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FALL 1983

If PERKINS SCHOOL
FOR THE BLIND

1$**i

Published three times a year in print and Braille editions by

PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
WATERTOWN, MA 02172-9982 FOUNDED 1829

Srpfetf

n accredited member since 1947 of The New
ngland Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools.

An accredited member since 1970 of the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind.

"The Perkins School for the Blind admits
students of any race, color, national and ethnic
origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and
activities generally accorded or made available
to students at the school. It does not discrimi-
nate on the basis of race, color, national or
ethnic origin in the administration of its
educational policies, admissions policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and athletic
and other school-administered programs."

Editor: Ronald C. Trahan
VOL LIIINO.1 FALL, 1983

The Perkins Programs

PRESCHOOL
SERVICES

Ages 0—6

SECONDARY SERVICE

Ages 15—22

PRIMARY &
INTERMEDIATE

Ages 6—15

DEAF-BLIND

Ages 5—22

SEVERE IMPAIRED

Ages Up To 22

TABLE OF
CONTENTS

"In This Issue"

Editorial 4

Announcing 5

Severe Impaired Program 6

On and Off Campus 12

Occupational Training

for the Blind 14

Photo Essay 16

Graduation Day:

June 17, 1983 18

Hearing Handicap:

The Communication Barrier 20

On Sale Now! 21

The Perkins Endowment 23

ADULT
SERVICES

Ages 18 and Up

COMMUNITY
RESIDENCE &
INDEPENDENT LIVING

I V^# SERVICES

Other Services

CLINICAL SERVICES

(Diagnostic and Evaluative)

HOWE PRESS

(Aids & Appliances)

PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND PUBLICATIONS

REGIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE

BLIND AND PHYSICALLY

HANDICAPPED

SAMUEL P. HAYES
RESEARCH LIBRARY

TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

EDITORIAL

Always on the Threshold

Charles C. Woodcock
Director

Any agency, institution, or school that
wants to "keep up with the times ", wants to
continue to be "mission oriented" and
"service-minded", will experience change —
almost constant change.

Since first incorporated in March of 1829,
Perkins has had several locations, several names, and has initiated more than just
a few new ventures.

Because there was a rather lengthy period when Perkins' services were geared
toward the education of blind individuals without added impairments, which at that
time was appropriate and relevant, many people were conditioned to think of
Perkins as a rather non-changing entity.

In some of our publications, a year or two ago, we began using the slogan: "We
might be different than you think." The slogan made its point — Perkins has been
changing: if you haven't been in touch with what we are doing you may be out of
touch with what has been happening recently. Still, if you have been following

Perkins in these changing times, you know who and what
we are. You know the relationship between our past and our
present and have some feeling for our future.

We are now moving away from the use of the "We might
be different than you think" wording. We are different! But
because of what we have written and published, because of
our outreach and demonstration activities, because of our
interacting with other schools, agencies, and organizations,
most of our supporters know us for what we are now. They
equate us with the Perkins of today, and not the institution of
former decades.

There is an old Indian expression about not criticizing
another person until you have walked in that person's
moccasins. Keeping this in mind, I trust that those who have
held responsible positions in the education of the blind in the
past hold a measure of understanding for what is the
challenge of today, as those of us today hold some
understanding for the challenges faced in times past.

Taking a good look at the service needs today, we find a
repetition on a theme: "early intervention," "cooperation
between education and rehabilitation," and "recognizing
individual needs." So as you can see not everything
changes. In some respects, by being different we remain
the same. We remain relevant and mission oriented — and
we keep up with the times.

Diversification and unification seem to be the current
service themes at Perkins. The Infant-Toddler (0-3) and Pre-school (3-5) programs
are now recognized as Preschool Services. Special Programs and Junior-Senior
High School are now operating under the title Secondary Services.

All programs have strengthened their efforts at outreach — being service
minded. This is not to say that outreach has not been a part of Perkins' tradition in
the past. Perkins has conducted such activities as the Regional and Research
libraries, teacher education, and regional and worldwide service for the deaf-blind
for many years.

In this issue of The Lantern, we take a look at a new thrust — the Severe
Impaired Program. The individual attention, detailed monitoring and analyzing of
patterns of behavior to be changed makes this a staff-intensive program. This
program provides a real service. Not only will the success of this program relieve
society of the cost of many long-term institutional placements, but also it will assist
parents by developing in those served by the program a degree of independence
that will make home life less stressful, the need for respite service less often, and
community placement a real option.

If we are successful, it will be because we are capable of perceiving when to
change. It will be because we continue to use new knowledge and develop and
initiate innovative practices. This program, like others at Perkins, will enrich the
lives of those it serves.

I hope you find this issue of The Lantern as interesting as I did.

ANNOUNCING . . .

Now there 's an affordable way for Braille
readers to work with computers!

The Cranmer Modified Perkins Braider
(CMPB) is a Braille-oriented computer
device capable of Braille embossing,
composing and editing text, and interacting
with computers as a smart terminal.

Based on the reliable Perkins Brailler —
manufactured and distributed by The Howe
Press at Perkins — the CMPB incor-
porates a 3V2" case (housing electronic
components), an electronic keyboard,
and various input/output connectors. The
keyboard resembles the traditional Perkins
keyboard, but is electronic and requires
minimal pressure to activate.

Capable of connecting to computers
ranging from a small microcomputer
to a large computer system, the CMPB
functions as a computer terminal.
Commands and text are entered with
the Perkins-style keyboard. Information
transmitted is embossed.

And, as a stand-alone device (not
connected to a computer), the CMPB is
similar to an electric Perkins Brailler, with
the added convenience of an electric
keyboard and command-driven carriage
return, line feed, back space, margin
setting, etc. Information in CPMB's buffer
can be transmitted to tape or to an ink
printer.

Combining the CMPB and a microcomputer with the proper software creates
a Braille production system . . . This enables anyone who can type to produce
contracted Braille without the traditional delays and special skills required.

Direct all inquiries to:

Howe Press of Perkins School for the Blind 175 N. Beacon St.

Watertown, MA 02172-9982 (617) 924-3434

Fall 1983 The Lantern

The SEVERE IMPAIRED

PROGRAM at Perkins

Although the last decade has seen a positive trend in special
education, there remains at least one group, the severely and
profoundly impaired, who are still underserved. In recognition of the
many needs of this population of students, Perkins developed a new
program in 1982: The Severe Impaired Program.

This new program serves severely and/or multi-impaired
blind, deaf-blind, visually impaired, and sighted students from
ages ten through twenty-two. These students include those who
have severe cognitive, motor, sensory, and/or behavioral training
needs. It is presently approved as a forty-eight-week program by
the Massachusetts Division of Special Education on a day and
residential basis.

Prior to accepting its first students, the Program needed to
modify existing facilities. For example, architectural barriers
were removed to allow wheelchair accessibility; automatic fire
door closures were installed; and special furniture and adaptive
equipment was ordered. In addition, a highly qualified staff was
hired, which included teachers certified in severe special needs,
and support staff, including an occupational therapist, a
physical therapist, a speech therapist, a social worker, and a
behavior management specialist.

The Severe Impaired Program is a 24-hours-a-day seven-
days-a-week program, with a highly structured data collection
strategy and recordkeeping system so that all progress is noted. This
necessitates teamwork on the part of the Program's staff: There are
numerous opportunities for teachers, teacher aides, houseparents,
child care workers, and clinical staff to interact together in order to
develop the most beneficial and functional program for each individual
student . . . So that he or she can some day move on to a less intensive
educational environment.

The following case history is presented here because we feel that
Scott O'Sullivan is "typical" of the students referred to our Severe
Impaired Program. This is not to say, however, that we do not educate
and train students with more or less ability than Scott.

There was the usual warning . . .

She expects it every morning, says
Child Care Worker, Donna Smith.
"Right after he wakes up. He gets very
lethargic. You just know a seizure is
coming on."

Scott's body quickly becomes rigid
and stiff. He falls forward, face
twitching, eyes rolled back. His
muscles react spasmodically, jerking
to a silent electrical rhythm originating
in his brain. He clenches his teeth. His
body will shake, now, for the next
several minutes.

Donna Smith remains calm.
Because she could sense the seizure
coming, she was able to ease Scott to
the floor. She loosened the top button
of his shirt, checked his mouth and
nose, and turned his head to one side.

Now she would let the seizure run its
course.

"It's a matter of knowing — really
knowing — the child you're
responsible for," Donna insists. "I know
what to expect from Scotty, so I'm
prepared."

Scott O'Sullivan is twelve years old.
He is one of more than two million
epileptics in the United States, enough
to populate the city of Philadelphia.

The word "epilepsy" comes from
the Greek word for "seizure." Epilepsy
is not contagious, nor is it a mental
illness. Rather, it's a disorder of the
central nervous system. Damaged
brain cells create the abnormal
electrical discharges that cause a
seizure, which is a temporary loss of
control over the body.

The Lantern Fall 1983

Epilepsy is not "curable." In most cases, however, it can
be partially or even completely controlled by a number of
treatments, including diet, surgery, and anticonvulsant
medication. More than a dozen such medications are
available. Usually, a combination is prescribed, in daily
dosages.

Scott O'Sullivan, unfortunately, is one of the twenty
percent of the country's epileptics who cannot, at least
at this point, exert total or almost total control over his
seizures.

"The vast majority of epileptics," says Perkins' Nurse
Practitioner, Carolyn Dobies, "lead normal lives. In Scotty's
case, however, the doctors haven't yet been able to
determine the right combination of medications to control
his seizures. And they may never, because an EEG
(electroencephalogram) performed last
August showed constant seizure
activity in his brain."

Epilepsy is not Scott's only
impairment: He is mentally retarded,
autistic, and hyperactive. However,
the epilepsy is perhaps the most
detrimental to the boy in terms of his
being able to make progress in the
classroom.

"He has to lose a certain amount of
class time," says Teacher Aide, Christa
Gicklhorn, "because of the seizures.
They take a lot out of him. Some
mornings he may have two or three
seizures."

Scott O'Sullivan has normal vision.
He is the middle child in a family of
three boys. Institutionalized at age five,
he manifests a mental age far below
his chronological age. He has no
speech; he makes only loud sounds.

"He needs constant care," says his
father, Richard. "He can't dress, toilet,
feed, or wash himself. He requires full-
time one-to-one supervision, like a very
young child."

According to Mr. O'Sullivan, though,
Scott's impairments were not
congenital.

"He started to regress at about
eight months old," he recalls. "For

Fall 1983 The Lantern

'We are making
progress," says Scott's
teacher, Marisa Edwards.
"He's beginning to react
consistently to me."

example. At one time Scotty could say, 'Da Da.' But it
was at eight months that he started having noticeable
seizures. My wife and I took him to a pediatrician. He
thought we were just being overly concerned. So we went
out and got a second opinion. We took Scotty to Children's

Hospital in Boston. That's
where we got the bad news:
MR (mental retardation). It was
like someone pulled the rug
right out from under us. A
tremendous shock. My wife, to
make things even worse, was
already five months pregnant
with our third child. So it was
hard, wondering if the next one
would have a problem too."

Soon thereafter Scott began
a home therapy program.

"But it reached the point,"
admits Mr. O'Sullivan, "where
he was just too hard to handle
at home. But I didn't want to put my boy in a residential
school. I was stubborn ... I thought we could take care of
him all by ourselves.
"I was wrong."

At age five, then, Scott was institutionalized. For
the next six years he went to a school in western
Massachusetts. But the O'Sullivans missed their son a
great deal. And, the 100-mile roundtrip trek to see him
became increasingly more difficult for them to bear. They
wanted their son closer to home.

Coincidentally about the time the O'Sullivans were
looking to place Scott in an educational setting closer to
their Melrose, Massachusetts home, their city's Special
Needs Liaison, Rosemary McGrath, had just learned that
Perkins had recently developed a new program for the
severely and profoundly impaired.

"We — that is, the O'Sullivans and I — were searching
for a program that would look at Scott as a total child.
That would look at him from a developmental point of
view," explains Ms. McGrath.

"Just walking around the Perkins campus I got an
immediate sense of caring and warmth and concern. I
know how good that makes me feel as a representative of
the school system (Melrose, MA) responsible for Scott. I
could only imagine if I were Scott's parents, the feeling

The Lantern Fall 1983

that it would give me, the feeling of security that if my
child needed around-the-clock programming, Perkins is
the place I would want him to be."

During the subsequent evaluation of Scott to determine
whether or not Perkins would be a viable educational
placement for the boy, Mr. and Mrs. O'Sullivan were
emphatic that if their son could be toilet-trained and could
develop an effective communication system, then they
could see the possibility of bringing Scott home to live with
them again some day.

"Otherwise," says Mr. O'Sullivan, "it's an impossible
situation. Scotty lacks awareness of even the most
common dangers, like putting his hand on a hot stove
for example.

"We wanted him placed in a setting which would be
capable of stimulating his development, yes. But we
were also looking for a school which was highly safety
conscious and could provide medical care if necessary."

The evaluation of Scott determined that Perkins would
in fact be an appropriate educational setting for the boy. An
individualized program was designed to stimulate optimal
cognitive development, self-care and independent
living skills, interpersonal awareness, an effective
communication system, and, eventually, prevocational
skills development. There would be ongoing medical,
dental, and audiological monitoring; physical, occupa-
tional, and speech therapies; and music therapy to
enhance interpersonal awareness, body image, and self-
expression. Also, teacher aides would provide ongoing
supervision for special activities such as community
integration experiences.

Moreover — and perhaps equally as important as any
of the direct intervention on Scott's behalf — it was
agreed that a Perkins social worker
would establish and maintain contact
with Scott's parents, so that they
would be kept abreast of their son's
needs and progress . . . and made
aware of community resources
available to them.

"You can't brush kids like Scotty
under a rug," insists Mr. O'Sullivan. "We wanted to give
him a chance. Perkins has a fantastic reputation for
helping blind and deaf-blind people, so we figured maybe
they could also help our mentally retarded son."

"It's a matter of knowing — really
knowing — the child you 're
responsible for, ' ' Donna insists. ' 'I
know what to expect from Scott, so
I'm prepared. "

Fall 1983 The Lantern

Four months have passed.
"We are making progress," insists Severe Impaired
Program Supervisor, Dae Murphy. "When we started with
Scotty, he was unable to pay attention to me or anyone
else for more than a few seconds. Instead he'd do many
self-stimulating behaviors using his hands, head, and
some vocalizing.

"Now though, he's beginning to react consistently to his
teacher and other adults, making frequent eye contact
and following simple directions.

"He's beginning — just beginning — to come out of
himself."

"I don't expect Perkins to perform any miracles,"
concludes Mr. O'Sullivan. "All we want is for them to get
out all the possible potential Scotty has locked away
inside him.

"He may never learn to read or write. But if he can
learn to put on his own shirt and ask me for a drink of
water, well . . .

"I'll thank God for that."

□ Ronald Trahan, Coordinator
Public Relations & Publications

Frequent daily seizures
drain Scott of much of his
energy. Scott is shown
here with Child Care
Worker, Kathy Collins.

The Lantern Fall 1983

Fall 1983 The Lantern

ACCESS — The recent completion of a $700, 000 construction
project at Perkins now makes our school's gymnasiums,
swimming pool, and centers of instructional materials and
industrial arts accessible to multi-handicapped children and
adults. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, May
26th, 1983 was attended by (see photo, from left to right): C.
Richard Carlson, President, Perkins Corporation; Charles C
Woodcock, Perkins ' Director; Perkins students Lisa Lafleur and
David Flood; Tom Lewis, Perkins' Facilities Manager; Mrs. Helen
Fernald, Vice President, Perkins Corporation; and Dudley H.
Willis, Vice President, Perkins Corporation.

Photo by Ronald Trahan

ON AND

OFF CAMPUS

LIVING WITH
HEAD INJURY
. . . Perkins was
host to the
Massachusetts
Chapter of the National Head Injury Foundation
on Sunday, October 9th. The organization held a
workshop, "Living With Head Injury," a day-long
program for families, head-injured individuals, and
professionals. Workshops included "Managing the
Physical Problems of the Head-Injured," "The Path
to Recovery," and "Vocational-Educational
Opportunities." Closing remarks were made by Mr.
Elmer Bartels, Commissioner, Massachusetts
Rehabilitation Commission.

PERKINS TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Once again Perkins is educating American and

The Lantern Fall 1983

foreign teachers. These teachers
come to us from around the world,
as well as the United States, and
they bring with them a wealth of
experience in the areas of blind or
deaf-blind education. All of our
foreign trainees are looked upon
as potential educational leaders
in their countries, and many will
have the added responsibility of
developing needed services for
the blind and deaf-blind or multi-
impaired children in their country.
This year's foreign trainees come
from Puerto Rico, Colombia, India,
Pakistan, Argentina, Kenya,
Guatemala, and Japan.

BLINDSKILLS . . . Blindskills Inc.
is a new non-profit corporation
whose primary purpose is to help meet the living
skills needs of visually impaired children and young
adults. Their principal initial project is publication of
a new magazine, "Lifeprints." Five issues a year are
available in large print, Braille, and cassette. The
contents of "Lifeprints" is written by visually impaired
adults and youths whose careers and life skills are
showcased in an effort to assist visually impaired
students in their daily pursuits. For a complimentary
copy, write: Blindskills Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem,
Oregon 97304. Include your name, address, and which
of the three formats you wish to receive.

C. Richard Carlson
(left), President of the
Perkins Corporation
and Charles C.
Woodcock, Perkins'
director, consult with
Madeleine C. Will,
Assistant Secretary for
Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services
with the U.S. Depart-
ment of Education. Ms.
Will visited the Perkins
campus on September
19th.

Fall 1983 The Lantern

OCCUPATIONAL
TRAINING
FOR THE BLIND

Many blind and visually impaired persons
continue to face employment problems, which
include . . .

Unemployment.
Underemployment.
Stereotypic employment.
And career-limiting employment.

Realizing that few training resources exist to
prepare blind and visually impaired persons for
successful employment, Perkins has initiated a
special project to study and remediate these
problems.

Funded by the Executive Office of Human
Services through the Massachusetts
Commission for the Blind, Perkins — through
Occupational Training for the Blind — provides
support services to existing training programs in

The Lantern Fall 1983

the community, so that legally blind clients —
referred to us by the Massachusetts
Commission for the Blind — can be served in
the least restrictive and most meaningful way
possible. The Perkins staff work with clients
within the already-existing training program. The
Perkins staff also provide formal and informal
training to the sponsoring training program staff.

Our aim is to integrate clients, and we are
continually striving to insure that clients are
mainstreamed. To that end, we work closely
with the Massachusetts Commission for the
Blind's staff, so that the training programs we
develop for their clients are appropriate to their
needs and expectations.

For further information please call or write:
Project Coordinator, Occupational Training for
the Blind, c/o Perkins School for the Blind,
175 N. Beacon Street, Watertown,
MA 02172-9982. Tel: (617) 924-3434, Ext. 434.

Fall 1983 The Lantern

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GRADUATION DAY:

JUNE 17, 1983

Dr. Edward J. Waterhouse, former director of Perkins and principal speaker at the 1983 Graduation
Exercises, poses for a picture with graduate, Cynthia Devries of Brockton, MA. It was Dr. Water-
house who helped bring Cynthia to Perkins from her native country, Holland. He had met her parents
in Holland at an institute for the blind and helped the family emigrate to the United States.

1983 graduates: (top row, left to right) John Luland, Nutley, NJ; John Russo, Medford, MA;
Cynthia Devries, Brockton, MA; Pamela Dove, Fairfax, VA; Margaret Stevens, Poultney, VT; John
DiPierdomenico, Kensington, CT; William Pensivy, Pittsfield, MA; (second row) Charlene Gionet,
Shirley, MA; Teresa Jo Crowley Aztec, NM; Lisa Aleshire, Centerville, VA; Ginger Burke, Newport,
Rl; Sheila Duarte, Taunton, MA; Deborah Pooley, Audubon, NJ; and Kimberly Kingsley East
Bridgewater, MA.

The Lantern Fall 1983

Happy graduates William Pensivy (Pittsfield, MA) and Deborah Pooley (Audubon, NJ) file out of
Dwight Hall after receiving their high school diplomas.

Fall 1983 The Lantern

HEARING HANDICAP:
The Communication Barrier

— WHAT IS USHER'S
SYNDROME?

Usher's Syndrome is a hereditary
recessive genetic disease that causes
deafness and retinitis pigmentosa.

— WHAT IS RP?

Retinitis Pigmentosa is the name
applied to a group of hereditary
diseases that affect the retina, the
filmlike tissues in the back of the eye.
Retinitis stands for the retina of
"seeing" back layer of the eye;
Pigmentosa for the abnormal clumps
of pigment which form on the retina in
the disease's advanced stages. What
happens, simply, is that the retina
slowly degenerates and loses its ability
to transmit pictures to the brain.

The first symptom is often "night-
blindness," followed by a narrowing
state of side vision until the person has
what is known as "tunnel vision." In
many cases, RP leads to total
blindness.

There is no known treatment that
can stop the progress of RP, or cure it.

— WHOM DOES USHER 'S
SYNDROME AFFECT?

Recent research indicates that
Usher's Syndrome may not be limited

to children who are born with a
profound hearing loss. It now appears
that some children with Usher's
Syndrome have a mild to moderate
hearing loss that remains stable, and
others have a mild to moderate
hearing loss that gets progressively
worse as the children get older.

— HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?

Usher's Syndrome is transmitted to
a child in double dose — one from
each parent, who themselves do not
have the visible disease, which means
Usher's Syndrome can strike without
warning in a family with no previous
history of the disease. It is estimated
that 3-6% of the deaf population is
affected with "Usher's Syndrome."

— WHAT ABOUT
EDUCATION?

In most cases, the deaf youth can,
and usually does, receive his
education at a residential school for
the deaf or in a public school offering
deaf education programs.

The Lantern Fall 1983

On Sale Now!

The Perkins School for the
Blind is pleased to offer a
1983 holiday greeting card,
available for purchase by
mail.

Fall 1983 The Lantern

ORDER FORM
Perkins Christmas Card

Remembering Perkins School for the Blind is a

good way to participate in the seasonal spirit of

giving. Celebrate the holidays this year by sending

this special greeting to your relatives and friends.

The card contains a striking color photograph of the

renowned Perkins Handbell Ensemble against a field of dark

blue and a gold leaf border. The written message "Season's

Greetings" is also embossed in Braille.

The cards cost $1.00 each and may be purchased in any

quantity. Proceeds from the sale of the card will be used to

help Perkins continue to give the best possible education

and training to blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, and

multi-impaired children, teenagers, and adults.

Name

Address
City

State

Country

Zip

Note: Payment in full must accompany this order. Make check or money order payable to Perkins
School for the Blind. Mail check and order form to Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA
02172-2790 Attn: Public Relations & Publications

No. of cards

at $1 ea. =

Total Remittance

The Lantern Fall 1983

THE PERKINS ENDOWMENT

The Perkins Program as it has developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years has relied upon a growing
endowment at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate to put a program into effect are
rarely sufficient to keep it going. As with every private school and
college that is keeping abreast — or ahead — of the times, Perkins
needs to see its endowment grow. Through bequests and donations,
and through a few government grants, we have been able to expand
existing services and add new ones as needed. We are confident that
our friends will continue to support us in ever increasing amounts.

FORM OF BEQUEST

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for the Blind,
a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the sum of dollars

($ ), the same to be applied to the general uses

and purposes of said corporation under the direction of its Board of
Trustees; and I do hereby direct that the receipt of the Treasurer for the
time being of said corporation shall be a sufficient discharge to my
executors for the same.

FORM OF DEVISE OF REAL ESTATE

I give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for the Blind,
a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, that certain tract of real estate
bounded and described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and convey the same free of all trust.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the corporation is as follows:

JOHN W.BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co., 175 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110-2289

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Published three times a year in print and braille editions by

PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
WATERTOWN, MA 02172-9982 FOUNDED 1829

An accredited member since 1947 of The New
England Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools.

An accredited member since 1970 of the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind.

"The Perkins School for the Blind admits students of any
race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights,
privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or
made available to students at the school. It does not dis-
criminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic
origin in the administration of its educational policies,
admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs,
and athletic and other school-administered programs."

"'•"a.

VOL Llll No. 2 Winter, 1984

The Perkins Programs

PRESCHOOL
SERVICES

Ages 0—6

PRIMARY &
INTERMEDIATE

Ages 6—15

SECONDARY SERVIC

Ages 15—22

DEAF-BLIND

Ages 5—22

PROGRAM for the
SEVERELY IMPAIRED

Ages Up To 22

TABLE OF I
CONTENTS I

"In This Issue"

A Message from the Director 4

Announcing 5

Community Residence and

Independent Living Services 6

On and Off Campus 12

Summer Programs 1984 14

Photo Essay 16

Christmas at Perkins

1983 18

Deaf-Blind Update 20

On Sale Now! 21

The Perkins Endowment 23

ADULT
SERVICES

Ages 18 and Up

COMMUNITY
RESIDENCE &
INDEPENDENT LIVING
SERVICES

Ages 18 and Up

>ther Services

CLINICAL SERVICES

(Diagnostic and Evaluative)

HOWE PRESS

(Aids & Appliances)

PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND PUBLICATIONS

REGIONAL LIBRARY FOR THI

BLIND AND PHYSICALLY

HANDICAPPED

SAMUEL P. HAYES
RESEARCH LIBRARY

TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

"A Message from the Director"

Charles C. Woodcock,
Director

This issue of The Lantern, a Perkins publication which
over the years has been favorably received by its readers,
continues to tell the Perkins story.
''■■'.■-"

As the story unfolds, new grants, new pro-
grams, and new projects are introduced to
readers. This issue contains a "brief" about our
exciting "Project with Industry" grant. Heavy
support from the three private enterprise part-
ners identified in this report indicates a growing
1 awareness of the value to individuals, society,

and specific businesses when equal opportu-
r nity is fostered and becomes a part of our

/*, ^J thinking.

m Basic human needs translate into basic

m human rights, '"life, liberty and the pursuit of

happiness," and — even more basic — food,

clothing and shelter.

Perkins' Community Residence and Indepen-
dent Living Services program attempts to assist
where needed, and only where needed, as
clients move to independent or semi-independent housing.
There is never an attempt to run someone's life or to main-
tain any form of jurisdictional control. The staff involvement
is many times a launching operation, or just an initial assist.

The justifiable pride that comes when one pays one's
own rent, buys one's own food and puts down the neces-
sary money in payment, is not the pride that goes before a
fall, but the pride which breeds confidence.

In these pages, the reader will find a story about what it
means to extend a helping hand and what it means to
receive it. Delicate balances and relationships are always
involved when humans interact. Interacting with care may
be the essence of this program.

The Lantern Winter 1984

■■■n

announcing . . .

"Project with Industry' '
Grant

□ This three-year grant — developed
through Occupational Training for the Blind at
Perkins — is designed to reduce unemploy-
ment among blind and partially sighted Mas-
sachusetts residents by identifying and
creating employment opportunities in the
telecommunications and computer industries.

□ Project staff survey and analyze job posi-
tions within New England Telephone, Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Company, and
WANG, Inc. Two Occupational Training Spe-
cialists then assist these companies to
screen and train visually impaired clients re-
ferred from the Massachusetts Commission
for the Blind.

□ The project intends to replicate these
employment opportunities nationwide by pro-
viding consultation on the use of advanced
technological adaptations for visually im-
paired persons.

For further information write:

Project with Industry
c/o Office of Public Relations
& Publications
Perkins School
for the Blind

175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982
Winter 1984 The Lantern 5

Community Residence and Independent
Living Services

at Perkins

The problem of providing appropriate community housing options for
severely impaired and multi-impaired persons has reached major propor-
tions. These individuals — many of whom were once routinely institu-
tionalized — are now being mainstreamed back into a society that is not
always adequately prepared to help them function in the day-
to-day life of the community. The issue of housing is an
especially critical problem because training and employment
of severely impaired and multi-impaired adults cannot be
accomplished unless appropriate community living situations
are available to them.
B JB In 1980. Perkins became actively involved in considering

i^^^F this issue for a broad range of multi-impaired blind, visually
^^r impaired, and deaf-blind individuals. We identified a need to

| develop a comprehensive continuum of housing services to

adequately serve a substantial number of individuals who had
completed, or who were about to complete, their formal edu-
j ! cation and training at Perkins. A number of our previous gradu-

ates, we learned, were unemployed or underemployed — due
™ not to a lack of skill development or job opportunities but,

rather, an absence of appropriately structured living options in
the community.

In recognition of this need — a need that goes far beyond what is
offered in traditional educational settings — Perkins developed a new pro-
gram in 1982: Community Residence and Independent Living Services.
This program — under the umbrella of Perkins' Adult Services — provides
a continuum of residential services to prepare individuals for independent
living or to assist them in maintaining residence in their home communi-
ties. Perkins staff supervise and direct several off-campus community
residences and semi-independent apartments for adults who are blind,
visually impaired, deaf-blind, and multi-impaired. Residences and
apartments are equipped and staffed appropriately for clients' needs,
with structures ranging from full-time supervision to part-time visitation
support. The emphasis, however, is on a program, rather than on a group
of facilities, to assist severely and multi-impaired individuals to minimize
unnecessary dependence on others and to function at the level of
highest potential in all aspects of their lives.

Within a residential program, instructional staff can play the most sig-
nificant role in the teaching of independent living skills. These pro-
fessionals also provide the necessary expertise and advocacy which
further enable the special needs individual to establish vital links to the
community at large. We present the following profiles of two Perkins
community residence program staff because we feel that Linnae and
Katy exemplify our commitment to helping severely impaired and multi-
impaired persons achieve the highest possible quality of life.

LINNAE SULLIVAN

"I think the first time I realized the importance of my
role as a Residence Manager," recalls Linnae Sullivan,
"was one night last fall when the fire alarm went off. We
were all sleeping. It was very early in the morning, and I
had to wake all the residents— four visually and

The Lantern Winter 1984

physically impaired men— and make sure they were out
of the house as quickly and safely as possible.

"Luckily, it was a false alarm, but it did make me realize
just how much responsibility rested on my shoulders."

Linnae Sullivan came to the Community Residence and
Independent Living Services program at Perkins in 1983
with a strong background in behavior intervention, after
working with problem adolescents for nearly six years.
She has managed the Beechwood Avenue residence

since its opening early last September.

The two-family home, located in a
tree-lined neighborhood, provides a
program of moderate, full-time super-
vision for up to eight visually impaired
and multi-impaired male adults,
twenty-two years of age and older.

The four men who currently reside
in the home are all recent graduates of
Perkins. For some of them, the Beech-
wood residence is providing a transi-
tion point to another, more indepen-
dent type of living situation— for
example, a minimally supervised
apartment setting. For others, the resi-
dence reflects a more permanent kind
of living option.

All four residents are now partici-
pating in day programs or employment
training.

"They're really a varied group of
people in terms of their interests and

abilities," says Linnae. "Two of the
residents— Bill, who is visually
impaired, and Chris, who is totally
blind— are undergoing evaluations at
a vocational training program in
Boston. Another, Paul, will hopefully
leave the Head-Injury Unit of the Adult
Services program at Perkins to start
the same vocational evaluation within
the next two months. And Bob, who is
visually impaired, is studying elec-
tronics at Sylvania Technical Institute
in Boston. He's their first special
needs student. . . and he's doing quite
well."

Because the Beechwood residence
is a twenty-four hour program, Linnae
"lives in" five days a week to provide
overnight and early morning coverage.

"Coverage," however, is an
oversimplification of Linnae's actual

responsibilities as Residence Manager. The specialized
training in daily living skills that she provides is compre-
hensive, functional, and vital if any of these adults is to
successfully live in the community— either on his own or
with others in a semi-independent setting. Money man-
agement, health care, meal planning, shopping, food prep-
aration, housekeeping, and use of leisure time and com-
munity resources are all incorporated into the day-to-day
activities of the Beechwood household.

"My day usually starts at 4:00 in the afternoon," says
Linnae, "when the residents begin to arrive home from
their programs. At that time, I try to get everyone involved
in dinner: Paul, for example, sets the table; Chris helps
cook; and Bob does the dishes. Billy usually shops and
cooks for himself, but sometimes he'll eat with us. It's
really the most enjoyable part of my day because it's one
of the few times that we all sit down together and enjoy
each other's company.

"After dinner, the residents are pretty much on their
own except for a few nights which we reserve for specific
activities. Every Tuesday, for example, we conduct a
house meeting where issues and problems can be dis-
cussed openly by the group.
Of course," adds Linnae, "they
all have roommate problems
just like anyone else, but
that's actually good because it
gives them an opportunity to
learn to resolve conflicts with
other people. My role is to
help them deal with those
conflicts on their own as
much as possible.

"Wednesday nights," she
continues, "are usually re-
served for household chores
like cleaning and laundry—
probably the least favorite ac-
tivities but often the ones
where I need to provide the
most instruction and gui-
dance. And weekends are de-
voted to running errands —
banking, shopping— and
spending as much leisure
time in the community as
possible.

"As you might imagine,"
says Linnae, "I'm constantly
changing hats depending on
the day, the person, and the
situation. When I first started
working here, I always wanted

Funding . . .an Issue of Dollars and Sense

Many obstacles exist to creating housing alternatives for blind,
visually impaired, deaf-blind, and multi-impaired individuals, not
the least of which is adequate funding to support the operational
costs of community residence programs. A considerable amount
of creativity is needed to adequately meet these financial
constraints, which can vary significantly depending on the amount
of supervision and staff intervention needed.

For example, in lower cost living arrangements, i.e., minimally
supervised facilities, an individual would in most cases be able to
support himself or herself through wage earnings and/or
Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.). Thus, for these individuals,
employment or other substantial income becomes a necessary
condition for successful independent living.

On the other hand, more expensive programs — those which
are heavily supervised or highly structured — require the
coordinated efforts of a number of individuals and resources.

Perkins staff are presently researching and studying a number
of financial options and funding mechanisms which can contribute
to effective long-term economic planning for individual residents.
The planning alternatives under investigation include, but are not
necessarily limited to, the following:

• Federal HUD monies for Elderly and Handicapped
Individuals

• Estate and Trust Funds

• Insurance Settlements

• Guardianship

• Medicaid Funds

• Private Monies
To ensure that these resources are utilized appropriately,

regular and open communication must be maintained among
parents/legal guardians, human service professionals, funding and
licensing agents (Departments of Mental Health. Public Health,
Welfare, etc.), local housing authorities, and attorneys. Within the
area of estate and trust planning, for example, competent legal
counsel is a necessity to thoroughly understand the various dis-
ability classifications and the emerging yet ever-changing issue of
legal rights. An evaluation of the individual client, an analysis of
available resources, and the objectives of both the client and his
or her family must all be carefully reviewed.

As we become more and more knowledgeable about these
resources, we can better assist clients and their families to seek
the most competent, professional advice, and to choose the most
effective economic options available for community housing.

to be a friend. But then I realized that
there were times when I had to be
firm, and so I've learned to balance a
lot of different roles. . . I am, after all,
here to provide as much of a normal
living experience as possible— and
that includes supervision and
guidance."

Linnae shares the responsibilities of
supervision and training at the Beech-
wood residence with an Assistant
Residence Manager, Sue Aptaker, who
works with Linnae two days a week
and runs the residence on her own
during Linnae's days off.

"Sue and I give each other tremen-
dous support," says Linnae. "I feel that
it's critical for residential staff to be
able to get along well and work
closely together— not only for one
another's emotional well-being but
also to set an important example for
the people who live here. We try to
keep our home as family-like as
possible."

Though a major focus of the Beech-
wood residence program is the pro-
vision of functional living skills, it is,
perhaps, a feeling of contributing and
participating in a household setting—
a sense of truly belonging— that
proves to be one of the most valuable
aspects of this community residence.

"A group arrangement," explains
Sally Sparks, Assistant Supervisor of
Community Residence and Indepen-
dent Living Services at Perkins,
"allows young adults to live together
and support each other instead of
living alone and becoming isolated."

"Some of these men," adds Linnae, "could have been
placed in an institutional setting had there not been a
housing option appropriate to their needs. I think that's
why we've had such a positive response from the families
. . . they feel fortunate that their sons finally have the
opportunity to lead dignified, productive lives.

"It gives me a real sense of satisfaction to know that
I'm helping them do that."

A CONTINUUM OF LIVING
OPTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY

Community Residence & Independent
Living Services at Perkins

Intermediate Care
Facility for the
Mentally Retarded

Type B (ICF-MR-B)

Heavily Supervised
Total Capacity: 8

Community Residence

Moderately Supervised
Total Capacity: 8

Community Residence

Moderately Supervised
Total Capacity: 8

Community Residence

Moderately Supervised
Total Capacity: 8

Community Residence

Part Time Live-In
Staff Supervision
Total Capacity: 6

Staffed Apartment

Part Time Live-In
Staff Supervision
Total Capacity: 3

Semi-Independent
Apartments

Part Time
Visitation Support
Total Capacity: 9

Key:

■ Presently in Operation

□ Under Development for 1984-85 Opening

The successful acquisition of
independent living skills requires
the development of community
resources and a variety of
potential living situations/options.

Winter 1984 The Lantern

KATY FRASER

"I've always been involved in community housing and in-
dependent living services and, for a long time, I've been
frustrated with the lack of options available to blind and
visually impaired persons," says Katy Fraser. "So, pro-
fessionally, it's exciting for me to see the development
of the community residence program at Perkins.

