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

LoriStay at aol.com LoriStay at aol.com
Mon Nov 16 20:47:15 UTC 2009 

I would agree, but my spell check says to capitalize (no o in that word, by 
the way) Braille whenever it appears.   Like Kleenex.   It may take a 
little longer to get to be lower case.
Lori

In a message dated 11/16/09 9:48:57 AM, jbron at optonline.net writes:


> JC I agree with you.  I'm sure that a man named Robert Brown exists in 
> the
> world, but JC wearing brown pants doesn't require the adjective to be
> capitolized.  Judith
> ----- 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 rig
> ht.
> > 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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