[stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess

[Pat Harmon]

As I recall, NFB promotes the capitalization of the word Braille in all 
situations.  It is capped as a noun, verb and adjective.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James H. "Jim" Canaday M.A. N6YR" <n6yr at sunflower.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 2:08 AM
Subject: Re: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess


> Pat et al,
> you have said some that connects with something I've been thinking about. 
> it was started by a question at a chapter meeting.
>
> should we capitolize the word braille when it doesn't refer to Louis 
> Braille but instead refers to his creation?
> we don't capitolize ink, pen, typewriter, paper, or maybe Crayon gets 
> capitolized because its a brand name.  bandage doesn't get capitolized but 
> Bandaid certainly does as a brand name.
>
> if we only capitolize Braille when it refers to Louis Braille, as in the 
> 2009 Braille memorial silver dollar, for example, that is of course right.
> but if as in this conversation we're talking about the braille princess 
> (operhaps capitolized as a title of a work), but the tag on her chair 
> would be in braille, lower case/uncapitolized.  the class should learn 
> braille, uncapitolized.  just as we say the class is learning reading and 
> writing, neither reading nor writing are capitolized.
>
> this may seem like a small thing, but fits with the question of whether we 
> want to be unique and highlight our uniqueness.  whether braille is 
> something foreign, special, isolated, separate, or just like ink, reading, 
> writing.
>
> my answer: only capitolize when referring to Mr. Braille the french dude.
>
> jc
> Jim Canaday M.A.
> Lawrence, KS
>
> At 11:09 PM 11/15/2009, you wrote:
>>The fact that Braille is reading and writing can never, ever be overlooked 
>>by touchy pictures, wild straw drawings, noodle art or colorful paint 
>>globs. BRAILLE IS READING.  It is not always read by a cute little boy or 
>>girl on grade level in public schools who happens to have diligent 
>>parents.  No matter what, BRAILLE IS READING.  At its basic level, it is 
>>language.
>>
>>If we believe blindness is a simple characteristic present in an 
>>individual the way curly hair is, we must not call too much attention to 
>>the touch technique required for finger reading.  Demands for reading and 
>>writing must resemble those of the demands for students using print.  We 
>>long to have our blind children included in classes, not set apart because 
>>he or she happens to be cute and "sort of" smart.  Inclusion must mean 
>>inclusion.  Braille must be reading and writing!
>>
>>Braille literacy is beautiful without drawings and photographs to appeal 
>>to the eye.  We can add them for fun, but Braille is at its best plain and 
>>basic.
>>
>>
>>(When I deliver speeches or programs to groups, I tell my life story as 
>>"Princess-want-to-be" because I always believed my life was supposed to be 
>>luxurious and problem-free.  Wrong!)
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
>>To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:43 AM
>>Subject: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess
>>
>>
>>>Fellow Writers
>>>RE: The Braille Princess
>>>
>>>With this 200th year celebration of Louis Braille's birthday and our 
>>>thank
>>>you to him for Braille, I have written a TP centering on the importance 
>>>of
>>>literacy and learning to read early, print for the print reader and 
>>>Braille
>>>for the Braille reader. If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.
>>>Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site for all 
>>>the
>>>WWW to read and learn from and that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info
>>><http://thoughtprovoker.info/>   If you wish to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS
>>>sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-  newmanrl at cox.net
>>>
>>>THOUGHT PROVOKER 151
>>>The Braille Princess
>>>
>>>"This is our first day of kindergarten." The faces of the small children
>>>grouped around the teacher all looked up with energy filled expectation. 
>>>"I
>>>want us to talk about one very, very important skill all teachers want 
>>>their
>>>students to learn. It is reading. First, to make sure we understand new
>>>words --- what is a skill?" Teacher and students shared back and forth,
>>>clarifying several key words.
>>>