Katy Fraser is an Independent Living Specialist in the
Community Residence and Independent Living Services
program at Perkins. Her training as a rehabilitation home
economist reflects a distinct personal commitment to

helping special needs adults
achieve their highest levels of
independence in a community
setting.

"It sounds funny, but my
job is to ultimately make
myself unnecessary. . .to
become less and less impor-
tant in the lives of the people I
work with."

Those people are seven
visually impaired, head-injured,
and deaf-blind adults who
reside in the Arsenal Street
Apartments, a modern, fed-
erally-subsidized housing
complex for elderly and
special needs individuals. Five
of the apartments in the com-
plex are managed by Perkins
as a transitional living pro-
gram for blind, visually im-
paired and multi-impaired

Partnership in Planning

With passage of the Rehabilitation Amendments of 1978 (Public Law
95-602), independent living became an official service entitlement, avail-
able— in theory — to all severely impaired and multi-impaired individuals
throughout the country Yet more than five years later we are challenged to
rethink our goals and to question whether our efforts have truly fostered
the standard of independence to which we all subscribe philosophically.

Who has taken responsibility for planning and coordinating the services
necessary for blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, and multi-impaired indivi-
duals to live independently?

Educators have traditionally been accountable for providing services to
special needs students from birth to twenty-two years of age; rehabilitation
personnel usually assume responsibility for special needs adults twenty-
two years of age and older. In theory, then, the life-long needs of these indi-
viduals should be met by two professional disciplines.

In reality, however, the transition from one service provider to another is
not always systematically nor cooperatively planned. As a result, the needs
of the severely or multi-impaired individual — and his or her basic right to
participate to the maximum extent possible in the day-to-day life of the
community — are often bypassed.

With the development of the Community Residence and Independent
Living Services program, Perkins has begun to bridge an enormous "gap"
in the delivery of these services to our multi-impaired students and
clients. .

But we cannot solve the housing needs for all.

If the complex needs of a wide range of individuals are to be effectively
addressed — especially those pertaining to housing and community living
— educators and rehabilitation professionals must begin to work and plan
together during the early adolescent years. Timely communication and
coordination of services are essential.

A partnership combining the efforts and expertise of both professional
communities will ensure that a continuum of comprehensive services —
including a variety of appropriate residential options — is available to the
severely impaired and multi-impaired adult. What must be avoided are last-
minute "crisis-oriented" transfers of individuals from an educational
system to a rehabilitation network unprepared to meet their needs.

adults. The residents in this

program all have the potential to live independently in the
community. Most are here because they need some time
and assistance to bridge the jump from a school environ-
ment to the community at large. Hence, the apartments
provide support services which facilitate movement from
relatively dependent living situations to comparatively in-
dependent situations. Most residents are expected to
make that transition within two years.

Monday through Friday of each week, Katy travels one
mile from her office at Perkins to the apartment complex.
"All of the residents have jobs or are involved in training
programs, so my work with them doesn't start until 4:30
or 5:00 p.m. Because I'm here for only two or three hours
in the evening, they have to be medically stable and have

The Lantern Winter 1984

the ability to deal with emergencies or administer basic first aid. They are, essen-
tially, pretty much on their own ... I'm really just a very small part of their lives."

Small, perhaps, but not insignificant. For the training and guidance that Katy
provides to these young men and women foster exactly those skills needed for
truly independent living in the community.

"What I do varies tremendously from day to day and person to person," says
Katy. "For example, today I'll probably help Anna, a totally blind resident, read her
mail and budget her earnings— which is often a big problem area for many indivi-
duals when they first move into the community. They simply have never had to
assume responsibility for all of their finances before.

"Anna and I," Katy continues, "have worked out an arrangement in which she
gives me a certain amount of money from her paycheck each week to 'hold' for
her until rent is due or bills come in. Hopefully, she'll learn to set aside that money
on her own without my assistance. The idea is for her to learn to use one portion
of her paycheck for fixed expenses, such as rent and utilities, and the other portion
for short-term variable costs, like food and entertainment.

"I also provide, when necessary, practical kinds of instruction in kitchen safety,
housekeeping, shopping, and food selection," says Katy. "But I think one of the
most important things I do is to help these adults learn to use the services in the
community ... to know when and who to ask for help, and how to do it . . . espe-
cially in the area of obtaining proper medical care. Locating and choosing a doctor,
for example, is a very basic and essential health care need. But it's something that
most of these individuals have never had to do before.

"I am, in a nutshell, a facilitator," says Katy. "The people who live here now have
most of the skills necessary to make it on their own. I'm really here to guide them
in using those skills effectively on a day-to-day basis ... to help them make intelli-
gent decisions . . . which is tricky, because I can't make those decisions for them,
but I can help them to clarify all their options.

"I think that's what this program is all about, really. . . enabling special indivi-
duals to have more options . . .

"And I like being a part of that."

Denise L. Goros

1 'It sounds funny, but my job is to
ultimately make myself unnecessary
. . . to become less and less
important in the lives of the people I
work with. "

1984 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ... The

International Association tor Education of the Deaf-Blind
(I.A.E.D.B.) will sponsor an International Conference in New
York City August 5th-10th. World-renowned leaders and edu-
cators of the deaf-blind will convene to share important devel-
opments in their respective countries and discuss current
research in the field of deaf-blindness. The conference is
hosted by the New York Institute for the Education of the
Blind. For further information, call or write:

Richard G. Colby, 1984 Conference Director

The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind

999 Pelham Parkway

Bronx, New York 10469 Tel.: 212/519-7000

THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE . . . a weekend

of self-awareness and career exploration for visually impaired
high school students was provided by Perkins' Outreach
Services from October 28th-30th. Twelve blind and partially
sighted public school students from Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, and Connecticut participated with their parents
in the first of a series of experiences designed to help these
teenagers plan for the future. Discussions throughout the
weekend were led by a professional rehabilitation consultant.
Additional conferences are planned for 1 984.

STUDENT ART EXHIBIT. . . Students from the
Primary & Intermediate Program and Secondary Services
program at Perkins are exhibiting their artworks at the
Wheelock College Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts. The
exhibit — open to the public from February 5th through
March 5th — includes paintings and sculpture produced
by blind, visually impaired, and multi-impaired Perkins
students between the ages of 6 and 22.

12 The Lantern Winter 1984

SWIMMING POOL DEDICATED. The recently renovated swimming pool at Perkins has been named in honor of the
late Richard and Mary B. Saltonstall, whose financial support made the renovations possible. On behalf of the
Saltonstalls, the dedication ceremony in December was attended by: Sally (SaltonStall) Willis and Dudley Willis, Vice
President, Perkins Corporation; and their children: (left to right) Will, David, Chris, and Debbie.

ACCESSING MICROCOMPUTERS . . . Perkins'

Outreach Services presented two day-long workshops, No-
vember 15th and 16th, on microcomputer technology for blind
and visually impaired high school students. The workshops —
second in the series, "Frontiers in Educating the Visually
Impaired" — attracted nearly 100 participants, including
visually impaired students and adults, public school teachers,
and vocational rehabilitation professionals. Inservice sessions
were led by three consultants with extensive backgrounds in
educational applications of microcomputers. Participants were
also provided with "hands-on" experience in accessing three
output modalities — braille, speech and large type — by ten
exhibitors of computer products, including IBM, Howe Press
and Kurzweil.

Winter 1984 The Lantern

ffe#Mv<

□ Ages 3-6

Daily Living Skills

□ Day Program

□ Ages 14-22

□ Focus: Daily Living Skills

Mobility

Recreation

Prevocational Training

□ Day or Residential Program

□ Ages 18 +

□ Focus: Daily Living Skills

Orientation & Mobility

Recreation

□ Day or Residential Program

SUMMER P

□ Focus: Language & Communication

Many individuals who have
exceptional needs often benefit
from a program of continuous
education and intervention.

Recognizing the importance
of providing ongoing services,
Perkins offers six specialized
summer programs for visually
impaired persons and for per-
sons with non-visual handicaps
— children, teenagers, and
adults who are deaf-blind, head-
injured, and multi-impaired.
Eligible students and clients
come from diverse educational
backgrounds, including public
schools and residential programs.

The Lantern Winter 1984

ROGRAMS

1984 summer programs begin
on Sunday June 24th, and run
through Friday July 27th. Our
goal for these five-week ses-
sions is to provide individual-
ized services based on each
student's or client's present
functioning level.

For further information please
fill out the attached reply card
and mail to:

Perkins School for the Blind
Office of Public Relations
& Publications
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 021 72-9982

Please Note: Application Deadline
for Summer Programs is April 1 ,
1984.

□ Ages 5-16

□ Focus: Daily Living Skills

Recreation

Orientation & Mobility

□ Day or Residential Program

□ Ages 5-22

□ Focus: Language & Communication

Recreation

Daily Living Skills

□ Day or Residential Program

□ Ages 1 0-22

□ Focus: Diagnostic Evaluation

□ Day or Residential Program

Winter 1984 The Lantern

We kneel, how weak!

We rise, how full of power!

—Richard Chenevix Trench
(1807-1886)

>i<

Avat

( . / | ■■■•

& w up

Each year for the past
seven decades, the
combined music organi-
zations of Perkins have
presented their tradi-
tional Christmas con-
certs to standing-
room-only crowds. The
1983 program consisted
of a variety of special
Christmas selections by
the Perkins Handbell
Ensemble, the Lower
School and Upper
School choruses, and
the Chamber Singers.

Daniel J. Mazeika, chairperson of the Music Department at Perkins,
leads the Christmas choristers for the tenth consecutive year. Judith
Bevans directed the Perkins Lower School Chorus. Singers were
accompanied by pianist and Perkins Music teacher, Maria-Pia Antonelli.

RIGHT: Perkins' Handbell Ensemble

— under the direction ofAdele Trytko

— begin the Christmas concert with
performances of seven well-known
carols. Pictured (left to right) are bell
ringers: Diane April, Michele Pierce,
James Desrosiers. OPPOSITE PAGE:
Deaf-blind student Eric Teece
accompanies the Handbell Ensemble.

photos by John Shesler

Deaf-Blind Update

Meeting the needs of Deaf -Blind Adults . . .

Between 1986 and 1989, a considerable number of
deaf-blind students now enrolled in special school
programs will complete their education under
Public Law 94-142. Consequently, there is an
urgent need to develop a broad range of adult
services which will meet the complex multi-handi-
caps of these students.

Perkins, with its long history of educating and
training deaf-blind persons, has recently been
awarded two grants from the U.S. Department
of Education to identify and plan for the provision
of these services.

"Prevocational and Vocational
Training for Deaf Blind Youth "

□ This model project will determine
the most successful and appropriate
methods for integrating severely
retarded deaf-blind individuals into
existing sheltered workshop programs.

□ A team of four professionals will
also develop a meaningful and produc-
tive day habitation model for pro-
foundly retarded deaf-blind persons
who are unable to benefit from tradi-
tional work programs.

"Innovative Project for Total Life
Planning for Deaf Blind Youth "

□ Project staff will develop a model
interagency plan to fully identify and
provide for the adult service needs of
Massachusetts deaf-blind residents,
particularly in regard to residential and
support services.

□ A model training program in com-
munity living will be implemented,
with the goal of demonstrating how
to best prepare and train deaf-blind
students for community-based
residences.

It is intended that the service delivery models developed by both projects will have
significant implications for a majority of deaf-blind persons in this country.

For further information about the model projects, write:

Deaf-Blind Model Projects

c/o The Office of Public Relations & Publications

Perkins School for the Blind

175 North Beacon Street

Watertown, MA 021 72-9982
20 The Lantern Winter 1984

*©©&

vS^ Afow/

'^OAf.

A comprehensive

resource guide for educators

of the deaf-blind.

More than 900 pages of in-depth

information and "how-to" ideas

for meeting the language and

communication needs of deaf-blind children.

Two-volume set edited by Nan Robbins,
renowned author and educator of the deaf-blind.

ORDER FORM

Cost Per Publication

Publication Title

Single
Copy

2-5
Copies

6-10
Copies

11 or more
Copies Qty.

Total

Deaf-Blind Education
Books A and B

$30.00

$29.00

$28.00

$27.00

Shipping/Handling Add

3.00

6.00

9.00

10.00

Proceedings of the
International Symposium on
Visually Handicapped Infants
and Young Children

$20.00

$19.00

$18.00

$17.00

Shipping/Handling Add

1.50

4.00

7.00

10.00

Auditory Training in the
Perkins Deaf-Blind Dept.

$ 2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75

Bibliography of the Deaf-Blind

5.00

4.50

3.50

2.50

Body Image and the Severely
Handicapped Rubella Child

2.50

2.25

' 2.00

1.75

Educational Beginnings with
Deaf-Blind Children
(2nd edition)

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

Fourth International Conference
on Deaf-Blind Children

5.00

4.50

3.50

2.50

Perkins Sign Language
Dictionary

10.00

9.50

9.25

9.00

Speech Beginnings for the
Deaf-Blind Child

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

The Deaf-Blind Rubella Child

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

The Story of Leonard Dowdy -
Deaf-Blindness Acquired
in Infancy

3.00

2.75

2.50

2.25

Understanding our Movement
Problems

4.00

3.75

3.50

3.25

Shipping/Handling Add

.75

2.00

3.50

5.00

TOTAL REMITTANCE $

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Note: Payment in full must accompany this order. Make check or money order payable
to Perkins School for the Blind. Mail check and order form to Perkins School for the Blind,
Watertown, MA 02172-9982. Attn: Public Relations & Publications

The Lantern Winter 1984

THE PERKINS ENDOWMENT

The Perkins Program as it has developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years has relied upon a growing
endowment at every step along the way.

FORM OF BEQUEST

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for the Blind,
a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the sum of dollars

($ ), the same to be applied to the general uses

FORM OF DEVISE OF REAL ESTATE

(Here describe the real estate accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and convey the same free of all trust.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the corporation is as follows:

JOHN W. BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co., 175 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110-2289

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Spring 1984
PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

Published three times a year in print and braille editions by

PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
WATERTOWN, MA 02172-9982 FOUNDED 1829

An accredited member since 1947 of The New

England Association of Colleges and Secondary

Schools.

An accredited member since 1970 of the National

Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind

and Visually Handicapped.

"The Perkins School for the Blind admits students of any
race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights,
privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or
made available to students at the school. It does not dis-
criminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin
in the administration of its educational policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and
other school-administered programs."

\T'\VA5

VOL. Llll No. 3
Spring, 1984

The Perkins Programs

SECONDARY SERVICE!

Ages 15—22

PROGRAM for the
SEVERELY IMPAIRED

Ages Up To 22

TABLE OF
CONTENTS

"In This Issue"

A Message from the Director 4

Announcing 5

The National Accreditation Council for

Agencies Serving the Blind

and Visually Handicapped 6

Deaf-Blind Update 13

On and Off Campus 14

Blind, Deaf Boy Sees a Future 16

On Sale Now! 21

The Perkins Endowment 23

SERVICES

Ages 18 and Up

COMMUNITY
RESIDENCE &
INDEPENDENT LIVING
SERVICES

Ages 18 and Up

CLINICAL SERVICES

(Diagnostic and Evaluative)

HOWE PRESS

(Aids & Appliances)

PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND PUBLICATIONS

REGIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE

BLIND AND PHYSICALLY

HANDICAPPED

SAMUEL P. HAYES
RESEARCH LIBRARY

TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Wdti

W&*1

Charles C. Woodcock,
Director

Credit Where Credit is Due

The processes by which change is wrought in our educa-
tional system in the United States have frequently been
criticized. Even when research clearly indi-
cates the need, achieving change may take
two decades or more.

It is something of a miracle when those
within the system recognize a need, initiate
action, develop and implement plans, and
bring something entirely new into being within
a short time. Such a phenomenon occurred in
the field of education of the blind when the
necessity was recognized for a system of
accrediting schools and agencies.

This issue of The Lantern describes the
evolution of the National Accreditation Council
for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped (NAC). It is an almost unparal-
leled success story. This agency has provided
channels of communication and cooperation
hitherto impossible; and, in helping others to
achieve high standards of care for the visually
impaired, it brings credit not only to itself but
to the whole field of accredited organizations.
These are schools and agencies which have opened
their doors, their reports, and their financial and corporate
records to professional observers. They have brought staff
together to reflect on objectives, to study operations in
every detail, and to measure performance against recog-
nized standards. They have acknowledged a commitment
to excellence. Organizations that have experienced this
process are unanimous in their testimony as to its benefits.

Any investment, whether public or private, deserves a
good return. NAC has done much to assure this for those
seeking an effective school program or services from an
agency in the field. Every organization accredited by NAC
has a star in its crown which represents quality, sincerity,
and a continual commitment to self-study and performance
of the highest standard.

We should look for this seal of approval. We owe it to
those we serve.

The Lantern Spring 1984

1984 Annual Meeting of the

National Accreditation Council
for Agencies Serving the Blind &
Visually Handicapped

November 10-11, 1984
The Colonnade
Boston, Massachusetts

The National Accreditation Council is recognized
by the U.S. Department of Education as the
reliable authority for accreditation of specialized
schools for the blind and visually impaired.

Accreditation by NAC signifies that an organization
meets nationally accepted standards for quality
services, responsible management, and public
accountability.

For further information about the 1984 Annual
Meeting contact:

1984 NAC Conference Coordinator
Director's Office
Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172
(617)924-3434, extension 203

Spring 1984 The Lantern

"The National Accreditation Council for Agencies

Twenty years ago, the range of services for blind persons was incom-
plete and poorly coordinated, and professional practice uncertain, since
there had been no codification of accumulated knowledge in the field.

Prior to the 1960s, there existed a number of standard-setting systems
that directly or indirectly affected voluntary and governmental agencies
purporting to provide social, educational, or rehabilitative service for
visually impaired Americans. For instance, regulations governed the use of
Federal funds by state agencies or by private agencies from whom serv-
ices were purchased. In some localities, a private group sought and won
United Fund (UF) support, having met the UF standards. The American
Association of Workers for the Blind (AAWB) had promulgated its "Seal of
Good Practice," largely directed at administrative structure and fund
raising. The National Information Bureau (NIB) was in the wings, checking
into national voluntary agency operations when requested by its members.

Except for government control of public agencies, none of such
standard-setting systems really had any authority, and only the few
agencies that understood the practical value of endorsement paid them
any attention.

In the early sixties, the first murmurings about a system for standard-
setting and certification of voluntary agencies began to be heard. As the
idea gained momentum, it elicited reactions somewhere between
indifference and ridicule.

Some leaders in the field were convinced of the need for such a system
but equally convinced that it would be hard to sell. There were two selling
jobs to be done: to the supporting public and its generic institutions, and to
the organizations within what was called "work for the blind."

A smattering of entrepreneurs confused the public mind, either
unconsciously or deliberately. Vendors of soap, greeting cards, or neckties,
for example, let it be believed their products were manufactured to provide
jobs for blind persons. At least two dozen agencies training guide dogs
collectively let it be believed that a blind person was living in dependency,
isolation, and, of course, darkness without the magic and loving assistance
of a dog. Even highly respected civic organizations were, with great zeal
and self-satisfaction, funding programs which were either unprofessionally
planned or unnecessary.

There were, in addition, instances of actual fraud with some "agencies"
cited by the U.S. Postal Service for using the mails to defraud. Some local
attorneys-general exposed violations of state laws, while some contributor-
protection agencies, most aggressively in Los Angeles, made life difficult
for both good and bad enterprises. As one employee at NIB put it: "The
field of services to the blind and its fund raising is the most puzzling and
confusing of any voluntary category in the country."

In addition, several centuries of the asylum syndrome had built up
formidable barriers to intelligent adjustment to blindness "even by the
unlucky and unhappy persons so afflicted." Individuals who "overcame the
scourge" were said to be remarkable, perched on pedestals of personal
courage. The sighted public remained content to give donations for only
basic food and shelter. So what was to be done? Could anything really be
done? Conscientious and established organizations wished for something
to be done. Blind persons, unwilling to be exploited further, said something
had to be done.

The idea of accrediting, then, was inevitable.

Thus, in 1961 the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) created an

The Lantern Spring 1984

Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped"

Ad Hoc Committee on Accreditation, headed by Jansen Noyes, Jr,
president of the Foundation. The other committee members were: Dr.
William Selden, executive secretary of the National Commission on
Accreditation; Robert E. Bondy, executive director of the National Social
Welfare Assembly; Peter J. Salmon, executive director of the Industrial
Home for the Blind; and Dr. Joseph L. Hunt, assistant director, Office of
Vocational Rehabilitation, U.S. Department of Health, Education and
Welfare.

In April, 1963 this advisory committee completed its work by recom-
mending the appointment of an independent commission to: (1) formulate
standards for agency administration and service programs, and (2) establish
an on-going organization to administer a nationwide system of voluntary
accreditation based on these standards.

AFB, acting on these recommendations, created an autonomous
Commission on Standards and Accreditation of Services for the Blind
(COMSTAC). Its goal was the establishment, in the United States, of a
voluntary, self-policing and self-supporting process for identifying problem
areas, developing standards and procedures for evaluation, and achieving
public awareness that such information existed. Simply stated, the hope
was that blind persons (or their families) seeking assistance would know
where to go for reliable services, and that financial supporters of agencies
would have some assurance that the recipient was worthy, both ethically
and professionally.

COMSTAC was headed by Dr. Arthur L. Brandon, vice-president of
New York University and chairman of the policy board of the Institute for
Economic Affairs. It included, among its 22 blind and sighted members,
representatives of governmental and voluntary agencies, as well as civic
leaders ranging from a governor of Maine to the executive secretary of a
foundation in San Francisco.

Dr. Brandon set a fast pace for all those associated with COMSTAC. The
response to tasks undertaken by COMSTAC was enthusiastic, and soon
twelve technical committees were established with responsibility for
developing standards for five administrative areas and seven types of
service programs. Each committee was made up of nationally recognized
leaders in the relevant field of practice. All in all 136 individuals gave
generously of their time and expertise to this project.

When the technical committees completed their drafts, the Commission
convened a national conference on standards. This conference brought
together 374 persons from 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada
to participate in 17 intensive workshops at which the proposed standards
were discussed and debated line by line. This conference was sponsored
and financed by the Commission and 66 agencies in the field.

While the technical committees were codifying standards, COMSTAC's
long range planning committee, chaired by Benjamin F. Boyer, dean of the
law school of Temple University, was projecting detailed plans for the
establishment of the organization that was to implement the standards
developed by COMSTAC. In 1966, COMSTAC projected a tentative five-
year budget, articles of incorporation, and a plan of operation for its
successor organization, the National Accreditation Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC).

Before 1966 drew to a close, The COMSTAC Report: Standards for
Strengthened Services was published, and soon found its way into libraries
on six continents.

Spring 1984 The Lantern

In January, 1967, NAC opened its doors in a small suite of offices in New York City. Its first
task was to develop detailed criteria for each of the hundreds of standards codified by
COMSTAC. These criteria (with revisions) are still used today for both the self-study and on-
site review phases of the accreditation process.

There are today 93 agencies and schools all committed to the COMSTAC legacy of "a new
sense of hope and a new spirit of determination that blind men, women and children shall
have the best that organized community effort can produce for their well-being, now and in
the future."

Catalyst for Constructive Change

After an intensive study by a national
commission made up of leading laymen
and professionals in the field of blind-
ness, the National Accreditation Council
for Agencies Serving the Blind and
Visually Handicapped (NAC) was
founded in 1967. Its goal: To improve
services for blind persons and provide a

way of identifying schools and agencies
that are doing a worthwhile job of help-
ing them. An independent, nonprofit
organization, NAC develops standards
and administers a nationwide, voluntary
program of self-improvement through its
accreditation process.

NAC— Accredited Residential Schools for

Two dates appear for
each school: the year
when accreditation was
first achieved, and the
year through which
accreditation is awarded.

ALABAMA

Alabama School for the Blind

Talledega, AL

Ronald L. Garrett, Principal

(78-85)

ARIZONA

Arizona State School for the

Deaf and Blind

Tucson, AZ

Barry L. Griffing,

Superintendent

(72-87)

ARKANSAS

Arkansas School for the Blind

Little Rock, AK

Hugh A. Pace, Superintendent

(69-84)

FLORIDA

Florida School for the Deaf

and Blind

St. Augustine, FL

Tuck Tinsley, III, Principal

(78-88)

GEORGIA

Georgia Academy for the Blind

Macon, GA

Richard E. Hyer, Jr.,

Superintendent

(78-88)

ILLINOIS

Hadley School for the Blind

Winnetka, IL

Robert J. Winn, President

(70-85)

Illinois School for the Visually

Handicapped

Jacksonville, IL

Richard G. Umsted,

Superintendent

(75-85)

IOWA

Iowa Braille and Sight Saving

School

Vinton, IA

Richard M. DeMott,

Superintendent

(71-86)

MARYLAND

Maryland School for the Blind

Baltimore, MD

Richard L Welsh,

Superintendent

(69-85)

MASSACHUSETTS

Perkins School for the Blind

Watertown, MA

Charles C. Woodcock, Director

(70-86)

MICHIGAN

Michigan School for the Blind

Lansing, Ml

A. Charles Weir, Principal

(70-86)

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi School for the Blind

Jackson, MS

R. C. Benton, Superintendent

(80-83)

NEW JERSEY

St. Joseph's School for

the Blind

Jersey City, NJ

Sr. Mary Kuiken, CSJ,

Administrator

(72-85)

The Lantern Spring 1984

NAC helps residential schools and
other agencies for the blind to study their
own services and measure their per-
formance against objective standards.
Teams of qualified professionals — who
volunteer their time as their contribution
to the pursuit of excellence within the
field — make on-site reviews of those
schools and agencies that complete self-
studies in pursuit of accreditation. NAC's
Commission on Accreditation then deter-
mines whether to grant or withhold
accreditation. Accredited schools and
agencies must report annually on steps
they have taken to remedy any remain-

ing weaknesses; they are given an
opportunity to outline new and innovative
undertakings; and they are reviewed
periodically to determine whether they
qualify for reaccreditation.

Why is NAC accreditation important?

Schools and agencies for the blind
now receive and spend nearly one billion
dollars annually in tax and contributed
funds. When these funds are not well
spent, the result is worse than waste of
money — it is a waste of lives that could
have been made more worth living. The
schools and agencies which support the
National Accreditation Council are thus

the Blind and Visually Handicapped

NEW YORK

New York Institute for the

Education of the Blind

Bronx, NY

Robert Guarino, Director

(78-85)

NEW MEXICO

New Mexico School for the

Visually Handicapped

Alamogordo, NM

Jerry Watkins, Superintendent

(79-84)

NORTH CAROLINA

Governor Morehead School

Raleigh, NC

George N. Lee, Director

(72-87)

NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota School for

the Blind

Grand Forks, ND

Charles R. Borchert,

Superintendent

(80-85)

OHIO

Clovernook Home and School

for the Blind

Cincinatti, OH

Gerald W. Mundy, Executive

Director

(76-85)

Ohio State School for the Blind

Columbus, OH

Dennis L. Holmes,

Superintendent

(69-85)

OKLAHOMA

Parkview School

Muskogee, OK

Ronald M. Casey,

Superintendent

(70-85)

PUERTO RICO

Loaiza Cordero Institute for

Blind Children

Santurce, PR

Angel L. Quinones, Director

(81-83)

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota School for the

Visually Handicapped

Aberdeen, SD

Charles B. Boyer,

Superintendent

(80-84)

TENNESSEE

Tennessee School for the Blind

Donelson, TN

Jack Rumbaugh,

Superintendent

(70-85)

TEXAS

Texas School for the Blind

Austin, TX

William H. Miller, Executive

Director

(82-84)

VIRGINIA

School for the Blind, Virginia

School for the Deaf and Blind

at Hampton

Hampton, VA

Stewart T Bowden, Principal

(83-85)

WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia School for

the Blind

Romney, WV

Jack W. Brady, Superintendent

(76-85)

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin School for the

Visually Handicapped

Janesville, Wl

William H. English,

Superintendent

(73-88)

* This listing includes
only NAC-accredited resi-
dential schools for the
blind and visually handi-
capped. For a complete
listing of NAC-accredited
agencies write to NAC.

helping to ensure that blind persons will
continue to have access to quality
services.

NAC itself is recognized as the only
"reliable authority as to the quality of
training provided by specialized schools
for the blind and visually handicapped"
by the Secretary of the United States
Department of Education. Having
achieved this honor in 1971, NAC peri-
odically undergoes reevaluation by the
U.S. Department of Education in order to
retain this important distinction.

In addition to the U.S. Department of
Education's endorsement, there have
been comprehensive and highly favor-
able Federal-level reviews of NAC's work
by the General Accounting Office and
the Rehabilitation Services Administra-
tion. Moreover, NAC has received recog-
nition that it is in full compliance with the
standards for fund-raising practices and
internal management established for
nonprofit organizations by the National
Charities Information Bureau.

Indeed, the largest organization of the
blind in the United States, the American
Council of the Blind (ACB), has long
endorsed the concept of objective
accreditation through NAC.

"If," says Oral 0. Miller, ACB's Nation-
al Representative, "the field of services
for the blind is to escape the chaos,
inconsistencies, extremes, abuses, and
incompetence which have plagued many
heretofore unaccredited human service
programs, there must be a viable organ-
ization such as NAC to establish mean-
ingful, objective standards, and to
administer them fairly."

Perhaps, though, the most important
endorsements come from those who
have chosen to undergo NAC's scrutiny.

"I know firsthand how NAC accredita-
tion can help organizations which take
advantage of it," insists Dr. Richard G.
Umsted. "As superintendent of the
Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, I

have used accreditation to improve the
quality of our services and strengthen
our relationships with community
leaders, consumers, and funding
sources."

The Illinois School for the Visually
Impaired, a state-supported residential
school located in Jacksonville, was
established in 1848. Its 140 full-time staff
serve visually impaired, deaf-blind, and
multi-impaired blind children from kinder-
garten through the twelfth grade.

Dr. Umsted has been president of the
Association for Education of the Visually
Handicapped (AEVH) and the Division for
the Visually Handicapped of the Council
for Exceptional Children (CEC). "Every-
one," he says, "who is concerned with
ensuring the highest quality services for
blind and visually handicapped children
and adults should insist on accreditation
of schools and agencies.

"It (the accreditation process) is not
an inquisition," explains Dr. Umsted. "It's
voluntary self help. When you apply for
accreditation, what you're saying is that
you're willing to compare your school or
agency to certain accepted standards.
It's a road map for self improvement."

While it is true, then, that the accredi-
tation process — the self study a school
or agency undergoes — stimulates the
organization to enhance itself, there are
other possible benefits to the schools
and agencies seeking accreditation.

"Accredited schools and agencies
have a greater ability to raise funds for
themselves," says Tuck Tinsley III, Prin-
cipal of the Department of the Blind at
the Florida School for the Deaf and
Blind in St. Augustine. Dr. Tinsley was
appointed principal in 1980. When the
accrediting process began at his school
in 1978, he was a math teacher there.
The school, which will celebrate its 100th
anniversary in 1985, focuses on provid-
ing "the blind and partially seeing chil-
dren of the State of Florida with educa-

The Lantern Spring 1984

tional programs adapted to their specific
needs."

"We can't afford to be nearsighted,"
says Dr. Tinsley. "In our era of restricted
funds and increasing demands, the
public expects and demands that their
dollars get quality services. Accreditation
means you're totally accountable for
how you're spending the money you're
being alloted.

"When your school depends on the
support of the public for its funding,"
adds Dr. Tinsley, "I think it behooves you
to demonstrate just what that money is
buying. Because, in the long run, if you
can demonstrate need and the fact that
you're doing a quality job, that's got to
help you when it comes time for the
legislators to dole out public dollars."

Another accredited residential school
for the blind which has found it easier to
raise funds because it is accredited is
the Texas School for the Blind in Austin.
A state-supported school established in
1856, the Texas School for the Blind
serves visually impaired Texans who are
between the ages of five and twenty-two.
Its Executive Director, Mr. William Miller,
agrees that accreditation and funding
are linked.

"Accreditation can and does have
impact upon legislative appropriations,"
he says. "I firmly believe that accredita-
tion by NAC. . .had a significant effect in
our legislature. In an era of 'tight money',
the Texas School for the Blind enjoyed a
27% increase in appropriations and $3
million for capital improvements follow-
ing our accreditation."

Perhaps, though, the third benefit of
NAC accreditation is the most important:
The symbol of accreditation is tangible
evidence that the accredited school or
agency is doing a very good job. And
that kind of recognition goes a long way
with the public.

Says Dr. Philip Hatlen, former presi-
dent of the Association for the

Spring 1984 The Lantern

Education of the Visually Handicapped
(AEVH): "As the oldest national profes-
sional organization serving blind and
visually impaired people, AEVH is
deeply committed to improving the
quality of services to blind persons.

"One of the most effective ways to
assure that an institution will strive to
provide the best possible services is the
process of accreditation. For this reason,
AEVH is a strong supporter of the
National Accreditation Council for
Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped."

John S. Crowley, president of the
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB),
agrees with Dr. Hatlen's assessment that
schools and agencies which serve the
blind must opt to study themselves and
measure their performance against
objective standards.

"For more than 60 years," says Mr.
Crowley, "the Foundation has been
making its presence known and felt
within the field of blindness. . .the Foun-
dation's field staff has been working
closely with the National Accreditation
Council for Agencies Serving the Blind
and Visually Handicapped and with
organized groups of blind and visually
impaired persons to assist more
agencies within the field in those areas
where help is needed to meet standards
for accreditation.

"We believe that accreditation will be
the single most influential factor in the
ultimate survival of specialized services
for blind and visually impaired persons."

Ronald Trahan

The On- Site Review

The On-Site Review

Since the incorporation of the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serv-
ing the Blind and Visually Handicapped
(NAC) in 1967, over 100 agencies and
schools for the blind have been
accredited. Currently, there are 93 ac-
credited organizations. In achieving this
status, each of them successfully com-
pleted a complex, many-faceted process.
At present, there are many agencies
involved in one step or another of the
process and even more are contemplat-
ing involvement. The following is intended
to clarify just one of the steps — the
on-site review.

The Self-Study Process

The heart of the accreditation process
lies in the self-study and evaluation guides
published by NAC. Through the use of
these practical working tools, agencies,
sheltered workshops, and residential
schools for the blind are able to assess
their strengths and weaknesses and, with
the help of these assessments, to plan for
improved services in the future. Self-study
undertaken with accreditation as a
specific goal, however, assumes greater
dimensions and more significant benefits
result. Most important among these is the
validation of the agency's own findings by
an objective group of professional col-
leagues during an on-site visit. The expe-
rience of having a program reviewed by
qualified professional peers is also apt to
produce fresh, problem-solving insight.

Function of the On-Site Review

The role of the on-site review team in
the accreditation process is intimately
bound up with the self-study phase. In its
self-study, the agency evaluated itself
within the framework of the standards
embodied in the guides and in the light of
its own stated purposes and objectives.
Then the on-site review team assesses
the validity of the agency's seif-evaluation
through observation of agency work in
progress, meeting with agency staff re-
sponsible for its administrative activities
and service programs, consumers and
representatives of other organizations.
The team also reviews records and
examines the agency's plans for making
needed improvements. Basic to the eval-
uations of both the self-study and on-site
review phases of the accreditation proc-
ess is the principle of self-improvement,
for it is not perfection that is sought, but

the willingness and ability of the agency
to remedy any existing deficiencies within
a reasonable period of time.

The On-Site Review Team

The on-site review team, consisting of
at least three members who serve on a
voluntary basis, is appointed by NAC
from its panel of professionally qualified
persons. Following the on-site visit itself,
the team members, whose number varies
according to the size of the agency, the
diversity of its services, and the geo-
graphic dispersion of its units, prepare
individual reports on the specific aspects
of the agency under review. These individ-
ual reports are then considered by the
team as a whole and an overall report,
which includes both commendations of
strengths and recommendations for
improvements, is prepared and submitted
to the Commission on Accreditation at
NAC.

Actions of the Commission on
Accreditation

After consideration of the report and
recommendation of the on-site review
team, the Commission arrives at a deci-
sion based on an evaluation of all the data
presented. It will then take one of four
actions: (1) approve the agency for ac-
creditation and award accredited status
for a full five years, contingent on the
agency's compliance with all other re-
quirements for membership in the Nation-
al Accreditation Council; (2) approve the
agency for accreditation for a period of
less than five years, during which time
specific weaknesses can be corrected
(review at the end of the shorter period
may result in extending accreditation for
the full five years, or in withdrawal of
accredited status); (3) postpone final
action, specifying the reasons for its deci-
sion and outlining the steps the agency
may take to remove obstacles in the way
of accreditation; or (4) deny accredited
status, specifying the reasons for its
decision and perhaps setting a date for
reapplication. All accredited agencies
submit annual reports to NAC and are
subject to re-evaluation every five years.

The Lantern Spring 1984

Bwlt

'A'^Z

Planning for the Future. . .A Transition

For a number of years, special education services to deaf-blind children and young adults
(ages 3 through 22) have been funded through Public Law 91-230, Section 622, Title Vl-C.

The recent passage of Public Law 98-199 — Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
of 1983 — now gives new emphasis to the development and funding of transitional services
for special needs individuals who are twenty-two years of age and older.

Transition is the key concept here. These new amendments mandate closer cooperation in
planning and providing appropriate adult services. The implication is that cooperative plan-
ning must take place between special education providers and adult service providers well
before the disabled young adult exits the educational system.

