[nfbwatlk] FW: [Wcb-l] History kicks 7

[Mike Freeman]

-----Original Message-----
From: Wcb-l [mailto:wcb-l-bounces at wcbinfo.org] On Behalf Of frank cuta
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 2:10 PM
To: wcb-l at wcbinfo.org
Subject: [Wcb-l] History kicks 7


(from september 1966 Braille Monitor)


WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION HOLDS CONVENTION 

Members of the 12 local chapters of the Washington State Association of the
Blind gathered at the Monte Cristo Hotel in Everett from August 4th to 6th
for
their 31st Annual State Convention. A rich agenda was provided through the
efforts of Gerhard G. Ruben, executive secretary of the convention
committee,
and ably presided over by President Wesley M. Osborne. 

Some convention highlights were: 

New concepts in law enforcement were discussed by Robert Schillberg,
prosecuting attorney of Snohomish County. Francis Pearson, chairman of the
Washington
State Public Utilities and Transportation Commission (and himself blind)
discussed the past achievements of the WSAB and suggested some next steps.
Perry
Sundquist, a member of the Executive Committee of the National Federation of
the Blind and backstopping for President Jacobus tenBroek who was unable to
attend because of illness, discussed practical approaches to improving State
services for the blind in Washington. 

More than 100 persons attended the banquet at which Lt. Governor John A.
Cherberg and Perry Sundquist were the speakers. 

D. L. Archer, executive vice president of the Association of Western Pulp
and Paper Workers, presented greetings from labor and drew telling parallels
between
his union's experiences and the difficulties which the organized blind often
encounter with agencies. An international panel on the status of the blind
in several countries was participated in by the consul generals of Austria,
Germany, Great Britain and Japan. 

The convention adopted resolutions supporting the enactment into law of the
Model White Cane Law, endorsing without any reservations the struggle of the
Seattle White Cane Association to remain masters of its own destiny in spite
of COMSTAC, urging the transfer of services for the blind from the State
Department
of Public Assistance to the Department of Rehabilitation, supporting the
raising of funds for the building of a headquarters structure for WSAB, the
amendments
to Aid to the Blind statutes to provide for the granting of the maximum
exemptions permitted by federal laws and regulations, and opposing the
transfer
of the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver from the
Department of Institutions to the Department of Education. 

Richard Gustafson of Vancouver was elected president for the ensuing year;
Tom Gronning of Seattle, vice president; Nadine Lessard, Vancouver,
secretary,
and Nellie Couch, Olympia, treasurer. Wesley Osborne of Tacoma is the
Legislative chairman; Sam McGre of Everett, the Organization chairman;
Margaret Osborne,
Tacoma, the Public Relations chairman; Earl Madding, Seattle, the Ways and
Means chairman, and Oscar Mortenson, Seattle, the Welfare chairman. 

President Gustafson will be the delegate to the 1967 NFB Convention in Los
Angeles, and Tom Gronning was elected alternate delegate. Tacoma was
unanimously
selected as the convention city for the 1967 meeting of the WSAB. 


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