>>>The teacher asked, "How many of you can read?" Nearly all hands shot up. 
>>>"Oh
>>>my, what a smart class." Testing prior to the beginning of school had 
>>>shown
>>>the teacher each student's skill level. Nearly all of them could read, 
>>>most
>>>only a few words and a very few could actually read beginning children's
>>>books.
>>>
>>>"Why do you think being able to read is important?" Many voices and hands
>>>answered her question.
>>>
>>>Pointing to a small girl bouncing on her knees, hand pumping, the teacher
>>>chose, "Breanna."
>>>
>>>"To read to your mommy and daddy."
>>>
>>>"Good answer. Reading to your parents is an excellent reason. Thank you."
>>>
>>>After taking several more answers the teacher moved into the next phase 
>>>of
>>>the day's plan. "It is also important for you children to learn from one
>>>another. Today, I have asked two students to bring one of their favorite
>>>books and read it to the class. And by the end of this school year, I 
>>>expect
>>>that you all will have your turn." Indicating the kid-size chair at her
>>>side, "Michael, you are first."
>>>
>>>Seated, the small boy nervously fingered his brightly colored book, 
>>>holding
>>>its cover forward to show it to his audience. "My favorite book is 
>>>'Ruffles,
>>>The Big Red Dog." Positioning it on his lap, he began reading.
>>>
>>>"Thank you Michael. And now, Kendra. Please come up to our reading 
>>>chair."
>>>Tapping the chair, the teacher watched the small girl with her arching 
>>>cane
>>>home in on the sound guide.
>>>
>>>"Students, remember, earlier today, we learned about why Kendra uses a 
>>>white
>>>cane when she moves around the school."
>>>
>>>A young voice from the audience said, "She blind."
>>>
>>>"Yes, she is blind." Carrying on, the teacher said, "And so now we are 
>>>going
>>>to learn about Braille, which is how Kendra can read."
>>>
>>>The small girl seated, cane at her feet, the teacher asked, "Kendra, 
>>>first
>>>please show and tell us the name of your book. Then tell the class a 
>>>little
>>>about Braille."
>>>
>>>Composure intact, Kendra answered, "I learned to read when I was three. 
>>>You
>>>read print because you can see it. I read Braille, because I am blind and
>>>blind people read Braille with their fingers. Braille is raised dots. I 
>>>can
>>>read as good as anybody." She raised the book up for all to see its 
>>>cover.
>>>"My favorite book is the 'Princess and the Pea.' My daddy calls me his
>>>Princess."
>>>
>>>"Hey," exclaimed a student! "No picture! No letters!"
>>>
>>>After the stories were read, the teacher again addressed her class. "Miss
>>>Young, my assistant has arranged the chairs in a circle. Each of you have
>>>your own chair, your name is on it. So to find your chair, you must read 
>>>the
>>>name-tag." The classroom noise level fell, then swelled; expressions on
>>>faces ranged from blank wonderment, to knowing intelligence. "Reading is
>>>important. I know some of you cannot read yet. However, soon I expect 
>>>that
>>>you will. So for help now, ask your neighbor or Miss Young or me to 
>>>assist
>>>you." The noisy reading and sorting began.
>>>
>>>"She's sitting in my chair!" The outcry of the small red-haired boy was 
>>>all
>>>but lost in the overall noise level.
>>>
>>>"Kendra --- Tommy, we need to check the label," intervened the frazzled
>>>Para. Lightly touching the petite blind girl sitting quietly on the chair 
>>>in
>>>question, "Honey, did you feel for the Braille label on the back of the
>>>seat?" Leaning forward to look herself as she spoke.
>>>
>>>"A problem here?" The teacher walked up.
>>>
>>>"Oh my," Miss Young looked at her boss, "the name-tag is missing."
>>>
>>>"Tommy knocked it off and it fell on the seat," said the boy from the 
>>>next
>>>chair over.
>>>
>>>"Yes, I'm sitting on my name," said Kendra. "And Tommy, you need to learn 
>>>to
>>>read Braille."
>>>
>>>The eyes of the two adults met, both smiled, the teacher said, "Kendra, 
>>>we
>>>are going to call you, our Braille Princess."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Robert Leslie Newman
>>>Email- newmanrl at cox.net
>>>THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
>>>Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Writers Division web site:
>>>http://www.nfb-writers-division.org 
>>><http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
>>>
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>>
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>
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