Directory of Activities for the Blind in the United States and Canada
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1 DIRECTORY OF ACTIVITIES pl«/«» FOR THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA Including Prevention of Blindness Organizations and Sight-Saving Classes Complied by Helga Lcnde Eighth Edition I'^T' HA 1 I ( ^ OR THF RT IND, INC, PRINT 362.41 L. Lende, Helga. DIRECTORY OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANAD4. ~ DATE DUE I PRINT 362.41 L. Lende, Helga. DIRECTORY OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, c. 1 LIBRARY IOWA COMMISSION FOR THF, BLlMi Fourtli and KeoHauqua ^aj Dec Moinefli Iowa 50309 L. DIRECTORY OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from National Federation of the Blind (NFB) http://www.archive.org/details/directoryofactivOOIend DIRECTORY OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA Including Prevention of Blindness Organizations and Sight-Saving Classes Compiled by Helga Lende Eighth Edition New York, 1950 AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND, INC. 15 West i6th Street PRIN'reO IN U.S.A. PREFACE TO EIGHTH EDITION The aim of this Directory is to provide for the use of social workers and other friends of the bhnd data regarding national and local activities carried on for the welfare of sightless persons in the United States and Canada. Many hundreds of letters were sent out, and every effort was made to cover the field comprehensively. During the time re- quired to assemble and compile this information, however, changes doubtless occurred in statistics and personnel. On the whole, we believe that users of this Directory will find the data reasonably accurate as of the date of publication. Note In publishing this Directory, the American Founda- tion for the Bhnd neither endorses nor assumes responsibihty for the organizations herein Hsted. The statements regarding these organizations are for the most part submitted by the organizations themselves. Table of Contents PART I Public Agencies Whose Activities are Nation-Wide in Scope .... Private Agencies Whose Activities arc Primarily Nation-Wide in Scope PART II State and Local Agencies for the Blind and for the Prevention of Blindness . 19 Alabama 19 Nevada 61 Alaska 20 New Hampshire 62 20 Arizona New Jersey 63 Arkansas 21 New Mexico 65 California 22 New York 66 Colorado 25 North Carolina 74 Connecticut 26 North Dakota 76 Delaware 27 Ohio 77 District of Columbia 28 Oklahoma 80 Florida 30 Oregon 81 Georgia 31 Pennsylvania 82 Hawaii 32 Puerto Rico 90 Idaho 33 Rhode Island 91 Illinois 34 South Carolina 92 Indiana 37 South Dakota 93 Iowa 39 Tennessee 94 Kansas 40 Texas 95 Kentucky 42 Utah 97 Louisiana 43 Vermont 98 Maine 45 Virgin Islands 98 Maryland 46 Virginia 99 Massachusetts 47 Washington 100 Michigan 52 West Virginia 102 Minnesota 55 Wisconsin Mississippi 57 103 Missouri 58 Wyoming 105 Montana 60 Nebraska 61 Canada 106 PART III Sight-Saving Classes in the United States and Canada 113 United States 113 Canada 125 PART IV Selected Lists of Agencies by Function 129 Index 145 Part I PUBLIC AGENCIES Whose Activities are Nation-Wide in Scope PRIVATE AGENCIES Whose Activities are Primarily Nation-Wide in Scope PUBLIC AGENCIES WHOSE ACTIVITIES ARE NATION-WIDE IN SCOPE The Library of Congress—Division for Funds the sum of $211,500 for the construction of Talking the Blind (1931); Washington 25, D.C.; Book machines "for the purpose of en- abling the blind to use the books now provided by George A. Schwegmann, Jr., Chief. the Library of Congress." This was the first of ten Serves the United States and Territories; main- allotments made up to 1942, when the Emergency tained by annual Federal appropriation with a top Relief Funds were not renewed, for the construction limit authorized for books in raised of $1,125,000 of Talking Book machines and Talking Book acces- characters for sound-reproduction records and for sories totaling $1,181,000 and providing for the the maintenance and replacements of the Govern- manufacture of 23,505 machines, of which 3,000 reproducers for these records. this ment-owned Of were spring-driven for use in districts where elec- total not to exceed spent amount $200,000 may be tricity was not available. These funds were ex- for books in raised characters. pended under direction of the Librarian of Con- Division for the Blind established on The was gress and the machines manufactured by relief labor I, 1 as a result of the of Congress July 193 Act under supervision of the American Foundation for approved authorized March 3, 193 1, which an the Blind. They were lent to needy individual blind annual appropriation of $100,000 to enable the readers through 55 agencies for the blind, co- Librarian of Congress "to provide books for the operating with the 25 Distributing Libraries, but ." adult blind residents of the United States . they remained the property of the Library. At the hearing which preceded the passage of The rapid increase of Talking Book readers this Act it was brought out that there were in the which the distribution of these machines created United States but 15 libraries for the blind of an (from 2,200 in 1935 to 18,462 in March, 1943) importance sufficient