| Home | Site
TOC | Site Search | COSB Home | | Home | Site
TOC | Site Search | COSB Home |
Vol. 4. No. 4
January 1998
Howe's Now
is a publication of the Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB) that recognizes Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe. Samuel Howe was the first Director of Perkins School for the Blind in 1833. His ongoing efforts as an advocate for public school programs for blind children was instrumental in establishing a full continuum of placements and services.Download Megadots Braille format of this newsletter cosboct.meg
(60k)
Paper Braille copies provided upon request. Direct correspondence to:
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
1100 West 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756-3494
Individual opinions and views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the official position of COSB.
by Dr. Yvonne Howze
Superintendent, Missouri School for the Blind
This article is the first of a four-part series on leadership based on the experiences of Dr. Howze as a Kellogg National Leadership Fellow, a 3-year program sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Erik Olesin's book, 12 Steps to Mastering the Winds of Change, tells of an incident that took place when Calvin Coolidge was President and living in the White House. Coolidge invited a group of friends from his hometown to join him for a celebration dinner. Unfamiliar with White House etiquette, Coolidge's friends decided they would do everything exactly as the President did. Everything was going along smoothly until coffee was served. At that time, the President poured his coffee into his saucer. The guests did likewise. Coolidge then added cream and sugar. His friends did, too. Imagine his guests' surprise when Coolidge bent over and placed his saucer on the floor for the cat!
Following the example of someone else enables us to avoid the trial and error of blazing our own trail. If we lack the courage to be ourselves, then we run the risk of blaming opportunity for knocking too loudly when it finally reaches our door. Effective leaders are courageous! They spend very little time worrying about what other people might think of them; they worry a great deal about what other people think; so they merely ask for input. They make every effort to create a shared vision, building effective teams of capable people who are dedicated to whatever it takes to get the work done.
Effective leaders practice what they preach. They appreciate, nurture, and celebrate diversity in people. They are examples to be followed who talk less and do more. They are watched by others, so they must always be authentic. They are creative, and they encourage creativity in others. They tell stories to foster one's imagination. They value young people and, therefore, make time and space in their organizational forests to guide young people toward meaning and purpose in life.
Effective leaders motivate people, constantly encouraging them to perform based on sound judgment and common sense. Effective leaders are not threatened by other people's talents, but rather, they are committed to bringing out the best in everyone, including themselves. They recognize that everyone has assets. They do not see themselves in a contest, so they do not need to be in the spotlight. After all, leadership is about getting good things done with the help of others.
Effective leaders are risk-takers who are willing to take the risk of pouring their coffee into their cups, even when everyone else is pouring it into their saucers. They love being civically engaged, so they are active in the community. They don't just vote or volunteer, instead they do public work to effect changes that have long-range implications and profound impact on the community at large. Their commitment is to service.
Effective leaders remain focused against the odds, creating an orderly process with a willingness to take corrective action, when needed, or if necessary. It is apparent that such words as "it can't be done," "impossible," and "won't work" are just not a part of their vocabulary. Instead, they are believers of "let's go,"and "we must find the resources to make it happen," and "we must work together to accomplish it." Simply put, effective leaders are risk-takers who are willing to accept the responsibility of their decisions.
By Jim Durkel, Statewide Staff Development Coordinator
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
A colleague of mine had a dog. The dog was part shepherd. One day, the dog had a frustrating time when he encountered some chickens. He tried to herd the chickens. The chickens did not much appreciate the dog's efforts.
Herding chickens may be a fitting metaphor for trying to coordinate statewide staff development activities for professionals in the area of visual impairment from a residential school for the blind and visually impaired. As part of the outreach team at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, these are some things I have learned from this metaphor:
Each geographic area has unique needs and desires for how to meet its needs. What works in a highly populated urban area may not work in a sparsely populated rural area. We are not a cohesive herd. We are a group of individuals moving in all directions at once. Do we really need to be herded? I needed to stop thinking "herd" and start thinking "individual." One way to do this is to view every piece of technical assistance we offer as a form of staff development. Answer a question about changes to IEP mandated by IDEA? That's staff development. Conduct an onsite consultation focused on the needs of an individual student? Staff development. Create a new form to help professionals collect student outcome data? Staff development. Interactive video will work for one, but not another. One person may like conferences, another will never go. Some will access Web-based training, others don't own a computer and have no intention of getting one. Providing a range of options on a variety of topics (sort of like scattering feed all around the yard) is probably better than trying to get every individual to move in one direction or eat from one trough.
Adding some motivation (akin to sprinkling corn behind you to get the chickens to follow) can help. What are some of the motivations? Holding out a promise of information that will help professional activities be more productive, less frustrating, more rewarding can also be a powerful motivator. This means having to ask on a very regular (I am thinking almost daily) basis, "What do you need? What will help you today?" We also reward follow-up to staff development activities by giving "eyeball bucks." Costs for professional books and conferences can be reimbursed with proof of participation in certain activities.
A factor I have ignored in the past, but am considering in the present and for the future is "flock mentality." If one chicken rushes to a particular part of the barnyard, chances are good others will go there to check it out as well. Giving professionals time to discuss what they are doing or not doing, showing materials they have developed, and sharing ideas about their problems has become a big part of our staff development activities. Peers have more credibility than some "expert." This leads to the next thought:
In Texas, we have begun a mentor program. All newly trained teachers for students with a visual impairment and O&M specialists can have an experienced mentor to help with their first year in the field. Getting these mentors to pass their expertise onto inexperienced protégés will benefit both groups. The mentors will firm up their knowledge and skills in preparing to teach another. The protégés will benefit from having an experienced peer to help their transition into the profession. Leaders in our professions must come from those who have been doing the job for the last 10-20 years. Staff development should focus on giving these individuals the support and recognition they need to become these leaders.
