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

[David Andrews]

When I worked at the NFB, 1990-95, we did use an uppercase B with 
Braille.  Dr. Jernigan felt it should be that way because of its 
importance to blind persons.

A couple years ago, BANA, the Braille Authority of North America 
decided that the B was not always right.  I don't know the exact rule 
-- but that is what I know.

Dave

At 09:28 AM 11/16/2009, you wrote:
>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."