Perhaps no group of individuals will benefit more from closer cooperation among service pro-
viders than those who are deaf-blind and multi-impaired — those whose needs as adults have
often gone under-served. With funds allocated to implement the new amendments, it is antici-
pated that Public Law 98-199 will greatly change and improve services to these special
persons.

Six Regional Deaf-Blind Centers currently assist state agencies to assure that deaf-blind indi-
viduals receive appropriate educational and transitional services. For more information about
the new amendments, contact the regional center which serves your state.

Region 1

New York Institute for the Education of the Blind

999 Pelham Parkway

Bronx, N.Y. 10469

Khogendra Das, Director

212/519-7000

Region 2

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Education Bldg., Room 449

Raleigh, N.C. 27611

Jeff Garrett, Director

919/733-3619

Region 4

Michigan Department of Education

Davenport Bldg., 5th Floor

Ottawa and Capitol Sts., P.O. Box 30008

Lansing, Ml 48909

George Monk, Director

517/373-0108

Region 5

165 Cook St., Room 304
Denver, CO 80206
Dennis Hanley, Director
303/399-3070

Region 3

Alabama Institute for Deaf-Blind
Box 698

Talladega, AL 35160
John Crosby, Director
202/362-8460

Spring 1984 The Lantern

Region 6

California Department of Education
721 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dr. William Blea, Director
916/322-2173

LOOKING BACK. . .Kook-Hee Choo
(Lee), Founder and Director of the
Speech and Hearing Center at Ewha
Woman's University in Seoul, Korea,
reminisces with Perkins Director Charles
C. Woodcock (left) and Robert Dantona
(middle), Coordinator of the Perkins
Teacher Education Program. Ms. Choo
(Lee) — now a full professor — was the
first Korean woman to participate in the
Teacher Education Program at Perkins.
After her graduation in 1957, she went on
to earn a Master's Degree and Certifi-
cate of Advanced Graduate Studies in
Special Education at Boston University
before returning to her native Korea.
While in the United States, she will re-
new her acquaintance with William T.
Heisler, Coordinator of Teacher Training
in 1957, who now lives (retired) on Cape
Cod.

STUDENT ART EXHIBIT . .Perkins stu-
dents Thomas Gilbert (left) and Mark
Torvinen (right) admire one of fifty art
pieces recently displayed at the

Wheelock College Art Gallery in Boston,
Massachusetts. The month-long art
exhibit featured paintings, sculpture,
ceramics, and textiles produced by stu-
dents from Perkins' Primary & Inter-
mediate Program and Secondary Serv-
ices program. Highlighting the exhibit
was a special gallery reception for the
artists hosted by Wheelock College.
(Photo by John Shesler)

EXTENDING A HELPING HAND. . .Perkins
School for the Blind and the Committee
for the Blind of Poland (New York) are
helping to give Robert Rybczynski a last
chance to save his sight. Sixteen-year-
old Robert has received a series of
operations — unavailable in Poland —
through Retina Associates, Inc. of
Boston, Massachusetts, which could pre-
vent him from becoming totally blind. In
February of this year, Robert — who has
been suffering from detached retinas in
both eyes — travelled by himself from
Warsaw to Montreal, Canada. There he
was met and personally escorted by
Charles C. Woodcock, Director of
Perkins, to the Perkins campus, where
Robert lived for the duration of his stay
in the United States. Perkins provided
Robert with an interpreter and transpor-
tation to and from Boston for the neces-
sary operations and medical treatment.

Spring 1984 The Lantern

FOURTH ANNUAL SERVICE AWARDS
CEREMONY. . .On March 14, 1984,
Perkins formally honored 26 employees
for their loyal and dedicated service of
a decade or more. Pictured here are
employees who have provided Perkins
with twenty or more years of contin-
uous service: (front row, left to right)
Dorothy Dowe, Child Care Program, 35
years; Sally Stuckey, Secondary Serv-
ices Program, 20 years; Richard
Brown, Howe Press, 25 years; (second
row, left to right) Elizabeth Perry,
Regional Library, 30 years; Elizabeth
O'Brien, Development Office, 20 years;
Claire Cowing, Dietary, Laundry &
Housekeeping Services, 20 years;
(third row, left to right) Perkins's
Director, Charles Woodcock; Catherine
Thorns, Dietary, Laundry & House-
keeping Services, 25 years; Kathleen
McLaughlin, Regional Library, 25 years;
John Marchant, Dietary, Laundry &
Housekeeping Services, 25 years; (rear
row, left to right) Maria-Pia Antonelli,
Secondary Services Program, 30
years; Judith Bevans, Primary &
Intermediate Program, 20 years; and
Fred Conner, Howe Press, 20 years

Blind, deaf boy
sees a future. . .

by Susan Schneck
' 'In Focus ' ' Editor
NEWS-TRIBUNE
(re-printed by permission)

Ajay Bhattacharyya proudly watched his deaf, blind son rapidly
form sentences in the palm of his teacher's hand. The father's
large, brown eyes radiated happiness.

With incredible speed, Anindya's fingers spelled out his excite-
ment at being interviewed.

"Did a reporter also write about Helen Keller?" the boy from
India asked. "Will I be as famous as her?"

Before flying about 8,000 miles to Perkins School for the Blind in
Watertown last September, Anindya could only palm write in his
native Bengali. He knew no other language.

Now, Anindya communicates in English and Bengali, through
palm writing and pencil and paper. The boy also reads braille and
understands sign language by placing his hands over those of his
teacher, Carol Crook.

Anindya paused for a moment before delivering another burst
into Crook's palm. "Be sure to tell the reporter that I make a lot of
things with wood and that I do a lot of things," he said before
grabbing the reporter's hand himself and spelling out his urgent
message again.

Bhattacharyya sighed and blinked his eyes as if to make sure

' 7 remember mv mother he wasnt dreamin9-
i rvmemuer my mower „God has gjven us a gjft through Perkins;' the

always told me, 'In 46-year-old Indian said softly. "Whenever my

every cloud, there is a fami|y became hopeless, I told them, "As long as

silver lining " ' we ^a,ve faith in God' God wi" do somethin9 for

Ajay Bhattacharyya Years of searching and an extraordinary amount

of faith and persistence finally paid off last year
when both the father and son were awarded
scholarships to attend Perkins for a year.
But it was an uphill fight from the start. When

Anindya was three months old, his parents discovered their baby
was deaf. At the age of six, the boy lost the sight in his right eye. A
year later, he was totally blind.

"I did as much as I could for his medical treatment, but nothing
was done about his speech," Bhattacharyya recalled in his gentle
voice. "I tried to give him an education but I didn't know how. I went
to speech therapists to try to get him to speak but they didn't know
how. At home, my wife and I would teach him to make words in the
palm of our hands.

"I wanted him to go to a normal school to get some companions
but the schools said that was not possible."

Doctors and specialists in India shook their heads sympathetical-
ly as they listened to Bhattacharyya's plight. Teachers and school
administrators had the same reaction. "Only God can help you,"
was their answer to the father's desperate pleas for an education
for Anindya. "There is nothing we can do."

Relatives and friends began to lose hope. But the 46-year-old
Hindu man never gave up.

16 The Lantern Spring 1984

Art lllman Photos

The only school in India for
children who are both blind and
deaf was located on the other
side of the country in Bombay. It
was a day school and it was im-
possible for Bhattacharyya to
relocate his family.

Fueled by an unfaltering faith
in God and the strong conviction
that his faith would eventually
reward him, Bhattacharyya kept
trying.

"I remember my mother
always told me — how do you
say it — 'In every cloud, there is
a silver lining,' " he offered in
slow but understandable
English.

"I kept trying but I got no
positive reply," he said. "Then in
1982, 1 went to the Calcutta
Blind School, about 20 miles from my
home and wrote to the National Asso-
ciation for the Blind in Bombay asking,
'Will you please give me some job in
your school so I could learn how to
teach Anindya myself?' They told me it
was impossible because I had no train-
ing for that. My sister went to the prin-
cipal of that (Calcutta) school and asked
her for help and the principal said, 'I do
not know how to help him, but as I look to your brother's son, I think
God will do something.' "

Shortly afterwards, Bhattacharyya was speaking with a teacher
at the Calcutta school who happened to have trained at Perkins in
1973. "Is there no school where they educate blind, deaf children?"
the desperate father asked.

It was then that Bhattacharyya first learned of Perkins.

He quickly wrote for a scholarship application. But at the same
time, his wife, Shanti, developed a brain tumor.

"I was thinking to myself, 'What will I do?' " he said, dropping his
shoulders as if a burden had become too heavy. "My wife had a
brain tumor, my son was deaf and blind, my other son was two
years old, my old mother was living with us — I had all these people
depending on me."

Then, assuming his strong, upright posture again, he added, "But
life is duty and if we keep our faith, we will not have problems.

"I told my wife, let me put away our son's case for now and take
yours," he continued. "By the grace of God, her operation was

Spring 1984 The Lantern

Deaf, blind boy talks
with his hands.

Indian father
communicates with his
deaf, blind son.

Faith fuels father to find —
future for deaf-blind son

successful and I told my wife, 'God has given you a second life and
I'm sure God will do something good for you. Now, I can put you
aside and take care of my son.' "

Bhattacharyya said he never once considered giving up.
"It is my duty because he's my son," the father explained in a
firm but patient manner. "If I didn't try, I would have a biting
conscience. Now, my son will know his father has done at least a
little bit to help him."

Something worked. In March of 1983, Perkins awarded the
scholarships. "I put down my head to God," the Indian man said.
Bhattacharyya did not have much time to celebrate, however.
"Then there was the problem about money," he noted. "I didn't
have money for incidental expenses, about $2,300, and roundtrip
airfare which costs about $5,000."

After another round of letter writing and personal requests, the
$2,300 had been collected. A businessman with a partially-sighted
son donated the airfare after one meeting with Bhattacharyya.

"Mr. Bhattacharyya has given us a fine example of what one's
faith can do for a person," noted Robert Dantona ,who coordinated
the curriculum for the Indian father and son. "It sounds trite, but in
this day and age, that faith is rare. Much of his son's success is a
result of his faith in his god and his people.

"It's a rather beautiful example of how literally hundreds of
people on both sides of the ocean made it possible for his son to
have a future."

Anindya is enrolled in the Deaf-Blind program. Bhattacharyya,
who took a leave of absence from his position as a math teacher in
an Indian public school, attends the school's Teacher Education
Program.

"Our major goals with Anindya are to get him to communicate
well enough so he can learn through books," Crook noted. "As far
as speech is concerned, he considers himself a speaker so we'll
work on his English. I don't know how far he'll go with that, but

since he considers himself
a person who speaks, I
want to try."

In addition to swimming
and learning to walk with a
cane, Anindya spends his
time writing many letters
to his family in India. Smil-
ing, the boy held up his
latest correspondence, a
thick document with neat
Bengalese letters printed
on the raised lines.

"When he first arrived
at Perkins, Anindya knew
only enough English to
write, 'I love you,'"
Dantona recalled. "He

1 'Whenever my
family became
hopeless, I told
them, as long as we
have faith in God,
God will do some-
thing for him. "

Ajay Bhattacharyya

Anindya Bhattacharyya

Spring 1984 The Lantern

Father walks with Anindya on his job of delivering mail.

won everybody over right away.

"The big question is what is there
for Anindya after this?" Dantona con-
tinued. "Education seems to be the
only answer to his future.

"But it's difficult to know how to
train him here for something later."

Anindya types on braille typewriter

In-depth information and innovative "how-
to" ideas for meeting the vocational training
needs of deaf-blind adolescents in com-
munity work settings.

Written and edited by Perkins' model
project staff.

Quantity discount.

.^^v ■ ^

RF(

CVR

V^Xl

LTJL

Publication Title

Cost Per Publication

Single 2-5 6-10
Copy Copies Copies

11 or more
Copies Qty.

Total

Advancements: Implementation
Guide to Community- Based
Vocational Training Program
for Deaf- Blind Youth

$ 7.00

$ 5.50

$ 5.00

$ 4.50

Vocational Curriculum
for Deaf- Blind Youth

9.00

7.50

6.75

6.25

Deaf-Blind Education
Books A and B

$30.00

$29.00

$28.00

$27.00

Shipping/Handling Add

3.00

6.00

9.00

10.00

Proceedings of the

International Symposium on
Visually Handicapped Infants
and Young Children

$20.00

$19.00

$18.00

$17.00

Shipping/Handling Add

1.50

4.00

7.00

10.00

Auditory Training in the
Perkins Deaf-Blind Dept.

$ 2.50

$ 2.25

$ 2.00

$ 1.75

Bibliography of the Deaf-Blind

5.00

4.50

' 3.50

2.50

Body Image and the Severely
Handicapped Rubella Child

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

Educational Beginnings with

Deaf-Blind Children
(2nd edition)

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

Fourth International Conference
on Deaf-Blind Children

5.00

4.50

3.50

2.50

Perkins Sign Language
Dictionary

10.00

9.50

9.25

9.00

Speech Beginnings for the
Deaf-Blind Child

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

The Deaf-Blind Rubella Child

2.50

2.25

2.00

1.75

The Story of Leonard Dowdy —
Deaf-Blindness Acquired
in Infancy

3.00

2.75

2.50

2.25

Understanding our Movement
Problems

4.00

3.75

3.50

3.25

Shipping/Handling Add

.75

2.00

3.50

5.00

TOTAL REMITTANCE $

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Note: Payment in full must accompany this order. Make check or money order payable
to Perkins School for the Blind. Mail check and order form to Perkins School for the Blind,
Watertown, MA 02172-9982. Attn: Public Relations & Publications

The Lantern Spring 1984

THE PERKINS ENDOWMENT

The Perkins Program as it has developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years has relied upon a growing
endowment at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate to put a program into effect are
rarely sufficient to keep it going. As with every private school and
college that is keeping abreast— or ahead — of the times, Perkins
needs to see its endowment grow. Through bequests and donations,
and through a few government grants, we have been able to expand
existing services and add new ones as needed. We are confident that
our friends will continue to support us in ever increasing amounts.

FORM OF BEQUEST

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the sum of dollars

($ ), the same to be applied to the general uses

FORM OF DEVISE OF REAL ESTATE

(Here describe the real estate accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and convey the same free of all trust.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the corporation is as follows:

JOHN W. BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co., 175 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110-2289

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The Myths Behind

Residential Schools 6

Coping with Vision Loss 14

Important Notice 23

r/ «*

« ♦ « % *

***** *♦•

Perkins School for the Blind

Fall 1984

Published three times a year in
print and braille editions by

PERKINS SCHOOL

FOR THE BLIND

WATERTOWN, MA

02172-9982

FOUNDED 1829

An accredited member since
1947 of the New England
Association of Schools and
Colleges, Inc.

An accredited member since
1970 of the National Accredi-
tation Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and Visu-
ally Handicapped.

NEA
Se?C

^.W«t,A,

The Perkins School for the
Blind admits students of any
race, color, national and ethnic
origin to all the rights, privileges,
programs, and activities gener-
ally accorded or made available
to students at the school. It does
not discriminate on the basis of
race, color, national or ethnic
origin in the administration of its
educational policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and loan
programs, and athletic and other
school-administered programs."

VOLUME LIV NO. 1 FALL, 1984

cover illustration • Martha Dillard

%**

«»%**

Contents

4 A Message from the
Director

5 Announcing. . .

a new film from
Perkins

6 The Myths Behind
Residential Schools

a look at the public vs.
private school
controversy

12 On & Off Campus

14 Coping with
Vision Loss

an interview with a
young woman who's
losing her sight

18 Graduation at
Perkins, 1984

20 Deaf-Blind Update

new cooperative
agreements awarded

21 On Sale Now!

"Perky"

22 The Perkins
Endowment

23 Important Notice:

The Lantern
Order Form

The Perkins Programs

PRESCHOOL

Ages Birth— 6

/L? PRESCHOOL SERVICES

{fa PRIMARY &
m* INTERMEDIATE

Ages 6-13

SECONDARY
SERVICES

Ages 13-22

: DEAF-BLIND

Ages 5-22

W PROGRAM for the
SEVERELY IMPAIRED

Ages 10-22

ADULT SERVICES

I Ages 18 and Older

ft?

Other Services

CLINICAL SERVICES

(Diagnostic and Evaluative)

OUTREACH SERVICES

PUBLIC RELATIONS
& PUBLICATIONS

REGIONAL LIBRARY for the
BLIND & PHYSICALLY
HANDICAPPED

SAMUEL R HAYES
RESEARCH LIBRARY

TEACHER EDUCATION
PROGRAM

NEW ENGLAND CENTER
for DEAF-BLIND SERVICES

HOWE PRESS

(Aids & Appliances)

A Message
from the Director

The Expansive Environment

We can open doors to anyone for almost any reason, but if there is nothing
inside that the individual needs, or if what is inside is insufficient for the person's
use, where is the benefit?

Suppose for a moment that behind the door are
materials essential for survival, but inadequate in
quantity or combination. One might make an
analogy with the situation in a school or learning
environment in which everyone is treated equally,
but under conditions that do not provide the kind of
support that some students need in order to realize
their potential.

These comments are intended to put us in a
questioning frame of mind as we reflect on a phrase
now frequently used in talking about placement for
individuals with special needs. It is often said that
placement must be in the "least restrictive environ-
ment" possible.

In many situations such terminology has clear
meaning. A judge, in sentencing, may have a range
of options from probation to life imprisonment. A
physician treating mental illness might recommend
anything from out-patient therapy to institutionaliza-
tion with heavy medication.
The identification of a "least restrictive environment" for students with special
needs is less clear-cut, however, because those students' needs vary so greatly.
Public school placement may or may not be suitable. Too frequently in the past,
because of improper diagnosis or lack of understanding, such children have
been placed in institutions for the severely mentally impaired. Other blind,
visually impaired, or deaf-blind individuals have been happily placed in residen-
tial schools geared to their individual requirements.

My experience is that in a school with a residential component, concentrating
its efforts on educating children with special learning needs, one does not find
a restrictive environment — but rather one that is constantly expanding for the
individual child. This kind of school is able to offer a full array of services which
responds to the diversity of its population. This kind of school recognizes that
an individual, properly placed, must be in an environment which has been
expanded exactly to the point at which his or her needs can best be met.

At the Perkins School there is only one focus, and that is upon the student or
client. We start with an individual who has special needs. These are articulated
in terms of educational programs. The resources and facilities that are most
appropriate are identified, and the student's individual program is carried for-
ward with flexibility and room for alteration as progress occurs. This is what a
residential school like Perkins can offer — an environment that is less, or more,
"expansive" or "restrictive," according to individual needs.

The selection of a suitable environment for any student is certainly a question
of judgement. Reasonable people do differ, and this can create a dilemma in
the matter of placement. But I would suggest that the focus be kept on the
individual with special needs, not on theory or formulae.

The Lantern

Charles C. Woodcock
Director

ANNOUNCING

i j i, i i i

Challenging, Changing, Growing

16mm
Color

15.5 minutes
Rental: $25*

and

• Shows the variety of
daily living, vocational,
habilitative education pro^
to blind, deaf-blind,
and multi-impaired stu-
dents and clients at
Perkins School for the
Blind in Watertown,
Massachusetts — as
seen through the indi-
vidual perspectives of
students, graduates,
teachers, parents, and
administrators. In-
tended for general audi-
ences, ages 10 and older.

*Please note: Rental fee includes all first-class
shipping et) handling charges and Perkins infor-
mation packet. Rental period is one week.
We regret that we are unable to accept overseas
rental requests.

aca< lemic

I am interested in renting
the new Perkins film for
one week beginning

(date). Enclosed is my pay-
ment for $25.
Please tell us:
• Who will be viewing this film?

• How many viewers do you expect in
your audience?

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Please note: Payment in full must accompany this order. Make check or money order
payable to Perkins School for the Blind.

Mail to: Public Relations & Publications
Perkins School for the Blind
175 N. Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982

The Lantern

The

Myths Behind

Residential

Schools

For a number of years, there's been some con-
troversy about residential schools.

While the wide variety of placement options and
supportive services available today to the special
needs child has proven to be positive and beneficial,
debate has arisen as to whether a public school
program or a residential school setting provides the
most appropriate, "least restrictive" type of educa-
tional placement. Some proponents of public school
programs have even argued that all residential
schools, by their very nature, are restrictive and con-
trary to the popular notions of "mainstreaming" or
"normalization" and therefore should be closed.

Is there a place in today's special education system
for the residential program? Can a residential school
provide the necessary education and training that will
allow the special needs individual to function as inde-
pendently as possible in the community-at-large? And
when is a residential placement appropriate?

Following we explore some of the myths about resi-
dential schools that have evolved from this "public vs.
private" controversy. . .

MYTH #1: a separate (residential)
school is a more restrictive, less nor-
malized setting than a regular (public)
school, which is least restrictive.

"There is a tendency,"
says Michael Collins,
Supervisor of Perkins's

Deaf-Blind Program, "to —
think of all residential
facilities as institutions
that are antithetical to
mainstreaming.

"If you look back in his-
tory," he continues, "you'll
find that schools for deaf
and blind individuals were
not necessarily created for

the same reasons that
state schools were — they
were not attempts to
remove people from the
community. Rather, they
were centralized out of
necessity in order to serve
a number of individuals of
a low-incidence popula-
tion. Some low-incidence
populations do have
special needs that can be
met once services are
specialized. For many, a
centralized setting that pro-
vides these services is the
only way to meet those
needs."

Collins oversees the
educational and residential
programming for 68 deaf-
blind and deaf multi-
impaired students, ages
five through twenty-two —
nearly one-third of the total
number of students and
clients enrolled at Perkins.
Though instruction in tradi-
tional academic subjects
is provided as part of the
Deaf-Blind Program curric-
ulum, there is a decided
emphasis on teaching stu-
dents important daily living
skills in preparation for
future community settings.

"For 90% of our stu-
dents," Collins explains,
"our ultimate goal is place-
ment back into the com-
munity. Many of our stu-
dents cannot transfer the
skills they learn from one
setting (the classroom) to
another (the community).
So it's important to teach
those skills in a number of
settings designed to pre-
pare the student for his or
her future environment."

The Lantern

"By providing appro-
priate peer groups and
Structured activities
^designed to foster social
interaction, then you're
affording the student the
opportunity to build
social competencies. . .
Is it normalized to place

a deaf-blind child into a
setting where only one
person can sign and
interpret? Isn't that
restrictive? 5

Instruction in this program is indi-
vidualized and intensive. A teacher,
classroom aide, or therapist usually
works with no more than one or two stu-
dents at a time — and community set-
tings frequently become the "class-
room." A lesson in budgeting and meal
planning, for example, is carried out at
a local supermarket; mobility classes —
instruction in the skills and techniques
of travelling safely both within and out-
side a particular setting — are conducted
in quiet neighborhoods, at busy traffic
intersections, and on public transporta-
tion; and vocational training takes place
in actual businesses where students are
paid by employers for the jobs they per-
form alongside non-disabled co-
workers.

In addition to the practical daily living
skills that they learn, students in the
Deaf-Blind Program are also provided
with the opportunity to acquire important
social skills — skills that they are unable
to learn incidentally in day-to-day inter-
actions due to their multiple visual and
hearing impairments.

"At Perkins, our students are in an
environment with peers who have the
potential for interacting," says Collins.
"By providing appropriate peer groups
and structured activities designed to
foster social interaction, then you're
affording the student the opportunity to
build social competencies."

Cynthia Essex, Supervisor of Secon-
dary Services at Perkins, agrees.
"Ideally, we strive for integration and
socialization with both sighted and visu-
ally impaired individuals. One of our
goals, for example, is to enroll our stu-
dents in classes in the local public
school system. But a multi-impaired
student who is functioning at a different
level than his or her non-disabled peers
may become isolated. If that happens,
he or she won't learn important social
skills and — at that point — may need to

>fos • Ronald Trahan

The Lantern /

In
Retrospect

From the time the
first residential
schools for the blind
were founded in this
country in the early
1830s, educational
programs for visually
impaired and blind
individuals have con-
tinued to evolve and
diversify.

The earliest schools
— largely modeled
after schools for the
blind in Europe — were
private institutions in
Boston, Philadelphia,
and New York. But by
the turn of the century,
public residential
schools had been
established in most
states, followed
shortly in the early
1900s by public
school programs for
visually impaired
students.

The real expansion
of public school pro-
grams and support
services, however, did
not occur until the late
1940s and early
1950s in response to
the "RLF (retrolental
fibroplasia) wave. A
growing population of
blind and visually
impaired children —

premature infants who had been
exposed to high levels of oxygen
used in incubators at that time —
were reaching school age and
inundating a residential school
system unable to accommodate
their numbers. Consequently, edu-
cational programs and services in
public schools for the visually
impaired and blind child began to
proliferate.

In 1975, additional impetus to
the growth of special education
programs in public schools was
provided by the passage of Public
Law 94-142, which mandates that
all handicapped children "receive
special education and related
services in the least restrictive
environment commensurate with
their needs." In essence, this law
guaranteed equal educational op-
portunity in the public school sys-
tem to all special needs children.

But PL. 94-142 also had signifi-
cant consequences for residential
schools: as public school services
expanded more and more to meet
the needs of the visually impaired
and blind child, residential schools
began to serve the needs of chil-
dren with multiple disabilities.
Where once the residential school
offered primarily academic and
college-oriented programs, cur-
ricula and services were modified
to accommodate severely and
multiply impaired students whose
visual loss was not necessarily
their most handicapping condition.
And so while the percentage of all
visually impaired and blind chil-
dren attending public schools has
risen dramatically in the last dec-
ade, the number attending resi-
dential schools has significantly
decreased with the advent of an
increasingly more multi-impaired
student population.

identify and interact with other
students who have similar dis-
abilities and competencies. A
residential placement may pro-
vide the environment where
that can happen."

There is also the matter of
availability of appropriate serv-
ices and programs in a stu-
dent's home region, particu-
larly when the student is multi-
impaired or severely impaired
and resides in a predominantly
rural area. Automatic place-
ment of that child in a public
school program that has not
established the specialized
services or hired personnel to
meet that child's needs could
be, some argue, a more restric-
tive educational environment
for the child.

"Some of our students,"
says Essex, "have very limited
educational resources in their
home area, especially for
training in vocational and inde-
pendent living skills."

"For a deaf-blind child," adds
Collins, "the amount of serv-
ices will vary greatly according
to the location of their home.
In many cases, the services
that create opportunities for
meaningful interaction with the
community just don't exist. And
sometimes the child ends up
being a real 'misfit' — staff don't
know how to interact or com-
municate with the child.

"Is it normalized to place a
deaf-blind child into a setting
where only one person can
sign and interpret? Isn't that
restrictive?"

The Lantern

MYTH #2: residential schools are a convenient

place to put special needs children when their parents can't cope.

Having a special needs child
who lives at home and attends
a local school can place a tre-
mendous burden on parents :::::::::::::::
and siblings.

"There's an expectation,"
says Michael Collins, "that every family can and should be the ideal family for all
their children, and most especially for their disabled child. But some families just
cannot provide the support and consistency in programming no matter how much
we want them to. It's impossible to expect that a family carry out all the intensive
programming that we do here, unless you provide a professional in the home."

Most educational professionals would agree with Dr. Spencer Moore, Coordinator
of Clinical Services at Perkins, that "the decision to place a student residentially
must be based on an assess-

m nr lnl'nUi!f^i!yth» ™'m ' * The decision to place a

Dr. Moore oversees the com- T- *

prehensive evaluation process Student resideiltiaUy ttlUSt be

Z&ttEfiZ based on ™ ™essment of the

grams and also supervises a tOtdl family Meed. * '

full spectrum of clinical special-
ists, including psychologists

and social workers. He finds that what often appears to be a chaotic family environ-
ment actually stems from the stresses imposed on the family unit by the impair-
ments of their special needs child. In these instances, a residential placement can
be healthy — even therapeutic — for the family as a whole, thereby benefiting indi-
vidual family members. And that includes the special needs child.

There's a need, then, to carefully weigh what type of program — be it public school
or residential — can best help both the individual child and the family as a unit. A
good residential program, however, will not simply take over the family's respon-
sibilities. Rather, it will help parents meet those responsibilities by allowing and
encouraging as much parental involvement as possible. The ultimate goal is, once
again, placement back into the family and the community.

"At Perkins, we encourage as much family support and contact as is possible,"
says Dr. Moore.

MYTH #3: the residential component is unnecessary because it is
not educational.

"Residential is educational," says Debra Murphy, Supervisor of Perkins's Program
for the Severely Impaired. "In our program, the residential component is just as

highly structured as the day
component."

The Program for the
Severely Impaired was estab-
lished at Perkins in recognition
that a traditional nine-month
school year was inadequate

The Lantern

■ ■ These are the skills that
they need to learn for future
placements. . .We're really
providing what I call transi-
tional programming. ' 5

X U The Lantern

for many severely multi-impaired children.
These students needed a year-round,
highly structured program within a 24-
hour educational setting, as they tend to
regress when away from school programs
for long periods of time.

"I really believe in integration into the
community," says Murphy, "but some indi-
viduals simply aren't ready. Our students
do not know how to occupy their time
independently. They don't have basic
safety awareness. What they need now is
a structured, supervised setting where
daily living skills can be taught and fol-
lowed throughout the whole day. These
are the skills that they need to learn for
future placements such as group homes.
We're really providing what I call 'transi-
tional programming'."

Certified teachers and classroom
aides in this program work closely with
residential staff to provide consistency
in programming throughout the day. Clin-
ical specialists — a speech therapist,
behavior management specialist, phys-

ical therapist, and mobility specialist —
also provide an approach, a treatment,
that can be modeled and carried out by
residential staff. And because this inten-
sive, interdisciplinary program continues
throughout a 14- to 16-hour day, stu-
dents often realize much larger gains in
individual growth and independence.

Many observers today agree that we
are still in a transitional phase of devel-
oping appropriate special education
programs for children who are multiply
impaired. And so, the "public vs. private
school" dilemma will continue.

What does seem clear at this point is
that the enormous variety of individual
needs among visually and multi-
impaired children necessitates a con-
tinuum of educational and placement
options to meet those needs. Whether
for short-term training or longer-term
placement, a residential school with a
strong community orientation, a high
degree of parental involvement, and an
array of comprehensive services can
continue to play a vital role in providing
appropriate education for those special
needs individuals who may be unable to
benefit from public school placement. . .

Shouldn't that option be available to
them?

.Denise Goros

Students in Perkins's Program for the Severely Impaired par-
ticipate in highly structured programming throughout a 14- to
16-hour day. Pictured is student Louise Nowell in a variety of
'after-school' activities including (top to bottom) mobility train-
ing, sftftftfift, therapy,; .movement ancf music therapy, yygrft,
activities, and cooking.

_ On &) Off

Campus

INTERNATIONAL
EDUCATION. . .

The Teacher Education
Program (TUP) at
Perkins provides a
unique educational
and training opportu-
nity for American and

overseas professionals who wish
to supplement their training in
the education of blind, deaf-
blind, and multi-impaired chil-
dren. Many of our trainees, who
come to us from all over the
world, will have the responsibility
of developing services for these
special needs children in their
native countries. TEP is affiliated
with the Division of Special Edu-
cation and Rehabilitation at
Boston College in Newton,
Massachusetts. Pictured here
are the 1984 TEP graduates:
(front row, left to right) Cafer Bar-
kus, TEP Assistant Coordinator;

Photo • Ronald Trahan

Rachel Noyes, USA; Sirish
Chandra Das, INDIA; Anindya
Bhattacharyya, son of Ajay
Bhattacharyya, INDIA; and
Elizabeth Sparks, TEP Assistant
Coordinator; (second row)
Robert Dantona, TEP Coor-
dinator; Victoria Garcia, PUERTO
RICO; Edgar Rico Hernandez,
COLOMBIA; Graciela

The Lantern

Ferioli, ARGENTINA; Lezlie Schull, USA;
Edward Wairi, KENYA; Masashi Taniuchi,
JAPAN; and Perkins Director, Charles C.
Woodcock.

1984 NAC CONFERENCE. . . The

National Accreditation Council for
Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped will hold its 1984 Annual
Meeting November 10-11 at the Colon-
nade Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts. NAC
is recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education as the reliable authority for
accreditation of specialized schools for
the blind and visually handicapped.
Accreditation by NAC signifies that an
organization meets nationally accepted
standards for quality services, responsi-
ble management, and public accountabil-
ity. For further information about the
Annual Meeting contact: 1984 NAC Con-
ference Coordinator, Director's Office,
Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North
Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02172.
Tel: (61 7) 924*3434, extension 203.

TALKING BOOKS MARK GOLDEN
ANNIVERSARY. . . October marked
the 50th anniversary of the Talking Book
program, which now reaches 635,000
blind, visually impaired, and physically
impaired children and adults throughout
the United States. Talking Books are
recorded on special long-playing cas-
settes, records, and flexible discs. Twenty-
five years ago, the average Talking Book
required sixteen long-playing records.
Today, the same book requires only two
cassettes or four records. Thirty-eight
thousand magazine and book titles are
currently available, delivered through the
mail free of charge. The Talking Book pro-
gram is financed by Congress and admin-
istered by the Library of Congress
through 170 regional libraries and state
agencies. If you would like more informa-
tion about Talking Books, write: National
Library Service for the Blind and Physi-
cally Handicapped, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C. 20542. Attention:
Reference Section

REACHING OUT. . .Outreach Services
at Perkins provides services to blind and
visually impaired students mainstreamed in
public school programs, and to students
enrolled at Perkins who also attend public
school classes. Weekend 'retreats' —
conducted on the Perkins campus for stu-
dents and their families — provide partici-
pants with the benefits of a peer group for
social/emotional interaction, recreational
activities, and prevocational skills. Outreach
also provides support services to teachers
and schools in the form of workshops and
videotapes. Topics have included vision
therapy, microcomputers, and main-
streaming visually impaired students. For
more information about Perkins's Outreach
Services contact: Supervisor of Outreach
Services, Perkins School for the Blind, 175
North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02172.
Tel: (617) 924-3434, extension 433.

The Lantern

Coping with Vision Loss

7e live in a visual world.

Nearly 80% of the information we receive about our
world comes to us through the visual sense. Consequently,
our vision impacts almost everything we do. It is no won-
der, then, that vision loss or blindness can oftentimes
seem almost overwhelming to both the individual ex-
periencing the loss and his or her family.

In May of this year, a group of parents and professionals
gathered at Perkins for the third in a series of workshops
sponsored by Perkins's Outreach Services — "VISION
CHANGES: What does the future hold?" From a special
emphasis on the physical and emotional issues accom-
panying vision loss evolved a series of interviews with
three participants of that workshop — a young woman ex-
periencing a progressive visual loss; the mother of a blind,
physically impaired child; and a resource specialist who
helps individuals and their families cope with vision loss.

We begin, in this issue, with Kate Van Kleeck, a 25-year-
old Claims Coordinator in a Brookline, Massachusetts
hospital. Kate's diagnosis of RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa)
was made five years ago.

/jR\ When did you first learn
^inthat you had RP?
A. I was twenty years old
and had just moved to Boston
for my junior year of college.
I kept tripping over things —
not enough to injure myself,
but just enough to be socially
uncomfortable. Then one
evening I tripped over a 'cru-
cial' curb and slid head first
for about six feet. My friend
was just stunned. He helped
me up and said, "Something
is definitely wrong. Why don't
you get your eyes checked?"
So when I made the appoint-
ment, all I thought was that I
just needed glasses.

Q, What kinds of tests did
you undergo?

A. I had tests for color blind-
ness, glaucoma, visual acuity,
and a number of visual field
tests. Finally, after appoint-
ments with several doctors,
the chief of the department

& &I just looked at rjgpi and asked, point
blank, "Am I going blind?" And he

talked and he said,

said to me, "That's the ballpark
we're talking about. 3 J

problem with your
retina." He explained
the function of the retina, and

The Lantern

fcfc Now I finally
see myself as Kate
Van Kleeck. That's
who I am. I am
many things, but
I also just happen
to have RE 5 J

then stopped briefly. . .and I
just looked at him and asked,
point blank, "Am I going
blind?" And he said to me,
"That's the ballpark we're
talking about."

Q. How did you react to
that?

A. I was incredulous, I was
stunned, and I was very quiet.
I looked at him to see if he
was kidding, but he wasn't.
Then he said, "But, we're not
sure. We'd like you to have
one more test at Tufts Univer-
sity. It's the definitive test."

Q. What did you do when
your RP was finally con-
firmed?

A. Initially, I slept a great
deal. Then, as I felt more
comfortable with the diagnosis, I decided
that I wasn't going to give many things
up. I was just going to learn to do them
differently. For example, I put on make-
up with my eyes closed. . .1 made quite
a mess! Then, I went out and memorized
— absolutely memorized — seven or
eight different sunsets so that if there
ever came a time when I wasn't going to
be able to see a sunset, I could think a
sunset. . .which is almost as good.

Q. Did you feel at any point that you
had to maintain a stiff upper lip?
A. Absolutely. In the beginning, I viewed
RP as my personal 'cross to bear.' I was
raised to believe that 'God fits the back
to the burden,' so it was a very difficult
time for me. Now I try to view things
much differently. . .hopefully more
positively!