Several years ago, a co-worker and I developed what we called "the change equation." She and I both had come to the realization that information alone did not equal change, even though that was the premise upon which most staff development activities were based. Instead, we said that-
CHANGE= INDIVIDUALS' CAPACITY FOR
CHANGE
+ THEIR MOTIVATION TO CHANGE
+ ADEQUATE SUPPORT TO CHANGE
+ INFORMATION
Traditionally, we hope for change to occur at a skill level-that is, for the recipient of the staff development to be able to do something they couldn't before. However, change can occur in many different forms, each of which may be a desired outcome; each of which needs its own unique blend of capacity, motivation, support, and information. For example, attitudes may change, beliefs may change, knowledge may change and, finally, skills may change-or not.
It's a bit like herding chickens.
When I was a very young boy in my first year of school, my first time on the playground another boy went to each of my classmates, grabbed them by their shirts, and demanded they tell him who was the toughest kid in kindergarten. When this little tough guy got to me and grabbed my shirt, I retaliated by throwing him to the ground. "Hey!" he sobbed, "You don't have to get sore just because you don't know the right answer." I guess this was my start on a course of leadership.
I am sure all of us remember the old-fashioned western movies. The hero was firm, forthright, clean-shaven, and he always wore a white hat, except in the presence of a lady. The villain on the other hand, was cruel, craven, wore a mean mustache, smoked small black cigars, and he always wore a dark hat, which he never removed in anyone's presence.
In a way, these Hollywood "B" movies shaped and dramatized the ethical ideals we learned from our parents. Virtue did indeed triumph. Goodness, kindness, and decency always won out, no matter how difficult the road was to ride. Even today, the movies that sell the best show the hero or the heroine as a paragon of honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness. Recently, those like the Lone Ranger or Luke Skywalker have been in short supply. Political leaders or sports figures have not inspired us. Our heroic models, our good guys, cannot be found easily. We, the superintendents of schools for thc blind, by our example to our staff and students, must be the example for this thing we strive for-to become good citizens to our families, community, and country. We have to instill honesty and trust in those we deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Samuel Clemens once wrote, "Always do right, this will gratify some people and astonish the rest." This is one of our tasks now and for years to come. Always do right, and you will astonish everyone, even yourself. Today we are the leaders; we lead with the knowledge that our future is in those we lead. We lead with the knowledge that our true legacy is in those we have led. What we give them will reflect on what we were, and what we have done.
When I was appointed to my first administrative position as a new principal of a school for special education students, my first act was cleaning out the previous principal's desk. In it, I found three sealed envelopes, each bearing the legend: To the new Principal. The first envelope stated: Open during your first crisis. The next: Open during your second crisis. And the final one stated: Open during your third crisis. Not shortly after, I had my first crisis, and I opened the first envelope. In it was a single sheet of paper with two words on it, "Plead ignorance." I did as advised, and the crisis passed. Later a second crisis appeared; I opened the second envelope, and on a single sheet of paper it read, "Ask for more time." I did this, and again the crisis left. Shortly after, a third crisis appeared for which it seemed no excuse would do. I was wondering if the advice would get me out of this one also. I opened the third envelope, and on a single sheet of paper it said, "First-write three letters."
A wet duck does not fly at night-
Herb "Red Sock" Miller
St. Joseph's School for the Blind
It was our intent to have this edition of Howe's Now out before the annual COSB Institute, but, alas, I failed to make several self-imposed deadlines. The outcome is that the Institute and our annual gathering at APH are history, and change is in the wind. Our fearless leader, Herb Miller, handed over the gavel to me, and I have the very difficult task of following him as President of COSB. Herb has received many accolades for his leadership of our organization-all well-deserved. I'll only add that Herb combines wit and wisdom better than most people I have ever known. He sometimes acts the clown, and he is truly an hilarious stand-up comedian. But you don't have to know Herb too long before you discover the wisdom and intelligence of this man. Above all, and most importantly to me, Herb cares about children and the quality of services they receive.
Herb will continue on the COSB Board for two more years as immediate Past-President. So, we'll continue to benefit from his experience and guidance in the future. Thanks, Herb, for your wonderful leadership!
I have been a member of COSB since 1990, so I'm still a novice in this group of experienced and talented people. During my membership, Dennis Thurman, Lou Tutt, Mike Bina, and Herb have served as presidents. They have gifted me with models for leadership that I deeply appreciate. Thanks, my friends!
I'm certain that all of you who attended the Institute were as impressed as I was with the quality of presentations. Yvonne Howze set the stage with her stimulating and thought-provoking keynote on leadership. Then, as a follow-up to the year before, we heard Gene McMahon discuss his most recent research on measuring student outcomes. This was followed by Bob Neadles reporting on his data regarding justifying our costs. The timeliness and critical nature of these two topics stimulated much discussion and provided strong encouragement for these two colleagues to continue their projects.
It was decided to have Gene and Bob collaborate in their work and attempt to bring the two topics into closer alignment, since both have a profound influence on schools for the blind. The suggestion was made that a committee be formed, a sort of "support group," for Gene and Bob and the work that they are doing. Joe Busta volunteered to be on this committee (perhaps to chair it, Joe?). I think Yvonne, with her intense interest in measuring student outcomes, might want to be a member, and I will join this effort. Are there any of the rest of you who would like to volunteer to join the "Gene and Bob Support Group"?
From the Institute and our COSB business meeting came three initiatives that will get us started on both continuing and new efforts for the coming year:
In future issues of Howe's Now, we hope to report on progress in these initiatives. Please let me know if you would like to be an active member of a group that will be exploring these topics. Also, I'd like to hear from you if you have other topics or concerns in which you would like to see COSB involved.
This is going to be a great year for schools for the blind! This is going to be a great year for students who are blind or visually impaired throughout the U.S., regardless of where they're served!
