[CT-NFB] National Federation of the Blind of CT 1971-2021

[llee at nfbct.org]

Thanks to Gary Allen for finding the below article which was in the Braille
Monitor in February, 1972

CONNECTICUT REORGANIZES

by Kenneth Jernigan

Saturday, December 5, was a great day for the blind of Connecticut. On that
date the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut completely
reorganized, and what an organization it is going to be! This group gives
promise of becoming one of our best, most active, and strongest affiliates.

As most Federationists know, the National Office of the Federation and the
blind of Connecticut have been carrying on a rather intensive organizing
campaign in that state during the past few months. In October NFB Secretary
Lawrence Marcelino headed a team which spent over a week in the state. This
effort culminated in a convention on October 30--a convention characterized
by the attempt of an employee of the Connecticut agency to take control of
the organization (at which, incidentally, he failed completely). It was
decided at that time to hold the meeting for the reorganization of the
affiliate on Saturday, December 4. This was done, and I had the pleasure of
attending and chairing the proceedings.

I arrived late Friday afternoon, December 3, and was met by Franklin and
Gertrude VanVliet at the Hartford airport. We joined a number of the leading
blind persons of the area for dinner and made our plans for the next day.

Unfortunately we were denied the help of Gil Haddon, whom many of you met
and came to like so well at Houston. After a mild heart attack and pursuant
to doctor's orders, Gil sent me a letter of resignation as state president.
He had worked extremely hard to bring about the reorganization and
strengthening of the affiliate, and it was cause for real regret that he
could not be present.

On Saturday morning we met at the Oak Hill School for the Blind, where
delegates gathered from throughout the state. It was an alert, enthusiastic
group--one with a clear determination that the National Federation of the
Blind of Connecticut should be a truly independent organization, not
dominated by the agencies and not limited to coffee and cake and to social
activities. I began by outlining the steps which had led up to the meeting
and followed this with a report on Federation activities throughout the
country, attempting to place in perspective the day's proceedings.

Then questions and comments came from the floor. It was at this stage that
we had a bit of excitement. Everyone had wondered, of course, if the same
agency official who had tried to take control of the October meeting would
come for a second attempt. He didn't, but we had something very nearly as
good.

A man in the back of the room launched an attack on the October organizing
effort. When I tried to reason with him, he undertook to shout me down--a
moderately hard task since my vocal cords are in good condition, and I had
the advantage of having the microphone. I told him he would get equal time
but that he would have to listen as well as talk. He got his equal time, but
this didn't seem to be what he wanted since he didn't stay for the afternoon
session.

The rest of the meeting was not nearly so boisterous but much more
productive. It is always exciting to see a new or reorganized affiliate come
into being, and Connecticut was certainly no exception. As the afternoon
advanced, we adopted a constitution, elected officers, and made plans for
the coming year.

The new president of the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut is
Reverend Howard E. May, Jr., RFD 1, West Willington, Connecticut 06279.
Reverend May has been pastor of the Federated Church of Willington for
fourteen years and blind for the past ten. He holds degrees from the
University of Toledo and Colgate. He is married and has four children, three
of them adopted. Reverend May is a member of the Board of Managers of the
Connecticut Baptist Convention and a founding member of the Open Door
Society of Connecticut, which is an interracial adoption society. Besides
all of these things, Reverend May is enthusiastic, personable, and a
forceful speaker. He will make an excellent state leader.

The rest of the Board is also of high caliber. The first vice-president is
Ben Snow of Hartford. Mr. Snow holds an AA and BA from the University of
Bridgeport and an MA in Education and in Special Vocational Rehabilitation
from New York University. He is active in Scouting, serving as an assistant
district commissioner and editing a district newsletter.

The second vice-president is Mrs. Shirley Lebowitz of West Hartford, who is
one of the most active members of the Federation in the state. Blind for the
past ten years, Mrs. Lebowitz is a registered nurse. She has taught
communicable disease and precaution technique. She is married and has two
daughters. In addition to her Federation activities she runs a medical
transcribing service in her home. She is a member of the Order of the Golden
Chain of Beth Israel Synagogue and is active in community affairs. Mrs.
Lebowitz was one of the principal organizers and planners of the December 4
meeting, and I think she will make great contributions to the movement in
the years ahead--both at the state and national levels.

The secretary is Mrs. Dorothy N. Campbell of Newtown. Mrs. Campbell is
chaplain of her local Grange and is a long time member of the Eastern Star,
having held office in that organization. She has been a teacher and the
operator of a store. She is currently the Assistant to the Medical Librarian
at the Fairfield Hills Hospital in Fairfield, Connecticut. She holds a
degree from Columbia University. Monitor readers will remember her letter to
Mr. Barnett in the December issue concerning the "Step by Step Guide"
published by the American Foundation for the Blind. She is a thoroughly
dedicated Federationist.

The treasurer is Mrs. Theresa Calusine of Bloomfield. Sighted herself, she
has a blind daughter and an abiding interest in the movement. She is a
bonded employee of the J. M. Ney Company.

In addition to the officers four Board members were elected: H. Kevin
Harkins of Danbury, John Wellman of Hamden, Francis Meunier of Berlin, and
Sonia Rotko of Danbury. Mr. Harkins is a junior at Wooster School, a private
prep school, and he does volunteer work in drug abuse. John Wellman is a
promising young lawyer, holding an LLB from Drake University and an LLM from
Yale. He works for the Bridgeport Legal Services, an agency funded by OEO.
Again, we should hear a great deal from John Wellman in the years ahead.
Francis Meunier is a teacher of history at the St. James Boys' School. He
holds a BA from Bard College at Annandale on the Hudson, New York, and an MA
from Ohio University in Athens. Sonia Rotko works at the Southbury Training
School and has a degree from West Connecticut State College.

As you will see, this is quite a Board, and as I have already said, the
Connecticut affiliate is quite an organization. After the meeting I got
together with the Board for planning purposes, and then the VanVliets and I
went off to eat lobster and clams. The next morning Franklin and Gertrude
drove me to New York City for the NAC Board meeting.

I left Connecticut feeling much encouraged about the future of the
Federation in that state. The organization is solidly based and is sure to
make progress.

 

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