Photo • Denise Goros

Q. How has RP affected your
lifestyle on a day-to-day basis?
A. Maintaining good relation-
ships with my friends has
become very important to me.
Since I'm unable to drive at
night, I make arrangements to either
take the T (mass transit) or have
someone pick me up. And I've made
sure that the security in my apartment is
very tightly controlled and that I always
have, via the telephone, someone close
by to contact if I need help.

Q. What about your goals toward mar-
riage and having children?
A. I think the most frightening thing for
me about RP is the fact that I could have
children who have RP. So I won't con-
sider marriage unless it's with an incred-
ibly special person who hopefully will be
able to understand some of the issues
involved, and the seriousness of these
issues.

Q. Have you altered your career or
professional aspirations?

The Lantern

A. Yes. I was an Urban Studies major when I was
diagnosed with RR I've been advised by my doctors
to prepare for the future by choosing a career in
which vision is not the central issue. The problem is
that the specialists who help people make these
kinds of decisions are found in the agencies who
serve the legally blind. That is the ultimate paradox.
You can't obtain the services of those people
because you don't meet a minimum level of legal
blindness. Now that, to me, doesn't make any sense,
selor to help me? I have to wait until I'm legally blind?
to wait.

■ ■ mat is me ulti-
mate paradox. . . I
can't get a vocational
counselor to help
me. . . I have to wait
until I'm legally
blind. 5 9

I can't get a vocational coun-
I'm sorry, but I'm not content

Q. RP is a slow, almost silent type of visual loss. Does that make it difficult for
others to understand or even accept what's happening to you?
A. Socially, RP is a tough thing to have. It's a very private thing to admit that you
have a visual loss so you have to really trust someone to be able to convey that
information. I've had a few negative reactions when I've talked about my 'eye prob-
lem.' People don't know how to deal with it, and they don't want to deal with it. It's
too serious. So I've learned to keep it on the quiet side. . .to slip in a comment and
'test the waters.'

Q. How have your colleagues at work dealt with this?

A. My supervisors are aware of my RP diagnosis and have been quite supportive of
me, especially during some of the more difficult times when I've been distracted by
it. They've allowed me to work these distractions out, and I think they're grateful
when I go back to being 'normal'!

Q. Have you been in contact with other people who have RP?
A. Yes, the RP Foundation in Baltimore. Although they've been supportive and posi-
tive, the local RP chapter here in Boston has been somewhat inactive of late. So I've
begun a support group called 'RP Outreach' to help myself and others cope with the
fallout of RP. It makes me feel so much better if I can find a positive way to deal with
something very negative.

Q. Who or what has helped you the most in
dealing with your vision loss?
A. My family and friends have been a constant
source of quiet — but firm — support. They've shared
all the bad times with me, as well as the good ones.
They're people who really care about me — willing
to just listen.

Q. Do you feel that eye specialists are sensitive to
the needs of their patients who are experiencing a
visual loss?

A. Just as someone would find one very sensitive
person among many, I believe the same can be
said of ophthalmologists. I've oftentimes thought,
"Why can't ophthalmologists have 'empathy train-
ing' so that they'd understand not only the physical
problems of just trying to function in daily life, but

M I think normalcy
with its sense of
balance comes with
acceptance. And it
comes with trial and
error. And finally it come!

The Lantern

\J U U UliiiLb

nwf

RP — Retinitis Pigmentosa— is one of a
group of inherited diseases which causes
degeneration of the retina of the eye. The
retina is a delicate layer of cells located in
the back of the eye which "picks up" visual
images and transmits them to the brain.
With RP, certain cells in the retina called
rods and cones die and vision begins to
diminish.

RP usually appears during childhood or
the young adult years; One of the earliest
symptoms is difficulty seeing at night or in
dimly lit places (night blindness). Later
there is a reduction in side (peripheral)
vision which leaves only a small central
area of vision, as if the person were look-
ing through a tunnel.

Although the symptoms of RP generally
increase with time, the rate of progression
varies significantly from one person to
another. Most RP individuals experience
a very gradual visual loss and retain at
least limited vision — "legal blindness"-—
throughout their lives.

Though at present there is no known
cure or treatment for RP, persons with
retinal degenerative diseases can con-
tinue to lead full, productive lives. Inten-
sive research is currently being carried
out by the RP Foundation Fighting Blind-
ness. For more information contact the
RP Foundation Fighting Blindness chapter
nearest you or write:

RP Foundation Fighting Blindness
8331 Mindale Circle
Baltimore, MD 21207

Tel.: 1-800-638-2300 (toll-free)

(301 ) 655-1011 (MD residents)
TDD: (301) 655-1190 (for deaf)

vith growth. M

also get a sense of the social and
psychological ramifications?" They make
the diagnosis, but / have to live with it.

Q. Has having RP changed the way
you view yourself?

A. I like to think that I have a sense of
strength and a sense of bearing. I used
to think of my RP as something separate
from me. Now I finally see myself as
Kate Van Kleeck. That's who / am. I am
many things, but I also just happen to
have RP. It's certainly a very big part of
me because it affects me in a lot of dif-
ferent areas. But nevertheless, it's not
all of me.

Q. Based on your experiences, what
advice would you give to someone who
was where you were five years ago,
someone who just received a diagnosis
of RP?

A. First, I would learn as much as I
possibly could about RP and how it will
affect you. Another thing I would do is,
in my mind, sort out those people who
mean a very great deal to me and work
to maintain those relationships. I would
want someone I could tell my worst fears
to and also my greatest joys, somebody
that I would respect, whose ideas could
help. And I would talk to that person and
just let it all out. And give yourself time
to adjust to it. Figure out what things
you really enjoy and that you want to
keep the rest of your life, no matter what
happens. I think the enormity and seri-
ousness is so great that you constantly
feel out of balance, you feel skewed in
one direction. . .it seems the best of
times and the worst of times. And there's
no gray area. You just want to be 'nor-
mal.' I think normalcy with its sense of
balance comes with acceptance. And it
comes with trial and error. And finally it
comes with growth.

. . .Denise Goros

The Lantern

HON at PERKINS

June 15,
1984

A O The Lantern

(1) The Honorable
Sheila E. McGovern,
Presiding Judge of the
Middlesex Division,
Massachusetts Pro-
bate Family Court,
inspires the graduates
with her commence-
ment address.

(2) Class President
James Burke presents
a check to Perkins's
director, Charles C.
Woodcock. Funds
raised by the senior
class will be used
toward an improved
public address system
for Dwight Hall.

(3) Happy graduates
Robert Leonard, Jr. and
Linda Caverly enter
Dwight Hall for the
1984 graduation
exercises.

Li ™ ■■■ ■
i II "II

IF ^t

(4) James Levin is
awarded a Certificate
of Accomplishment by
Perkins's Corporation
President, C. Richard
Carlson.

(5) 1984 Graduates:
(seated, left to right)
James Desrosiers,
Coventry, Ri; Linda
Caverly, Ballston Lake,
NY; Robert Leonard,
Jr., New Milford, CT;
David Spade, Fremont,
IN; Kimberly Linne-
meyer, Fort Wayne, IN;
and Debra Ravenalle,
Westport, MA; (stand-
ing, left to right) Ralph
Frasier, West Yarmouth,
MA; Sandra Babcock,
Tyngsboro, MA;
Josephine Fleming,
Brockton, MA; James
Levin, Scarsdale, NY;
Janice Valiton, Shel-

WMi-M^ ■ ; " >::§■ :i-R

burne Falls, MA;
Denise Anderson,
Lexington, MA; James
Burke, Saugus, MA;
and David Flood,
Wakefield, MA.

Dsaf Blind Update

NEW

COOPERATIVE

AGREEMENTS

for Services to Deaf-Blind Children and Young Adults

The Special Needs Section of the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs has
awarded new cooperative agreements (or grants) for fiscal year 1984.

Approximately $10,140,000 in funds have been allocated to support projects that
provide special education and related services to deaf-blind children and young
adults (ages 3 through 22) and technical assistance to state educational agencies
to ensure the provision of these services. Funds will also be utilized to make pro-
grams and services available to deaf-blind individuals to facilitate their transition
from educational programs to employment and other adult services when they
reach the age of 22.

Funds for these cooperative agreements have been apportioned as follows:

Priority Area

Services for Deaf-Blind Children
and Youth

Technical Assistance to Entities
Providing Services to Deaf-Blind
Children and Youth

Services to Deaf-Blind Youth
Upon Attaining the Age of 22

Data Collection and Recon-
ciliation and Information
Dissemination

Anticipated

Funding

Level

$8,140,000

$1,000,000
$ 700,000

$ 300,000

At this writing, a
iist of the specific
recipients of these
funds is expected
to be forthcoming
from the U.S. De-
partment of Edu-
cation in Washing-
ton. For more infor-
mation, contact:
Chief of Special
Needs Section,
U.S. Department
of Education,
400 Maryland
Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C.
20202.
Telephone:
202/732-1161.

Z\) The Lantern

O. "Perky" is a braille-oriented computer
device capable of braille embossing,
composing and editing text, graphics,
and interacting with computers as a
smart terminal.

O Based on the reliable Perkins BraiHer
— m an u fact u red by Howe Press at
Perkins School for the Blind—this port-
able braille system can also be used
alone as a standard braille embosser.
Text may be saved on a standard tape
cassette recorder for future editing and
printing.

"IHBFKf

mmer
Modified

Perkins
Bmiller)

v^:-»

O "Perky" is being used in schools,
businesses, and braille production
houses. By combining "Perky" with a
microcomputer and the proper braille
translation software, teachers Without
any braille skills can communicate with

their students in hard copy braille. Tests
and instructional material can be typed
into any microcomputer for braille trans-
lation at any time.

"Perky" carries on the reliable reputation
of the Perkins BraiHer.

I am interested in "Perky"!
Please send me more
information and an order form.

Name

Address

City_

State.

Country.

Zip.

Mail to: Public Relations & Publications, Perkins School for the Blind,
175 N. Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02172

The Lantern

The Perk ns Program as it has developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years has relied upon a growing

endowments at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate to put a program into effect are
rarely sufficient to keep it going. As with every private school and college that is
keeping abreast— or ahead— of the times, Perkins needs to see its endowment
grow. Through bequests and donations, and through a few government grants,
we have been able to expand existing services and add new ones as needed.
We are confident that our friends will continue to support us in ever increasing
amounts.

FORM OF BEQUEST

t hereby give, devise and bequeath
1 to the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly organized
and existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

the sum of dollars

($ ), the same to be

applied to the general uses and
purposes of said corporation under
the direction of its Board of Trus-
tees; and I do hereby direct that the
receipt of the Treasurer for the time
being of said corporation shall be a
sufficient discharge to my exec-
utors for the same.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the
corporation is as follows:
JOHN W. BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co., 175 Federal
Street, Boston, MA 02110-2289

FORM OF DEVISE
OF REAL ESTATE

T[ give, devise and bequeath to the
Ji Perkins School for the Blind, a
corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
that certain tract of real estate
bounded and described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage
and convey the same free of all
trust.

iitfi<ii

22 The Lantern

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lantern

Big Business

New England:

NOT SHORT SIGHTED

SPRING 1985

Published three times a year
in print and braille editions by

PERKINS SCHOOL
FOR THE BUND
WATERTOWN, MA
02172-9982

FOUNDED 1829

® <s>

An accredited member
since 1947 of the New
England Association of
Schools and Colleges,
Inc.

An accredited member
since 1970 of the Na-
tional Accreditation
Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and
Visually Handicapped.

"The Perkins School for
the Blind admits students
of any race, color, nation-
al and ethnic origin to all
the rights, privileges, pro-
grams, and activities gen-
erally accorded or made
available to students at
the school. It does not
discriminate on the basis
of race, color, national or
ethnic origin in the ad-
ministration of its educa-
tional policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and
loan programs, and ath-
letic and other school-
administered programs."

The Lantern

VOLUME LIV NO. 2 SPRING, 1985

Contents

4
6

Message from the
Director

Perkins' 'Project with
Industry'

a look at how such
industry giants as
AT&T, Wang, and New
England Telephone are
helping Perkins adapt
high technology work
environments for blind
workers

On & Off Campus

The Perkins
Endowment

The Perkins
Program

fr PRESCHOOL SERVICESl
f# AgesBirth-6

PRIMARY &
INTERMEDIATE

Ages 6-13

JK secondary

U SERVICES

Ages 13-22

ttj DEAF-BLIND

1 ' Ages 5-22

f PROGRAM for the
SEVERELY IMPAIRED

.Ages 10-22

* ADULT SERVICES

Ages 18 and older

OUTREACH SERVICES

Other Services

CLINICAL SERVICES

(Diagnostic and
Evaluative)

PUBLIC RELATIONS &
PUBLICATIONS

REGIONAL LIBRARY
for the BLIND &
PHYSICALLY
HANDICAPPED

SAMUEL P. HAYES
RESEARCH LIBRARY

TEACHER EDUCA-
TION PROGRAM

NEW ENGLAND
CENTER for DEAF-
BLIND SERVICES

HOWE PRESS

(Aids and Appliances)

provided mearjii
communities

We have been
tif ied job poss
placements

with

In this issue of The Lantern we highlight PerHins
proud of our efforts, and we are grateful to
their time, energy, and resources to help insipre
ment record fq>r blind, visually impaired, and

The capacity
tions has occuire
Massachusetts
Rehabilitation
industries.

Wang

catalysts for
technology,

the

ard

ngful and reality-based
Massachusetts.

fortunate to have a creative
bilities but have also provided
business and industrial contacts

A Message
from the Director:

Spring '85 Lantern

During the past five years at Perkins there
has been a significant effort made to ex-
pand and enhance the prevocational and
vocational training opportunities for a
wide-functioning range of students and
clients.

Various training and placement options
have been identified in local businesses
and industries, and our teaching staff has
vocational training programs within a number of

and

The Trustees ahd Staff at Perkins express thei
England Telephone Company, and AT&T Communications
going support of the Perkins Project With Inpustry
to the Massac lusetts Commission for the B
Group of Cambridge, Massachusetts for their

train blind adults in meanin

because of the joint effort
Commission for the Blind, as
3 roup, =is private consultants,

Laboratories, New England Telephone,
successful integration of
they should be commendec

blird

responsive staff who have not only iden-
the leadership skills needed to negotiate

Project With Industry Program. We are
the many individuals who have contributed
a comprehensive and successful place-
deaf-blind adults.

r appreciation to Wang Laboratories, New
for their contributions and on-
Program. We also express our thanks
ind and the Occupational Rehabilitation
invaluable contributions and their expertise.

Sful

and well-paying high technology occupa-
between Perkins, as the private agency, the
the public agency, The Occupational
and interested and responsive businesses and

and AT&T Communications have served as
adults into the competitive field of high
for their effort and commitment.

Kevin Lessard,
Acting Director

The Lantern

ANNOUNCING

A NEW FILM ABOUT

"PERKINS...

CHALLENGING, CHANGING,
GROWING "

• 16 mm • Color • 15.5 minutes • Rental $25*

• Shows the variety of academic, daily living,
vocational, and rehabilitative education provided
to blind, deaf-blind, and multi-impaired students
and clients at Perkins School for the Blind in
Watertown, Massachusetts— as seen through the
individual perspectives of students, graduates,
teachers, parents, and administrators. Intended for
general audiences, ages 10 and older.

• Please note: Rental fee includes all first-class shipping & handling

charges and Perkins information packet. Rental period is one week. We
regret that we are unable to accept overseas rental requests.

Yes!

I am interested in renting the new Perkins film for
beginning (date'

• payment for $25.
Please tell us:
• Who will be viewing this film?

• How many viewers do you expect in your
audience?

Name .
Address.
City _

State

Zip

Please note: Payment in full must accompany this order. Make crjieck or money
payable to Perkins School for the Blind.

Mail to: Public Relations & Publications
Perkins School for the Blind
175 N. Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982

one week
Enclosed is my

The Lantern

Big Business
in New England:

NOT SHORT SIGHTED

by Ronald Trahan

The rate of unemployment among blind persons is sixty
percent . . .

For nearly two years, then?
laborative effort underway
blind, state vocational rehabil
businesses— an effort to t
handicapped workers into

This collective endeavor is
with Industry (PWI).

This effort began almost
1983, when the Pert
awarded a three-yea ■
Special Education and Rehabilitation
was designed to allow the
work closely with three
AT&T Communications,
Laboratories.

"The purpose of our pre
Anderson, "is to expand ei
blind and visually impairec

"What is extraordinary
eral different agencies,
fice. The Massachusetts
our chief referral source fc
engineers, low-vision spec
adapt jobs and prepare cli

Outside of Massachusetts
tional rehabilitation agencjes
generally provided by the
incurred by the company.

great

"Our success in surveying
adaptable jobs has, to a
from The Occupational Rejhab
contracted with this private
engineering and installation

- „i'

Thomas A. Andruskevich

New England Telephone
Company

has been an extraordinary col-
— involving a school for the
itation agencies, and big
ain and place blind and visually
meaningful jobs.

known as: The Perkins Project

Glen A. Costa, Sr.

Wang Laboratories, Inc.

major
New

two years ago, in September,
ins School for the Blind was
federal grant from the Office of

Services. The grant
Perkins School for the Blind to
New England businesses:
England Telephone, and Wang

Thomas J. O'Connell

Wang Laboratories, Inc.

projejet," explains coordinator, Julie

dmployment and training opportunities within New England for
persons.

ab<{)ut this project is the involvement and cooperation among sev-

ns coordinates the project through its Outreach Services of-

Gbmmission for the Blind is also integrally involved. They've been

r clients. We work closely with the Commission's rehabilitation

alists, rehabilitation counselors, and administration— in order to

?nts for employment."

the Perkins staff work in a similar way with other state voca-

for the blind. Adaptive equipment for a particular job is
;tate rehabilitation agency, and so, frequently, there is no cost

job sites within businesses," says Anderson, "and identifying
degree, depended on the work of our project consultants
ilitation Group (TORG) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We've
rehabilitation agency to help us in the job survey process, in
of modified hardware, and, occasionally, in case management.

The latvtern__.

Fred Greeham (left) of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind presents
an award to Dennis Case, a repair service assistant with New England
Telephone Company. Dennis, who was a client of the "Perkins Project with
Industry', was one of the six finalists in the Thomas J. Carroll Award for the
"Most Outstanding Blind Employee of 1984" in Massachusetts.

"And, too, since many of the jobs we're adapting involve
computerized workstations, we've integrated the computer
evaluation and training program (CABLE) at the Caroll
Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts, into the
preparation and screening process for PWI clients."

Is this extraordinary collaborative effort working?

Emphatically, yes.

Hundreds of different jobs have thus far been identified
within dozens of New England companies as being adap-
table to blind and visully impaired persons. PWI clients, for
example, have been trained and placed as repair assem-
blers, lawyers, customer service representatives, program-
mers, telemarketing specialists, collection clerks, PC board
testers, claims investigators, receptionists, and many more.

". . . an extra-
ordinary
collaborative
effort . . .

It's the kind
of thing that
company
ought to be
doing."

Tk« I -.►»+«.

An essential element in the success of the project has been
the Business Advisory Council. In its monthly meetings, the
Council gives participating business representatives a
chance to meet with project staff and discuss company
needs and strategies for further development.

"Our common goal," explains Thomas A. Andruskevich,
manager of the handicapped affirmative action program
for New England Telephone, "is to promote opportunities
for disabled persons.

"And it's not entirely an altruistic endeavor," insists An-
druskevich, who also chairs the PWI Business Advisory
Council. "To keep a person out of the work force just
because of a disabiltiy, without looking at his or her other
qualifications, is very short-sighted. Particularly with labor
shortages like we're finding in Massachusetts, those
employers who are willing to take a look at themselves and
identify jobs within their companies which can be adapted
for blind and visually impaired persons . . . These com-
panies will create for themselves a very substantial and
capable pool of workers."

' The 'Perkir: Project with In-
dustry' is good business ... a
mutually beneficial partnership
between business and the han-
dicapped community."

■i

New

"The 'Perkins Project with In-
dustry' means making special
efforts . . ."

Thomas A. Andruskevich

Manager of the Handicapped
" "' rmative Action Program
England Telephone
ipany

Glen A. Costa, Sr.

Senior Affirmative Action

Representative

Wang Laboratories, Inc.

"A modification of equipment or materials," says Valerie Hartt,
training at AT&T Communications, and a key member of the PWI
cil, "is often all that's needed to enable a blind or visually im
to a particular job."

assistant staff manager for
Business Advisory Coun-
person to have access

paired

AT&T Communications is working with PWI to place four blind LJDng Distance Operators
and an indefinite number of Account Representatives.

Sometimes, though, much more is involved than 'mere' modification
materials. Much of PWI's placement work demands complex coord
company— so staff in employment, medical, and engineering dep
ing with the floor manager who will be supervising the new em

"That doesn't bother us," insists Glen A. Costa, Sr., the senior affirmative
tative at Wang Laboratories. "The Perkins Project with Industry
forts to include in the work force those who, in the past, have n

"It's a mutually beneficial partnership," concludes Andruskevich
that a company ought to be doing. Not just because the federal
ments might be looking at you— but because it's the right thing
good in it for the company— qualified workers— and something
people— meaningful employment.

"Why wouldn't a company want to get involved?"

of equipment or
ination within a
artments are all work-
ployee.

action represen-
njieans making special ef-
Dt been included."

"It's the kind of thing
and the state govern-
to do. There's something
good in it for disabled

"We're enthusiastic supporters
of the 'Perkins Project with
Industry'. "

Thomas J. O'Connell

Corporate Director,
Affirmative Action
Wang Laboratories, Inc.

Valerie Hartt

Assistant Staff Manager

for Training
AT&T Communications

ipilS Former Pro Hockey Star

Visits
Perkins

Bobby Orr, when he was a
star defenseman for the
Boston Bruins of the National
Hockey League.

Student Brenda Elliot shares a
laugh with Bobby Orr.

The Lantern

The Perkins
Endowment

effe<:t

The Perkins Program as it has developed and been maintaine
dred and fifty years has relied upon a growing endowment
the way.

Endowments which are adequate to put a program into
keep it going. As with every private school and college that is
ahead — of the times, Perkins needs to see its endowment
donations, and through a few government grants, we have
services and add new ones as needed. We are confident that
support us in ever increasing amounts.

i for more than one hun-
at every step along

grow,

been

ojr

FORM OF BEQUEST

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for
duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commomh/ec
the sum of dollars ($

to the general uses and purposes of said corporation under the
Trustees; and I do hereby direct that the receipt of the Treasure |
said corporation shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors

are rarely sufficient to
kjeeping abreast — or
Through bequests and
able to expand existing
friends will continue to

tjhe Blind, a corporation

of Massachusetts,
the same to be applied
direction of its Board of
for the time being of
for the same.

FORM OF DEVISE OF REAL ESTATE

I give, devise and bequeath to the Perkins School for the Blin$

organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealt|h
certain tract of real estate bounded and described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate accurately)
with full power to sell, mortgage and convey the same free of ell trusl

NOTICE

The Address of the Treasurer of the corporation is as follows:

JOHN W. BRYANT, Fiduciary Trust Co.,

175 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110-2289

a corporation duly
of Massachusetts, that

The Lantern

Published three times a year in
print and braille editions by

Perkins School
for the Blind
Watertown, Ma
02172-9982

Founded 1 829

fgggr

An accredited member
since 1947 of the New
England Association of
Schools and Colleges,
Inc.

An accredited member
since 1970 of the Na-
tional Accreditation
Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and
Visually Handicapped.

Volume LV

No. 1
Fall, 1985

"The Perkins School for the
Blind admits students of any
race, color, national and ethnic
origin to all the rights, privi-
leges, programs, and activities
generally accorded or made
available to students at the
school. It does not discriminate
on the basis of race, color,
national or ethnic origin in the
administration of its educa-
tional policies, admissions poli-
cies, scholarship and loan
programs, and athletic and
other school-administered
programs."

Contents

The

Perkins

Programs

New Director appointed

at Perkins 4

/^r Preschool Services

1 • Ages Birth-6

• Primary &
•QQ* Intermediate

lit Ages 6-1 3

^k Secondary
vJ' Services

U Ages 13-22

Toward 1995:

Perkins completes

major Self-Study. 6

On and off

Campus 10

jfij Deaf-Blind

1 1 Ages 5-22

(m§p Program for the
inT Severely Impaired

W Ages 1 0-22

The Perkins

Endowment 1 1

otKo» Adult Services
| ' | Ages 18 and older

Outreach Services

Other Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic and
Evaluative)

Public Relations &
Publications

Regional Library
for the Blind &
Physically Handicapped

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Educa-
tion Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Howe Press

I 3

(Aids and Appliances)

Lessard appointed Director
at Perkins

Kevin J. Lessard

evin J. Lessard, 40, was appointed
director of the Perkins School for
the Blind by its Board of Trustees on
July 18, 1985. Mr. Lessard had served
as acting director at Perkins since Janu-
ary 1, 1985.

Mr. Lessard has been employed
in various professional capacities at
Perkins for the last 17 years... As an
orientation and mobility teacher, as su-
pervisor of the Adult Services program,
and— prior to his appointment as acting
director— Perkins' assistant director for
the last seven years.

Mr. Lessard 's appointment makes
him only the eighth man in 156 years to
serve as director of the Perkins School
for the Blind.

[ t's an honor for me to write the intro-
duction to the Fall, 1985 issue of
The Lantern, as the newly appointed
director of Perkins School for the Blind.
I've had the privilege of serving the
school for the past seventeen years and,
during that period of time, I've always
recognized and appreciated the contri-
butions of many dedicated trustees
and staff.

Perkins is a large, diverse, and
responsive organization that has ex-
panded and developed programs and
services for a wide-chronological and
wide-functioning range of students
and clients.

We are proud of our Instructional,
Clinical, and Support Services depart-
ments, and we recognize our respon-
sibility to monitor and oversee
comprehensive and accountable
services to every student and client
we serve at Perkins.

We are pleased with our on-
campus program development in the
areas of the Preschool Services, the
Lower School Program, Secondary
Services, the Severe Impaired Pro-

A Message from
the New Director

gram, Adult Services, Community Liv-
ing Services, the Deaf -Blind Program,
and Teacher Training.

We are all pleased with our off-
campus programs which are providing
Community-Based Housing Services,
Outreach Services to public school stu-
dents, and job placement opportunities
for adults in business and industry
through our Projects with Industry
Program. Many of these outreach
efforts will be integrated with our
Teacher Training Program and services
that emanate from the Howe Press at
Perkins.

Coordinating such a broad range
of Programs and Services will always
be made easier for me in that I'm fortu-
nate to have a highly competent, re-
sourceful, and committed staff who
provide administrative, direct, and
indirect services to our students
and clients.

Programmatically, we are ready
to face the future with much optimism,
and the Program Studies that have
been developed during the past year,
along with the Masterplan of the
Perkins Campus, will allow us to make
intelligent and informed decisions, as
we prioritize our facility needs during
the next few years.

During the School Year 1985-
1986, 1 look forward to working closely

with the trustees and the administra-
tive and supervisory staff at Perkins in
attending to the present-day needs and
our plans for the future.

Our Program Plans are coordi-
nated on a regular basis with our Finan-
cial and Support Services. We have
analyzed and defined budget parame-
ters for each program and department
at Perkins, and we have effectively
implemented accountable financial
systems which are responsive to the
instructional and clinical service needs
of our students and clients.

We also look forward to expand-
ing our development and public rela-
tions efforts during the present school
year, and we feel confident that our
Program and Masterplan Studies will
serve us well as we continue to articu-
late and define the full scope of services
at Perkins. Our responsiveness to com-
munity needs and our ability to develop
programs and services for individuals
who are blind, deaf -blind, and multi-
impaired will continue to expand.

On behalf of the trustees and the
staff, I would like to thank the large
number of individuals who have always
supported Perkins, and the time, effort,
and resources that you have contributed
are very much appreciated by all of us.

IKks

Toward 1995:

Perkins completes a program plan
for the future and a masterplan
of the campus.

I erkins School for the Blind is located

just five miles west of Boston, in
Watertown, Massachusetts. The original
buildings on the 38-acre campus were
designed by a well-known Boston archi-
tect, R. Clipston Sturgis. Constructed
circa 1910, these buildings not only com-
bine high quality in both exterior and
interior design, but remain structurally
sound seventy-five years after completion.

However, the exterior envelopes
of these original buildings, which were
completed at the turn of the century,
are understandably in need of repair,
restoration, and renovation. And, too,
a general upgrading of the buildings'
interior finishes is needed— as well as
repair of walls and ceilings— where
damage has been done by water from
breaks in the antiquated exterior
envelopes.

Perhaps more importantly,
though, much of the forthcoming re-
pair, restoration, and renovation will be
done for the general welfare and safety
of students and clients who, increas-
ingly, are more multi-impaired than in
the past. Renovation and new additions
in the Lower School complex, for exam-
ple—which serves and houses students,
6 to 13 years of age, some of whom are
blind and deaf or have cerebral palsy
and are mentally retarded— will bring
all student bedrooms and living and
dining areas to the ground floor level,
while shop areas, program classrooms,
administrative and clinical therapy
offices, and mobility training areas will
be moved to the second floor. These
changes will enhance the safety and
accessibility of the Lower School com-
plex for the benefit of orthopedically
and otherwise impaired youngsters.

Furthermore, campus renovation
is necessary, not only to make neces-
sary repairs and enhance daily living
and educational programming for all
our students and clients, but also so
that new roads and pathways can be
developed to augment mobility train-
ing, an essential component of the Per-
kins educational experience. Mobility
training at Perkins utilizes the entire
campus as its training ground. Physical

75-year-old facility
in need of
repair, restoration,
and renovation
to accommodate
future program needs.

Recent aerial photo of the Perkins School
for the Blind and its 38-acre campus,
which borders the Charles River just
5 miles west of Boston.

conditions that currently exist on the
campus need to be modified to meet
these important training needs.

When complete, this new effort
will not only allow Perkins to continue

to serve the educational and residential
components of its various programs at
an optimal level— but, it will also allow
Perkins to persevere in keeping its
landmark and historic architecture in-

tact, as monuments that reflect the ex-
cellence of the activities and pursuits
within their walls.

The commitment of the Perkins
School for the Blind to make these nec-
essary repairs, renovations, and resto-
rations is the result of a comprehensive
self-study, which began in 1983— when
the Dimeo Construction Company of
Providence, Rhode Island was retained
by the Perkins Board of Trustees to
study the campus facility and make

recommendations as to the eight-
decade-old facility's need for repair
and renovation.

Following the delivery of the Di-
meo Construction Report, the Perkins
Board of Trustees then retained the Ar-
thur D. Little Company of Cambridge,
Massachusetts, so that the firm could
assist the administrative directors and
program and service supervisors at
Perkins to develop the future direc-
tional thrusts of the school's programs
and services over the next decade.

Finally once future programmatic
thrusts were known, the Perkins Board
of Trustees retained the Boston archi-

The repairs, renovations, and restorations
of the Perkins School campus will main-
tain the landmark and historic architec-
tural integrity of the 75-year-old
buildings...

"...forthcoming repair, restoration,
and renovation will be done for the
general welfare and safety of stu-
dents and clients who, increasingly,
are more multi-impaired than in
the past.

tectural firm of Shepley Bullfinch
Richardson & Abbott to help Perkins
staff evaluate alternatives and prioritize
the repairs and renovations suggested
by the earlier Dimeo Construction
Report.

It should be noted that the re-
pairs, renovations, and restorations
represent the consensus of architects,
administrators, teachers, houseparents,
and clinical staff. This consensus— and
the future repairs, renovations, and
restorations— will allow the Perkins
School for the Blind to provide pro-
grams and services to students and
clients who can advance from one

. . . while improving the general safety and
accessibility of the entire campus, which
is used, increasingly, by more severely
handicapped students and clients.

educational level to another, and who
can eventually either care for them-
selves or function as independently
as possible in the care of a community-
based, Perkins-operated housing pro-
gram, another person, or another
program or organization.

The school is presently develop-
ing a Feasibility Study to determine the
scope and direction of a capital cam-
paign which will be announced in the
near future.

On and Off
Campus

Graduation Day:
June 14, 1985

^::2:,'ri::7::^

The Class of 1985. . . (Front row, left to right) Irene
Mescall, 21, Cambridge, MA; Stephanie Roberts,
21, Boston, MA; Norma Morales, 21, Jersey City,
NJ; Melissa Merrill, 19, Citrus Heights, CA;]ane
Aniolek, 21, Madison, CT; (Second row) Todd
Patkus, 21, Westport, MA; Michael Latour. 22,

Former Perkins Corporation
President Dies

Samuel Cabot, Jr. of Beverly Farms, Massa-
chusetts, retired president of Samuel Cabot, Inc.,
Boston paint manufacturers, died on September
11, 1985, after a brief illness. He was 74.

From 1971 to 1978, Mr. Cabot was president
of the Perkins Corporation. His association with
the Perkins School as a corporator and a trustee
began in 1952 and lasted more than 33 years.

Mr. Cabot went into his family's paint busi-
ness, founded by his grandfather in 1877, after
graduation from college. He held various jobs in

Ipswich, MA; Charles St. Denis, 21, Tiverton, RI;
Brian Coppola, 21, Methuen, MA; Mark
McGovern, 22, Winthrop, MA; Robert Bonito, 22,
Maiden, MA; James Coty, 20, Lewiston, ME;
Stephen Wenzler, 20, Mt. Laurel, NJ; and Doulas
Lepore, 21, Chelmsford, MA.

the company's factory and laboratory in Chelsea,
Massachusetts and in the Boston office, and
was made traffic manager and then, in 1940,
treasurer.

After service in England and Africa as a lieu-
tenant in the Army Air Corps during World War II,
he returned to his family's firm as treasurer and
later became its president, remaining at that post
until his retirement in 1977. After retirement he
served as a director of the company until his death.

Mr. Cabot leaves his wife, the former Virginia
Ward; two sons, Samuel 3rd and Christopher; two
daughters, Ellen Cabot and Joan Gardiner; six
grandchildren and a sister, Elizabeth Cochran.

The Perkins
Endowment

______

The Perkins Program as it
has developed and been main-
tained for more than one hun-
dred and fifty years has relied
upon a growing endowment at
every step along the way.

Endowments which are
adequate to put a program into
effect are rarely sufficient to
keep it going. As with every
private school and college that
is keeping abreast— or ahead—
of the times, Perkins needs to
see its endowment grow.
Through bequests and dona-
tions, and through a few govern-
ment grants, we have been able
to expand existing services and
add new ones as needed. We are
confident that our friends will
continue to support us in ever
increasing amounts.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise and be-
queath to the Perkins School for
the Blind, a corporation duly
organized and existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, the sum of
dollars

($-

.), the same to be

applied to the general uses and
purposes of said corporation
under the direction of its Board
of Trustees; and I do hereby
direct that the receipt of the
Treasurer for the time being
of said corporation shall be a
sufficient discharge to my
executors for the same.

Form of Devise
of Real Estate

I give, devise and bequeath to
the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly orga-
nized and existing under the
laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, that certain
tract of real estate bounded and
described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mort-
gage and convey the same free
of all trust.

Notice

The Address of the Treasurer of

the corporation is as follows:

JOHN W.BRYANT,

Fiduciary Trust Co.,

175 Federal Street, Boston, MA

02110-2289

Thank You!

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Perkins School
for the Blind

Ml// /)&

Volume LV
No. 2
Spring, 1986

Published three times a year in print and braille
editions by

Perkins School for the Blind

Watertown, MA 021 72-9982

Founded 1892

An accredited member since 1947 of

the New England Association of

Schools and Colleges, Inc.

An accredited member since 1970 of

the National Accreditation Council for

Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually

Handicapped.

"The Perkins School for the Blind
admits students of any race, color,
national and ethnic origin to all the
rights, privileges, programs, and activi-
ties generally accorded or made avail-
able to students at the school. It does
not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national or ethnic origin in the
administration of its educational poli-
cies, scholarship and loan programs,
and athletic and other school-
administered programs."

The Perkins Programs

Preschool Services

Ages Birth-6

Lower School

Ages 6-13

Secondary Services
Ages 13-22

Deaf-Blind

Ages 5-22

Severe Impaired
Program

Ages 10-22

o^o Adult Services
| ■ | Ages 18 and Older

Outreach Services
Other Services

Projects with
Industry Program

Community Living
Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic
and Evaluative)

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training
Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Regional Library for Howe Press

the Blind & Physi- (Aids and Appliances)
cally Handicapped

A Message from
the Director

The era we live in provides us with
opportunities to expand our roles
as educators and it is our respon-
sibility to foster the need for
specialized vision services...

ne hundred years ago this month
I I Michael Anagnos, the second
Director of Perkins School for the Blind,
was in the process of initiating a new
program for young blind children. His
creation, the first Kindergarten Pro-
gram for the blind in the United States,
was based on the strong philosophical
and educational commitment to early
intervention for blind children.

For over a century and a half, the
staff at Perkins has been providing qual-
ity education and clinical services to
young blind, visually impaired, and
multi-impaired students.

Staff have constantly recognized
the needs of these young students and
they have developed and adapted curric-
ulum and instructional techniques to
meet the individual needs of each
student.

The Lower School Program at
Perkins, which is highlighted in this
issue of the Lantern, is a comprehen-
sive, responsive, and quality program.
The Program Staff are not only respon-
sive to students' instructional and clini-
cal needs, but they are strong advocates
for students' and parents' rights.

