[nagdu] Usining a cane at Helen Keller

[marilyn]

Hi Everyone,
Back in the 80's when I attended the Helen Keller School for the Blind in Hempstead , NY I was told I can't use my dog in the building that she had to be put in a kennel there, no canes allowed in the building and every blind person walks on the right and hugs the wall. 
I went there for computer classes. Needless to say that didn't go over very well with me. When I spoke to the person in charge Ed Romano he said if you don't abide by our rules you can't attend this school. I commuted 5 and half hours a day to spend 31/2 in a class room. I took 4 trains , walked 11 blocks and took two buses and a taxi sometimes in one day. I called up GDF and told the head trainer what I was told.  My dog stressed out in this big metal dark box (prison). The O&M teacher would come to get me out of the class as my dog was whining and got a bloody nose as she kept hitting it on the metal .  GDF was ready to get involved when a friend gave me the phone number of CBVH in Albany and spoke to the head man. He was surprised I got his private number. He told me the next morning he would call down state NY and things would be changed immediately. The people at Helen Keller didn't tell the students that the rules were changed a year before and guide dogs can accompany you from class to class and you can use canes inside the building. Needless to say when I walked in the following morning I was not very well liked by some of the staff. Then I complained it cost me $19 dollars a day to commute there and asked if I could get reimbursed when I arrived in the morning. Back than that was a lot of money to lay out. I told the woman  that I know Helen Keller has petty cash and can give me back my money as they use to reimburse you for traveling every two weeks. They were shocked to see a blind person knew about petty cash. I told them I worked with book keeper on accounts payable and receivable.  I was called in the office and the social worker and some staff called me a Suffolk County Trouble maker. I told them that's not a bad thing to be called because I stood up for my rights while the other blind people were afraid but I got the policy that was changed the year before enforced. 
Marilyn and Anna