Phil HatlenGerald Stricklin and Dan Dillon, students at the E. H. Gentry Technical Facility, have qualified for the 52nd United States Blind Golfers Association National Golf Championship in Orlando, FL. Liz Moore Low Vision Center Golf School and the AIDB are their sponsors. Dillon is coached by David Schepperle, and Stricklin is coached by Joe Shurbutt. To qualify for the tournament, each blind golfer had to play three verifiable 18-hole scores of 125 or lower on a regulation course. The golfers are allowed two practice swings per stroke, but any additional swings are counted in their scores.
As of August 3, 1998, Dr. Kenneth D. Randall is the new Superintendent of ASDB. Dr. Randall was Principal in the Department of the Deaf at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB) prior to becoming Superintendent of the California School for the Deaf-Riverside. Dr. Tuck Tinsley was Principal of the Department of the Blind at FSDB when Dr. Randall was there.
The California School for the Blind hosted an international conference for assessors of visually impaired students. Representatives from as far away as Japan and from 11 states attended the 3 days of sessions. Topics ranged from test development and working with publishers to provide tests normed on visually impaired students to implementing educational recommendations based on assessment. Opportunity was provided for participants to observe local programs. Outcomes included: establishment of a network of assessors of the visually impaired; development of a relationship with a test publisher and an agreement to provide the publisher technical assistance; and identification of hosts for the next conference.
Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (formerly Halifax School for the Blind). This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of short-term residential placements for students who are blind or visually impaired. During the 1997-98 school years, more than 200 of the 725 registered students in Atlantic Canada attended short-term placements varying from one week to three months. A second milestone being celebrated is the establishment of a M.Ed. Program for teachers of the visually impaired in conjunction with Mount Saint Vincent University. Distance education, summer study, and traditional classroom instruction provide university students with an array of options for completion of their course work and practica.
The GAB 1998-99 school term began August 10. The theme for the year is "Celebrate Learning!" There will be many activities to celebrate: NAC accreditation visit, Japan-America Grassroots Summit on campus, Workshop XX for LEA Teachers, classes through Florida State University, and new personnel to provide quality services to students. The new Outdoor Classroom is a welcome addition to the campus. We would welcome your visit . . .Come help us celebrate!
"Partners in Education," a new course for parents of blind children, is now available free of charge through The Hadley School for the Blind. By explaining the educational system-the laws, the process, and the people involved-this seven-lesson course provides parents information needed to advocate for educational services on behalf of their child. Available in print or on cassette. For enrollment information, call Hadley's Parent/Family Department at 1-800-323-4238, or e-mail to families@hadley-school.org.
Work is progressing on the construction of ISVI's new Independent Living Center and the school has received grant money to enhance our assistive technology. But the big news at the ISVI is that we are celebrating our 150th Anniversary throughout the year. We launched 150 balloons last May and started our school year with a dinner-dance for current and former employees. The next big event is a Statewide Blind Track Meet on September 25th.
We have just completed one of the biggest summer schools in our history. Over 70 students were here for our two-week regular summer school. Another eight participated in the orientation to World of Work program, a vocational, independent living program lasting seven weeks held on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Starting this week, Iowa Braille enters a new form of service delivery: we will only be closed for two weeks in the winter and another week in the summer. The rest of the year Iowa Braille will be providing some form of instruction.
Eight modern-day KSSB pioneers traveled up the Oregon Trail from its origins in Independence, Missouri, to Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, on the Wyoming border this June and July. The visually impaired teens and their sponsors followed the trail in vans and met with historical experts and trail buffs all along the way. We visited sites and had experiences usually reserved for hard-core trail aficionados. A second trip is planned for 1999, and KSSB would enjoy discussing the possible participation of other interested schools or states. On the home front, Sprint Corporation is donating 75 IBM 486's with 64 megs of RAM to KSSB. After some relatively inexpensive modifications, these units will go into classrooms and into our statewide tech loan library.
The Kentucky Instructional and Diagnostic Services (KIDS) department at KSB will facilitate an O&M training program that will lead to certification for eight KY teachers of the visually impaired. The program is being funded through a federal grant awarded to the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). KIDS Director Linda Smith has worked with Dr. Carol Love, UNC Project Coordinator, to bring the program to KY. The program begins this fall and students are expected to complete by spring 2000. "This will by no means address all of the needs of blind and visually impaired students in this state, but it is a step in the right direction," said Smith.
LSVI received a special legislative grant through our state rehabilitation agency to purchase and place Perkins Braillers in the homes of 35 LEA-based, blind grade-schoolers in Louisiana. We are remodeling one entire building to become the centralized home for all braille textbooks purchased by the state. In less than a year, all LEAs will look to us even more for textbooks, materials, inservice training, and moral support. This is just the role we think residential schools should play!
MSB is pleased to announce that the Newmarket Garden Club recently won second place in the National Federation of State Garden Clubs for outstanding achievement in civic development. The club won the special award for its financial and technical support of MSB's Sensory Garden, that features wheelchair-accessible raised flower beds, shrubs, trees, and herbs. The therapeutic garden provides sensory stimulation and endless learning experiences for students of all ages who are blind, visually impaired, and multi-disabled.
The year 2000 is rapidly approaching at MSAB. With the help of a special grant of $103,000 from the state of Minnesota, both software and hardware inadequacies will be addressed in preparation for the big day. Software renovations will include the development of programs specifically designed for our use. Service requests, student data, state reporting requirements, among many other features, will facilitate our work with students.
Our three-day conference, "Through the Years: A Celebration of Special Schools for the Blind," was a smashing success. A total of 137 persons attended representing 19 states and the District of Columbia. Seventeen residential schools were represented by 72 staff and five parents. A major outcome of the conference was a pledge by COSB to continue the idea of having a conference every so often. Our thanks to all who attended.
On June 30, 1998, after nine years of service, Dr. John Parrish retired as Superintendent of MSB. He was honored at August's MSAER meeting with MSB's award for Outstanding and Dedicated Services. Rosie L. Thompson, Ph.D., has been appointed Interim Superintendent. The MSB building program continues to progress. Students now occupy five new dorms. We expect the student center, independent living house, cafeteria, and health services buildings to soon be open.