Early intervention and elementary
school programs for blind, visually
impaired, and multi-impaired students
serve as the educational cornerstones
which will ensure successful commu-
nity integration in the future. Our com-
mitment to the young students we serve
and their parents also includes a recog-
nition of their basic human and legal
rights, as well as a commitment to
accessible and available services.

The era we live in provides us with
opportunities to expand our roles as
educators and it is our responsibility to
foster the need for specialized vision ser-
vices for young blind, visually impaired,
deaf -blind, and multi-impaired students
and their parents. These opportunities
also mandate that we provide compre-
hensive and accountable services which
will ensure community based place-
ments for our students in the future.
The Lower School Staff recognize and
accept these new responsibilities and
through their efforts, the parents of our
students can look more optimistically
toward the future.

1 1 has been nearly twelve years since
I the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
initiated its Special Education Act,
named Chapter 766. This Legislation
and the Federal Government's counter-
part, Public Law 94-142, have had a
significant and dramatic impact on Spe-
cial Education, and in particular, ser-
vices for blind, visually impaired, and
multi-impaired students.

During the past decade a consider-
able number of program options have
been developed to serve younger blind
students. For many students and their
parents the development of multiple
program options has been a positive
experience. The evolution of parents'
legal rights, which are clearly defined
within both National and State Legisla-
tion, have offered parents a new and
evolving role in the educational decision
making process relating to placement
options for their sons and daughters.

Some parents have advocated that
their blind or visually impaired child be
placed full time or part time in a public
school program while other parents
have analyzed programmatic and diag-
nostic evaluation material and have
made a decision with their local educa-

tion authorities to place their child in a
day or residential program, such as the
Lower School Program at Perkins.

Parents' participation in educa-
tional decisions and school placements
are perhaps the most significant and
important components of both National
and State Legislation. The administra-
tion and staff at Perkins recognize
parental rights and we are commited to
working with parents on a regular basis.

The current population of the
Lower School Program at Perkins is
thirty four students. While this repre-
sents a decline in the number of stu-
dents from the 1970 's and while our
Program has been changing to meet the
needs of a more multi-impaired popula-
tion, it is also clear that the quantity
and quality of our education and clinical
services and our participation with par-
ents in the educational process, have
increased dramatically over the past
decade.

The evolution of parents' legal
rights have offered parents a new
and evolving role in the educational
decision making process relating
to placement options for their sons
and daughters.

For children who have two, three,
or more educationally significant
impairments, the availability of a multi-
ple service delivery program is para-
mount. First and foremost it is the
primary goal of the program to educate
the entire child. Formal academic edu-
cation is only one aspect of a person's
life. It is important, to be sure, and we
continue to achieve full accreditation
from the New England Elementary and

Secondary School Association, and the
National Accreditation Council for the
Blind. In addition to offering a compre-
hensive curriculum of academic sub-
jects, we feel that the emotional, social
and self-help needs of each child is
every bit as critical if each child is to
reach his or her maximum potential. In
this regard we are constantly striving to
provide innovative and comprehensive
programming.

Parents' participation in educational
decisions and school placements
are perhaps the most significant
and important components of both
National and State Legislation.

We are fortunate to have the ser-
vices of a number of experts in the field
of the education of the visually impaired
and special education as part of the
staff. The accumulated experience of
our teachers and clinical staff is note-
worthy. Yet, we are always aware that
each child is unique and that if each
child is to make progress we cannot be
complacent with past accomplishments.

Currently, our staff includes ten
classroom teachers, eight special sub-
ject teachers, sixteen houseparents and
teacher aides, and a number of Clinical
Services personnel who work entirely
with Lower School students and their
parents. Our Clinical Staff consists of
two psychologists, a social worker, two
physical therapists, an occupational
therapist, educational consultant, two
speech therapists, and the availability
of additional consultants in the areas of
audiology, low vision and general medi-
cal. In addition, within each of the two
residences for our students, there are a
number of residence personnel, cooks,
and domestic service workers who pro-
vide both direct and indirect services to
our students and staff.

Altogether, the staff to student
ratio that is currently provided in the
Lower School is very attractive and the
ratio supports the additional hand-over-
hand and one-to-one instruction that is
required if a visually impaired, multi-
impaired child is to understand his or
her environment. There are also a num-
ber of special offerings within the pro-
gram which have proved to be very

Our curricula is reality oriented and
we recognize our responsibility to
provide services that will have
direct relevance to students and
their parents.

valuable to all of our students. Music
therapy classes have enabled our stu-
dents with musical strengths and inter-
ests to develop many other skills such
as increased language, movement, lis-
tening, following directions, reinforcing
basic concepts and socialization. Sen-
sory Motor Integration has proved to
be very successful in increasing each
student's motor development while
decreasing mannerisms. Independent
travel skills and community experience
classes help each student become more
independent and comfortable in the

community. In addition, classes in daily
living skills provide individual instruc-
tion for each child in a variety of self-
help skills, utilizing techniques that
have been developed for the blind and
visually impaired.

Adaptive physical education,
swimming, arts and crafts, piano, typ-
ing, computer education, pre-vocational
education and cooking classes are regu-
larly provided as part of the curriculum.
Special off-campus horseback riding
classes have been made available in
recent years, as have Scouting and a
wide variety of field trips and cultural
opportunities.

We continue to analyze and
explore innovative techniques that will
allow each of our students to progress
at his or her own rate of learning within
a positive and supportive system of
instruction. Our curricula is reality ori-
ented and we recognize our responsibil-
ity to provide services that will have
direct relevance to students and their
parents.

Lawrence J. Melander
Supervisor— Lower School Program

At Programs

and Services

Preschool Services
Lower School
Secondary Services

Deaf-Blind

Program for the Severely Impaired

Adult Services

Secondary Services has expanded
its computer program, adding a number
of Apple computers and printers. Large
print screens make many of these com-
puters more accessible to students,
allowing them to gain skills such as
word processing and printing.

The Deaf -Blind Program has

received a new three-year grant to con-
tinue their federally funded efforts in
Total Life Planning. Grant concerns
include state services to deaf -blind stu-
dents as they become adults, and the
development and implementation of a
daily living skills program. The Deaf-
Blind Program has also developed a
new unit serving ten children, ages 5-7,
with an early developmental program
emphasis.

The Severe Impaired Program has

expanded its residential programming
with input from our occupational and
physical therapists, adaptive physical
education teacher, speech pathologist
and educational consultant. Staff have
developed structured programming in
many new areas including housekeep-
ing tasks, active play, movement and
language activities, and relaxation. Our
full range of services also include fine
and gross motor activities, music ther-
apy, community awareness, and an
excellent swimming program.

Adult Services continues to seek a
wider variety of vocational options for
clients in both the Multi-Impaired Blind
Unit and the Head Injury Unit. The use
of computers in being explored as a
means of enhancing the clients rehabili-
tation programs. Community Living
Services has opened the Beechwood
residence, an off -campus community
residence for six visually impaired
adults. Currently all of the residents are
recent graduates of Perkins Secondary
Services Program.

Community Outreach continues its
Teen Weekend program with monthly
offerings throughout the spring of 1986.
Serving students from 12 to 20 years of
age and older, teen weekends combine
seminars exploring various career and
social issues with structured recreation
and social activities.

The Clinical Services staff continues
to expand its delivery of therapeutic
services, leading to the implementation
of a program-based system of clinical
accountability. One staff member in
each program has been designated as
the clinical coordinator and functions as
a liaison between the Director of Clini-
cal Services and the program staff,
ensuring effective communication and
support.

Outreach Services
Clinical Services
Regional Library for
the Blind & Physically
Handicapped
Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training Program

New England Center

for the Deaf-Blind Services

Howe Press

Community Living Services

Projects with Industry Program

To All Former Perkins Teacher
Trainees: Please feel free to write to
us about your work and your current
position. We are developing a newslet-
ter about our former trainees and we
will gladly send you a copy of the news-
letter during the summer of 1986.
Please be sure to mention the year you
were a trainee at Perkins.

Recently, Perkins began an on campus
low vision service in affiliation with the
New England College of Optometry.
The Low Vision Clinic currently
serves students and clients who are
enrolled at the school and is staffed by
Perkins personnel and optometrists
who are faculty members at the Col-
lege. The service, which is open two
days a week, supplements the ophtha-
mological services provided, with
assessments and training in visual func-
tioning levels, visual acuities, field
assessment, prescriptions for glasses
and/or contact lenses, low vision aids,
and special sunwear.

Perkins honored twenty-two school and
twelve Howe Press employees who have
given a decade or more of dedicated
service at its Sixth Annual Service
Award Ceremony in March.
Honored were Albert Czub, 55 years;
A. Claude Ellis, 35 years; Leon J.

Murphy, Elaine M. Tulis, William J.
Webber, 25 years; Charles R. Carley,
Bridget D Alanno, Peter Fusco, Nancy
J. Hannah, Carolyn L. Hodgen, Paula
Huffman, Dorothy M. Jackman,
Kenneth A. Stuckey, 20 years; John
Boudreault, Eugene Curtis, George
Goodwin, Dennis A. Lolli, Dennis J.
Levesque, Costa C. Santoro, Emery
Stephens, 15 years; Katerina A. Fraser,
John T. Gleason, William M. Graham,
Beatrice A. Guiggey, Nora Kilraine,
Robert Leonard, Eloise Lyman, Paul
A. Mason, Anna Peeling, Anna Roselli,
Robert A. Rowley, James A. Servello,
Thomas Trapasso, Carmelo
Vincent-Laboy, 10 years.

Congress has passed two resolutions
signed by President Reagan which have
established the last week in June as
"Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Aware-
ness Week." Celebrated this year
from June 22 to June 28, this week is
particularly symbolic because June
27th marks the birthday of the most
respected and renowned deaf -blind
American, Helen Keller. As a student,
Helen Keller attended the Perkins
School from 1888 to 1892.

Liz Walker

visits

Perkins Campus

Liz Walker, of WBZ-TV, Channel 4,
visited Perkins School in December.

Former Perkins Corporation
President Dies

Dr. Augustus Thorndike of Chest-
nut Hill, Massachusetts, died on Janu-
ary 29, 1986 at the age of 89.

From 1954-1971, Dr. Thorndike
was President of the Perkins Corpora-
tion and his association with Perkins as
a trustee extended over 33 years.

For 31 years, Dr. Thorndike was
Chief of Surgery of Harvard University
Health Services and was best known
for his work with athletes. He wrote the

Here she is shown talking with John
Cunniff , a student in our Deaf-Blind
Program.

first book on athletic injuries which has
been widely used by trainers and doc-
tors ever since.

Dr. Thorndike leaves three sons,
Augustus Jr., John L., and W. Nicholas
Thorndike; a daughter, Sarah E.
Haydock; 13 grandchildren; and 10
great grandchildren.

The Perkins
Endowment

.-■:-:-vv.^fcv."

:':'

The Perkins Program as it has
developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years
has relied upon a growing endowment
at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate
to put a program into effect are rarely
sufficient to keep it going. As with
every private school and college that is
keeping abreast-or ahead-of the times,
Perkins needs to see its endowment
grow. Through bequests and donations,
and through a few government grants,
we have been able to expand existing
services and add new ones as needed.
We are confident that our friends will
continue to support us in ever increasing
amounts.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise and bequeath
to the Perkins School for the Blind, a
corporation duly organized and existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, the sum of dol-
lars ($ ), the same to be applied

to the general uses and purposes of said
corporation under the direction of its
Board of Trustees; and I do hereby
direct that the receipt of the Treasurer
for the time being of said corporation
shall be a sufficient discharge to my
executors for the same.

Form of Devise of Real Estate

I give, devise and bequeath to the
Perkins School for the Blind, a corpora-
tion duly organized and existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Mas-
sachusetts, that certain tract of real
estate bounded and described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and
convey the same free of all trust.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the
Corporation is as follows:
JOHN W.BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co.
175 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110-2289

Thank you!

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Perkins School
for the Blind

Anne Sullivan: Perkins Graduate 1886

Volume LVI
No.1
Fall 1986

Published twice a year in print and braille
editions by

Perkins School for the Blind

Watertown, MA 02172-9982
(617)924-3434

Founded 1829

An accredited member since 1947 of

the New England Association of

Schools and Colleges, Inc.

An accredited member since 1970 of

the National Accreditation Council for

Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually

Handicapped.

The Perkins Programs

Preschool Services

Ages Birth-6

Lower School

Ages 6-13

Secondary Services

Ages 13-22

Deaf-Blind

Ages 5-22

Severe Impaired
Program

Ages 10-22

Adult Services

Ages 18 and Older

Outreach Services
Other Services

Projects with
Industry Program

Community Living
Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic
and Evaluative)

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training
Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Regional Library for Howe Press

the Blind & Physi- (Aids and Appliances)

cally Handicapped

A Message from
the Director

ne hundred years ago, Anne Sullivan
I graduated from Perkins School for
the Blind as valedictorian of the Class of
1886. It was shortly after her graduation
that Michael Anagnos, the second Direc-
tor of Perkins, sent Anne to Tescumbia,
Alabama to work with a young deaf-blind
child whose name was Helen Keller.

Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller's
contributions to the field of blindness
and deaf-blindness are well-known
around the world and they have had a
dramatic impact on programs and ser-
vices on every continent. Perhaps their
most significant contribution was the
changing of the general public's attitude
and awareness of handicapped people.
Recognition of the potential of handi-
capped people has developed over time

and we owe a great deal of gratitude to
both Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller
for their contributions.

Today, one hundred years later,
the staff at Perkins continues to edu-
cate, counsel, and enjoy working with
our young deaf-blind students. Teachers,
clinical staff, houseparents and program
aides provide daily training, consistent
teaching, and a constant sense of secu-
rity and understanding for our students.
The training our young deaf-blind stu-
dents receive today will help prepare
them for full integration into community
based services in the future.

We look forward to the school year
1986-87, and we remain committed to
the education of the deaf-blind, realizing
their special and unique needs and recog-
nizing their special talents and abilities.

Our one-hundred year commit-
ment to young deaf-blind children will
be enhanced during the next few years
as we undertake a major Capital Cam-
paign to raise funds to restore, reno-
vate and adapt their classroom and
cottage facilities.

Kevin J. Lessard
Director

I n October of 1880, Anne Sullivan
■ arrived at Perkins School for the Blind
unable to spell her name. Six years later
she graduated as valedictorian of her
class. Anne then began a career which
would reveal her as a dedicated and
undaunted teacher and pioneer in the
field of deaf-blind education.

She came to Perkins with virtually
no educational background. The poverty-
stricken daughter of immigrant farmers,
her previous home was a state infirmary
in Tewksbury, Massachusetts where she
was sent upon the death of her mother
and disappearance of her father. She
lived with the mentally ill and aged, but
she had a dream. She dreamt of learning
to read, she was determined to be edu-
cated. This determination took her to
Perkins School for the Blind, located in
South Boston at the time. Anne had bat-
tled trachoma since the age of three, an
eye disease which left her vision con-
stantly clouded and eventually led to
blindness in her later years. A series
of delicate operations did help her
although reading was still difficult and
often quite painful.

During her schooling at Perkins,
Anne met Laura Bridgman, the deaf-
blind child educated by Dr. Samuel
Gridley Howe, the school's first Direc-

tor. Longing to converse with her, Anne
learned the manual alphabet, the foun-
dation for her future work with the
deaf-blind.

About the time of Anne's grad-
uation from Perkins School, a family in
Alabama was searching for help. Their
six-year-old child had lost her sight and
hearing in early childhood and they were
questioning any hope for her future. A
reference to Perkins School in Charles
Dickens' "American Notes" and a pas-
sage on the education of Laura Bridgman

Helen Keller (left) and teacher Anne Sullivan

"We receive impressions and arrive at
conclusions without any effort on our part;
but we also have the power of controlling
our lives.

by Dr. Howe, the school's director, fos-
tered some hope. The Kellers were
referred through many specialists to
scientist Alexander Graham Bell. Dr.
Bell suggested they contact Michael
Anagnos, director of Perkins School
at the time.

Anne had, by this time, graduated
as valedictorian of the Class of 1886. She
graduated from the respected school,
but there were few opportunities for a
partially sighted woman with only six
years of high school education.

Michael Anagnos received a let-
ter from Captain Arthur H. Keller of
Tescumbia, Alabama requesting help for
his deaf-blind daughter. Knowing Anne's
determination and strong will, Anagnos
suggested that she consider working
with the Keller family.

This challenge appeared to be
almost overwhelming, but Anne derived
inspiration from Dr. Howe and his world
reknown work with Laura Bridgman,
Howe's first deaf-blind student. Anne
decided to travel to Alabama to begin
her work with Helen Keller.

Anne's first challenge was to com-
municate with Helen and to teach her
an appropriate form of communication;
a language. She began with the manual
alphabet she had learned at Perkins,

spelling words into Helen's hand. This
initiated Anne's lifetime work with Helen
which would herald her as one of the
most respected teachers in the field of
deaf-blind education; a field pioneered
by Dr. Howe, enhanced by Anne Sullivan
and continued today at the Perkins
School, some 150 years later.

The Deaf-Blind Program at Perkins
School provides education for deaf-blind
individuals, emphasizing communication
and language development of all forms.
Instruction is developmental and individ-
ualized, stressing the total social devel-
opment of each child. Due to the greater
incidence of multi-impairments in Perkins
students, emphasis is also placed on daily
living skills such as dressing, eating, and
bathing. Younger students, ages five to
thirteen, receive instruction in a class-
room setting, where the focus is on early
elementary education, with emphasis on
daily living and social skills. Classroom
instruction is reinforced in the residential
component of the program, the cottages
where students and staff live.

The Deaf-Blind Program strives
to help each child realize his or her full
potential, allowing the student to become
more active, independent and expres-
sive. This allows each student to best
interact with, communicate about, and

We can educate ourselves; we can,
by thought and perserverance,
develop all the powers and capacities
entrusted to us, and build for ourselves
true and noble characters.

react to the environment. Anne Sullivan
suceeded in fulfilling these goals with
Helen Keller, helping her to "develop
all the powers and capacities entrusted"
to her; leading Helen from her isolated
world as a deaf-blind child, to almost
total integration with her environment
as an adult.

Heather Smith is a six-year-old
child presently enrolled in the Deaf-Blind
Program at Perkins. She came to Perkins
in September of 1985 with very little for-
mal communication or language abilities
and minimal attempts to communicate.
Heather was somewhat isolated in her
environment, with profound hearing loss
and only partial vision. She exhibited lit-
tle effort to cooperate in both teaching
and daily living situations, often result-
ing in tantrums. Her daily living skills
were minimal, requiring frequent assis-
tance in the basics of dressing, bathing
and eating.

The last twelve months have seen
great improvement in Heather s ability
to communicate and interact with her
environment. Through individualized
instruction, much like that Anne Sullivan
used with the young Helen Keller,
Heather has learned and actively uses
more than forty signs. She can combine
these signs into two word phrases to

communicate her needs, indicating the
intial stages of language acquisition and
communication ability. Heather's ability
to communicate and interact with her
environment has reduced her isolation.
She is more cooperative and exhibits a
longer attention span in both teaching
and residential environments. These
communication and behavior advance-
ments are the foundation for future
life skills, language and academic
development.

Heather Smith (left) and her teacher Cynthia Maker

All the wondrous physical, intellectual
and moral endowments with which
man is blessed will, by inevitable law,
become useless unless he uses and
improves them"

Anne Sullivan, Valedictorian
Class of 1886

Language and life skills, an inte-
gral part of each student's instruction,
are reinforced in the residential compo-
nent of the Deaf-Blind Program. Heather
lives in Glover Cottage in our Lower
School complex. Lower School houses
students ages six to thirteen in four cot-
tages from both the Lower School and
Deaf-Blind Programs. The social interac-
tion of these students is very important
developmentally.

Integration of our blind, deaf-blind,
visually and multi-impaired students in
the six to thirteen age range calls for a
variety of environmental adaptations of
the Lower School, an area which has

been targeted for major restoration, ren-
ovation and adaptation. As the student
population at Perkins has changed, so
must the physical surroundings; chang-
ing and upgrading for the most efficient
use of the available facilities. Constant
improvements in programs and facilities
allow for development of the most bene-
ficial educational environment for Perkins
staff and students, enhancing the learn-
ing experience. It is only through im-
provements and the ability to change that
we can expand and improve our environ-
ment and resulting learning experience.

Susan C. Bower
Michael Collins

li»

Programs

and Services

Preschool Services

Lower School

Deaf-Blind

Severe Impaired Program

Adult Services

Sy Kraut, (left), Vice President and General
Manager of Honeywell's Customer Services Divi-
sion, accepts a raised print and braille plaque from

lerkins School honored Honeywell's
I Customer Services Division for its
contributions to the Perkins Project
With Industry Program at a luncheon
held in late May. Sy Kraut, Vice Pres-
ident and General Manager of the
Honeywell division, accepted the award
from C. Richard Carlson, President of
Perkins' Board of Trustees. Honeywell's

C. Richard Carlson, President of Perkins Board of
Trustees in recognition of Honeywell's support of the
Perkins Project with Industry Program.

efforts for the project include contribut-
ing the design and production costs of
the Perkins Project with Industry bro-
chure, the hiring of three blind employ-
ees and networking assistance. Charter
members of the Perkins project are
Wang Laboratories, Inc. , New England
Telephone Company, and AT&T
Communications.

Outreach Services

Clinical Services

Regional Library for
the Blind & Physically
Handicapped

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training Program

New England Center
for Deaf-Blind Services

Howe Press

Community Living Services

Projects with Industry Program

During the month of June, Howe Press
reached a goal that surpassed all original
production expectations for the Perkins
Brailler. On June 26, 1986 at 12:53 p.m.,
brailler number 175,000 was completed,
far exceeding the initial projected de-
mand of three thousand braillers. The
original Perkins Brailler was designed
by David Abraham at Howe Press
in 1951, with production beginning
that same year. Composed of some 311
parts, the Perkins Brailler is produced at
Howe Press, and distributed world-wide.

Alumni Calendar 1986-87

November 3: Corporation Day

Director's Memorial
Exercises 11:30 AM

December 14: Christmas

Concert 3:00 PM

December 18: Christmas

Concert 7:30 PM

May 2: Alumni Baseball Game 1: 00 PM

June 12: Graduation Exercises 11:00 AM

June 12-14: Alumni Weekend

Thirty-one senior class members from
Secondary Services and the Deaf-
Blind Department graduated during
1986 commencement exercises held in
Dwight Hall on Friday, June 13, 1986.
The commencement address was deliv-

ered by William E Gallagher, Executive
Director of The American Foundation for
the Blind in New York, and a graduate
of Perkins.

Graduated were: Tina Lynn Bailey,
China, ME; Elizabeth Boneski, Wood-
bury, CT; Frank Carpenito, Salem, NH;
John Cecchini, Oakdale, CT; Kent
Corliss, Rutland, VT; John Brian
Cunniff, Maiden, MA; Anthony M. Days,
Provincetown, MA; Maria DiGiacomo,
Granby, MA; Louis Edward Duson,
Beloit, WI; Judith Ann Eagan, St. James,
NY; Denise Emerson, Peabody, MA;
Anne Marie Foster, Waltham, MA;
Juanita Herrera, Dorchester, MA; Irene
LaFleur, New Bedford, MA; Jaimi Lynn
Lard, Manchester, MA; Robert H.
Look, Cumberland Foreside, ME;
Edward Matos, Somerville, MA; Tad
Montgomery Pike, Mansfield, MA; John
Andrew Puglisi, Newington, CT; James
Reynolds, Winthrop, MA; Kristen Ripke,
Shelton, CT; Henry Rodriguez Rivera,
North Providence, RI; Steven Paul
Roberts, Lowell, MA; Timothy Rooney,
Waltham, MA; Diane St. Pierre, Lewis-
ton, ME; Brian Thomas Scanlon, War-
ren, RI; Margaret Sheehan, Mumford,
NY; Cassandra Joy Thomas, Altoona,
PA; Mark D. Torvinen, Forrestville,
CT; Peter Tremblay, Danvers, MA; and
Bruce Westfall, Cape Elizabeth, ME.

Teacher Trainees
Graduate
May 7, 1986

Front row, L-R: Elizabeth Sparks, Assistant
Coordinator, Teacher Training Program; Kanak
Lai, India; Paula Charnesky, Michigan; Patricia
Lee, New Jersey; Wondwossen Tekle, Ethiopia;
Chang Hyun Shin, Korea.

he Teacher Training Diploma Cer-
■ emony was held on May 7, 1986 in
Allen Chapel on the school's campus.
Director Kevin J. Lessard awarded the
diplomas, assisted by Elizabeth Sparks
and Cafer Barkus, Assistant Coordina-
tors of the Teacher Training Program.
Nine trainees were graduated as teach-
ers of the visually handicapped, deaf-
blind, and peripatology and rehabilitation.
The Teacher Trainee Program was
initiated in 1920 and is presently affiliated

Back row, L-R: K. Mariyappan, India; Cynthia
Cook, Michigan; Cafer Barkus, Assistant Coordi-
nator, Teacher Training Program; Zareen Battiwala,
India; Kevin J. Lessard, Director, Perkins School.

with the Special Education Department
of Boston College. The program at
Perkins offers a residential environ-
ment for practical experience with blind,
deaf-blind, visually impaired, and multi-
impaired populations in conjunction with
graduate level coursework at Boston
College. Trainees live in the cottages
with students and staff, participating in
many recreational and daily living activi-
ties, allowing for day-to-day interaction
with special needs students on all levels.

The Perkins
Endowment

The Perkins Program as it has
developed and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years
has relied upon a growing endowment
at every step along the way.

Form of Bequest

Form of Devise of Real Estate

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and
convey the same free of all trust.

NOTICE

The address of the Treasurer of the

Corporation is as follows:

JOHN W.BRYANT

Fiduciary Trust Co. ,

Box 1647

Boston, MA 02105-1647

Thank you!

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Volume LVI
Number 2
Spring 1987

Published twice a year in print and
braille editions by

Perkins School for the Blind

1 75 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982
(617)924-3434

Founded 1829

*iy

An accredited member since 1947 of

the New England Association of

Schools and Colleges, Inc.

An accredited member since 1970 of

the National Accreditation Council for

Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually

Handicapped.

Front Cover:

The Howe Building

The Perkins Programs

I ■ I

Preschool Services

Ages Birth-6

Lower School

Ages 6-13

Secondary Services

Ages 13-22

Deaf-Blind

Ages 5-22

Severe Impaired
Program

Ages 10-22

Adult Services
Ages 18 and Older

Other Services

Outreach
Services

Projects with
Industry Program

Community Living
Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic
and Evaluative)

Regional Library
for the Blind
and Handicapped

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training
Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Howe Press

(Aids and Appliances)

A Message from the Director

uring the school year 1986-
1987, the staff at Perkins has
continued to provide quality and
comprehensive services to a
large number of blind, deaf-
blind, multi-impaired and vis-
ually impaired students and
clients. As the on-campus popu-
lation of the school has stabil-
ized over the past few years, we
have also seen a large increase
in the number of students and
clients that we serve on a com-
munity and outreach basis.

In this issue of the Lantern,
we have outlined for our readers
the scope of our on- and off-
campus services which have

developed and evolved during
the past two or three years. This
expansion of Programs and Ser-
vices at Perkins has been in
direct response to identified
needs within the community as
expressed by parents, profession-
als within the field, funding
agencies, and consumers.

The Trustees at Perkins
have been supportive of our out-
reach efforts and their commit-
ment to program expansion has
been a comprehensive and
dynamic response to the needs
of handicapped individuals in
the 1980s. The Board's respon-
siveness to program develop-
ment has helped to establish a
network of services that will
serve the School throughout the
next few decades.

The following represents the
range of programs and services
presently available both on cam-
pus and in various communities.

On campus programs and
services are provided to stu-
dents and clients through our
ten, eleven, and twelve month
programs. We serve a total on-
campus population of 201 stu-
dents and clients in both resi-
dential and day programs. This
population is comprised of the

enrollment of our six programs,
as detailed below.

Program Enrollment

Pre-School Program 5

Lower School Program 30

Secondary Services 65

Severe Impaired Program 13

Deaf-Blind Program 65

Adult Services 23

Total On-Campus Program.... 201

This on-campus population
is only part of the total number
of students, clients, families and
consumers served by Perkins
School for the Blind. Many more
individuals are served by our off-
campus services, services that
extend from Watertown to New
England and around the world.
Let me take this opportunity to
briefly detail the scope of some
of these services.

Infant Toddler Program:
Serves 35 infants, toddlers and
their families. This early inter-
vention program entails both
home- and school-based pro-
gramming, along with extensive
consultation and outreach
services.

Outreach Services Program:
Conducts weekend activities for
blind students who are enrolled
full-time in public school pro-

grams. Approximately 40 stu-
dents will be involved in the
sixteen weekends planned for
this school year.

Diagnostic Evaluation
Services: Evaluates students or
clients who are seeking admis-
sion to Perkins School or who
are in need of an up-dated eval-
uation. These two or three day
evaluations take place on our
campus with the direct involve-
ment of supervisory, teaching
and clinical staff.

The Federally-funded New
England Regional Center for
Deaf-Blind Services: Provides
consultation and direct services
to deaf-blind students and their
families throughout New Eng-
land. The center will serve ap-
proximately 230 students this
year.

Regional Library for the
Blind and Handicapped: Pro-
vides talking books and Braille
materials to over 12,000
patrons.

Outreach Services for
Professionals: Provides in-ser-
vice training for itinerant teach-
ers and other professionals in
New England. Two workshops
are planned for this school year,
with an expected attendance of
over 80 professionals.

Teacher Training Program:
Affiliated with the Special Edu-
cation Department at Boston
College; presently has an enroll-
ment of 8 students. This program
has been in operation since 1920
and over 1500 professionals
from all over the world have
trained at Perkins through
the program.

Parent and Family Services:
Provides consultation, counsel-
ling, and small group in-service
training to over 400 parents and
families both at Perkins and on
an outreach basis.

Howe Press: Provides servi-
ces, products and appliances to
over 7,000 blind individuals
each year. Services include the
sale and repair of the Perkins

Brailler and other products, as
well as customer assistance and
technical advice. Since 1951,
Howe Press has sold over
175,000 Perkins Braillers world-
wide.

The Projects with Industry
Program: Works to identify and
adapt job opportunities for the
blind and visually handicapped
with many different businesses
and industries. Evaluation, on-
the-job training and instruction,
as well as follow-up services, are
provided to an average of 25
clients each year.

This brief description of our
programs and services highlights
the full scope of options avail-
able, both on and off campus.
More detailed information on
these services is available upon
request.

The Trustees, adminis-
tration, and staff at Perkins
remain committed to program
development and the provision
of quality services to a wide-
chronological and wide-func-
tioning range of students, cli-
ents, and consumers.

Kevin J. Lessard
Director

^^^^■^^^■■■■■■HSBH

U.S. Postal Service Honors
Julia Ward Howe

!l ebruary 12, 1987 marked
the issuance of a stamp
honoring a friend of Perkins
School for the Blind; a great
poet, abolitionist, and social
reformer. February 12 was the
first day of issue of the United
States Postal Services' Julia
Ward Howe stamp. The Post
Office chose Perkins School for
the Blind as the location for the
official first day of issue cere-
mony because of Mrs. Howe's
close association with the
school. This association began
with her thirty year marriage to
Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, the

Julia Ward Howe

first director of Perkins School
for the Blind, and continued
when Michael Anagnos, her son-
in-law, succeeded Dr. Howe up-
on his death in 1876. Anagnos
then became Perkins' second
director, and served the school
for 30 years.

Miss Ward met Dr. Howe in
the summer of 1841, during a
visit to Perkins School with
friends Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow and Charles Sumner.
In 1843, Miss Ward and Dr.
Howe were married. An ardent
social reformer, Dr. Howe
sparked his wife's interest in,
and support of, his efforts
toward the abolition of slavery
and advances in the field of
special education. Dr. Howe is
most noted for his educational
achievements with Laura Bridg-
man, the first deaf-blind student
at Perkins School; and his direc-
torship at Perkins, the first
school for the blind in the Uni-
ted States.

The Howe Stamp was designed by artist
Ward Brackett. The pencil drawn design
was based on a photo of Julia Ward Howe
circa 1860.

Perkins School for the Blind's Upper School
Chorus performs The Battle Hymn of The
Republic, written by Julia Ward Howe.

Julia Ward Howe is most
noted for her role as author of
The Battle Hymn of the Repub-
lic. The ceremonial anthem
began as a poem written from
the inspiration of seeing Union
troops in battle and the soldiers
rendition of the old plantation
song "John Brown's Body".
Howe's friends urged her to pen
"some good words for that stir-
ring tune." The result was The
Battle Hymn of the Republic,
published by Atlantic Monthly
in February of 1862. To this day,
the stirring anthem is sung at
most major functions of Perkins
School by the school chorus.

Mrs. Howe, a mother of six, is
also credited for proposing
Mothers Day, a national day
honoring mothers, and dedi-
cated to world peace.

Julia Ward Howe's accom-
plishments and her dedication
to the ideal of freedom for all
was formally recognized by the
United States government by
the issuance of a stamp in her
honor. The U.S. Postal Services
Julia Ward Howe stamp is the
36th stamp in the Great Amer-
ican series, the first to be issued
in 1987.

"Our Great American Series
of stamps," said Northeast Re-
gional Postmaster General John
G. Mulligan, "has honored indiv-
iduals who have made signifi-
cant contributions to this great
nation's heritage and culture...
Through stamps, Americans
have been encouraged to learn
more about the important
accomplishments of these indiv-
iduals, which have not always
been displayed in the center of
the limelight... the issuance of
the Julia Ward Howe Stamp
will shed additional light on her
many accomplishments."

1887-1987

100th Anniversary of the
First Kindergarten for the Blind

nMay2, 1887, a school,
1 created through the dedi-
cation and inspiration of Michael
Anagnos, second director of
Perkins School for the Blind,
opened its doors. It was the first
kindergarten for the blind in the
world.

This innovative school was

made possible by the generosity
of many individuals and organi-
zations whose continued support
allowed the school to expand to
meet the population demand.
The original group of 10 children
quickly grew to 1 7 by the end of
the first year and to 70 by the
year 1895. Blind children, ages

five to nine, from all over New
England were eligible for admis-
sion. The numbers grew to a
point that, upon the 1912 unifi-
cation and relocation of Perkins
School and the kindergarten,
the kindergarten comprised
about one third of the school's
total population.

An 1895 article in the New
England Magazine gave credit to
the school staff of "earthly
saints" who watched over and
guided the growth of the chil-
dren. In this same article Dinah
Sturgis wrote: "Helen Keller,
whose name and fame are now
world-wide, is the oldest of the
children who must be counted
the chief glory of the teaching
being perfected at the Kinder-
garten for the Blind." Helen,
along with three other deaf-
blind children, began their for-
mal education in the kinder-
garten.

The goal of the Kinder-
garten and the Primary and
Intermediate Program has
always been to educate the total
child by providing tangible
experiences in life, tied closely
with emotional and social
growth. In 1895 Mr. Anagnos
said, "What has been accom-

Lower School class, 1987

plished at the Kindergarten is
but a small part of what remains
to be achieved." In the ensuing
decades much was achieved, and
Michael Anagnos' dream for
young blind children has in large
measure been realized. As we
begin our second hundred years,
more remains to be accom-
plished, and we are committed
to continuing the dedicated
work of those who have pre-
ceded us.

Lawrence J. Melander,
Supervisor-Primary and
Intermediate Program

Regional Library for the Blind
and Handicapped

erkins School for the Blind
houses a large collection of
recorded and braille books, a
collection valued at over 1.8
million dollars and cataloged by
the Library of Congress. It is
known as the Regional Library
for the Blind and Handicapped,
a part of Perkins School for the
Blind since 1931. The Library is
administered by Perkins School
and funded in part by the Massa-
chusetts Commission for the
Blind, although it also receives
support from grants and private
donations.

One of 13 original members
of the Library of Congress/ Na-
tional Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handi-
capped (NLS) network of librar-
ies, Perkins' Library provides
free, mail-order public library
services in audio and braille
formats to Massachusetts resi-
dents of any age who are unable
to read conventional print
books. Braille circulation servi-
ces are provided for eligible
readers in Maine, Vermont, and
New Hampshire as well.

Anyone who is unable to
read standard print for a visual
or physical reason is eligible for
our service. Our patrons include

victims of multiple sclerosis and
cerebral palsy, those suffering
from sight loss or a severe learn-
ing disability, and stroke
victims.

Patrons receive a bimonthly
catalog called Talking Book
Topics which lists new books
and includes ordering informa-
tion. Users may request specific
titles or may ask the library
staff to make selections for
them based on their reading
interests. Today the book collec-
tion contains 6,994 disc, 12,544
cassette, and 5,854 braille titles.
These include Gothic and roman-

Books from the Perkins Regional Library
talk... on cassette and disks. ..to blind and
physically handicapped individuals.

tic novels, books on travel, histo-
ry, and religion, as well as clas-
sics, best-sellers, mysteries,
biographies, and how-to books.
Last year, the library circulated
263,233 books to 12,145 patrons
throughout New England. The
library also assists patrons in
receiving about 100 magazine
titles in recorded and brailled
formats.

If you know of someone who
can use this free reading pro-

gram - someone temporarily or
permanently unable to read stan-
dard print - you can help them
fill leisure hours, continue stud-
ies, or just keep in touch with
the world by applying for free
reading materials from the Per-
kins Library. Just call (617) 924-
3434, X240 for details on how to
apply.

