (BBS) is a computer system which contains files and messages on various subjects. A person using his or her computer and modem can access the bulletin board from home or work. (A modem is a device which enables two computers to communicate with each other over a standard telephone line.) The bulletin board is another way in which our members and friends can keep in touch with the National Center for the Blind. The files include past and current issues of the Braille Monitor, other NFB literature, and state affiliate newsletters. The system also has files of interest to blind computer users, such as demo copies of va- rious speech and Braille translation programs. Further, there is a selec- tion of public domain and shareware. Finally, there is a file area for NFBTRANS related files. (NFBTRANS is the Braille translation program developed by the NFB). Future plans call for the release of the source code for NFBTRANS, so this area can serve as a collection point for altered programs, etc. Messages on NFB NET are categorized by topic. There is an area called Blind Talk for the discussion of issues both computer related and noncomputer-related of interest to blind persons. Another area, NFB Talk, is for the announcement of timely information and discussion of matters concerning the NFB. These two discussion areas will also be carried on the BBS run by Federationist Tommy Craig in Austin, Texis, and we would be interested in having other boards pick them up. There is also a discussion area for NFBTRANS, and Charlie Cook, its author has agreed to call in periodically to answer questions and offer advice. NFB NET is part of Fidonet, a worldwide network of bulletin board systems that exchange electronic mail and discussion areas or conferences called echoes. NFB NET will carry a variety of Echo Conferences on job hunting, employment listings, home based entrepreneurial opportunities, Word Perfect questions and solutions and more. For those members who use bulletin boards in their local areas and wish to send NFB NET electronic mail via fidonet, our address is 1:261/1125. The parameters of NFB NET are 8 data bits, no parity, and one stop bit. The system has a U.S. Robotics 9600 HST dual standard modem and can handle baud rates of 300, 1200, 2400 and 9600. The modem can also handle V.32 and V.42 and MNP level 1 - 5 protocols. What all this means is that NFB NET should be able to connect with almost anything around. The telep- hone number is (410) 752-5011. We look forward to seeing you on-line. LaCrosse Chapter Report by Larry Sebranek On a stormy March 21, 1992 Federationists Larry and Kathleen Sebranek and Doris Selke gathered more than fifteen persons to meet with NFBW State President Bonnie Peterson, who led a stimulating discussion about the Federation. The newly formed LaCrosse chapter of the NFB of Wisconsin elected officers: President, Larry Sebranek; Vice-President, Doris Selke; Secretary, Steve Johnson; Treasurer, Kathleen Sebranek; Board Members Lucy Ruege and Juanita Phillips Five chapter members, including national scholarship winner Chad Newcomb, attended the National Convention in Charlotte. Members have contacted and met with Congressman Steve Gunderson and informed him that we strongly oppose the creation of a million dollar study commission on blindness encouraging the congressman to "listen to his constituents". Chapter meetings are held the second tuesday evening of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Sauber Manor, 1025 Liberty Street, LaCrosse. Enthusiasm is high for the braille lessons held weekly in the Sebranek home. The chapter is planning its first chickencue fund-raiser to be held September 18. Northcentral Chapter Report by David Schuh September 15 is the 2nd anniversary of the seventeen member Northcen- tral chapter of the NFB of Wisconsin. Four members attended the National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina (David Schuh, Connie Miller, Sanford Guelzow and Lorrie Doucette). Members have been calling and writing letters to our legislators regarding social security entitlements, unnecessary government spending and fighting for more consumer input for blind people. On Saturday, July 11 the chapter hosted a potluck picnic at Marathon Park in Wausau. Besides our chapter members, NFB members attended from Green Bay, Madison and Janesville. There was enough food to feed the entire state contingency. There were door prizes for the adults and for the children. The picnic was a great success and there are plans to make this an annual event. Next year the picnic will be held early in June. We received money for a Romeo RB 40 Braille embosser for the chapter. Our chapter will be renting a 15 seat van to transport members to the State Convention in Green Bay. We have three new members. Randy is an occupational therapist. He and his wife Tayna and their children, Amanda and Zacharyhave been residents of Wisconsin for eight months. He was an member of the NFB in the Metro and Rochester chapters. Lorrie Daucette is a parent of a blind child. She has three daugh- ters, Julee, Alexandra and Jessica. Jessica has congenital glaucoma. Lorrie is a member of our Parents of Blind Children Division. Dawn is a police science student from Buttes Des Morts. She has one daughter, Valine. Scholarship Report by Cheryl Orgas Sheila Koenig, a freshman at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was chosen as the 1992 National Federation of the Blind scholarship winner. This bright and active young woman has already received part of her scholarship award in the form of an expense paid trip to the most important Federation event of the year, the National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, held this year in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her expenses at the state convention in Green Bay, October 2 through 4, 1992, will be paid in full and she will receive a check for $1000 the night of the banquet on October 3, 1992. Sheila is very deserving of this scholarship award. Sheila will major in education with a concentration in psychology and will minor in Spanish. She hopes someday to become a teacher. This woman has a very promising future ahead of her. Scholarship Committee Chair: Cheryl Orgas, Committee Members: Deb Jacobson, Kathleen Sebranek, John Fritz No Longer Hindered by Sheila M. Koenig I have always been afraid to admit