[Njagdu] Giving Those Who Are Blind A Seeing Eye

Sat Dec 3 19:48:03 UTC 2016

Giving Those Who Are Blind A Seeing Eye 

December 2, 2016  

By  Robert Golomb NewsLI.com

URL:
https://www.newsli.com/2016/12/02/dr-james-a-kutsch-jr-giving-those-who-are-
blind-a-seeing-eye/

NEW JERSEY - "If you run into an obstacle, don't allow yourself to be
stopped by it, but rather figure a way to go around it, under it, or above
it. And never let it prevent you from living your life to the maximum," Dr.
James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., (

www.SeeingEye.org)

a privately funded guide dog school founded in 1929 and now the oldest of
its kind in the world, told me in a recent interview held in his Morristown,
New Jersey office.

For Kutsch, 66, - who just before completing his junior year in a Wheeling,
West Virginia military high school was involved in a self- described,
"backyard chemistry experiment that went wrong," causing him to become
totally blind and to lose most of his right hand - that mantra became the
words that helped him overcome his misfortune. "It is a philosophy," Kutsch
explained, that, "on the long days and nights following the accident enabled
me to refuse to

allow myself to wallow in self-pity, and instead commit myself to live a
full, happy and complete life."

The journey to fulfill that personal commitment started just months later,
as he began his senior year in high school in the fall of 1967. An " A"
student in math and science prior to the accident, Kutsch, with the
assistance of his teachers who read tests aloud to him, continued to excel
in his studies. "I could not have succeeded without the help of these
dedicated teachers, and of course, the support I received from my wonderful
parents will remain in my heart and mind forever. But as my senior year
began to come to an end, I realized teachers could not read to me forever. I
knew I had to become independent,"

he recalled.

To gain that independence, Kutsch traveled to a rehabilitation center in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he learned Braille and other skills
necessary to function as a blind person. It proved to be a life changing
experience. "Having the ability to read without the assistance of others
reopened the doors of independent learning. That for me was the greatest
gift I could receive," he stated. The next year he enrolled at West Virginia
University (WVU).

It was then at the end of his freshmen year at WVU that Kutsch had his
second life changing experience. Kutsch, who told me his favorite show as a
child was about a seeing eye German Shepherd, traveled to Seeing Eye, Inc.-
the same organization he now heads- to be matched up with his first seeing
eye dog, "Sheba." It was my memories of watching the show ' Atta Girl Kelly'
that I believe primed me for having a guide dog.. Just as learning Braille
had given me the ability to read independently, Sheba provided me with the
freedom to travel and move about more easily," he explained.

Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., speaking at The
Seeing Eye.

With Sheba at his side (over the past 47 years he has had eight replacement
dogs) Kutsch continued his studies at WVU, earning a BA in psychology in
1972 and an MS in computer science one year later. From WVU, Kutsch moved on
to the University of Illinois (UVI); there, in 1975, as part of his doctoral
work in computer science, he designed the first talking computer for blind
computer users.

While that invention at the time was viewed throughout the technological
industry as being revolutionary, Kutsch downplayed his role in inventing it.
He explained that he had designed and subsequently published an article in a
professional journal about the talking computer for solely academic
purposes;

he also noted that after the article was published, several private
technology companies which during the same time frame had been working on
similar templates of their own, manufactured and internationally marketed
talking computers. "It was these companies, and not me which were
responsible for making this then cutting edge technology widely available
{to people who are blind}," he told me.

Kutsch, however, could not downplay another achievement, this of a personal
nature, which occurred while he was studying for his doctorate. He met and
married a woman he had met at WVU. Together, they were to raise their four
children- 2 boys and 2 girls. Moving the interview momentarily from the past
to the present, Kutsch described the current status of his family, noting,
"All my children, now grown, have diverse and successful careers of their
own, and there are six grandchildren {that I have}."

The early needs of that family were to influence the career path of Kutsch,
who in 1976, shortly after earning his doctorate, was hired as an assistant

professor of computer science at WVU. However, after teaching there for
three years, with a family growing in size and number, he moved on to work
in the more financially lucrative private industry, serving in vice
president level positions first at ATT and later at Convergys Labs.

That not one of these positions had any direct connection to the needs of
people who are blind was not purely a case of happenstance for Kutsch.
"People with a disability, on both personal and professional levels, do not
want to be defined or limited by their given physical restrictions," he
said. "For me, that meant building a career, not confined to only serving
others who are blind, but rather one in which I could best put to practical
use my knowledge of science, technology, problem solving, and
administration. I did believe, however, that one day I would change my
career direction and devote my life's work to help improve the quality of
life for people who are blind."

The chance to improve the life of such people came in 1996 when Kutsch was
appointed to serve on the board of directors of Seeing Eye- a volunteer,
non-salaried position that enabled him to continue to serve in his then
position as vice president of Strategic Technology at Convergys Labs. That
volunteer service, however, changed into a full time position in 2006, when
he accepted the board's offer to become president of Seeing Eye.

Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., speaking at an
event for a high school organization called DECA.

Kutsch, surprisingly, the first blind person to serve in that role,
described his feelings about assuming the presidency of an organization
which had played such a major role in his life, telling me he continued to
replay in his mind his first visit to Seeing Eye in 1970. "I remembered," he
stated, "entering the grounds of Seeing Eye and remembered the sounds of the
voices of the people who matched me with my first dog, "Sheba." "I also
clearly remembered how during the days, months and years that followed she
gave me so much independence and self- confidence. I also, most importantly,
realized that as president

I was now in the position to help provide others with guide dogs who would
do the same for them."

He was and remains in a position to accomplish just that. As president of
Seeing Eye, Kutsch is annually responsible for overseeing the selection and
training of approximately 250 dogs, almost all German Shepherds, Labrador
retrievers, golden retrievers and Labrador/golden crosses. These dogs are
then matched with a totally blind or severely visually impaired person, to
whom they provide around the clock physical guidance, as well, Kutsch noted,
as a great abundance

of around the clock love.

In addition, Kutsch's responsibilities include monitoring scientific studies
on canine health and development, conducted by researchers at Seeing Eye.
"We believe it is an essential part of our responsibility and a fundamental
part of our mission to improve the health and increase the working life of
our dogs," he said.

What is also important to Kutsch is that the job of president permits him
sufficient time to give lectures defining the mission and describing the
work of Seeing Eye and other similar organizations. These lectures are
offered at private and public grade schools, colleges, churches, synagogues
and a variety

of philanthropic institutions throughout America. Kutsch informed me that,
in addition to discussing his work with people who are blind in particular,
he also uses his presentations as an opportunity to advocate for all people
with physical challenges.

"I attempt," he said, "to describe to my audiences how modern medicine and
advanced scientific technology combined with the love and support of family
and friends can work incredible wonders for most people with disabilities,
irrespective of the cause or nature of their condition."

For Kutsch, add a dog named Sheba to that list.

Pictured Above: Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc.,
with his current Seeing Eye dog, "Vegas."

Robert Golomb is a nationally and internationally published columnist. Email
him at MrBob347 and follow him on Twitter at RobertGolomb

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