Pat Kirk
Librarian

Books and magazines in braille are avail-
able to eligible readers in Massachusetts, as

well as those in Maine, Vermont and New
Hampshire.

Perkins Project With Industry

he Perkins Project with
■I Industry Program is a feder-
ally funded project operated by
Perkins and dedicated to expan-
ding employment opportunities
for blind and visually impaired
adults. The Project was origin-
ally chartered in September of
1983 to work with AT&T Comm-
unications, New England Tele-
phone, and Wang Laboratories,
but has recently expanded to
included a wide range of com-
panies - from small businesses
and state agencies to com-
panies such as Honeywell and
Raytheon.

(l-r) William Carney, Tom Andruskevich,
Jack Cooney, New England Telephone.

Thomas J. O'Connell, Wang Laboratories,
Cleft); Tamara Bliss, Chairperson, PPWI
Business Advisory Council.

The Perkins Project with
Industry Program has been
successful in providing direct
services such as job analysis,
adaptive engineering, training
support and awareness training
for companies interested in
hiring a blind or visually im-
paired employee. Project staff
work directly with interested
companies to evaluate job oppor-
tunities, and then match those
opportunities with qualified
candidates. On-the-job training
and instruction is provided, as
well as follow-up services and
evaluations.

Working closely with both
public and private agencies with-
in the New England Region, the
Project has expanded career

■12-

opportunities for blind and vis-
ually impaired adults. Assist-
ance is also offered to employ-
ees and employers with job
retention issues.

The Project with Industry
has successfully assisted in the
placement of 100 clients over
the past 3 years and maintains
an active caseload of approx-
imately 70 clients.

Susan Plunkett
Project Director

Perkins School for the Blind
and the Perkins Project with
Industry Program formally recog-

nized the founding companies of
the project at a reception held
in their honor on March 26,
1987. Representatives of the
three founding companies;
AT&T, New England Telephone,
and Wang Laboratories, were
presented with braille and
raised print plaques in honor of
their support and contributions
to blind and visually impaired
individuals. The reception, held
at the Harvard Club in Boston,
included demonstrations of
adaptive equipment such as
speech synthesis, large print
displays, and various software
packages.

(l-r) C. Richard Carlson, President, Board of
Trustees, Perkins School for the Blind;
Susan Plunkett, Project Director, Perkins
Project with Industry; Valerie Hartt, AT&T;

David D. Parker, AT&T; Tamara Bliss,
Chairperson, PPWI Business Advisory
Council; Kevin J. Lessard, Director, Perkins
School for the Blind.

Seventh Annual
Service Award Ceremony

Perkins honored twenty-one
'M school and eight Howe Press
employees who have given a dec-
ade or more of dedicated service
at its seventh annual Service
Award Ceremony on March 25,
1987. A luncheon at the direc-
tor's house was also held in their
honor. Honored were: Leo F.
Harrington, 40 years; Jean Di-
Lorenzo, 30 years; Cristina G.
Castro, Aliens Damwyk, John
N. Kovich, 25 years; Carol A.
Benoit, Michael J. Cataruzolo,

Janice A. Deyoe, Mary R. Duval,
Aldo P. Re, William M. Reagan,
20 years; Patrick Connaughton,
Barbara Cunningham, Elizabeth
R. Holbrook, Gerald E. Pease,
Joseph Terrasi, 15 years; Wendy
L. Buckley, William K. Forte,
Mildred M. MacLeod, Margaret
M. Murphy, Phyllis Rapier, Doro-
thy M. Robinson, Elvira Rosati,
William J. Shippie, John J.
Smith, Elizabeth A. Sparks,
Juan A. Torres, Earl J. Warner,
10 years.

Row 1 (l-r): Ariens Damwyk, Earl R. Warner,
Michael J. Cataruzolo, Jan Deyoe, Mary R.
Duval, Leo F. Harrington, Phyllis Rapier,
Dorothy Robinson, Wendy L. Buckley,
Cristina G. Castro.
Row 2 ( l-r): Juan A. Torres, John Kovich,

William J. Shippie, Miguel C. Ruiz ,
Jean DiLorenzo, Elizabeth A. Sparks,
Elizabeth R. Holbrook, Mildred M. MacLeod,
Carol A. Benoit.

Row 3 (l-r):Adlo Re, Kevin J. Lessard, John
J. Smith.

The Perkins Endowment

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he Perkins Program as it has
developed and been main-
tained for more than one hun-
dred and fifty years has relied
upon a growing endowment at
every step along the way.

Endowments which are ade-
quate to put a program into ef-
fect are rarely sufficient to keep
it going. As with every private
school and college that is keep-
ing abreast-or ahead-of the
times, Perkins needs to see its
endowment grow. Through be-
quests and donations, and
through a few government
grants, we have been able to
expand existing services and add
new ones as needed. We are con-
fident that our friends will con-
tinue to support us in ever in-
creasing amounts.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise and
bequeath to the Perkins School
for the Blind, a corporation duly
organized and existing under the
laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, the sum of
dollars

($.

), the same to be

applied to the general uses and
purposes of said corporation un-
der the direction of its Board of

Trustees; and I do hereby direct
that the receipt of the Treasurer
for the time being of said corpor-
ation shall be a sufficient dis-
charge to my executors for the
same.

Form of Devise of
Real Estate

I give, devise and bequeath
to the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly organ-
ized and existing under the laws
of the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts, that certain tract of
real estate bounded and des-
cribed as follows:

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage
and convey the same free of all
trust.

Notice

The address of the Treasurer of

the Corporation is as follows:

JOHN W.BRYANT

Fiduciary Trust Co.,

175 Federal Street

P.O. Box 1647

Boston, MA 02105-1647

Thank you!

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The Lower School: An Aerial View.

Volume LVII
Number 1
Fall 1987

Published twice a year in print and
braille editions by

Perkins School for the Blind

1 75 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982
(617)924-3434

Founded 1829

An accredited member since 1947 of
the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges, Inc.
An accredited member since 1970 of
the National Accreditation Council
for Agencies Serving the Blind and
Visually Handicapped.

"The Perkins School for the Blind
admits students of any race, color,
national and ethnic origin to all the
rights, privileges, programs, and
activities generally accorded or
made available to students at the
school. It does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, national or
ethnic origin in the administration
of its educational policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and
athletic and other school-adminis-
tered programs."

The Perkins Programs

Preschool Services

Ages Birth - 6

Lower School

Ages 6-13

Secondary Services

Ages 13 -22

Deaf-Blind

Ages 5 -22

Severe Impaired
Program

Ages 10-22

Adult Services

Ages 18 and Older

Other Services

Outreach
Services

Projects with
Industry Program

Community Living
Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic
and Evaluative)

Regional Library
for the Blind
and Handicapped

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training
Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Howe Press

(Aids and Appliances)

A Message from the Director

•-/:-'- . :" ■ * r-'^'iiiP:^^::': :- ->:

uring the past school year, the

students, staff and trustees at
Perkins School for the Blind cele-
brated a number of important
events in the history of our school.

In February, 1987, the United
States Postal Service and Perkins
School for the Blind honored the life
and contributions of Julia Ward
Howe, wife of Dr. Samuel Gridley
Howe, first Director of Perkins
School. The Postal Service issued a
new 14 cent stamp in recognition of
Julia Ward Howe, the author of the
"Battle Hymn of the Republic" and
a well-known advocate of human
rights in the mid 1800's.

In May, 1987, Perkins cele-
brated the accomplishments of
Michael Anagnos, the second Direc-
tor of Perkins School. On May 1, we

held a centennial celebration in the
Lower School courtyard recognizing
the 100th anniversary of the found-
ing of the first kindergarten for the
blind in the world. The kindergar-
ten was founded by Michael Anag-
nos during his directorship at
Perkins School.

In June, 1987, I had the privi-
lege of travelling to Tuscumbia,
Alabama to participate in ceremo-
nies marking the 1 00th anniversary
of Anne Sullivan beginning her
work with Helen Keller at Ivy
Green.

These three major events in
Perkins history are important to all
of us who are part of the School.
Being associated with a school,
chartered since 1829, that has been
adapting and changing to meet the
present day needs of its students
and clients gives all of us a sense of
history, perspective and pride.

As we begin the school year
1987-88, we recognize our on-going
commitment to the wide-chronologi-
cal and wide-functioning range of
students and clients of today.

Our on-campus programs for
this coming year will serve over two
hundred students and clients in
Preschool Services, the Lower
School, Secondary Services, the
Severe Impaired Program, the

■B

Deaf-Blind Program and Adult
Services.

We will also continue to serve
over three hundred students and
clients through our Infant/Toddler
Program, Outreach Services, New
England Regional Center, Commu-
nity Living Services and Project
with Industry Program. Many more
patrons will use our Regional
Library and its services.

During the past few years, we
have gradually been implementing
a masterplan for our on-campus
programs. A considerable amount of
work has been completed to date;
however a significant amount of
internal renovation work will need
to be completed during the next
three years. Recognizing the impor-
tance of renovating our facilities to
meet the the needs of today's stu-
dents and clients, we are pleased to
announce the first Capital Cam-
paign in the history of Perkins
School.

The primary focus of the Capi-
tal Campaign is to raise two million
dollars for the renovation of our
Lower School complex which con-
sists of Anagnos, Bradlee, Glover
and Potter cottages. Many individu-
als will participate in the Cam-
paign, including corporation mem-
bers, staff, friends and associates,

as well as many foundations and
corporations.

The Development Committee of
the Board of Trustees, chaired by
Trustee Dudley Willis, will direct
the campaign. Other trustees
serving on the committee include:
Mary Alice Brennan-Crosby, John
Bryant, C. Richard Carlson,
Frederic Clifford, Dr. Frederick
Lovejoy, and Paul Goodof.

Facility renovations in our
Lower School complex will modern-
ize living and dining rooms for our
younger students, as well as kitch-
ens, bedrooms and bathrooms.
Classrooms and therapy areas will
also be made fully accessible.

We are proud of our history at
Perkins School and the significant
contributions that so many men
and women have made to Perkins
since its founding in 1829. We are
proud of our present day programs,
our dedicated trustees and staff,
and all of the students, clients, and
consumers we are serving on a
regular basis.

We continue to plan for the fu-
ture, recognizing our responsibili-
ties and our commitment to blind,
visually impaired, deaf-blind, and
multi-impaired individuals.

Kevin J. Lessard
Director

$2,000,000

Capital Campaign To Fund

Lower School Renovations

.■;'•> ;;r ■ : *■;: ■>■■:■

I n December 1986, almost a year
ago, we launched the first Capi-
tal Campaign in our long history.
The goal of two million dollars,
voted by the Trustees, was the
result of extensive studies con-
ducted by Dimeo Construction, the
architectural firm of Shepley
Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott,
and a campaign feasibility study.
These studies were carried out over
a three year period.

With 100% Trustee participa-

The original Lower School build-
ings were constructed in 1910; they
are in need of extensive renovation.

tion and major leadership commit-
ments from the Amelia Peabody
Foundation, the Richard Saltonstall
Charitable Foundation, and the
Carter Trust, over $1,000,000 has
been raised.

The original buildings of the
Lower School Complex were built in
1910, and are very much in need of
renovation. They were designed for
the blind, not the multi-impaired
population.

In addition to necessary electri-

cal, plumbing, brick and mortar re-
pairs and reconstruction, some of
the specific needs of our present
multi-handicapped students are:

1. Four kitchens, in which daily
living skills can be learned, must
be renovated and adapted to meet
the needs of multi-handicapped
youngsters.

2. Six bathrooms must be de-

signed and built to accommodate
our multi-handicapped students.

3. An elevator must be installed
to provide accessibility for children
who cannot climb stairs because of
their physical handicaps.

4. Playground equipment is
needed to develop and enhance
visual, tactile, and auditory senses
of these young children 6-13 years

The Lower School Complex was
originally built for the blind, not the
multi-impaired population.

Individual and small group coun-
seling rooms must be renovated and
expanded.

old. The playground will be built
according to the latest safety
standards.

5. Individual and small group
counseling rooms must be reno-
vated and expanded to enable social
workers and psychologists to work
with students on their individual
programs.

These are but a few of the
changes we must make to adapt
our facilities to meet the needs of
today's students.

Perkins Trustees have always
committed the School to meeting
the program needs of its students.
During the past two decades, they
have chosen to allocate the School's
resources to staff and programs.
Now the need for building mainten-
ance and renovation is critical;
it can no longer be delayed. With its
present endowment, however, the
School cannot undertake the
necessary repairs and renova-
tion while continuing to maintain
the current level of programming.
Therefore, the Trustees must look
to outside help in this — its first
major Capital Campaign. Because
of the difference in purpose between
the campaign for capital needs and
our requests for annual support, we
will be offering everyone the oppor-
tunity to give to Perkins for both

Playground equipment is needed to
develop and enhance the senses of
our Lower School students.

purposes.

Each purpose is extremely im-
portant to the welfare of our chil-
dren, because each is needed to
maintain the quality of the services
we provide.

If you are interested in making
a gift to the Campaign and would
like more information, please call
Harry Colt or Betsy O'Brien at
(617) 924-3434, x284.

Programs and Services

I n June of 1987, Kevin J. Lessard,
Director of Perkins School, par-
ticipated in the 100th anniversary
of Anne Sullivan beginning her
work with Helen Keller. The cele-
bration was held at the historic
Keller home at Ivy Green in
Tuscumbia, Alabama.

Mr. Lessard presented a plaque
to the Board of Directors of Helen
Keller's Home in commemoration
of the Centennial and Perkins'
participation in the celebration. The
plaque is now part of the Helen
Keller Museum at Ivy Green.

I n August, Kevin J. Lessard;

Martin Kennedy, Manager, Howe
Press; and Vicki Brennan, Low Vis-
ion Specialist attended the Inter-
national Council for the Education
of the Visually Handicapped Con-
ference in Wurzburg, Germany.
They participated in many pro-
grams at the conference, and Mr.
Lessard led a day-long program
which explored better ways to
provide services to multi-impaired
individuals.

As a result of discussions at the

conference, Perkins School will be
expanding its involvement in the
education of the visually handi-
capped in many ways. Future plans
include: expanding training pro-
grams for teachers of the visually
handicapped, developing an inter-
national low vision program at
Perkins School in cooperation with
the staff of the Pennsylvania
College of Optometry, initiating
two international brailler repair
training programs, sponsored by
Howe Press and to be held in
Kuala Lumpur in May of 1988, and
Nairobi, Kenya in August of 1988,
and publishing the "Educator"; the
semi-annual newsletter of the
ICEVH presenting information
from around the world.

I n late July of 1987, a number of

staff from Perkins School joined
over 500 individuals from more
than 40 countries at the Interna-
tional Association of Educators of
the Deaf-Blind Conference in
Poiters, France.

Perkins staff presented a num-
ber of training sessions at the con-

/.;•*-.;*•■■ ^- ■;':."■ ■'.•./•.•..•. ::.:■<-:.■■

ference, and Michael Collins,
Supervisor of the Deaf-Blind Pro-
gram at Perkins, was elected as one
of three United States representa-
tives to the Executive Committee of
the IAEDB. Perkins School was
also chosen to work with Pro-
ject Sense of the United Kingdom
and other professionals around the
world on the publication of future
IEADB newsletters.

At the closing ceremonies of the
conference, Mr. Lessard presented
the distinguished Anne Sullivan
Medal to four professionals in the
international field of deaf-blind-
ness. The medal is awarded "in rec-
ognition of outstanding achieve-
ments, contributions, and efforts on
behalf of deaf-blind children.
Honored were:

Lieke de Leuw - Holland
John Mclnnes - Canada
Patricia Taylor - United States
Paulette Degorce - France

The students, clients, trustees
and staff at Perkins are pleased to
recognize these four professionals
for a lifetime of work dedicated to
deaf-blind individuals within their
countries.

Alumni
Calendar
1 987-88

Monday, November 2

Corporation Day

Director's Memorial

Exercises 11:30AM

Sunday, December 13

Christmas Concert 3:00PM

Thursday, December 17

Christmas Concert 7:30PM

Saturday, May 7

Alumni Baseball Game 1:00PM

Friday, June 17

Graduation Exercises 11:00AM

June 17 - June 19

Alumni Weekend

Graduation 1987

d ighteen senior class members

from Secondary Services and the
Deaf-Blind Department graduated
during 1987 Commencement Exer-
cises held on Friday June 12, 1987.
Graduated were: Kelly Arthur,
Northboro, MA; Krista Burtis,
Brattleboro, VT; Robert Dunton,
Gorham, ME; Deborah Eaton,
Tyngsboro, MA; Stephen Lawrence
Eckert, Medford, MA; Dawn Marie
Estes, Lynnfield, MA; William D.

Fairfield, Salem, MA; Lianne
Lawrence, Littleton, MA; Steven
Mark Michienzi, Norton, MA;
Howard Miller, Merrick, NY;
Renee Miranda, Quincy, MA;
Noreen Ellen Moynahan, Rye, NH;
Maureen Anne Quinn, Port Mon-
mouth, NJ; Ellen Rys, Springfield,
MA; James Siopes, Lowell, MA;
Steve H. Slack, Norfolk, MA; Eric
W. Teece, West Springfield, MA;
Calvin Todman, Charlotte Amalie,
St. Thomas.

The Perkins Endowment

•

I he Perkins Program as it has

developed and been main-
tained for more than one hun-
dred and fifty years has relied
upon a growing endowment at
every step along the way.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise and
bequeath to the Perkins School
for the Blind, a corporation duly
organized and existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, the sum of
dollars

($_

), the same to be

applied to the general uses and
purposes of said corporation un-
der the direction of its Board of

Trustees; and I do hereby direct
that the receipt of the Treasurer
for the time being of said
corporation shall be a sufficient
discharge to my executors for
the same.

Form of Devise of
Real Estate

I give, devise and bequeath
to the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly organ-
ized and existing under the
laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, that certain
tract of real estate bounded and
described as follows:

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage
and convey the same free of all
trust.

Notice

The address of the Treasurer of
the Corporation is as follows:

JOHN W. BRYANT
Fiduciary Trust Co.,
175 Federal Street
P.O. Box 1647
Boston, MA 02105-1647

Thank you

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O. 565
N, MA

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Perkins School
for the Blind

Secondary Services: A Program of Options

Volume LVIII
Number 1
Fall 1988

Published twice a year in print and
braille editions by

Perkins School for the Blind

175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172-9982
(617)924-3434

Founded 1829

"The Perkins School for the Blind
admits students of any race, color,
national and ethnic origin to all the
rights, privileges, programs, and
activities generally accorded or
made available to students at the
school. It does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, national or
ethnic origin in the administration
of its educational policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and
athletic and other school-adminis-
tered programs."

The Perkins Programs

Preschool Services

Ages Birth - 6

Lower School

Ages 6-13

Secondary Services
Ages 13 -22

Deaf-Blind

Ages 5 -22

Severe Impaired
Program

Ages 10-22

Adult Services
Ages 18 and Older

Other Services

Outreach
Services

Projects with
Industry Program

Community Living
Services

Clinical Services

(Diagnostic
and Evaluative)

Regional Library
for the Blind
and Handicapped

Samuel P. Hayes
Research Library

Teacher Training
Program

New England
Center for Deaf-
Blind Services

Howe Press

(Aids and Appliances)

A Message from the Director

he administration of Perkins
School for the Blind has, for
many years, recognized the need to
develop and expand a wide range of
educational options for blind,
visually-impaired, deaf-blind, and
multi-impaired students and their
parents. We have respected the fact
that the development of these
options includes the expansion of
public education placements for stu-
dents who are capable of being
integrated into public schools.
However, we feel strongly that
students and their parents have the
legal right to select a day or resi-
dential placement in a school like
Perkins if they feel that specific
educational and clinical programs
should be delivered in an organized
and comprehensive fashion.

The staff at Perkins has devel-
oped strong working relationships
with local education authorities and
special education directors, assur-
ing cooperative programs where
students can be enrolled in a partic-
ular educational option, public or
private, and attend Perkins on a
part-time basis.

In addition to providing compre-
hensive and quality services to
students and their families in our
on-campus program, we help to
support students who are enrolled,
full-time, in public school programs.
We offer support and encourage-
ment for parents through work-
shops and in-service training
programs. These programs are also
offered to itinerant teachers who
work with blind and visually im-
paired students in public schools in
Massachusetts and New England.

During the school year 1987-88,
the field of special education in the
United States received a policy
clarification from the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilita-
tion Services (OSERS) in Washing-
ton D.C. This clarification comes
after years of uncertainty. The
OSERS policy statement clarifies
their position on the scope of
education service placement for
special needs students by stating
the following:

"The Department has never
intended to imply that the regular
classroom is always the appropriate
location of services for handicapped
children. In some cases, separate
environments have been recognized
as the least restrictive for some in-
dividual children. We recognize that

inherent in a free appropriate
public education is a continuum of
services, including separate facili-
ties both public and private."

Following the publication of this
policy statement, the Commission
on Deafness (a Commission author-
ized by the Congress of the United
States) delivered a series of findings
and recommendations. Many of the
Commission's recommendations are
directly applicable to the field of
blindness, including a provision
that requires school personnel to
inform parents of all placement
options for their children on an
annual basis. We strongly support
these recommendations.

In this issue of the Lantern, we
are pleased to highlight the Secon-
dary Services Program at Perkins
School for the Blind. Under the
direction of Cynthia Essex, Supervi-
sor of Secondary Services, the
teaching, clinical, and cottage staff
have developed a comprehensive
program that addresses the wide
variety of needs of adolescent blind,
visually impaired, and multi-
impaired students.

Our on-campus programs
provide an educational and thera-
peutic environment, striving to
maximize each student's potential
while assuring a consistent and

supportive atmosphere for parents
and families. In addition, our
positive and very productive affili-
ation with the Watertown Public
School System, under the leader-
ship of Dr. Daniel O'Connor, Super-
intendent of Schools, and Dr. James
Early, Director of Special Educa-
tion, has, for many years, provided
successful integration opportunities
for many of our high school stu-
dents who are mainstreamed, part-
time, into public education.

Developing a comprehensive
network of relevant and meaningful
programs and services for adoles-
cent blind and visually impaired
students is a complex and con-
stantly challenging opportunity.
Professionals from the public and
private sectors of the Watertown
School System and Perkins School
for the Blind should feel proud of
their efforts during the past decade.
They have responded to this chal-
lenge and have afforded a unique
educational opportunity to many
students and parents; an opportu-
nity to receive comprehensive,
responsive, and relevant services,
assuring students a greater degree
of success and integration into the
community than ever before.

Kevin J. Lessard,
Director

Secondary Services

What is

Secondary Services
at Perkins School
for the Blind?

he Secondary Services Program
is a specialized program for stu-
dents between the ages of 13 and 22
who are blind or multi-impaired.
Upon graduation, students receive a
High School Diploma or a Certifi-
cate of Accomplishment. The
Program emphasizes academics, in-
dependent living, pre-vocational,
and social skills. Secondary Serv-
ices creates an individualized
education program for each student
and can help to integrate a student
into a public school academic main-
stream. Secondary Services offers
training in social and recreational
skills, and a wide variety of clinical
therapies and services.

Secondary Services is complex
and serves such a wide range of
students that it is often difficult to
explain the structure of the pro-
gram and describe all of the serv-
ices that are available. The ultimate
goal is simple: to maximize the po-
tential of every student; to help
each student grow to become a
competent and independent individ-
ual and a contributing member of
his or her community; to help the
students "be all they can be."

Secondary Services is a commu-
nity of 60 students, and almost as
many teachers, clinicians, and
residence staff. Our students range
in age from 13 to 22, and have
visual or multiple impairments.
They can be either day or residen-
tial students; most come from New
England, but some come from
outside the region as well. Some
students work toward high school
diplomas, attending Watertown
High School for several courses. All
students develop pre-vocational
skills through courses on-campus,
and some participate in supervised
work experience off-campus at
companies like Polaroid and Wilson
Farms, or at sites like Government
Center. Daily living and social skills
that allow students to use the
resources of the community such as
the supermarket, the bank, or the
library, are important components
of the program for all students.
Some students learn in small
structured classes and are taught
by only a few staff. Others attend
larger classes, travel from class to
class, and have many teachers.
Individual programs are designed
by the student, the parents, and
Perkins staff according to the
individual needs, desires and

Secondary Services

interests of that student. All stu-
dents are encouraged to help plan
their own programs and their
futures, and to take responsibility
for themselves.

The Secondary Services staff is
very diversified. Many teachers are
certified in vision or mobility,
others are certified in moderate or
severe special needs or in special
subjects like industrial education,
music, physical education, home &
personal management, or vocational
areas. Years of experience and
specialized training provide individ-
ual teachers with specialities such
as music braille, algebra or geome-
try in Nemeth code, or computer.
Residence staff work in the cottages
and usually hold bachelors degrees.
Each cottage houses from six to
fifteen students, allowing students
to learn social skills and the give
and take that is necessary for
successful family life. Students
learn to be supportive of others, as
well as learning practical skills like
budgeting an allowance, preparing
a meal, cleaning a floor, or playing
pool for recreation. Both school and
residence staff emphasize independ-
ence, taking pride in a wide range
of student achievements. Whether a
student gives excellent music

recitals, earns good grades, learns
to write simple sentences, learns to
travel independently, shows sup-
port to his peers, learns to commu-
nicate his desires clearly, begins to
walk again, pushes his own wheel-
chair or learns to button a coat,
accomplishments are highly valued
by the students and the staff who
work with them.

Secondary Services staff and
students share joy and sorrow, and
face many changes like any commu-
nity. In the span of a year, we
celebrated Halloween with a tea
attended by clowns, ballerinas,
zebras, and a costumed Halloween
Band. We congratulated two teach-
ers who became new parents. We
enjoyed the efforts of our musical
groups and their teachers in the
wonderful Christmas concerts, and
applauded the drama club's presen-
tation of the "Wizard of Oz." We
bought tickets to the seniors'
Mexican Dinner, a fund raiser for
their senior class trip. We stood in
sorrow with the family of a Secon-
dary student who graduated in
June and died in the fall. We met
together at a final breakfast to say
good-bye to staff and students who
were leaving. And finally, we
listened as the chorus sings a song

that reminds us what Secondary
Services is all about:

"No man is an island;

No man stands alone;

Each man's joy is joy to me,

Each man's grief is my own."

Scott Minott works in the green-
house at Wilson Farms, Waltham,
MA, as part of his vocational
training program.

^J cott Minott and Deidre Martin,

two of Secondary Services'
diverse group of sixty students,
illustrate the variety of program-
ming options available in Secondary
Services.

Scott entered the Secondary
Services Program at Perkins in
June of 1985, at the age of sixteen.
Previously he attended a special
program for visually impaired
students at his junior high school.
Scott was referred to Perkins
because he was not making prog-
ress in his academic program.
Scott's motivation had decreased;
he seemed to need a program with a
different emphasis, a program
where he could realize more suc-
cess.

Scott is visually impaired, has
reduced hearing, and has some
difficulty with fine motor coordina-
tion.

Since Scott came to Perkins, he
has made progress in every area.
Involvement in pre-vocational
courses and off campus work
experiences at Polaroid and Wilson
Farms have helped him develop
good work skills. He has also been

Secondary Services

very successful in his food service
classes, and is ready for an off
campus placement in the food
service area.

Success has built his self-
esteem. In every area of his pro-
gram he demonstrates excellent
motivation and increasing inde-
pendence. Scott has made many
friends, and enjoys these friend-
ships. Although Scott has only been
at Perkins for a short time, the staff
feels he has gained a great deal
from his individualized program.

Scott will graduate in 1989.
Perkins staff will work closely with
Scott, his family, and state vision
services to plan his return home. At
this time, it appears that he will be
eligible for available horticulture or
food service jobs in the community.
Scott also should be ready for
community living. He will continue
to need some supervision, but
should attain a high level of inde-
pendence.

eidre is 22 years old and gradu-
ated from Perkins in 1988. She
began her schooling in our Lower
School Program and continued on to
complete the Secondary Services
Program. Deidre's program involved

Senior Deidre Martin performs her
solo, "The Greatest Love of All"
during the 1988 Graduation Exer-

cises.

academics, both on campus and, in
the past few years, off campus at
Watertown High School; prevoca-
tional training, again, both on and
off campus; independent living
training; and social and recrea-
tional skill training.

Deidre is originally from the
Watertown area and was referred to
Perkins because of her visual
impairments. Deidre needed a
stable, nurturing environment that
allowed her the special program-
ming and skill training she needed
to gain her independence.

Deidre's involvements during
her senior year at Perkins School
illustrate the progress she has
made toward achieving her full
potential. Deidre has done well
academically and completed all of
her required academic work,
including a number of classes at
Watertown High School, doing
exceptionally well in English and
the humanities. Deidre is very
creative and talented and Perkins
has afforded her a number of
creative outlets. This past school
year, Deidre was a member of the
Chorus and the Chamber Singers.
She was involved in a number of
musicals put on by the Secondary
Services Program. Deidre took voice
lessons as part of her curriculum,
culminating in her solo, "The
Greatest Love of All", performed
during the 1988 Graduation Exer-
cises. Writing and poetry, as well as
many other forms of art, are also

creative outlets for Deidre. She has
had written pieces published in
Perkins' and other local publica-
tions.

Upon her graduation, Deidre
was awarded her diploma and three
awards: The Reginald Fitz Memo-
rial Prize for Scholarship, The
Samuel P. Hayes Memorial Prize
for Music, and The English Prize
Award for Essay, recognizing her
academic, creative and musical
talents.

Deidre is now in a training
program at Childrens Hospital in
Boston and living in a semi-inde-
pendent group home setting. The
staff at Perkins feel that as a result
of this experience and her training
at Perkins, Deidre will eventually
be able to live and work independ-
ently in the community of her
choice.

Although Scott and Deidre have
different programming and educa-
tional needs, both have benefited
greatly from their individualized
programs. Secondary Services has
allowed them to explore many
educational, vocational and recrea-
tional options, leading to the
ultimate goal of the program -
striving to reach their maximum
potential.

Graduation 1988

wenty members of the senior
class of Perkins School for the
Blind graduated at Commencement
Exercises on Friday, June 17, 1988
in Dwight Hall. Senator Edward M.
Kennedy, D - Massachusetts,
addressed the graduating class.
"Today," said Kennedy, "you are

Senator Edward Kennedy, D -
Massachusetts, accepts the Anne
Sullivan Medal from Kevin J. Les-
sard, Director, Perkins School for
the Blind.

graduating from an institution rich
in tradition, and at the cutting edge
of innovation and technology. The
Perkins School has not only given
all of the graduates a fine educa-
tion, it has provided a wealth of
knowledge to the New England
area and the nation as a
whole... because of your experience
here at Perkins, and the academic
and social education you have
gained you will have fuller and
richer lives, and extraordinary
opportunities for careers and a
lifetime of achievements."

C. Richard Carlson, President
of the Board of Trustees of Perkins
School recognized Senator Kennedy
for "his years of commitment to and
legislative efforts for individuals in
the United States who are deaf-
blind" by awarding him the Anne
Sullivan Medal. The Medal is
internationally recognized as the
most prestigious award within the
field of deaf-blindness.

Kevin J. Lessard, Director
of Perkins School, and C. Richard
Carlson, President, presented four
Diplomas and sixteen Certificates
of Accomplishment to the graduat-
ing class. Graduated were: Ray-
mond Barton, Roxbury, MA; Joel
Battaglino, Waltham, MA; Mark H.

'r:;^ :-■■:.■:■■■■;.

The Class of 1988. Seated (l-r): Lisa
Frenette, Daniel Sack, Jr., Cather-
ine McGahran. Standing (l-r):
Stephanie Cox, Senior Class Advi-
sor, Keith Rozzelle, Tracey Rey-
nolds, Jeffrey Oliveira, Cheryl
Jones, Joseph Provost, Sandra
Washington, Julie Judge, Raymond

Belair, Metheun, MA; Lisa Elaine
Frenette, Lawrence, MA; Cheryl
Lynn Jones, Northampton, MA;
Julie M. Judge, Wayland, MA;
Craig Lavache, Braintree, MA;
Theodore Losacano, Concord, NH;
Robert Lynch, Allston, MA; Deidre
Lee Martin, Marlboro, MA; Cather-
ine Mary McGahran, Englishtown,
NJ; Jeffrey Roy Oliveira, New
Bedford, MA; Joseph Provost, Ply-

Barton, Mark Belair, Kenneth
Reynolds, Deidre Martin, Suzanne
Graff, Senior Class Advisor. Not
Pictured: Joel Battaglino, Craig
Lavache, Theodore Loscano, Robert
Lynch, Christopher Rouse, Andrea
Wright.

mouth, MA; Kenneth Reynolds,
Bedford, MA; Tracey Reynolds,
Hartland Corners, VT; Keith
Douglas Rozzelle, Rahway, NJ;
Christopher Rouse, Billerica, MA;
Daniel James Sack, Jr., Framing-
ham, MA; Sandra Washington,
Boston, MA; Andrea Wright, Dorch-
ester, MA.

Laura Bridgman at Perkins:
150th Anniversary Celebration

1 sometimes wonder what my life might have
been if Doctor Howe had not had the imagination
to realize that the immortal spirit of Laura
Bridgman had not died...

"Thanks to our friend and helper, our world lies
upward; the length and breadth and sweep of the
heavens are ours."

--Helen Keller

L- aura Bridgman was born in the
year 1829. At the age of two she
developed scarlet fever; it left her
deaf and blind. By the age of eight,
Laura was severely isolated by the
loss of her hearing and sight, her
family could barely communicate
with her. It was then that she was
discovered by Dr. Samuel Gridley
Howe, the first Director of Perkins
School for the Blind. Dr. Howe
brought Laura to Perkins during
the 1837-1838 school year and thus
began his work in the field of deaf-
blindness.

Dr. Howe's pioneering effort
with Laura Bridgman became world
renowned, offering the promise of
education to the deaf-blind. The
achievements of Laura and Dr.
Howe were chronicled by British
novelist Charles Dickens in his
1868 book, American Notes. It was
this reference to Perkins School for
the Blind that led the Keller family

of Tuscumbia, Alabama to the
School in search of help for their
deaf-blind daughter, Helen.

Perkins School celebrated the
150th Anniversary of the com-
mencement of Dr. Howe's work
with Laura Bridgman on Friday,
May 13, 1988. A reception and
presentation was held in the North
Building Auditorium for staff and
invited guests. The celebration
included remarks from Kevin J.
Lessard, Director; Michael Collins,
Supervisor of the Deaf-Blind
Program; a one act play, Laura
Bridgman s Life and Times, per-
formed by deaf-blind students; and
the presentation of awards by C.
Richard Carlson, President of the
Board of Trustees.

"We realize," said Carlson, "that
the events that occurred here at
Perkins 150 years ago have had a
profound and dramatic impact on
the education of the deaf-blind in

%$:?;<■: ;':>;V: '■

the United States and in over one-
hundred and twenty countries
around the world... One hundred
and fifty years later, here in the
Deaf-Blind Program at Perkins, we
continue to see competent and
qualified staff providing comprehen-
sive and quality services to a large
number of students who are deaf-
blind."

Mr. Carlson, on behalf of
Perkins School for the Blind,
recognized two individuals for their
efforts for deaf-blind children.
Congressman Joseph D. Early, D -
Massachusetts, District 3, was rec-
ognized for his legislative efforts on
a national level. Congressman
Early and his staff have been in-
strumental in assuring the continu-
ation and stability of federal fund-
ing for the education of deaf-blind
children. Dr. Edward J. Water-
house, Director of Perkins School
from 1951-1971, was awarded the
Anne Sullivan Medal (internation-
ally recognized as the most prestig-
ious award in the field of deaf-
blindness) "in recognition of his
years of commitment and exem-
plary efforts in behalf of deaf-blind
children throughout the world."

/jfc

Laura Bridgman and her teacher,
Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe.

Eighth Annual Service Award
Ceremony

^ mployees who have given 10, 15,

20, 25, and 30 years of service to
Perkins School for the Blind were
honored at the Eighth Annual
Service Award Ceremony, held
Wednesday, March 23, 1988.

These dedicated employees were
also recognized at a luncheon at the
Director's house on Tuesday, March
22. A gift was presented to each
School and Howe Press employee in
appreciation of their dedication and
service. The Service Award Cere-
mony was held the next day, and all
staff were invited. Director Kevin J.
Lessard presented a Certificate of
Appreciation to each long term em-
ployee. Employees with over 25
years of service were also recog-
nized and introduced by their
supervisors.

"Our greatest resource," said
Mr. Lessard, "has always been our
staff... This has been the major
reason that Perkins has been able
to provide quality services to our
students and clients for over 156
years.

"Today we honor a number of
individuals and we recognize their

contributions to our School and to
our students, clients and staff... We
recognize their professionalism and
their commitment. We thank them
for their years of service and we
hope they will be with us for years
to come."