that my blindness exists. I kept telling myself that I wasn't really blind because I could still see out of my left eye. I was so afraid of being different from everyone else I knew. I figured that people would reject me once they found out that I had a "visual impairment". I excluded myself from many activities because I was so self-conscious. I didn't want to try new things, I could fail or somehow make a fool of myself. In reality I was a blind person trying to live my life as a sighted person. I attended the 1992 National Federation of the Blind convention as a Wisconsin scholarship winner. I had no idea what to expect. I was a little nervous and very curious. I don't think there is any way for me to express the degree to which the convention affected me. I was surrounded by people like myself who had very successful careers and families. I discovered that it is not bad to be blind. Blind people can do anything that sighted people can, we only use alternative techniques. The people I met are as dear to me as my own family. I know that I have made many life long friends who can answer questions that my sighted friends cannot. Above all the convention has enabled me to admit to my blindness. It really doesn't matter. Why should I keep pretending that I am a fully sighted person when I am not? I can't describe the feeling of confidence and independence that I have gained. I no longer feel hindered by stereotypes and others' reactions. I can be myself. Thank you, National Federation of the Blind. Learning, One Goof at a Time by Jennifer Lehman Editor's Note: Jenny Lehman, 1991 NFB of Wisconsin scholarship winner, is an editor of the newsletter of BLIND Inc.'s student council, and president of the NFB student division of Minnesota. This article is reprinted from "Blind Inc. Eagle". When I first became a student at Blind Incorporated, I was overwh- elmed. There were so many people to meet, skills to learn, and things to do. For the first few days I didn't know what to focus on. I soon discovered one piece of knowledge which has helped to put things into perspective and has made the entire learning process much easier. I discovered that it's OK to make a mistake. I can't expect myself to know everything or to do everything right. I have always felt that instructors, especially travel instructors and people who tried to teach me home management skills, expected me to know what I was doing. If I made a mistake, I felt that they thought I was incompetent. Maybe most of this attitude came from myself. I have to keep reminding myself that I shouldn't expect myself to be perfect. I have learned a great deal from every mistake I've made since I've been here. For example, when I used my hand instead of my cane to find the revolving door at the hotel in Charlotte, I quickly and painfully learned the correct cane technique. Getting your hand stuck is a great incentive for finding an alternative method. The important thing is that I have learned from most of my mistakes and, had I not made them, I might not have learned as effectively. I know that when I graduate I will take many things away from this program with me. Besides the skills and friendships I will have, I will also know that mistakes are a necessary part of learning. I will always be grateful to this program for teaching me this important lesson and giving me the chance to put it into practice so often. AWARDS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Linda Mentink, secretary of the NFB of Wisconsin, was elected secretary of the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) at the 1992 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Linda has also been secretary of the NFB Music Division since 1986. Bonnie Peterson was awarded a Master Of Art Degree from Marquette Univer- sity's College of Communication and Rhetorical Studies on May 17, 1992. Larry Sebranek was appointed to the State of Wisconsin's Vendor's Committee, an advisory committee to the Randolph Shephard Vending Program. Dennis Schuh, treasurer of the Northcentral chapter of the NFB of Wisconsin, placed second in the World Powerlifting Championships for the Blind in Perth, Australia and earned a silver medal. He plans to compete in a powerlifting competition this fall at Wisconsin Dells. Western Union will send braille Telegrams (braillegrams). The cost is $2.00 for the first twenty-five words and $1.00 for each additional twenty- five words. If you are interested in sending braillegrams call 1-800-325- 6000 extension 16. braillegrams may be charged to your credit card or telephone bill. NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF WISCONSIN 1992 CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM The Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin will be held October 2 - 4, 1992 at the Best Western Downtowner, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Cost is $4 for each person preregistering and $6 for those registering after September 27. Registration will be available at the Convention but preregistering will help us provide you with better service. This form may not be used to register with the hotel. Hotel registration should be made by calling the Best Western Downtowner, 321 South Washington, Green Bay, WI 54301 (414) 437-8771. In order to get convention rates be sure to say you are registering for the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin Convention. Costs for the Convention are as follows: Room Rates: $44.95 for singles; $53.95 doubles; $57.95 Triples; $61.95 quads. A deposit of one nights lodging is required if you will arrive after 6 p.m. Convention Registration: $ 4.00 in advance or $6.00 after September 27 Banquet Ticket $10.00 Names of Persons Registering: ____________________________________ ___________________________________ Mailing Address: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Telephone Number (including area code): _________________________ Number of Persons Registering on this Form: ____________________ Amount enclosed for Registration: _____________________________ I require ___ banquet tickets and am enclosing $_____ to cover this cost. Total Amount Enclosed: ________________________________________ Please make all checks payable to the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin and send them, along with this form, to Linda Mentink 1737 Tamarack Lane Janesville, WI 53545