MSB received a site visit from the Missouri Quality Award Examiners. By applying the Quality Principles of Guru Edward Deming, MSB has made great systematic improvements and has become a resource center of excellence in the state. During the application process for the award, MSB staff realized that not only had they met all the goals and objectives set in their five-year strategic plan, they met them two years early. Therefore, MSB is beyond successful and has adopted the new slogan for the next two years-Beyond Success onto Superior Performance: MSB celebrates 150 years of quality education in the year 2001! What a feather!
NSVH had an eventful summer. Preschool and kindergarten students and their families came to NSVH for parent training, education, and many fun activities. The sibling program was available for Super Incredible Brothers and Sisters. Space Camp was also held in preparation for Huntsville, Alabama. Recently, the school year got off to a great start. NSVH has had an increase in enrollment, as well as an increase in short-term placements. The NSVH staff is looking forward to many upcoming changes and expanding our services statewide.
On August 15 and 16, NMSVH hosted a "Parents' Weekend on Campus" event. The parents came to the campus with the returning students and slept in the student dorm rooms while the students participated in a "camp out" in the gym. Students, parents, and staff had meals and recreational activities together. Special training sessions for parents, including blindness awareness training, were available. On Saturday evening, the Superintendent held a reception for parents and students in the Superintendent's residence. There were more than 100 participants in the weekend activities, and the evaluations were glowing.
With each September at NYISE comes new teachers, new friends, and new opportunities for learning, growth, and development. We welcome our students: 111 in number to be exact. They are just about equally divided between our day and residential programs. They are, however, strongly united in their need for classes, services, and activities that will prepare them for life in a challenging new century! In addition to the traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, their schedules include keyboard technology and beginner Web site. The long-range goal is to give our students knowledge and experience in a variety of abilities that far outweigh any sign of disability.
The Governor Morehead School is the only NC school for exceptional children to be a successful competitor for a federal Technology Literacy Challenge Fund Sub-grant for 1998-99 in the maximum amount of $200,000. The GMS 2001 Technology Consortium grant will be used to provide 16 GMS teachers and 10 teachers from five partnering, local school districts, and a vision-specific technology competencies course for college credit via the GMS/NCCU Professional Development Center. The course will be taught live from the GMS/NCCU teleclassroom funded last year from a TLCF Sub-grant and an NCCU match.
An All-School Reunion was held on August 1, 1998, in celebration of 90 years of service to the visually impaired in the state of North Dakota. A highlight was the attendance of three of the four graduates of the class of 1935. Now ages 84, 85, and 87, they have experienced successful careers of farming, nursing home administration, and massage therapy respectively. The fourth class member is deceased. The fun-filled day consisted of entertainment and visitations.
OSB has expanded its School-to-Work initiative in 1998-99. Last year, a one-time state grant provided funding for OSB to employ a job coach to assist students enrolled in the vocational program. The success of that program has led to the expansion of the program to include other high school students. The objective of the program is to provide transitional services through work experiences in the community. Currently, twelve students are employed either part of the school day, after school hours, or on weekends.
OSB is celebrating its 125th anniversary. We had a whole week of activities the first week of June. They included: Monday: Crazy Hat Day; Tuesday: Legacy Day; Wednesday: Birthday Celebration; Thursday: Volunteers, State Department, Vision Regional Programs Day; Friday: Staff and Former Staff Day; and Saturday: Alumni Day. Altogether, about 400 people attended one or more activities to help us celebrate our rich heritage. We were honored by state and local officials, students, parents, service organizations, staff, and former staff for the positive influence that OSB has had on students throughout the years. It made us all very proud for the wonderful impact we have had on our students.
Overbrook continued its efforts to reach out into the community by offering two programs this summer. In June, a workshop for families and their infants and toddlers served 18 families. This year for the first time a few sessions were offered to professionals. Life skills, mobility, and human dynamics highlighted a six week residential program that was offered to public school adolescents. Sponsored jointly by Overbrook, a local rehabilitation agency, and the state, the students learned daily living, employment, and social skills. For the students in regular public schools this was an opportunity to meet other blind people with similar interests and hobbies.
The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children is involved in a project to develop an assessment and training program in powered mobility for visually impaired students. The focus of the program is to increase understanding about the criteria necessary to make students viable candidates for power mobility and to develop an appropriate training protocol. A team of occupational therapists, physical therapists, and orientation and mobility specialists are working collaboratively on the project.
Our SCSDB family was saddened by the accidental death of a student with multiple disabilities in late August. We hereby announce Dr. Charles White, former Athletics Director, as Interim Residential Dean for all the residential programs, and he continues to train residential staff in care and safety issues. This fall, we are having our Playground Dedications for over $200,000 of equipment for the three schools. The American Doll Fashion Show fundraising plans are under way for the renovations of the Student Activity Center/Voss Canteen. Dr. Bob Day, Vocational School Director, has begun a Vocational Diploma track and seeks information from any of you regarding standards and courses you offer.
The name of the South Dakota school has been officially changed by the state legislature to the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SDSBVI). We are in the process of redoing our Web pages. We have a list of schools for the blind at our site and would like to have hot links to other schools. If you have a Web site, please send us the address via E-mail at <kaiserm@sdsvh.northern.edu>; phone: 605-626-2580; fax: 605-626-2607; or mail: SDSBVI, 423 17th Avenue SE, Aberdeen, SD 57401-7699.
Dr. Joseph Panko has resigned from VSDB-Staunton. He has moved to Vermont to join his wife, who has a new position at The University of Vermont. Dr. Panko has served the school for approximately six years and will be missed in the community. We all wish him well in his new adventure. The interim acting superintendent will be Robert Whytal, who has been the Director of the two Virginia schools, as appointed from the VA State Department of Education for the past year. Welcome, Bob!