Honored for 30 years of service
were: Barbara H. Birge, Deaf Blind
Program; Richard G. Brown, Howe
Press; Catherine Cowan, Lower
School; Julian Green, Adult Serv-
ices; Lillian T. Peterson, Lower
School; and Adele M. Trytko, Lower
School and Secondary Services.
Elizabeth A. O'Brien, Development
and Public Relations, was honored
for 25 years of service. Honored for
20 years of service were: Helen M.
Gazarian, Howe Press; Lawrence J.
Melander, Lower School; Doris L.
Nicholas, Howe Press; Ida M.
Scarlett, Switchboard; and Marcy
A. Scott, Secondary Services.
Honored for 15 years of service
were: Cafer T. Barkus, Adult
Services and Teacher Training;
Martha M. Majors, Deaf Blind
Program; Martin McDonagh,
Grounds and Maintenance; Susan

Row 1 (l-r): Barbara Birge, Helen
Gazarian, Sue Lind-Sinanian,
Doris Nicholas, Dorothy Parsikian,
Catherine Cowan, Marcy Scott.
Row 2 (l-r): Martha Majors, Eliza-
beth O'Brien, Margaret Sutton,

M. Lind-Sinanian, Secondary
Services; and Margaret W. Sutton,
Howe Press. Honored for 10 years of
continued service were: Margaret F.
Carney, Secondary Services; Mi-
chael T. Collins, Deaf Blind Pro-
gram; Paul Doerr, Secondary
Services; Kenneth R. Durand, In-

Lillian Peterson, Adele Trytko,
Chrys Peralta, Ida Scarlett.
Row 3 (l-r): Ken Durand, Richard
Brown, Cafer Barkus, Larry Melan-
der, Alexandra Smith, Kevin Les-
sard, Director, Michael Collins,
Julian Green.

structional Support Services;
Howard Easter, Howe Press;
Dorothy Parsikian, Secondary
Services; Elizabeth Peebles-Under-
wood, Lower School; Denise Chrys-
tine Peralta, Adult Services; and
Alexandra Smith, Secondary
Services.

Programs and Services

he Teacher Training Program

Graduation was held on April 29,
1988 in Allen Chapel. The class of
1988 was comprised of several
Perkins-based short-term trainees
and several trainees in the full-year
course. Mr. Longinus Kateme from
Tanzania; Ms. Sonya Osborne from
Guyana, and Ms. Sudkhaneung
Phudphechgaq from Thailand each
spent three or four months at
Perkins. The participants in the
Perkins-based two-semester course

were Ms. Mary Senaye from Ghana,
Ms. Debora Valente from Argen-
tina, and Ms. Ximena Serpa de
Rubio from Columbia. Others
combined a Perkins experience with
Boston College studies: Ms. Margie
Carney from Massachusetts,
Master's Degree program; Mr.
Richard Ely from Massachusetts,
post-graduate studies; Ms.
Gretchen Good from Michigan,
Master's Degree program; Mr.
Farouk Khalil from Egypt, PhD

Teacher Training Class of 1988 (l-r):
Anjali Ramakrishna, Christine
Reekie, Mary Senaye, Margie
Carney, Ximena Serpa, David

Seyfert, Gretchen Good, Cafer
Barkus, Supervisor, Debora Valente,
Sudkhaneung Phudphechgaq.

program, Ms. Anjali Ramakrishna
from India, Master's Degree pro-
gram; Ms. Christine Reekie from
England, Master's Degree program;
and Mr. David Seyfert from New
York, Master's Degree program.

All trainees gained experience
in the field of education of blind and
low vision individuals of all ages, as
well as knowledge in their area of
concentration. They shared infor-
mation about each other's countries
and had the chance to talk with
visitors from a variety of other
countries such as Germany, Swe-
den, and Zimbabwe. Most of the
international trainees will be doing
staff training upon their return
home, in addition to their other
professional responsibilities.

uring this school year, the stu-
dents and staff of the Severe
Impaired Program have spon-
sored dances, bake sales and craft
fairs. The proceeds from these ac-
tivities have helped to fund dinners
at local restaurants, overnight trips
to the Cape, and special events
such as harbor cruises.

The first two graduates of the
Severe Impaired Program have
successfully entered apartment pro-
grams in the community. The
Severe Impaired Program continues
to increase the independent skills of
all our students.

Programs and Services

he Lower School has continued
to expand its nutrition education
program. This program has helped
a number of students behaviorally
and educationally. Plans are also
underway to expand low vision
services. Several Lower School staff
members are involved in writing an
extensive curriculum and practical
handbook for parents and educators
of elementary-aged multi-impaired
students.

Students and staff made their
annual trip to the Cape Cod Na-
tional Seashore from June 1 to June
5 this year, enjoying the sun and
sand of Nauset Beach in Eastham,
MA. Lower School students and
staff have been making the trip for
over 20 years. A former Coast
Guard station on Nauset Beach has
been converted to a living facility
for school groups such as Perkins'
Lower School. The students stayed
in the facility for the week, but
made a variety of day trips and
excursions on the Cape.

he increased enrollment of
young children in the Deaf-
Blind Program has resulted in a
greater emphasis upon program de-
velopment for this 5 - 10 year age
group. Simultaneously, we have
managed to maintain the excellent
functional life skills program for
adolescents, which has developed
over the past 10 years. The Total
Life Planning Grant is coming to a
close in September, 1988, conclud-
ing a very successful three year
project. This project encouraged
program development for our
graduates, and assured that our
students were placed in appropriate
programs when they left Perkins.
All services of this project will
continue in the future.

Low vision services for deaf-
blind children have been signifi-
cantly expanded in our clinic. A
new Federal grant, effective in
October, 1988, will allow these
outreach services to grow even
further.

This past year has also brought
new developments in outreach serv-

ices, with the deaf-blind program
assisting several countries to
develop and expand their services.
Our program is now actively en-
gaged in helping the countries of
Spain and Portugal initiate services
to deaf-blind children. More locally,
our staff have also been active in
assisting other educational and
group home providers.

O tudents from Secondary Serv-
ices, Lower School, the
Severe Impaired Program, and
the Deaf-Blind Program partici-
pated in the Seventh Annual Jump
Rope for Heart on March 2nd.
Students raised a total of $1085.49,
bringing the seven-year total raised
to $6877.62. Theresa White of Sec-
ondary Services was the big winner,
collecting $416.00 in pledges. For
her winning effort, Theresa was
awarded two tickets to the April 8th
Boston Celtics Game at Boston Gar-
den. This year the money collected
was given in memory of Howard
Rozelle, the father of a student in
our Secondary Services program.

he Preschool Program hosted
The Fifth Annual New England
Regional Seminar for Families of
Visually Impaired Preschool Chil-
dren Ages Birth to Seven at Perkins
School on April 30, 1988. The
conference, "Taking Care of Our
Children... Taking Care of Our-
selves" was a joint planning effort
of parents and professionals from
six New England States and was
attended by over 150 parents and
professionals. Topics included
mobility, braille, adaptive toys,
mainstreaming and family con-
cerns.

Programs and Services

1 1 erkins School for the Blind's
Low Vision Services and the

Pennsylvania College of Optom-
etry's Institute for the Visually
Impaired presented a five day
workshop entitled "Low Vision and
the Multi-Impaired Child: Assess-
ment and Intervention" for profes-
sionals in the field. The workshop,
held at Perkins from July 17-21,
provided coursework and experience
in low vision assessment techniques
and intervention strategies, and
was geared toward young (birth
through six years) low vision
individuals. Beth Langley, M.Ed., a
nationally recognized expert on
working with the severely impaired,
was a featured speaker at the work-
shop. The workshop was attended
by more than 60 educators from all
over the world.

Alumni Calendar
1988-1989

Monday, November 7

Corporation Day

Director's Memorial

Exercises 11:00AM

Sunday, December 11

Christmas Concert 3:00PM

Thursday, December 15

Christmas Concert 7:30PM

Saturday, May 6

Alumni Baseball Game

Friday, June 16

Graduation Exercises . .

June 16 - June 18

Alumni Weekend

1:00PM

11:00AM

he Precision Products Division of
Northrop Corporation recently
donated a scale model of NASA's
Space Shuttle to the Perkins
Museum. On Wednesday, June 15,
1988, the model was presented to

Ken Stuckey, Curator of the Mu-
seum, by Mr. John R. Baraniak,
Northrop's Vice President of Indus-
trial and Community Relations.
The model will be permanently dis-
played in the school library.

Ken Stuckey, left, accepts a model of
NASA's Space Shuttle from John R.

Baraniak, Vice President of Indus-
trial and Community Relations for
Northrop.

Capital Campaign at 85% of
$2,000,000 Goa

ith three months to go until
December 31, over $1,700,000
has been given or pledged toward
the Lower School Renovation Goal
of $2,000,000.

A special mailing was sent in
September to over 20,000 generous
donors to our Annual Fund (Chil-
dren of the Silent Night), so that
these special friends of Perkins
might have an opportunity to
participate in helping us to reach
our goal of $2,000,000.

Work has already started
toward providing the necessary
additional electrical service for the
Lower School, and actual renova-
tion of the buildings will commence
in early 1989.

he Henney Archives Room was
dedicated on June 17, 1988 in
memory of Nella Braddy Henney.
The Room was given by Mr. Keith
Henney in memory of his wife, who
was the close friend and companion
of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.

Helen Keller, left, Polly Thompson
and Nella Braddy Henney.

20-

The Perkins Endowment

I he Perkins Program as it has

developed and been main-
tained for more than one hun-
dred and fifty years has relied
upon a growing endowment at
every step along the way.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise and
bequeath to the Perkins School
for the Blind, a corporation duly
organized and existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, the sum of
dollars

($.

), the same to be

applied to the general uses and
purposes of said corporation un-
der the direction of its Board of

Trustees; and I do hereby direct
that the receipt of the Treasurer
for the time being of said
corporation shall be a sufficient
discharge to my executors for
the same.

Form of Devise of
Real Estate

(Here describe the real estate
accurately)

with full power to sell, mortgage
and convey the same free of all
trust.

Notice

The address of the Treasurer of
the Corporation is as follows:

JOHN W. BRYANT

Fiduciary Trust Co.,
175 Federal Street
P.O. Box 1647
Boston, MA 02105-1647

Thank you!

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PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND SPRING 1989

TheLantern

A Message From The Director

Yesterday And Today .
Courage, Opportunity,
And Independence

uring the School Year 1888 -1989, Helen Keller began her
formal education at Perkins School for the Blind. She went on

to attend several other schools, and her academic career culminated with her graduation
from Radcliffe College in 1904. f As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Helen's arri-
val at Perkins, we applaud her many achievements. In particular, we recognize the tre-
mendous opportunities that she afforded all handicapped individuals throughout the United
States and around the world, f Helen Keller's courage and her achievements have helped
professionals and parents, as well as educators, rehabilitation specialists, and government
officials recognize the ability and potential of every handicapped person to live as a pro-
ductive and contributing member of society, f In the Spring 1989 issue of The Lantern,
we highlight the accomplishments of today's students, and we recognize their right to a
quality and comprehensive education program, f Our Scouting Program is just one of
a large number of off-campus activities that our students participate in on a regular basis.
One of their most recent experiences - a camping trip in the Adirondack region of New
York - is featured in this issue, f Also highlighted is the work of a young man in our .
Deaf-Blind Program. Anindya Bhattacharyya is maintaining high academic standards at
Perkins and the Belmont Hill School, and computer technology is supporting his progresss.
f The School Year 1988-1989 provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the one hun-
dredth anniversary of Helen Keller beginning her studies at Perkins. It also provides us
an opportunity to reaffirm the right to quality education for each individual student and
their parents, f I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Lantern.

Kevin J. Lessard, Director

Are The Stars Out Tonight ? 4

Perkins Explorer Post 225 traveled to Lake George and
the Adirondack Mountains of New York for a week of
camping, sailing, swimming, and high adventure.

The Beginning Of Everything 8

One hundred years ago Helen Keller began her formal
education at Perkins, hoping "to learn much about every-
thing." With admirable industry, she surpassed her goals
and created opportunities for those who have followed her.

Of Other Beginnings

After spending a year in a classroom of hearing children,
Isaac Hawke has begun to learn sign language and is off to
a fresh start in the Perkins Deaf-Blind Program.

Following A Dream: From Calcutta To Perkins

Anindya Bhattacharyya sets high goals for himself. Hard
work and computer technology are bringing his goals
within reach.

Cover Photo: Perkins
Explorer Scout Christine
Daniels scales a sheer
plywood wall as part of her
Adirondack high adventure
camp experience.

Capital Campaign Surpasses Goal 22

Perkins first Capital Campaign succeeded in raising over
two million dollars, thanks to the efforts of all of the Perk-
ins community.

Reflections 17

Service Awards, Perkins Project With Industry 20, 21

The Lantern

Volume LVFII, Number 2
Spring 1989

Contents

In the early hours, New York
state's famous Lake George is a
pussycat: Hardly a ripple ruffles
its glassy surface. But come late
morning, when the cool Adi-
rondack wind begins whis-
tling down its 30-mile length,
don't be surprised if the
pussycat turns into a tiger.
Then is when the real adven-
ture begins, and that's why
they went- twice.

The first time, three years
ago, they sailed, camped on an island,
snorkeled, and water-skied. This time
they sailed, camped on an island, sail
boarded, and scaled a sheer plywood
wall 20 feet high to sharpen their
mountain-climbing skills.

On trips to other places they've
tried caving, white water rafting, rock
climbing, and hot air ballooning.
Some have hit the high trails at Phil-
mont Scout Ranch. Some have even
traveled to Greece.

And get this: Every member of this
group, and one of its leaders, is blind.
Some even have a second handicap,

By Jim Morse
Photography by
Russell Dian

such as cerebral palsy. One is near-
deaf. And all of them are determined,
high-energy examples of their motto:
Obstacles are things to be overcome.

Meet
Explorer Post
225, chartered
to the Perkins
School for the
Blind in Wa-
tertown, Mass.
Perkins, the
oldest such
school in the country, has been on the
job for over 150 years training young
people to overcome the obstacle of
blindness — and for nearly 50 of those
years the school has used Scouting as
an important tool in its work.

How does Post 225 do the outra-
geous things it does? Let's join the
group as their big Tanner cruise-class
sailboats nose into the dock on Lake
George's Long Island, where for the
next five days they will camp, sail,
swim, learn, achieve, and enjoy!

The sun has just set behind a
cloudy sky, and their job is to unload
the boats, carry the gear to the camp-
site, pitch the tents, cook and eat sup-
per, and clean up — all before the cer-
tain coming of a starless dark. For

AreThe Stars
Out Tonight?

most posts it would be a "hurry" situ-
ation, yet nobody is hurrying. Why not?
Because the leaders-Margie Carney,
Ken Stuckey, Cafer Barkus, and BSA
High Adventure guide Bill
Richardson-have working flashlights
and a good memory. They never forget
that the Explorers neither know or
care whether the sun is shining or not.
The camp takes form quickly, and
as it does you watch the guidance of-
fered by the leaders. It is unobtrusive,
smooth, often downright subtle: A
quiet word or two to establish their
nearness, a reassuring touch, a conven-
ient elbow to grasp for help across a
rough stretch of ground. It is seamless,
natural, perfectly timed, always handy
but never pushy.

What is remarkable is how quickly
the Explorers seem to orient them-
selves to the camp layout and begin to
get around on their own. It is as if they
are listening to some inner voice:

"Here is my tent, and over that way lies
the cooking area and the big table. I can
smell the smoke, and as I move closer I can
feel the heat of the fire. I move toward the
talk of those at the table, probing with my
feet for the large stone I must step over along
the way. Beyond the table is the rocky path to
the latrine. Maybe I can make it by myself
this time. I think I' 11 try ..."

A stranger, coming upon Post 225
in action, might at first assume it is just
another post. And the (continued)

longer it takes him to discover his er-
ror the happier Post 225 will be.

As the twilight dims, an Explorer
(discreedy guided by a leader) cheer-
fully stirs something steaming and fra-
grant in a large cooking pot. Another,
under equally minimal supervision,
mixes the punch. A third, with no help
whatever, announces that he is starving
and wonders how many will still be
alive to eat whatever the cooks are
preparing.

When, close to dark, they sit down
to share their dehydrated chicken a la
king, rice, applesauce, and cherry
punch, they also share in the talk. You
listen in — and learn more about the
very high adventure of Post 225.

Jeff... "and the wind came up so

quick the boat started
to lean way over, and
we all tried to move to
the other side to bal-
ance it. For a minute
there I thought we
were going over for
sure."

Chris . . ."so don't
ask me what I like
best. We've done so
many things I've lost
track. Where were we
yesterday morning for
instance?"

Mike: "Hey, it was
neat the way Bill
taught us to judge the
wind direction by
feeling how it blows
on your cheeks. And
how about that Braille
compass we tried?"

Jeff. . ."and I ad-
mit I was scared when
I stood on that ladder in the survival
area and forced myself to fall back-
wards. I wasn't sure you were going to
catch me."

Cafer: "We weren't sure we wanted
to catch you!"

(Laughter from everybody.)
Christine: 'The other day, after I'd
climbed that 20-foot wall, some staff
man asked me if I'd felt I was going to
make it, and I said, 'Yep!' Next he
asked if I felt a little scared, and I said,
'Yep! ' Next he wanted to know how I
felt when I made it, and I said 'Good!'
Finally he asked if I thought I could do
it again, and I said, 'Yep!' He told me I
talked like a Yankee."

Mike: "Well didn't you?"
Christine: 'Yep!"

Kay: "Margie, did you ever climb a
wall?"

Margie: "Look, as the Advisor of
this bunch of renegades I climb walls
everyday!"

(More laughter.)

And so went the talk at that far-
away dinner table on Long Island in
the middle of Lake George, talk as
boisterous and typical as that of any
post anywhere. But there are also re-
minders of differences between this
post and others. Some of these re-
minders are poignant and gende, as in
the moments when a deaf-blind Ex-
plorer reads aloud from a Braille edi-
tion of the Scout Handbook.

Other reminders can hit with stun-
ning impact — as does one Explorer's
outburst on public attitudes toward
the blind: "Some people are scared to
approach a blind person, or talk to us
or make friends. What are they scared
of? We're not going to
punch them out! They're
not going to go blind if
they touch us! We're just
as human as they are, ex-
cept we can't see!"

A different kind of
problem, says Advisor Car-
ney, is the occasional par-
ent who is overcautious -
a trait known to affect the
parents of the nonhandi-
capped as well. Says Car-
ney, 'They feel our pro-
gram should be less de-
manding, that we're aiming at too
high a target. What we say to them is,
'Don't lower the target-raise your
sights.'"

Why do Post 225 's Explorers like
being Explorers, especially in Post

"When I stood
on that ladder in

the survival

area and forced

myself to fall

backwards,

I wasn 't sure you

were going to

catch me. "

225? The leaders reflect:

"For one thing," says veteran trip
leader Ken Stuckey smiling, "it's the
program. We try to give them experi-
ences they can go back and tell their
families and friends about, and every-
body will say, 'Wow!'"

"Another big point," says Associate
Advisor Barkus, "is that Exploring en-
ables them to be part of a program de-
signed for all young people. Unless
you're blind yourself, like me, you may
not realize how important this is."

"Our members," adds Stuckey, "go
through a two-step routine. Step one
is, 'I could never do that! ' And step two
is, 'Hey, I did it!' Then they feel good
about themselves, and it's hard not to
like something that makes you feel
good about yourself."

"I'd say the bottom line is confi-
dence," declares Bill Richardson, the
BSA expert who guided Post 225

through its Adirondack
high adventure. 'They
have more confidence
about things after an
experience like this.
Someday that's going
to pay off."

At the last campfire
Christine brings out her
guitar, and they all sing
and talk until the fire is a
bed of softly burning em-
bers. "Are the stars out
tonight?" someone asks.
'Yes they are," someone
else answers. For a few moments there
is silence — and then one by one, they
trail off to bed.

Only the leaders need flashlights.

This article first appeared in the September 1 988 issue
of Scouting magazine, (reprinted by permission)

"The
Beginning

Of
Everything

Celebrating The l00'h Anniversary
Of Helen Keller's First Year at Perkins

Helen Keller remembered her
first visit to Perkins and New
England in her
autobiography, The Story of
My Life. She thought of that
first trip north as "the begin-
ning of everything."

"... I returned to my
Southern home with a heart
full of joyous memories.
As I recall that visit North I
am filled with wonder at the
richness and variety of the experiences
that cluster about it. It seems to have

Helen and
Perkins'

been the beginning of everything. The
treasures of a new beautiful world were
laid at my feet, and I took in
pleasure and information at
every turn . . . The barren
places between my mind and
the minds of others blos-
somed like the rose."

Prior to coming to Per-
kins for the first time, Helen
anticipated the nip with
high hopes. In letters to Di-
rector Michael Anagnos, she expressed
an ambitious wish for the time she was

Michael A nagnos,
second director.

to spend here. "I do want to learn
much about everything." In other
letters she told Mr. Anagnos of her
desire to meet the blind boys and girls
who were attending the Perkins
Kindergarten.

Helen's expectations turned out
to be modest. Helen, her mother, and
her teacher Anne Sullivan, were re-
ceived by President Grover Cleveland
and Alexander Graham Bell on the
trip north from her home in
Tuscumbia, Alabama.

When she arrived at Perkins she

met students and teachers who could
communicate with her using the man-
ual alphabet. This was just what Helen
had hoped for.

New friends, new ideas . . . her
world was expanding. With its expan-
sion came increasing knowledge and
freedom, and Helen compared this ex-
perience to the blossoming of a flower.

Over the next three-and-one-half
years Helen's flower continued to
bloom. Her writing improved dramati-
cally. She began to master French
without the benefit of a (continued)

mil

textbook or dictionary.
She learned the basics of
Greek and Latin. She de-
veloped a love of poetry
and literature which led
to correspondence with
John Greenleaf Whittier,
Dr. Oliver Wendell
Holmes, and Mark Twain.
She began to learn to
speak, raised funds to
provide scholarships for
less fortunate children to
attend Perkins, and
worked so hard at every-
thing she did that her
teachers feared for her
health.

Helen Keller came
to Perkins with a wish "to
learn much about every-
thing." She made her
wish come true and ac-
complished much more.
Perhaps the words of
Helen's teacher, Perkins
graduate Anne Sullivan,
best describe the twelve
year old Helen Keller
who left Perkins in 1892.
"(Helen is) a very bright
and lovely child, un-
marred by self-conscious-
ness or any taint of evil.
Every thought mirrored on her beauti-
ful face, beaming with intelligence and
affection, is a fresh joy, and this work-
aday world seems fairer and brighter
because she is in it. And while it is un-
safe to predict what Helen's future will
be, I know she is destined to be the in-
strument of great good in the world,

E IE I E B Si

Perkins School for the
Blind, 1889.

We had scarcely

arrived at the

Perkins School for

the Blind when I

began to make
friends with the
little blind chil-
dren. What a joy to
talk with other chil-
dren in my own lan-
guage. Until then
I had been like a
foreigner speaking
through an inter-
preter. In the school
where Laura
Bridgman was
taught I was in my
own country. "

Helen Keller
Excerpt from
The Story Of My Life

not only by drawing forth
the sympathies, and put-
ting into exercise the
kind emotions of others,
but by teaching them
how great things may be
achieved under the worst
difficulties and how
pure, and sweet and
joyous may be the exis-
tence under the darkest
cloud."

It has been one hun-
dred years since Helen
began her formal aca-
demic training at Per-
kins. As we celebrate the
anniversary of her new
beginning, we must also
celebrate the new begin-
nings, opportunities and
inspiration that her life
has provided to so many
others through the past
hundred years. Anne
Sullivan's prediction of
greatness was propheti-
cally accurate.

R efe rences

Hall, Florence Howe.
"Helen Keller." St. Nicho-
las, September 1889, pp.
834-43.
Keller, Helen. The Story of My Life.
New York: Airmont, 1965.

Lash, Joseph P. Helen and Teacher:
The Story of Helen Keller and Anne Sulli-
van Macy. New York: Dell, 1980.

Waterhouse, Edward J. 'Helen
Keller at Perkins." The Lantern, Spring
1980, pp. 9-24.

Of Other Beginnings

One hundred years ago, Helen
Keller arrived at Perkins. Today,
and throughout the past century,
Helen's legacy of courage and inde-
pendence has created opportunities for
handicapped children like Isaac Hawke
to learn and to grow.

Little Isaac, who can't speak and
communicates by tugging on people,
is finally escaping his silent world. Only
months after leaving the frustration of
a classroom full of hearing children,
he is attending Perkins, learning sign
language and making good progress.

"He's made a wonderful adjust-
ment to Perkins," said Emily Lowell,
one of his teachers. "He's calmer and
he's started to understand signing.
When he first came here he seemed
unhappy. Now he is learning and en-
joying himself in school."

Isaac's mother, Nancy Hawke,
said the transformation in her son
has been "incredible," and that
many of his behavior problems have
disappeared.

"He'd slap his head with his hand
because he was so frustrated at not
understanding," she said. "He rocked
to ease the burden of being there."

"His previous teachers didn't want
to bother with him so they labeled him
autistic and gave up on him. "

Last May Isaac's former teachers
reported he had shown "no significant
progress in communications skills." In
September Mrs. Hawke received a
note from Perkins with a different mes-
sage: "Isaac signed 'eat' today. Imag-
ine three weeks of school and he's al-
ready expressed his first formal sign!
He's a great pleasure in our class."

Part of this story is
from an article by
Andrea Estes that
appeared in the No-
vembers, 1988
issue of The Boston
Herald.

Photography by Jim
Davis.

As the first light of day brightens the
Perkins campus, the cold February
wind reminds you that the groundhog has
just seen his shadow. Most of the students are
sleeping. Their teachers hurry from the frosty
morning into the warmth of the cottages, and
a heavily bundled figure emerges from the
Tompkins independent living apartment.
He holds a cane in one hand, has what looks
like a small suitcase slung over his shoulder,
and carries a bookbag on his back.

Follow Anindya Bhattacharyya as he
makes his way along the brick walkway
through the east close. As you do, you sense a
determined purpose in what he is doing.
Obviously, he has gotten an early start on
the day for a reason. As he turns into an icy
gust of wind and heads toward the North
Building, you luonder what that reason
might be.

Anindya, or Andy as he is sometimes
called, comes in from the cold and goes

Follow Your Dreams .
For As You Dream So
Shall You Become.

Following
A Dream:

From
Calcuttalb

Perkins

downstairs to the computer classroom. From
the suitcase he takes apiece of equipment
that at fast glance resembles a child 's phono-
graph. Andy wouldn 't have much use for
one of those. He is deaf-blind. Besides, this
box is more valuable to Andy than any toy.
Andy connects the box - a VersaBraille
-to a computer. He inserts a cassette tape,
makes the necessary keystrokes on the com-
puter and on the braille keypad of the Ver-
saBraille. He is up and running.

Today Andy needs to print a paper
he wrote on the VersaBraille for a European
history class he attends at the Belmont
Hill School. He inserts another cassette into
the VersaBraille, and keys instructions to
produce a print copy for his teacher and a
braille copy for himself . As the title page
rolls out of the printer . . . "The Dawn
of the French Revolution" . . . Anindya
Bhattacharyya begins another day.
('Following A Dream" continues onpg. 14)

Charles H. Thomas

Anindya, born deaf, attended pub-
. lie school in Telrari, a village near
Calcutta, India until he lost his vision
in an accident at age nine. For the
next four years his parents searched in
vain for a school that could educate
their deaf-blind son. Indian schools for
the blind did not have the facilities or
personnel to teach the deaf-blind. An-
indya says that his family's strong faith
kept them from giving up hope. A
chance meeting with a former Perkins'
teacher trainee encouraged the family
to contact Perkins.

In September 1983 Anindya ar-
rived at Perkins as a scholarship stu-
dent. He knew litde English and com-
municated primarily by printing his
native Bengali in his father's palm. He
quickly began to learn English, sign
language, and braille. The more he
learned, the greater his appetite for
knowlege became. After four years of
communicating only with his immedi-
ate family, the opportunity to begin re-
lationships with the students and staff
at Perkins opened a door to a new
world. Anindya says, "When I came to
Perkins my life changed a great deal. I

Charles H. Thomas

could go to school, make friends, and
experience many new things. I en-
joyed myself more and my motivation
and independence increased. Most
importantly, I learned to accept my
blindness — I learned how much I
could do."

Anindya' s father stayed with him
that first year. Since then Carol Crook,
Anindya's first teacher at Perkins, has
been his guardian. Although he corre-
sponds with his family at least once a
week, Anindya acknowledges that it
has been difficult being away from
them for much of the past six years.

In that time, however, Andy's prog-
ress at Perkins has been remarkable.
His facility for learning language en-
ables him to communicate fluendy in
English, sign language, and braille. He
is currentiy studying French through a
braille correspondence course and
with the guidance of a tutor.

In September, 1987 another door
opened. The Belmont Hill School ac-
cepted Anindya as a part-time student.
At Belmont Hill his studies have fo-
cused on English literature and gram-
mar, and United States and world his-
tory. He dreams of
attending college
and hopes his
preparation at
Belmont Hill will
sufficiendy comple-
ment his education
at Perkins to make
that dream a reality.
Anindya works
hard at his studies,
but the classroom is
not the only place
he has made his
mark. He competes

for Perkins' athletic teams in track and
field, swimming, and wresding. He
also loves to work with his hands and is
especially skilled in woodworking and
sculpting with clay.

Andy lives in the Tompkins inde-
pendent living apartment where he
and his two roommates are respon-
sible for doing their own cooking,
shopping, laundry, cleaning, and rec-
reational planning. When Andy and
his roommates graduate, their apart-
ment living experience will enable
them to live as more independent and
productive members of the community.

Apartment responsibilities, athlet-
ics, hobbies, friends, church, commu-
nity activities . . . and an ambitious aca-
demic program; Anindya does not lack
for things to do. Anything that can
help him live more independently and
make more productive use of his time
is valuable.

When Anindya talks about inde-
pendence and making productive use
of his time, a broad smile lights up his
face. He immediately brings up the
VersaBraille and how it has changed
his life.

Anindya uses the VersaBraille to
talk with a computer just as a sighted,
hearing person uses a keyboard or a
mouse. Information is sent to the com-
puter using the VersaBraille 's key-
board which consists of the seven keys
found on manual braille writing ma-
chines. Information is received from
the computer on a panel that can dis-
play up to 20 braille characters. An-
indya runs his finger over this panel
and reads the braille just as a sighted
person reads a line of text from a com-
puter monitor. He continues to the
next or previous line of text by tapping

From Anindya To Everyone:
Thank You!

Anindya will not be taking any more
early morning walks to use the Perkins
VersBraille. He has his own now.

When Mrs. Marcella Serafini of Milton,
Mass. saw a local television segment on
Andy and other Perkins students, she
called to help.

Her generous donation, joined with
others from Trustees and friends of
Belmont Hill School and Perkins, made
the purchase possible. The new equip-
ment - a VersaBraille and an IBM P/S 2
computer with a printer and a modem -
resides in Andy's dorm and offers access
whenever needed. His grades have stead-
ily improved, and quality study time has
increased dramatically.

the space bar on the VersaBraille 's key-
board.

When he talks about the Versa-
Braille, however, Anindya does not
spend much time explaining how it
works. With the assistance of Perkins
computer teacher Wendy Buckley, he
has mastered the machine's operation.
Anindya wants to talk about what he
can do with this new technology.

"When I started at Belmont Hill
two years ago, I wanted to be able to
compete with the other students there.
I didn't do that well at first. When I
wrote a term paper or an essay, I did it
in braille first. Then I used a typewriter
to make a print copy that my teacher
could read. The problem with typing
was that I couldn't see if I'd made a
mistake. All the extra time and work I

was doing could have been used for
reading or studying for tests.

'With the VersaBraille I can proof-
read my papers as much as I need to.
Changes are easy to make on the com-
puter, and my grammar is improving
because I have more time to check my
work. Also it is very easy to make a print
copy for my teacher and a braille copy
for myself."

"My schoolwork is still very chal-
lenging, but now I have more time to
do it. I can pay attention to history,
English, and grammar instead of
spending all my time brailling and typ-
ing. The VersaBraille has made it pos-
sible for me to compete at Belmont
Hill, and if I can keep doing that
maybe I can go to college."

The VersaBraille can do more than
make writing papers easier. Think
about communicating with a deaf-
blind person. You could probably only
do it with a third person interpreting
in sign language. With the VersaBraille
an interpreter is not needed. Anindya
can braille into the VersaBraille and
his words are displayed in print on the
computer monitor. You can type into
the computer via the keyboard and
messages are displayed in braille on
the panel of Anindya's VersaBraille.
During this process, barriers to com-
munication are removed. Once the
door is opened, there is quite a lot to
be heard and to be said.

This makes Anindya smile even
more brightly. You'll probably even
hear the deep laugh that has become
so recognizable around the Perkins
campus. You see Anindya wants to at-
tend college as a means to an even
greater goal. There are many doors
that need to be opened.

'When I finish studying English
and Communications in college," ex-
plains Anindya, "I want to become an
advocate for deaf-blind people
throughout the world. I want to en-
courage people to become more
aware of deaf-blind and other handi-
capped people. I want to see services
for the deaf-blind in other countries
improve. The United States has the
most advanced services and technol-
ogy, but third world countries need
help setting up services and schools for
the deaf-blind."

When he is asked what he would
communicate if he was an advocate for
deaf-blind people today, Anindya does
not hesitate. " I want people to under-
stand that deaf-blind people are not so
different. We use our minds the same
way sighted, hearing people do. We
have goals and dreams just like they
do. Deaf-blind people have a lot to
offer.

'We want to be treated the same as
other people. Sure we need help to do
some things, but everyone needs help
sometimes. We want what we can do to
be recognized.

"Finally, I want people to realize
that they can't accept an attitude that
says 'I couldn't live if I became deaf-
blind or handicapped or if I had to
face some other great problem.' They
can! They can work through their
problems and learn so much. It is im-
portant to realize how you can deal
with a handicap or other problem."

Follow Anindya Bhattacharyya as he
steps to the podium and begins to lecture
about challenges facing handicapped people
in the 21st century. His day is just begin-
ning. . .

Introducing
Reflections

Reflections is a new col-
umn designed to keep you
up to date on the many
events and activities hap-
pening at Perkins.

This column is for eve-
ryone, so send us your sto-
ries, snap shots and ideas -
anything that you think is
interesting.

Jump Rope
For Heart

For the eighth consecu-
tive year, Perkins students
jumped rope, roller skated,
pogo sticked and had a lot
of fun while raising funds
for the American Heart
Association. This year al-
most $1 ,200 was collected
and Secondary Services'
student Theresa White was
the top fund raiser for the
second year.

Lower School

student Jessica

Flores hippity-

hops for heart.

Reflections

Project Close Up

During the week of
April 23rd, four students
from Secondary Services
participated in the Project
Close Up program held in
Washington, D.C. The
Close Up Foundation is a
nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization that has
brought more than
250,000 participants to
Washington for a unique
experience of studying our
government. The Founda-
tion strives to help people
of all ages understand the
responsibilities and oppor-
tunities of citizenship in
the United States.

During the weeklong
program, our students vis-
ited the halls and commit-
tee rooms of government
and met the men and
women who influence
the course of American
history. As Perkins
Close Up participants,
Sonja Allen, Tho-
mas Gilbert, Kay
Kelleher, and
Frank Mclssac

took part in daily study vis-
its to the House of Repre-
sentatives and the Senate,
the Capitol, the Supreme
Court, and various federal
agencies. Throughout the
week our students met
high school students from
across the United States,
participated in workshops,
and worked closely with
their advisor, Secondary
Services history
teacher Mr. Ray
Kiley.

WiWir i

Grappling With
The Perkins
Towermen

The Perkins Towermen
wrestling squad recently
hosted the Park School of
Brookline. Photos (clock-
wise, upper left):Juana
cheers for a Perkins pin
while Jason does his best to
avoid one. Michael puts his
best move on classmate
Luis.

Doe -A- Deer...

Secondary Services
theatre classes de-

lighted all who had the op-
portunity to enjoy their
performance of 'The
Sound of Music." Coming
soon to the Dwight Hall
stage . . .'The King and I."

Gymnastics
Demonstration

Tumbling routines, per-
formances on the rings
and the trampoline, the
Perkins cheerleaders, and
a floor hockey game com-
bined to make this year's
gym demonstration almost
as much fun for the specta-
tors as it was for the gym-
nasts.

International
Day At Perkins

Every school year men and
women from around the
world come to Perkins to
further their educations in
the fields of blindness and
deaf-blindness. This year
our teacher trainees
hosted an International
Day that gave Perkins stu-
dents and staff the chance
to experience culture and
sample food from around
the world. The Perkins
community benefits in
many ways from the pres-
ence of our teacher train-
ees, and the effort that
went into organizing
International Day was
appreciated.

Irham Hosni demon-
strates a puppet from
Indonesia. Teacher
trainees from Korea,
Sriljinka, Gambia,
Colombia, Thailand,
Argentina, and Spain
participated in Inter-
national Day.

Maria-Pia Antonelli accepts the Director's congratulations for her
35 years of sendee.

Honored for service
and commitment

Longtime School and Howe Press
employees were recognized at the
Ninth Annual Service Awards Cere-
mony. Those honored for their dedica-
tion received a Certificate of Apprecia-
tion and a gift. They also enjoyed a
luncheon in the Director's home.

"We have been blessed with many
resources," said Perkins Director Kevin
Lessard, "and our greatest resource
has always been our staff. In a world
that is increasingly complex, they have
provided continuity of care and service
for our students and clients."

In accepting her award, Carol
Crook said, "I'm grateful to Perkins for
allowing me to experience and share
in the joy and wonder involved in
teaching a deaf-blind child language."
Judy Bevins was thankful for the free-
dom to be creative in her teaching,
and Maria-Pia Antonelli said, "Music is
the noblest of the arts. I hope our stu-
dents have experienced some of that
nobility."