to justify the services of a naturally increased the demand for the records. This full-time attendant, and that these libraries were situation was recognized by Congress, which, by the concentrated in one section of the country. The Acts approved April 23, 1937, and June 6, 1940, whole stock of books for the blind in these libraries authorized an increase of the appropriation for this amounted to less than 150,000 volumes, many of purpose from $75,000 to $250,000 per annum and which were in obsolescent types. The Library im- also by the Act of June 26, 1944, authorized an mediately began the purchase of embossed books in appropriation of $400,000 for the purchase of Talk- edition lots, placing them in Regional Distributing ing Books and for the maintenance and replacement Libraries serve as centers which whence they may of Talking Book machines. By its Act of August be borrowed directly by the blind readers. There 8, 1946, Congress recognized an even greater need are now 25 Distributing Libraries at points through- for publishing both in braille and on records and out the United States and outlying possessions. In in authorizing for that year an appropriation of nineteen years of operation 918,925 volumes of em- $1,125,000 for the Division also recognized a con- bossed books (chiefly braille grade two, and some tinuing responsibility for the purchase, maintenance, Moon type) have been distributed. and replacement of Talking Book machines. To By 1934 the Talking Book had effectively demon- date approximately 180,000 containers of Talking strated its success, and a sufficient number of ma- Book records have been distributed and the ma- chines were in use to justify tentative distribution chines are now manufactured and distributed by of records as well as books. This procedure re- the Library of Congress. The total appropriation ceived Congressional sanction in the Act of June for 1950 was $1,000,000. I4» 19355 which authorized an expenditure not to Along with this program, the Division for the exceed $75,000 per annum for this purpose. This BHnd conducts a course in Standard English braille sum was sufficient to supply each year about 38 books to sighted volunteers who wish to become trans- of ordinary size in editions of 125 copies. cribers, but only when local qualified instructors On September 19, 1935 President Roosevelt allo- are not available in the field. It is responsible for cated to the Library from the Emergency Relief the final certification of all students who qualify as National Agencies—Public proficient braillists. Through these trained volun- Greater New York City and Long Island; Con- teer transcribers the Library of Congress is able to necticut; Puerto Rico; Virgin Islands supplement and complement the books produced Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma Library braille providing limited editions by the presses by Commission to meet special needs of blind readers. Expenses Oklahoma; Arkansas covering the proofreading, shellacking, and binding of books assigned by the Library of Congress for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Free Library of Phila- transcription, are assumed by the Library. delphia Pennsylvania east of Harrisburg; New Jersey; Delaware Distributing Libraries Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Library FOR of Pittsburgh The Library of Congress Pennsylvania west of Harrisburg; West Virginia Albany, Nevi' York: New York State Library Portland, Oregon: Library Association of Portland New York State other than greater New York Oregon; Idaho . City and Long Island; Vermont Sacramento, California: California State Library Atlanta, Georgia: Carnegie Library of Atlanta California; Nevada Georgia, Alabama, Florida Saginaw, Michigan: State Library for the Blind Austin, Texas: Texas State Library Michigan outside of Wayne County Texas St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Public Library Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Public Library Missouri; Kansas Illinois north of Springfield; Wisconsin Salt Lake City, Utah: Free Public Library of Salt Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati PubHc Library Lake City, Books for the Blind Ohio south of Columbus; Kentucky; Tennessee Utah; Wyoming Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Public Library Seattle, Washington: Seattle Public Library Ohio north of Columbus Washington; Montana; Alaska Denver, Colorado: Denver Public Library Washington, D. C: The Library of Congress Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico District of Columbia; Maryland, Virginia, North South Carolina Detroit, Michigan: Wayne County Library and Wayne County, Michigan Watertown, Massachusetts: Perkins Institution Li- Faribault, Minnesota: Minnesota Braille and Sight- brary Saving School Massachusetts; New Hampshire; Maine; Rhode Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota Island {See also individual state listings.) Honolulu, Hawaii: Library of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands Office of Education, Division of Elementary Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana State Library and Secondary Schools Federal Indiana (1930); Security Agency, Washington, D.