WSSB has completed the restoration of our 1919 Estey Pipe Organ. The organ was installed in a classic turn of the century auditorium on our campus that same year. In the early 1970s, the organ was taken out of the school and relocated to another state facility. In 1994, WSSB was successful in negotiating the return of an instrument that had fallen into a sad state of disrepair. Thanks to the efforts of alumni, staff, and many friends of the school, $52,000 of private funds were raised. Once again the School has a wonderful historic instrument for all to enjoy.
The WVSB 1998-99 school year is off to an exciting start! The halls have been painted, new pictures hung, vertical blinds purchased, and the enrollment is up! New classes offered include: Music Sound Systems, Art, Building Maintenance, Creative Writing, Newsletter, Song Writing, and Service-Learning Class. We're adding programs for short-term placement and post-graduate work. David Allen, WVSB teacher, has been hired as our elementary coordinator. We're looking forward to a successful year.
The Fourth Biennial "Getting in Touch With Literacy" Conference will be held in San Francisco, November 11-14, 1999. The conference examines literacy for individuals across all age groups who have a visual impairment.
The "Call for Papers" has gone out with a January 10, 1999, deadline. Abstracts for presentations (3 copies, 350-word maximum, double-spaced) should be forwarded to:
Dr. Sharon Sacks
Assistant Superintendent
California School for the Blind
500 Walnut Avenue
Fremont, CA 94536
See you in San Francisco in '99 as we "Open Those Golden Gates to Literacy!"
Our Reflections column for this issue is an article by Dr. Merle Frampton, longtime Director of the New York Institute for the Blind. I'd like to share a few thoughts about this very influential man from my own perspective, since I believe that I am one of a very few current superintendents who remembers Dr. Frampton as Director of the school in the Bronx.
Dr. Frampton directed the educational programs of the New York Institute for the Blind for many years. He held strong beliefs about services for blind students, and he was not reluctant to state them. For this reason, he had both strong supporters as well as detractors during his professional career. But I admired him for his consistency in his beliefs, because I believe this to be a valuable personal characteristic. I did not always agree with the positions Dr. Frampton took on controversial issues, but I deeply respected his ability to articulate his positions. As his son-in-law "Blue" Bickford mentions, Dr. Frampton was a prolific writer, providing us with a legacy of invaluable literature on schools for the blind. If you haven't read one or more of his books, I recommend that you should.
Sadly, Dr. Frampton may be remembered best for his strong stand against local school programs. When he first articulated this position, he chose to take an extremely unpopular stance at a time when the rest of the profession was on a fast ride to mainstreaming. But, if you have a copy available, I invite you to read his paper entitled, "The Tragedy of Modern Day School Education for Blind Students." You may find more to agree with than to question.
Dr. Frampton was a champion of schools for the blind. For his legacy, and for his writings, he needs to be remembered by COSB and our membership of current superintendents.
Dr. Jim "Blue" Bickford, Merle Frampton's son-in-law, lists some of the highlights of Dr. Frampton's distinguished career:
Founded the Special Education program at Columbia University; Chief of Special Services, Department of Rehabilitation, US Navy; Professor of Education, Columbia University and Hunter College; President's Committee, Employment of the Handicapped, 1947; developed programs in third-world countries to assist the handicapped; President, Eyes Right Foundation; Director of US House of Representatives Committee, Services for Special Education and Rehabilitation, 1959-61. His final book in 1980 was a translation from the German of Carl Ferdinand Von Graefe's Epidemic Contagious Trachoma.
Merle Frampton recently celebrated his 95th birthday. He resides in Portland, Oregon, with his daughter and son-in-law.
Based on all my years as Principal and Director of the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind, I have but one piece of advice to professionals in the field...TELL THE TRUTH. The truth will serve you far better than the platitudes and generalities that we so often find in the midst of our profession Over the past 5 decades, the field of special education has been one that has developed a language and vocabulary of its own, and it has had a tendency to follow the fads and vagaries of the educational system In any given year, the professional may leave the reading table with any number of new philosophies espoused by the university professionals who have little or no experience dealing with handicapped children. The field has moved from one that was directed by service professionals to one that is administered by those who have little concept of what it means to be blind, and even less experience working with those individuals with visual handicaps.
Thus, I must return to my original statement...TELL THE TRUTH. Never purport to offer what you cannot deliver. Deal with your board of directors, state departments of education, parents, students, consumers, and stakeholders with honesty and forthrightness. Being honest with your program, and being honest in describing the needs of blind students will bring greater rewards for all students in the state than if you attempt to placate individuals with generalities that never can be produced. Be specific. It is not necessary to be dramatic in requests for funds, either on the state level or through your local foundation. Blindness in itself is dramatic enough to produce the results desired. However, without the specificity and documentation to back up your requests, they will be lost among the myriad of requests for other handicaps that must also be served.
Look beyond the traditional pattern of residential school history. As we enter the new millennium, schools for the blind will once again take the lead in developing new programs for service delivery for blind children. As University programs continue to decline, states will once again look to the residential school as a center of preservice and inservice training for professionals within the state. Residential schools for the blind are no longer the "only game in town." Thus, it becomes even more necessary to develop a wide range of community and state networking, not only with public schools, but with businesses and community agencies that will benefit by such relationships. Remain in the forefront of community awareness. No matter how small or minor the successes are, be sure that the community is aware of them; be sure the state department of education is aware of them; and be sure that parents and consumer groups are aware of them. Because the field of blindness is so small, constant public relations is essential to maintain the support of consumer organizations and the community at large.