Honored for service and commitment to
Perkins were:

3 5 y e a r s Maria-Pia Antonelli, Teacher,
Secondary Services

3 0 y e a r s

Lower School

Judith A. Palmer, Teacher,

2 5 y e a r s Judith E. Bevans, Teacher,
Lower School; Ann Brennan, Accounting
Clerk, Business Office; Ronald Caterino, Pur-
chasing Coordinator, Howe Press; Sadie M. Clif-
ford, Machine Operator, Howe Press; Carol L.
Crook, Teacher, Deaf-Blind; Sarah A. McPhil-
lips, Office Manager, Howe Press; Sally Stuckey,
Teacher, Secondary Services

2 0 y e a r s Dianne E. Curry, Teacher,
Lower School; Mary McDonagh, Supervisor of
Child Care, Lower School/Deaf-Blind; Gumer
Padron, Final Assembler, Howe Press; Eu-
staquio E. Sosa, Machine Shop Supervisor,
Howe Press

1 9 y e a r s Theodore Alger, Machine
Operator, Howe Press; George Ball, Teacher,
Lower School;Judith Cannon, Tour Guide/
Sales Clerk, Howe Press; Elizabeth Parkhurst,
Secretary, Pre-School

1 0 y e a r s Rose Agahigian, Secretary,
Adult Services; Linda T Ahern, Teacher, Secon-
dary Services; Julie Anderson, Supervisor, Out-
reach Services; Sandra Boris-Berkowitz,
Teacher, Deaf-Blind/Grants Office; Camille
Bourque, Sub-Assembler, Howe Press; Wendy
Wright Bridgeo, Teacher, Adult Services; Kath-
erine A. Bull, Teacher, Deaf-Blind; Janet F. Ca-
son, Teacher, Lower School; Frederick D.
Craine, Appliance Department Assembler,
Howe Press; Stephen Fox, Teacher, Secondary
Services; Charles M. Pean, Machine Shop,
Howe Press; Shrimathy Rajangam, Social
Worker, Lower School; Judith Ann Sayenga,
Teacher, Secondary Services; Arlene M. Velle-
man, Teacher, Deaf-Blind

Perkins Project With
Industry s Don Breda
Honored

The Carroll Awards are presented by
the Massachusetts Commission for the
Blind and the Carroll Center for the Blind
to honor committed and dedicated blind
and visually impaired employees who have
made outstanding contributions in their
fields. Donald J. Breda, Perkins Project
with Industry's Training and Technical
Specialist recently received the Carroll
Award and was selected as a member of
the Carroll Society. We recognize his con-
tributions to Perkins and the clients he
works with, and we congratulate Don for
receiving this prestigious award.

PERKINS
PROJECT
WITH
INDUSTRY

Are you or your employer looking for quali-
fied employees ? Perkins Project With Indus-
try could be a recruiting resource for you.

The Perkins Project With Industry
offers comprehensive recruitment services
for New England employers. We provide
services to approximately 200 employers
a year, and we have a large pool of pre-
screened candidates for your considera-
tion.

We specialize in placing and training
individuals who are blind or visually handi-
capped. The following services are avail-
able to your company:

Employer training: Disability awareness
training and specific training for co-work-
ers and supervisors.

Candidate referred: Pre-screened candi-
dates are available for entry-level to man-
agement positions.

Worksite Access: Suggestions about
worksite accessibility are provided.

Rehabilitation Engineering: If access is
needed (i.e. speech, large print, or braille
output on computers) a rehabilitation en-
gineer will work with the employer.

On-Site training: Technical and Uansi-
tional support for new employees is avail-
able.

Candidates have varied abilities and
their educational backgrounds range from
high school diplomas to doctoral degrees.

For more information, please call
Susan Plunkett, the Project Director, at
924-3434 ext. 433, or write the Perkins
Project With Industry, 175 North Beacon
Street, Water town, MA 02172.

Rear h i n g H i g h

Perkins First-Ever
Capital Campaign
Surpasses Goal

Trying something for the first time
brings inherent uncertainty. Yet cover-
ing new territory can be challenging
and tremendously satisfying and
fulfilling... especially with devoted, loyal
friends sharing the experience.

As is invariably the case when cov-
ering uncharted territory, we have
learned a great deal. Perhaps the sim-
plest yet most important lesson
learned is that the support of caring
friends is crucial to the success of any
worthwhile undertaking.

We are pleased to announce that
in Perkins' first-ever Capital Campaign
we have surpassed our two million dol-
lar goal. To our Trustees, Corporation
members, and staff, the participating
foundations and corporations, and to
our generous Annual Fund (Children
of the Silent Night) donors, thank you.
We could not have reached our goal
without your support.

Work on the Lower School has al-
ready begun. Additional electrical serv-
ice has been provided and renovations
in the buildings will continue through
the summer. From everyone at Perk-
ins, especially from our Lower School
students who will benefit the most
from your generosity, thank you all.

In Gratitude

Perkins School for the Blind gratefully ac-
knowledges recent donations in memory of
Concetta Anderson, Donald Apple ton, Lillian
Baker, Florence W. Barbour, Raymond E. Bar-
ton, Donald H. Blair, Jennie T. Caira, Armand
J. Carrier, Paul Chaisson, Elizabeth Clancy, Ber-
tram Clayton, David Sampson Coish, Grace Con-
nelly, Merle Cummings, Patrick Dalton, Stephen
R. Davenport, Frank DiNatali, Guy D'Orlando,
John Earl, Louise Eaton, Walter Floren, Debo-
rah I. Flynn, Jimmy Foley, Nora Foley, Richard
Fox, Members of the Gaines Family, Kathleen
M. Gauss, Carl R. Hannus, Margery Hegarty,
Arthur Heidhe, Margaret K. Joyce, Thomas
Kane, Ruth Kiddy, Marion Page Kimball, Mi-
chael J. Kovalski, William C. Lane, Paul I,au-
ricella, J. Ward Leonard, Ira G Libby, Charles
Herbert Listman, Mae Lovett, Margaret Driscoll
MacLeod, William J. Mahony, Charles Maniace,
Florence E. Martin, Rose M. Martin, Lena M.
McCarthy, Virginia McConnell, Henry Morning-
star, Armando Nappi, Evelyn Northrup, Frank
O'Malley, Michael Osborn, Harry Osterofsky,
Emil M. Pistoresi, Elizabeth S. Proctor, Thomas
Pugliese, Violet Ronson, A. Arthur Rosse, Dr.
Linus Sheehan, Carmela Sicuso, Ray N. Simpson,
Amy Somers, Leila Straw, Sereno E. Streeter,
Mary Thorner, Tom Walker, Mildred Webster.

Perkins Endowment

The Perkins Program as it has de-
veloped and been maintained for
more than one hundred and fifty years
has relied upon a growing endowment
at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate
to put a program into effect are rarely
sufficient to keep it going. As with
every private school and college that is
keeping abreast or ahead of the times,
Perkins needs to see its endowment
grow. Through bequests and dona-
tions, and through a few government
grants, we have been able to expand
existing services and add new ones as
needed. We are confident that our
friends will continue to support us in
ever increasing amounts.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise, and be-
queath to the Perkins School for the
Blind, a corporation duly organized
and existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the

sum of dollars

($ ) , the same to be applied to

the general uses and purposes of said
corporation under the direction of its
Board of Trustees; and I do hereby di-
rect that the receipt of the Treasurer
for the time being of said corporation
shall be sufficient discharge to my ex-
ecutors for the same.

Form of Devise of Real Estate

I give, devise and bequeath to the
Perkins School for the Blind, a corpo-
ration duly organized and existing un-
der the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, that certain tract of real
estate bounded and described as fol-
lows:

(Here describe the real estate accu-
rately)

with full power to sell, mortgage and
convey the same free of all trust.

Notice

The address of the Treasurer of
the Corporation is as follows: JOHN
W. BRYANT, Fiduciary Trust Co., 175
Federal Street, P.O. Box 1647
Boston, MA 02105-1647

Perkins School for the Blind

Perkins School for the Blind was in-
corporated March 2, 1829. The school is
an accredited member of the New Eng-
land Association of Schools and Colleges,
the National Accreditation Council for
Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped, and the National Associa-
tion of Independent Schools. It is licensed
by the Massachusetts Departments of Edu-
cation and Mental Retardation — and by
the Commonwealth's Office for Children.

'The Perkins School for the Blind
admits students of any race, color, national
and ethnic origin to all the rights, privi-
leges, programs, and activities generally ac-
corded or made available to students at the
school. It does not discriminate on the ba-
sis of race, color, national or ethnic origin
in the administration of its educational
policies, scholarship and loan programs,
and athletic and other school-admini-
stered programs."

Perkins School

for the Blind

175 North Beacon Street

Watertown, MA

02172-9982

(617) 924-3434

Non-Profit
Organization

Bulk Rate

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 56547

Boston, MA

TheLantern

Perkins School For The Blind Fall 1989

The Lantern

Message From The Director

The Hilton/Perkins Program
Responsibility And Vision

Perkins School for the Blind's long and distinguished history is often
highlighted in TJie Lantern as a reminder to all of us of the legacy of ac-
complishment and innovation that we continue to carry on today, f
Our legacy of past accomplishment serves as a reminder of current
responsibility, and although remembering our history is important,
when we celebrate the past we must do so with a clear view of the fu-
ture. We must meet the emerging needs of students, clients and their
families today and tomorrow, f On August 8th of this year, the Conrad
N. Hilton Foundation of Los Angeles, California awarded Perkins a
grant that will enable us to make major advances in providing serv-
ices to multi-handicapped blind children and their families in this
country and internationally. The funds provided by the Hilton Foun-
dation will be directed to the new programs and services described later
in this issue of The Lantern, f The dedication and commitment of our
current staff and our history of successful response to challenge
qualifies Perkins to administer the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Grant. I am confident that with the continued dedication of our staff
and the commitment of our friends, we will suc-
cessfully implement the new and much needed
Hilton/Perkins Program, while continuing to pro-
vide quality services in all of our ongoing programs.
Kevin J. Lessard, Director

4 Learning To See

Low Vision Services is helping Perkins students like Beth Gannon
and Katy Gareau make the most of the vision they have.

Though summer is
gone, its warmth is
still with us.

Cover and above:
Jason Kuzmeskus

9 Summer School

As autumn ushers in cooler weather and brilliant colors,
share our students' warm memories of summer and perhaps be
reminded of some of your own.

12 The Hilton/Perkins Program

A major grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation of Los
Angeles, California will enable Perkins to initiate new programs
in underserved areas.

14 Young Artists

Bright, bold and inspired. The art created by our Lower School
students is uniquely expressive.

16 Graduation

18 Teacher Training Graduation

20 Reflections

22 Development

The Lantern

Volume LIX, Number 1
Fall 1989

Contents

JL riends and visi-
tors often ask if
all the Perkins stu-
dents and clients
are blind The an-
swer is not simply
yes or no. Our stu-
dents are not all

totally blind. They have a wide range of
visual impairments and visual abilities.
Some perceive only light, while others
can read normal size print. Beth Gan-
non and Katy Gareau provide two re-
vealing examples of students who have
some visual ability. Our challenge is to
teach Beth, Katy, and all our students
to use their vision to the fullest extent
possible.

Low Vision Services Coordinator
Vickie Brennan, Low Vision Education

Specialist Dennis
Lolli, and each
member of the
Perkins staff meet
this challenge ev-
ery day. The Low
Vision Program,
initiated on the
Perkins campus in 1983, provides a full
complement of vision services. Each of
our students and clients is examined by
a doctor of optometry at least once a
year in our on-campus low vision clinic.
The Perkins Clinic is associated with
the New England College of Optome-
try, and students from the college serve
as interns at Perkins.

In addition to doing examinations
and prescribing optical aids for our
students, low vision specialists and op-

o & r

Learning
To See

Treasure hunt

Watching 1 0 year old Lower
School student Beth Gannon and
Low Vision Specialist Donna
Duggan during mobility class
illustrates that Iiard work can be
a lot of fun.

As class begins, Beth reaches
into a shopping bag filled with
brightly colored objects and picks
out a red shoelace. Size looks it over
and describes what she sees to
Donna.

Now the real fun - and work -
begins. Beth needs to find another
shoelace just like the one she s cho-
sen from the shopping bag. Donna
gives Beth a clue—
"Look on the Lower
School bulletin
board." Beth de-
cides on a route
and heads off to
find the missing
shoelace.

As tliey cross
the Lower School
campus Donna oc-
casionally has to remind Beth to
keep her head up and to use her vi-
sion. Beth soon finds the bulletin
board and locates the shoelace.
"How did you find it?" Donna
asks. "I used my vision, " is the
immediate reply.

Beth finds several other items
and matches them with things site's
drawn from Donna s shopping
bag. She is obviously enjoying the
class, but she is also concentrating
hard on using her vision.

Although this class may have
seemed like a simple treasure hunt,
it was much more than that. When
Beth arrived at Perkins, her medi-
cal records indicated that she had
virtually no vision — she was
thought to see only shadows. Four
years later, "games " like the one she
played with Donna are in a sense
teaching Beth to see.

Surprise!

When Katy Gareau arrives for
her mobility lesson she seems on the
verge of bubbling over. Something
is funny and Katy has the giggles,
but she won 't tell mobility instruc-
tor Janet Cason why. She luants to
keep it a secret.

As their lesson begins, Katy
guides herself through the Lower
School courtyard, across the Perk-
ins campus, and into the Howe
Building snack bar using her cane
and her vision. The twelve year old
has practiced this route often, and
she travels quickly and confidently.
Her cane frees her to use her vision
to look for landmarks along her
route, rather than at the path di-
rectly in front of her.

When they arrive at the snack
bar, Janet helps Katy establish a
"home base " near the light switch.
From there Katy is asked to stop,
look around the room, and get
herself oriented. She focuses on the

windows that line t/ie snack bar
walls, walks to one window, then
finds the plants hanging near cm-
other window. As Katy moves
through the room, Janet reminds
her to use her vision. She does.

She avoids the various tables
and, chairs, sees tlie juice machine,
and begins to giggle again. After
returning to "home base" and mov-
ing through the room several more
times for practice, Katy goes back to
the machine and selects two apple
juices. Her smile and laugh make it
evident that she has enjoyed the
lesson, but she has also worked
hard at using her vision. As she sits
down to enjoy iter cool drink, Katy
reveals her secret. She offers the sec-
ond juice to her teacher. "Surprise!"

Katy s records, like Beth s, indi-
cated that she had virtually no
vision when she arrived at Perkins
four years ago. And, like Beth,
Katy is learning to use the vision
she has.

tometrists are available to consult with
teachers and do environmental evalu-
ations and vision stimulation training.
These services are not available in most
conventional low vision clinics. Accord-
ing to mobility instructor Janet Cason,
"Vickie's consultation reinforced what
I learned in graduate school. She
helped me formulate goals to encour-
age Katy to use her vision."

Katy's situation demonstrates the
value of Low Vision Services. Katy's first
teacher, Mary McCarthy, believed that
her new student possessed more vision
than was indicated in the reports she'd
read. She set up an appointment with
Vickie and clinic optometrist Dr. Charles
Patorgis. Mary wanted to know if Katy
had usable vision.

According to Vickie Brennan, the
results of Katy's first evaluation were
remarkable. 'The most striking mem-
ory I have from that first day," said

Vickie, "is of an assessment we did
with colored pictures. Although Katy
couldn't name the different colors, she
sorted the pictures by color. This was
extremely surprising for someone who
was thought to perceive only light."

We know students like Katy have
visual impairments. We use functional
vision evaluations to find out how they
perform with the vision they have,
and how we can enhance their vision
or their environment so they can
perform better.

Vickie and Dr. Patorgis believe that
such evaluations contribute to make
Perkins Low Vision Services unique.
According to Vickie, "What makes us
different is that we are serving a multi-
handicapped population, and we are
educationally rather than medically
based. We have some very creative ways
of evaluating the vision of students who
are difficult to test because of their

It is a mistake to

assume that someone

who has vision

will automatically

use it. Learning to

see is learning to use

existing vision

in the most effective

way possible.

other disabilities. Also, our evaluations
are ongoing because we are constantly
getting input from parents, teachers,
houseparents, and program aides - the
people who know our students best.
Finally, we take a multi-sensory ap-
proach to low vision. If a student has
poor vision and does not receive assis-
tance interpreting what is seen, that
student tends to rely on other senses.
We teach them to use their remaining
vision with their other senses."

Dr. Patorgis adds that "the on-cam-
pus clinic is incredibly valuable. Stu-
dents are evaluated in a natural envi-
ronment, and their progress is closely
monitored so examinations are more
reliable."

Reliable examinations usually lead
to progress. Through a series of evalu-
ations, Beth and Katy were found to
have usable vision, and this knowledge
was effectively communicated to their
parents and to the Perkins staff who
work with them. According to Dr.
Kathy Miller, another optometrist in
our clinic, "It is crucial that everyone

working with a student encourage and
reinforce the use of vision. Improving
our students' visual skills must be part
of a team effort."

Beth Gannon's classroom teacher,
Mary McCarthy, is a key member of the
"team" Dr. Miller is referring to. Mary
often reminds Beth to use her vision in
the classroom. "We are treating her as
a seeing person. Her confidence and
the good feeling that comes from
being able to do things for herself must
continue to develop."

Coordinator Vickie Brennan sums
up the work of Low Vision Services say-
ing, "It is a mistake to assume that if
someone has vision they will automati-
cally use it. Many of our students do
not know how to interpret what they
are seeing. Our goal is to understand
how our students see so we can help
them to understand what they are see-
ing. Learning to see is learning to use
existing vision in the most effective way
possible. Beth, Katy, and many of our
other students are learning to do this,
and it makes a difference."

We hope to provide low vision services to
multi-handicapped children beyond the Perk-
ins campus. This hope has been partially re-
alized through a federally funded project that
brings our services to deaf-blind children
throughout New England. Perkins Low Vi-
sion specialists are assessing children in their
homes and schools and assisting families
and teachers develop and implement pro-
grams to help deaf-blind children "learn to
see. " If you know of a child with vision and
hearing impairments who might benefit
from this service, please call us at (61 7)
924-3434, extension x296.

S. II M H E ft

SCHOOL

Summertime. What memories return from
past summers? The beach ... the mountains ... a favor-
ite lake ... keeping cool when it was hot. Devouring ice
cream after a cookout ... gazing at fireworks ... read-
ing a good book. Perhaps trying something for the first
time... like water skiing, sculling, or kayaking.

Summer is a special time for all of us, and the

students at Perkins are no exception. For them summer
school provides an opportunity to improve daily
living, social, and academic skills. And as you can
see, it also provides an opportunity for much more.

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'Badiru'the.h&t'

Director Kevin J. Lessard announc
ed recently that the School has
received a $15 million grant from the
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation of Los
Angeles, California. This grant, to
be distributed over
the next five years,
is one of the largest
ever made in the
area of blindness
and special educa-
tion. It is the largest
grant ever received
by the Perkins
School.

The Hilton
Foundation, established in 1944 by
Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton
Hotels Corporation, has provided
Perkins with funding for the develop-
ment of new programs designed to
support the multi-handicapped blind
and their families in the United States
and around the world.

"Major new program initiatives will
be undertaken in a variety of areas,"

This is a unique opportunity

TO PROVIDE NEW SERVICES

FOR MULTI-HANDICAPPED BLIND

CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.

said Lessard. 'The Hilton/Perkins
National Program will include
home-based services for blind multi-
handicapped infants and their families,
support systems for parents of blind

multi-handicapped
children, and fi-
nancial assistance
for the training of
teachers at colleges
and universities.
Perkins welcomes
the opportunity to
initiate the innova-
tive programs to be
funded by the
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation."

Presendy, few services exist for
comprehensive care of multi-handi-
capped blind infants. Parents often
endure the early weeks and months of
their children's lives with very little
support. The goal of the Hilton/
Perkins Infant Toddler Program is to
provide early intervention and consul-
tation to under-served populations in

Perkins Receives

Hilton Foundation Grant

For The Creation Of

New Programs

four model service areas around the
country.

Parents also often need support
raising their multi-impaired blind chil-
dren. The Hilton/Perkins program
will include a component designed to
give parents support and direction for
the training and education of their
children. It will help parents care for
and advocate on behalf of their chil-
dren as they grow older, begin school,
and eventually become integrated into
the community.

Unfortunately, as multi-handi-
capped blind children approach
school age, their parents find that
there is a great shortage of trained
teachers for special needs students in
the United States. To address this ur-
gent need, the Hilton/Perkins
Program plans to expand teacher
training and in-service training on a
national level.

The Hilton/Perkins Program also
provides for an international compo-
nent which includes some services that

are similar to those in the National
Program. Services will be provided for
parents of blind and multi-handi-
capped infants in several countries in
Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The
Hilton/Perkins International
Program also will emphasize teacher
training as the most effective way to
expand services for multi-handicapped
blind children and adults throughout
the world. In addition to ongoing
training of special education teachers,
the program will sponsor special tech-
nical assistance projects each year for
the training of parents and profession-
als in foreign countries.

C. Richard Carlson, the President
of the Board of Trustees at Perkins,
expressed the gratitude of the Perkins
community to the Conrad Hilton
Foundation "for a special and unique
opportunity to expand services for
multi-handicapped blind children and
their parents in the United States and
around the world."

Young
Artists

The creations of our
Lower School students
are displayed each
May at the Parents'
Week Art Show. This
exhibit is the culmina-
tion of a year's work
on projects that incorporate a variety
of materials. Clay, wood, fabric, card-
board, and more are used in creations
that are as pleasing visually as they are
tactually.

The artistic efforts of these stu-
dents, ages 5-14, have been directed by
Ms. Robby Tomascoff for the past 10
years. Her objectives are similar to
those of our other teachers - improv-
ing hand, language, and social skills,
and expanding expressive abilities.

The Art Show allows Robby' s stu-
dents to experience the pride and satis-
faction of sharing their work with par-
ents, classmates, and the entire Perkins
community.

i / Every year, the

\ ^|l highlight of the

show is an original
quilt based on a different
theme such as "Imaginary
Animals," "Seasons^' or "Environments."
Students each create their own
squares. They choose fabrics, then cut,
pin, and sew each square with Robby's
guidance. Individual squares are
joined together, and the finished quilt
is a true work of art.

Our students wish their work could
be seen and touched by more people.
They'd like to share it with you.

If you know of a place - a library,
office building, or
mall - where one
of our quilts might
be enjoyed, call
Public Relations W^Pt
at (617) 924-3434,
extension 335.

Nineteen members of the
Class of 1989 participated
in Commencement Exercises on
the morning ofjnne 16, 1989.
Patricia M. Taylor, the Coordina-
tor of Deaf -Blind Services for the
Connecticut Board of Education,
addressed the class.

Patty Taylor was praised
by Director Kevin Lessard for
providing almost fifty years of
service to blind and deaf-blind
students. The Anne Sullivan
Medal winner began her career
in 1941 after graduating from
the Perkins Teacher Training
Program which was then affili-
ated with Harvard University.
Prior to the graduation exercises
that year, she left Perkins to
start work at The Seeing Eye in
Morristown, NJ. She never re-
ceived her diploma. To the de-
light of the Class of 1989 and
their guests, the Director made
up for this and awarded Patricia
M. Taylor with a well deserved
and long awaited Teacher
Training Diploma.

Kevin Lessard and C. Richard
Carlson, President of the Perkins
Board of Trustees, presented
Diplomas and Certificates of
Accomplishment to the graduates.

The Class of 1989 - Denise Theresa
Baker, Quincy, MA; Dolly Lynn
Boyce, Belmont, MA; Cynthia
Jeanne Connors, Epsom, NH;
Michael Lawrence Dolan, Peabody,
MA; James Edward Feeney, Jr.,
Cumberland, RI; Matthew John
Fitzgerald, Marblehead, MA;
Thomas James Gilbert, Somerville,
MA; Dean Lamar Gordon, Warrens-
ville Heights, OH; Kerry Wayne
Ingalls, North Springfield, VT; Brian
David Kelly, Franklin, MA; Thomas
Aithony Lennon,Jr., Maiden, MA;
Francis Raymond Mclsaac, East
Weymouth, MA; Erin Janette
McNamara, Dorchester, MA; Derek
David Meachen, Trumbull, CT;
Ronald Scott Minott, Windham, ME;
Valerie Jean Morris, Holyoke, MA;
Louise Nowell, Woburn, MA; James
Thomas Ryan, Swansea, MA;
Elizabeth Souza, Dorchester, MA.

Annual Awards: The RobertJ.
Giggey Award for Reading - Chui
Hei Chan; The Carl H. Waddell
Memorial Prize for Girls' Athletics -
Denise Theresa Baker; The Joseph
E. Wiedenmayer Achievement
Award -James Thomas Ryan; The
Rose Vivian Academic Achievement
Award -James Thomas Ryan.

Graduation

J. o everyone at Perkins
who has helped James and
touched our lives . . . thank you
for all you have done to help
our son become the man he is
today. You met him at the
worst time of his life and saw
him leave on one of the happi-
est and proudest days of his
life and ours, f Being a par-
ent was made easier knowing
that a support system was
there and ahoays willing to
help, f As you continue to
share with the students en-
trusted to your care, know that
you will never be forgotten.

With much love and gratitude,
Barbara andJimRyan, parents
of James Ryan, Class of 1989

James Ryan is all smiles after receiv-
ing his high school diploma and two
awards for academic excellence.

Every graduating class at every
school is composed of a unique-
blend of personalities and talents, but
there was something special about the
1989 Perkins Teacher Trainees. Perhaps
it was the two Inter-
national Days they
hosted for the Per-
kins community, or
the motivation and
spirit they exhibited
in all they did. Pro-
gram Supervisor
Cafer Barkus said
of the class, 'These
trainees were in-
volved even more than usual. There
was a liveliness, an enthusiasm, that
lent itself to greater integration into
the life of the school. They got along
extremely well among themselves, with
the Perkins staff, and with our students
and clients. The chemistry was abso-
lutely right! "

This class was also special in an-
other way. The majority of the nine
trainees will return home to begin
teacher training programs. By educat-
ing teachers in their own countries,

they will multiply the
knowledge they
gained in the Perk-
ins Program. As the
saying goes, "you
can give a man a fish
and feed him for a
day -but if you
teach him to fish,
you've nourished
him for a lifetime."
Our graduates and the teachers they
train will improve the lives of blind
and visually impaired children
throughout the world.

Good chemistry was certainly on
display at the Teacher Training
Graduation Exercises held on the
morning of May 26th. Students and
staff greeted the graduates with a

Teacher Trainees
Graduate And Return
To The Far Corners

Of The World

warm ovation and, following remarks
by Kevin Lessard and Perkins' Direc-
tor of International Services, Larry
Campbell, the Secondary Services
Choir treated the graduates to a rendi-
tion of "The Greatest Love of All." Mrs.
Betty Fulton of Sherwood, Michigan
was then recognized for her contribu-
tion to the Teacher Training Program.
For years Betty has welcomed Perkins
Trainees into her home prior to
their arrival in Watertown, and she
also has hosted many trainees during
Christmas vacations.

Danuta Wojnacki of Argentina
spoke for the class and expressed
thanks for the opportunity to partici-
pate in the Perkins Program. Diplomas
and Certificates were then awarded,
and the class received another ovation.

We wish them all the best as they
return home to begin their crucial
work.

Former Teacher
Training Pro-
gram Supervisor
Liz Sparks shares
a joyful moment,
with graduate
Suwimon
Udom-Piriyasak
of Thailand .

The 1989 Graduates:
Amadou Kebbeh, Gambia
Suwimon Udom-Piriyasak, Thailand
Irham Hosni, Indonesia
Yang Su Cho, South Korea
Danuta Wojnacki, Argentina
Luz Elena Tirado, Colombia
Sari Rudiyati, Indonesia
Bart DeVries, Holland
Ranjith Dhanapala, Sri Lanka

Outreach Services

The Perkins Outreach
Sendees brings mainstream-
ed visually impaired students
together with their peers.
The importance of meet-
ing friends who can under-
stand the frustrations and
accomplishments of being

a blind student in a public
school classroom cannot
be underestimated. In the
past, Outreach Teen
Weekends have provided
the opportunity for main-
streamed students to spend
time together. This summer
we organized a five-week
program which included
academic and computer
skills tutorials, career
counseling, and a variety
of outdoor activities. The
students were terrifically
enthusiastic, and we hope
to offer a similar program
next summer.

Reflections

Perkins people and happenings

on campus and abroad

Perkins in Poland
With Barbara Bush

This past July, as President
George Bush travelled
through Europe, first lady
Barbara Bush made some
side trips on her own.
When she visited the Laski
School for the young dis-
abled in Warsaw, Poland,
Mrs. Bush received a choral
welcome and a bouquet of
red, white, and blue flowers
from the students there.
In return, Mrs. Bush pre-
sented a Perkins Brailler to
the school as a gift from
the American people.

The Perkins
Brailler was designed
in the 1940's by David
Abraham, a teacher in our
Industrial Arts Department.
The machine is basically
a braille typewriter. Howe
Press here on the Perkins
campus has produced
almost 200,000 braillers
since 1951.

We are pleased that our
small contribution helped
make Mrs. Bush's visit a
success, and we hope that
the brailler will help the
Polish students as they
strive to improve their lives
and increase their inde-
pendence.

Alumni Weekend

Kevin Lessard received this
thank you note from our
alumni following their re-
cent reunion weekend. We
share it here with friends of
Perkins hoping that it com-
municates the warm feel-
ings shared by the School
and our students.

Dear Mr. Lessard:

The members of the Perkins
Alumni Association wish to ex-
press to you their heartfelt thanks
for a wonderful weekend reunion.
Old friendships were renewed, new
friendships were made, and with so
many members of the 50th reunion
class returning, it was a chance for
many members to see classmates
they d been out of touch with
foryears.

The membership is well aware
of the needs of the School. Sent with
a strongfeeling of love and dedica-
tion for our former School, and in
many cases home away from home,
we hope the enclosed gift will, in
some small way help those who,
; like us in past years, currently
receive so much from their Perkins
educations.

With Sincere Best Wishes,
George E. Blake,
Class of 1955
Treasurer,
Perkins Alumni
Association

Reflections

We hope you've enjoyed
the first two editions of
Reflections. It's designed to
bring you closer to the
people and the wide variety
of happenings at Perkins.

Reflections is a column for
everyone. Please send your
ideas and photos!

That's Why We Call
Them Explorers

You never know where the
Explorers of Perkins Post
225 and their fearless
leader, Perkins Research
Librarian Ken Stuckey, are
going to wind up next. It
could be high adventure
camp in the Adirondacks,
Fenway Park, Mystic Sea-
port, or a sugar farm in
New Hampshire. How
about llama trekking
through the woods of
Maine?!

The King and I
The King and I
The King and I

In Siam, no one's head can
be higher than the King's.
Fortunately, the rules are
different here at Perkins.
All of the Secondary Serv-
ices students who contrib-
uted to the musical produc-
tion of 'The King and I" de-
serve to hold their heads
high . . . whether the King
approves or not!

Alumni
Calender

Monday, November 6, 1 1 am
Corporation Day Director's
Memorial Exercises

Sunday, December 17, 3 pm
Holiday Concert

Tuesday, December 19, 7:30 pm
Holiday Concert

Saturday, May 5, 1 pm
Alumni Baseball Game

Friday, June 15, 11 am
Graduation Exercises

June 15 -17
Alumni Weekend

Inaugural Pooled Life
Income Gift

Raymond Vernon of
Harvard University's
Kennedy School of
Government has had a
keen interest in the educa-
tion of blind and visually
impaired students for
many years.

Professor Vernon has
had recurring eye prob-
lems for most of his life.
During the 1940's his vis-
ual impairment became
so severe that he taught
himself to read braille. As a scholar
and a voracious reader, his braille
skills and the talking books his wife
Josephine created proved invaluable to
him as his vision continued to fluctuate.

Today, the 76 year old professor
continues to teach at the Kennedy
School. He bicycles to work and is on
the Charles River in his shell at every
opportunity. In addition to keeping fit,
Professor Vernon completes a regular
routine of eye exercises to improve and
protect his sight. He began wearing
special contact lenses eight months ago
and reports such a miraculous im-
provement in his vision that he has
resumed driving and reading normal
sized print.

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon have been
active supporters of Perkins for many
years. Recently, when they decided to
make a larger commitment, we re-
ceived the inaugural gift to the Perkins
Pooled Life Income Fund.

The Perkins Fund operates very
much like a mutual fund. The Vernons

The Perkins

Pooled Life

Income Fund

operates

very much

like a mutual

fund

enjoy the satisfaction of
making a significant
contribution today, while
protecting their future
financial security. They
receive income for life,
an immediate income tax
charitable deduction,
and because they donated
appreciated securities,
capital gains taxes were
eliminated. A gift to the
Perkins Pooled Life
Income Fund could also
increase a donor's annual income.

For additional information on the
Perkins Pooled Life Income Fund or
other planned giving opportunities
contact Harry Colt or Bill Brower at
(617) 924-1239.

In Gratitude

Perkins School for the Blind gratefully
acknowledges recent donations in memory of
Margaret Leona Alther, Helen T. Armstrong,
Cy Aron, Kelly Arthur, Edna M. Blair, Agnes
Boumeuf, Jeannette Boyer, James Burke, Eva
Cahoon, Helen Chaffee, Eloise Clark, D.
Elizabeth Clarke, James Clarke, Agnes W. Deal,
Ann Ditzler, Members of the Duban Family,
Albert M. Durgin, Luigi Fantoni, Helen Funk,
' Gertrude Gauthier, Robert J. Giggey, Sarah and
Robert Ginsberg, Horatio William Hendrick,
Harold C. Knight, Jacob Koss, George
Lambrenos, Nora Leary, William F. LeBlanc,
Mr. Kneeland, William J. Maher, Caroline Malo,
Margaret McDonald, Barbara Mareaie, Joseph
F. Mello, Amelia Mercandetti, Mary Motta,
Mary Murphy, John A. Noonan, Ernest Pennell,
Lillian Rogers, Annie M. Roy, Carmin Sarlo,
CeceliaJ. Sheridan, Edward J. Sheridanjames
Snoffield, Sally Victor, Alfreda Walsh, and
Thomas C. Winsor.

Dr. Augustus Thorndike served as
the President of the Perkins Board
of Trustees from 1954 through 1971-
one of the longest tenures in the
school's history. Dr. Thorndike 's presi-
dency is memorable, however, for
much more than its length. Under his
leadership the school met the chal-
lenges presented by a rapidly chang-
ing student population. Dr. Thorndike
and Dr. Edward J. Waterhouse, Perkins'
fifth director, expanded services,
initiated new programs, and enlarged
facilities. Their legacy of responsive-
ness and adaptability in the face of
change lives on at Perkins today.

On May 10, 1989 the Dr. Augustus
Thorndike Room was dedicated in the
Howe Building. The generosity of
Thorndike family members and
friends provided for improvements,
and the redecorated room will con-
tinue to serve as a staff meeting place.
Dr. Thorndike's children Sally, John,

Thorndike
Dedication

and Nick, as well as many of his old
friends and members of the Perkins
community, were present for the
dedication.

Dr. Waterhouse reminisced about
the years he served with Dr. Thorndike,
while current Board President C.
Richard Carlson summed up the dedi-
cation nicely when he said, "I think
Dr. Thorndike would approve of
the Perkins
of today - a
school which
continues
to evolve in
response to
the needs of
its students."

Perkins
Endowment

The Perkins Program as it has developed
and been maintained for more than one
hundred and fifty years has relied upon a grow-
ing endowment at every step along the way.

Endowments which are adequate to put a
program into effect are rarely sufficient to keep
it going. As with every private school and college
that is keeping abreast or ahead of the times,
Perkins needs to
see its endowment
grow. Through be-
quests and dona-
tions, and through
a few government
grants, we have
been able to ex-
pand existing serv-
ices and add new
ones as needed.
We are confident

that our friends will continue to support us in
ever increasing amounts.

Form of Bequest

I hereby give, devise, and bequeath to the
Perkins School for the Blind, a corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the sum of

dollars ($ ) , the same to be

applied to the general uses and purposes of said
corporation under the direction of its Board of
Trustees; and I do hereby direct that the receipt
of the Treasurer for the time being of said
corporation shall be sufficient discharge to my
executors for the same.

Notice

The address of the Treasurer of the
Corporation is as follows: JOHN W. BRY\NT,
Fiduciary Trust Co., 175 Federal Street, P.O.
Box 1647, Boston, MA 02105-1647.

Perkins School for the Blind

Perkins School for the Blind was
incorporated March 2, 1829. The school is
an accredited member of the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges, the
National Accreditation Council for Agen-
cies Serving the Blind and Visually Handi-
capped, and the National Association of
Independent Schools. It is licensed by the
Massachusetts Department of Education
and Mental Retardation - and by the
Commonwealth's Office for Children.

The Perkins School for the Blind
admits students of any race, color, creed,
national and ethnic origin to all the rights,
privileges, programs, and activities gener-
ally accorded or made available to students
at the school. It does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, creed, national or
ethnic origin in the administration of its
educational policies, scholarship and loan
programs, and athletic and other school-
administrated programs.

Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown,MA02l72
(617) 924-3434
Editor: Bill Brower

Non-Profit
Organization

Bulk Rate

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 56547

Boston, MA

The Lantern

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