As special education laws have changed during the last two decades, residential schools for the blind have too often lagged behind new innovations in service delivery, instead relying on maintaining an enrollment of strictly multi-handicapped students. Serving such a unilateral population does a disservice to all blind and visually impaired children. Today, some of the highest need children who are being underserved are those academic and gifted blind children who do not have equal access to higher level academics, consistent orientation and mobility, and independent living skills. The time is long past for "either-or" choices for blind children. Early problems of integration were described in the Tragedy. We are fortunate that, in most parts of the country, programs have moved beyond that scenario. Yet, the residential school and the public school must continue to work together more closely to ensure a full range of services for all children according to their need.
This then brings me around to my original statement...TELL THE TRUTH. Tell the truth when a child will be better served in his or her own community. When you have made a mistake, tell the truth and correct it. That action will say a great deal about your character. If you can't appropriately serve a child, tell the truth, and point the parents to the right place. If you can serve the student better than the local district, that is also a truth that must be conveyed to the district and the parents. But remember, all these Truths are transitory. They can change tomorrow, and so must you.
Thus far, Howe's Now has not highlighted those of our members who have been honored by receiving the William H. English Leadership Award, the highest award given by COSB to those who have contributed significantly to the role and status of schools for the blind. In a future issue of Howe's Now, we will feature William "Bill" English, our colleague whose model of leadership inspired the annual award. We will also highlight those others among us who have been honored by receiving the William H. English Leadership Award. For this issue, we have chosen to feature the last two recipients. This special award for leadership went to Mike Bina in 1997.
Dr. Michael J. Bina, the recipient of the 1997 William H. English Leadership Award, has had a profound impact on the field of vision over the past thirty years. He got his start by volunteering his time as a swim coach at the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired while a college student at Northern State University. Mike found his niche during those early years while working with blind and visually impaired children. He continued to expand his education with a Master's degree from California State University Los Angeles in 1973 and a Doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado in 1980.
Mike has worked as an orientation and mobility instructor at the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped, a Director of Special Education in Wisconsin, Principal at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and is currently the Superintendent of the Indiana School for the Blind, where he has served for the past ten years. The Indiana School for the Blind has seen great growth and improvement during Mike's tenure. He has had a direct impact on unifying services for the blind and visually impaired in the state by establishing and serving on numerous committees and organizations to improve the quality of service delivery to students and adults.
Additionally, Mike has shared his experience and expertise on a national and international level. He has served on numerous accreditation teams, lectured and taught in China, been the keynote speaker for numerous conferences and conventions, published many articles pertaining to issues related to blindness and visual impairment and has held several offices in state and national organizations. Mike, as International President of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired from 1992-94, has attended the vast majority of state conventions throughout the country. He was instrumental in establishing the Council of Schools for the Blind, where he served as President from 1994-1996, and he continues to advance the causes of this organization and the various schools for the blind throughout the country.
Dr. Bina is truly a visionary leader in the field of the education of the blind and visually impaired. He exemplifies all of the qualities one would expect from a recipient of the William H. English Leadership Award.
Honored in 1998 by receiving the William H. English Award for Leadership is John Parrish. With apologies to his colleagues in Mississippi, who know John far better than I, I have chosen to write a few words about John Parrish myself.
I first met John when he was a doctoral student at Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York. His advisor, Bob Bowers, was an old friend of mine, and I went east from San Francisco to take a summer course for university professors in the late 1960s. The topic was Technology, and I look back on that experience now and realize that we were talking about the origins of technology at that time.
Bob's doctoral student, a young and very interesting man named John Parrish, was assigned to handle the details of all of us visiting professors who were a bit over-stimulated by New York. All I really remember of that first encounter was that John and his fellow doctoral student, Norm Reimer, took very good care of us. My memory is that John was a long way from being a Baptist minister at that time, and he helped us have a very good time in New York.
That experience began a long and wonderful friendship with John. He, my colleague Pete Wurzburger, and I became very close. We met and shared time together at conferences and meetings for many years. Despite long periods of time when we were not in touch, the three of us-John, Pete, and me--were true soul-mates. I heard stories of John's doing a terrific job in personnel preparation at Temple University. The next time I heard about him, he was in Talladega, Alabama, as a professor at Talladega College. During those years at Talladega, John was also a farmer, which doesn't surprise me at all.
When I accepted the position of Superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, I had no idea that John Parrish was Superintendent of the Mississippi School for the Blind. I now know that, for a number of reasons, John chose to move from Talladega to Jackson, Mississippi. His leadership at the Mississippi School for the Blind is legendary. When John arrived, the school was desperately in need of direction and leadership. This John provided.
My first visit to the Mississippi School for the Blind was to attend a planning meeting for re-vitalizing the South Central Association of Schools for the Blind (SCASB). John's gentle and caring style as a leader was evident during that time on the campus of his school. One needed only to watch the interactions he had with the staff of the school to realize the admiration, respect, and love they had for their leader, John.
The finest celebration of schools for the blind that I have attended was the brainchild of John Parrish. In honor of the 100th birthday of the Mississippi School for the Blind, John hosted a national conference last Spring that drew colleagues from throughout the country. Thanks to John Parrish's carefully planned program, the involvement of both the students and staff of his school, and the enthusiasm that everyone who attended brought to the conference, those few days in Jackson, Mississippi, were a joyful celebration of our schools for blind and visually impaired students.
John Parrish retired last Spring, and now has time to be more involved in his first love, that of being a Baptist minister. While we will miss him very much, he has left a legacy in Mississippi, and he has left memories within each of us. It was a special evening on October 14, 1998, when COSB presented John with the William H. English Leadership Award.
Thanks, John, for what you have given to blind children, for what you gave your staff, and for what you've given each one of us.
Please send nominations and six copies of all nominating documents postmarked by March 31, 1999, to:
James Durst
POSB Awards Committee Chairperson
Indiana School for the Blind
7725 North College Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46256
(317) 253-1481
The study of organisational behaviour (OB), as will be well-known to the administrators and managers who perhaps constitute the majority of Howe's Now readers, focuses on the ways people behave in organisations and the ways in which entire organisations behave (Smith, 1991). Insights gleaned from a study of OB can apply to all types of systems, including networks of organisation; for example, the social policy related mea-departments of Federal and State Governments; Departments of Education, Health, Community Services, which de facto sometimes appear to operate much as though they were together, a unitary organisation. Insights from a study of OB apply not only to discrete service provider agencies (for example, the American Foundation for the Blind or the Royal National Institute for the Blind in Britain), or such of the myriad voluntary associations and special interest groups as say, Blind Citizens Australia or the National Association for the Visually Handicapped in New York, which are concerned with particular aspects of community service and support, but also to entire service delivery systems within the vision impairment policy sector, as well as to the various other disability service fields-mental retardation, psychiatric disorder, deafness and hearing impairment and so forth-and the professional associations within them, for example, AER and CEC.
In our Australian multiculture, as in that of our American cousins, services to people with sensory impairments, or indeed with disabilities of any sort, are shaped and driven by a broad framework of policies, processes, and practices that appear to be remarkably consistent with each other across local government areas, provider agencies, and the several professional fields, for example, psychology, social work, or education. This broad framework is what I shall call the disability services "metastructure." It might also be conceived by the philosophical, in this context as a "meta-paradigm" (Kuhn, 1963), that is, an overarching collection of thoughts and interactions that are widely believed to be genuine knowledge. Service systems for people with disabilities, of which those to people with specific or combinations of sensory disabilities form part, as whole entities, seem in much of their behaviour, much like individual agencies and organisations.
One of the reasons that these sorts of meta-structure are relatively consistent across all their parts and subsets, is that they strongly reflect the larger culture (or multiculture) within which they operate. It might, in fact, be persuasively argued that there has been such a convergence of cultural patterns world wide in the past twenty or thirty years that even the human services of distinct and separate "western" or industrialised nations reflect the same defining and controlling influences.
One of the things that all human groups and organisations have in common is a tendency to function unconsciously (Wolfensberger, 1992). Despite the rhetoric reflected in their policy documents, they may in fact operate in ways of which their constituent membership (and quite commonly, also program reviewers and consultants), are completely unaware. Further, within such groups, an intramural language of convenience might develop which then transfers to its policies and procedure manuals and actually proclaims precisely the opposite of what is going on, day by day. This "refractive" process then deepens the unconsciousness which pervades the prevailing organisational service delivery realities.
The OB literature, in an attempt to define agency process realities, thus speaks of "manifest" and "latent" organisational functions (Stave, 1972). Manifest organisational functions are those which are "up front", apparent, obvious and generally stated in organisational procedure manuals and sometimes in annual reports. These project an image of the agency as a "helping" organisation (Murphy, 1980). Broadly speaking, the highly visible, manifest functions of disability services consist of the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of people's problems. The scope of these problems can of course vary widely. Agencies establish and maintain the importance of their several functions by devising or constructing specialised terminology, treatment modes, staffing models, and agency goals (Taylor and Bogdan, 1980). These are the goals that service organisations publically proclaim. They are the "stuff" of annual reports, brochures, and media advertisements. Schools claim to educate, while hospitals claim to heal; residential associations claim to be habilitative (in some instances rehabilitative); counsellors and social workers claim to mend broken families, and physiotherapists to mend damaged tissues.
In contrast, latent functions are those which are implicit, or underly, or are hidden, or are unproclaimed, rather than explicitly stated. Very often, those working in our Nation's myriad disability service agencies, or in one or other of our disability-related service fields, are totally unconscious that their organisation or field has, and plays-out, these latent functions, even though they are sometimes of a very real and overarching proportion.
The proposition is, that in many instances of service provision to people with sensory disabilities, it is not the several manifest functions of an agency (that are proclaimed by almost everyone as its real or major function) that prevail, but the latent ones. Moreover, that the proclaimed manifest functions may be entirely untrue or contain only elements of the everyday reality, is daunting for program evaluators, planners, and some decision-makers. Indeed, it is the latent functions in disability service provision agencies that often carry out, sometimes with devastating consequences, an unproclaimed mission on behalf of the larger society, or perhaps a powerful, controlling sector of it.
There can be little doubt that many people become human service workers and join our organisations in order to take part in agency processes that will truly "help" people who are, for example blind or vision impaired, perhaps deaf or hearing impaired, or perhaps deafblind. Program evaluators, planners, and administrators must, however, continually look beyond the "helping" notion and scrutinise disability service agencies and systems within the context of society's reaction to "deviant" people (Wolfensberger, 1992). Schur's (1980), theory of labeling, for example, proposes that in a standard "reaction response" to disability, many members of society attempt to distance themselves from those whose appearance, behaviour, or social status they judge negatively. Society accomplishes the reduction of this threat by relying on formal control measures and mechanisms. An unconscious (therefore latent) role of many traditional disability service agencies has been historically to function as a highly successful control mechanism by removing, containing, and isolating societally "unwanted" or difficult people (Wolfensberger, 1992).
As a general proposition, the renowned American educator Burton Blatt pointed out over 20 years ago, that some disability service provider agencies have traditionally operated within a political, social, and economic framework that rewards practices that increase the dependency of societally unwanted (devalued) people on the human service sector (Blatt et al. 1977). It might be possible, therefore, to successfully argue that social control (or social hygiene) is a function that has been predominant in shaping many of our field's agencies as "helpers" of people with certain types of disability.
Disability service agencies, as McCord (1982) pointed out, enact their role as agents of social control by addressing themselves to four overriding tasks:
The pursuit of these latent goals invariably compels the service provider agency toward an insular orientation. Managers direct their staff to problems that threaten agency control and client numbers, at the expense of sustained efforts to achieve client-development goals.
It follows that the more complex the agency and its social system, the less consciousness prevails within and about it, and the more do its agents and minions voice inaccurate beliefs about the nature, function, purpose, mission, and outcomes of the organisation.
Seymour Sarason, the eminent Yale psychologist, writing in 1972, commented on the social context and atmosphere of service "settings" to the effect that the beliefs and purposes that prevail when a "setting" is first created (whether these are conscious or unconscious) will shape that setting for the rest of its existence. From a human service planner's perspective, therefore, sensory disability service provider organisations can only really be understood if one understands the contingencies that prevailed when they were founded. Consider, for example, the several remaining large State-operated and euphemistically named Training Centres for people with mental and/or psychiatric disabilities. If they were founded at a time (as many of them were) when their clients were widely perceived as threats to the well-being of society, then all sorts of vestigial service patterns and physical monuments will remain to reflect the original perspective: high walls and fences, locked doors, bars on windows, prison or hospital-like shift routines for staff and clients, anachronistic client definitions. As a result, perhaps over a century and a half later, in South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania, as well as all across the USA, the "spoor" or tracks of this early philosophy and concomitant practice linger on, even if the clients are no longer perceived as menaces. The perception may linger on when the building is used by an entirely different client group and staffed by people who have no idea of what the initial precepts were. For example, a very senior medical officer in the Victorian (Australia) Police Force is still formally titled the "Police Surgeon" even though the duties of his position do not require him to actually be a surgeon. It is likely that the title has been used by successive incumbents since the 1850s.
Because latent functions are a major organisational driving force, they are also a major source of distortion and trouble to service planners and evaluators. Thus a major goal when planning or evaluating the organisations that are intended to support people with vision impairments should be to identify the latent goals as they result from a dispassionate analysis of agency rhetoric and routines. A secondary goal should be to design strategies with a view to gaining conscious control over the latent goals, so that these do not continue as vehicles of organisational control.
Very few organisations, (as the Federal and State Governments in Australia have recently discovered during their major disability services policy reforms), ever really come to grips with their latent functions, partly because the costs (in the widest sense of the term) of doing so are so great. The process might require confronting a very painful reality, disturbing powerful (and well-meaning) members and patrons, making conscious decisions to continue highly literal but less-than-noble goals. As a classic example, one leading Australian charitable agency concerned with blindness in adults (and quite renowned nationally for its good works), recently surveyed a very large group of its clients and discovered that a great many of them had become increasingly vision limited through advancing age. Almost all of those who responded to the agency survey pointed out that the one word they feared in their dealings with the agency, was "blind," and their being personally, with increasing age, associated with the word. Yet the word features prominently in the agency's title and, as a word, is an enormously successful generator of public sympathy and charitable giving. The salient question for the agency is, should it drop "Blind" from its title and risk the consequent loss in annual fund-raising revenues? Or, should it keep the word at the risk of affronting those it seeks to serve? These sorts of very real issues introduce dissension , division, and even separation within the group; and agencies will resist this.
It is precisely because the true and major functions of social systems and organisations serving people with sensory disabilities are typically not widely perceived, and in some cases remain completely unrecognised, that planners, evaluators, and managers should be warned that one cannot identify the true purposes, goals, and procedures of an organisation through an examination of organisational rhetoric. The rhetoric is what an organisation says about itself, through its leaders and spokespeople, or its documentation and other forms of public "utterance." Instead, the only reliable way of learning what is really taking place and what its true goals, purposes, and procedures are, is by observing the organisation over a period of time and noting what its actual behaviour and output is. Planners, managers, and evaluators must, therefore, do three things:
If planners, managers, and evaluators do these things and are not misled by "savouring the rhetoric," they might generate answers that have to be well-chewed before swallowing, since they could be shocking and unpleasant enough to be indigestible. It is imperative, for example, that those in positions of organisational power realise that one of the real, true, but latent functions of a great many service agencies in our field, even perhaps of our disability metaparadigm (as an entity), is not merely to meet client needs, to heal, restore, rehabilitate, but to employ people so that the economy keeps moving, or to enhance the power, material welfare, and other interests of the privileged (and almost invariably nondisabled) classes, and to maintain equilibrium in the Keynsian economic model that still appears, at least in Australia, to underpin the national well-being (i.e. exploitation of unlimited natural resources, unfettered population increase and economic growth, unbridled technology, increasing urbanisation, and the necessity of maintaining, under these circumstances, a certain level of employment.)
Blatt, B., Bogdan, R., Bicklen, D. and Taylor, S. (1974). From institution to community. In E. Sontag et al. (Eds.). Educational programming for the severely/profoundly handicapped. Reston, VA. Council for Exceptional Children.
Kuhn, T.S. (1966). The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
McCord, W. T. (1982). From theory to reality: Obstacles to the implementation of the normalisation principle in human services. Mental Retardation, 20, 247-253.
Murphy, S.T. (1980). Vocational rehabilitation counselling and advocacy. Rehabilitation Literature, 41, 2-10.
Sarason, S. (1972). The creation of settings and the future society. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Schur, E.M. (1980). The politics of deviance. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Scott, R.A. (1969). The making of blind men: A study of socialisation. New York: RusselSage.
Smith, M.J. (1991). Analysing organisational behaviour. Hampshire: Macmillan.
Stave, B.M. (1972). Urban bosses: Machines and progressive reformers. Lexington, MA:Heath.
Taylor, S.J. and Bogdan, R. (1980). Defending illusions. Human Organisation, 39, 209-218.
Wolfensberger, W. (1992). A brief introduction to social role valorisation as a high order concept for structuring human services, (rev. ed.). Syracuse, NY: Training Institute for Human Service Planning, Change Agentry and Leadership.
![[Top]](http://www.tsbvi.edu/images/top.gif){kind=small}
![[ Home ]](../images/gohome.gif){kind=small}
![[ Table of Contents ]](../images/tocbuton.gif){kind=small}
![[ Search ]](../images/tsbserch.gif){kind=small}
Agency Contact Information | Texas
State Homepage | Texas State Wide Search
Please complete the comment form or send comments and suggestions to: Jim Allan (Webmaster-Jim Allan)