Our History And Our Future
By Pauline Gomez
(Editor's Note: The following
address was presented at the fourth annual white cane safety Day Banquet hosted by the Federation's Albuquerque Chapter on October 15, 1983. As Federationists know, Pauline Gomez is a charter member of the New Mexico Affiliate and is a Past President of the organization.)
I credit much of the success of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico with its productive history.
There is no doubt that throughout the years of this organization we have succeeded in making our lives more normal and more livable. It is not necessary to quote the white cane law verbatim to understand its meaning. We all know that it symbolizes equality, security and opportunity for the blind. History is important in determining the future of people and of nations. This evening I would like to proudly and interestingly review with you the history of our blind movement in New Mexico,
Let me begin by giving you the names of the presidents of this organization during the past 27 years: Albert Gonzales, Pat Salazar, Albert Gonzales again, Pauline Gomez, Dick Bryant, Harold Martinez, Sam Chavez, Dick Edgar, Barbara Innis, Steve Sandoval, Bryan Bannister, Lee Jones, Linda Miller and Fred Schroeder. I firmly believe that each had a contribution to make to the harmonious music which we play today.
Throughout the years we had conventions, we had newsletters, we worked through our legislature and our news media. We tried to solve our problems and sometimes succeeded. We had wars and we had victories.
In 1956, what was then originally called the New Mexico Federation of the Blind was chartered. It took a while for us to become substantially nourished with the significant and precious philosophy' of our NFB. For example, it was not until I attended the orientation Center for the Blind which came into being as a result of the blind of California and whose objectives were conceived and carried forth by Federationists that I became a mature Federationist myself. I no longer had reservations as to the capabilities of blind people.
1957 brought an interesting seminar directed by our national leaders at the Glorieta Baptist Center near Santa Fe. This was the first time we confronted our state agency with the performance ^ we blind consumers expected from them.
In 1957 and in 1958, we worked diligently to get the national federation of the Blind Convention in Santa Fe. I personally believe that should not have been the primary objective for a young organization, but guess what—we succeeded. In 1959, in the neighborhood of 700 delegates were walking our narrow Santa Fe streets through the Plaza to the old St. Francis Auditorium where the meetings were held. Santa Fe received a fast, but important course on the ability of blind people to operate independently.
In 1960, I was honored to be elected President of the New Mexico Federation of the Blind and served in this capacity for five years. One of our primary accomplishments that year, was to begin working with Lions Clubs. Fred Humphries, now deceased, accepted our invitation to attend our 1960 State Convention. There he witnessed through the speakers on our program the inadequate facilities and programs our state had to offer. He not only listened to an absolutely lazy director of our agency, but after this conference he worked toward helping find solutions to some of the problems which the makers presented. For example, a despondent mother of a blind cerebral palsy toddler was helped to financially travel to another state and seek training for her and her child. Fred Humphries and the other Lions in district 40-N were of great assistance to us in the early sixties and in helping us promote our 1963 orientation center Legislation.
1961 brought the death of Br. Neal Grimby who had been Superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped (NMSVH) for many years. The New Mexico Federation of the Blind and the National Federation rushed to monopolize on the opportunity to make his replacement a productive one. Similar to our experiences today, persons "from within the ranks" were the only applicants considered.
1962 brought the chartering of our first local chapter, La Luz, in Santa Fe. 1963 was a productive year but a crucial one. In our effort to promote better orientation services for the adult blind of our state, we went to the legislature for the first time in our movement. Senate bill 71, called for a study of the present program for the blind in order to see the feasibility of an orientation center in the future. In our testimonies at committee hearings we pointed out that within our agency there was an outdated broom shop in Alamogordo and a similar facility in Albuquerque that could be considered for this purpose, but a crippling amendment was attached to this bill before its final passage. The meat of this amendment was that a self-study would be made by Services for the Blind themselves and then reviewed by an appointed interim committee. We attended committee hearings throughout the following year, though very seldom notified when they would take place. Guess what--the American Foundation for the Blind was brought in to help the agency at two separate hearings and succeeded in persuading a poorly selected interim committee that the program for the blind was in pretty good shape.
Before we began to see the pluses of this first legislative adventure, a very disturbed agency convinced workers at both the Alamogordo AND Albuquerque workshops that the New Mexico Federation of the Blind was out to destroy their only means of employment. There was outright war at our 1963 convention. Our attendance has never been so large. Blind people were brought in from everywhere for the purpose of electing agency people to our Federation board and they succeeded. Our National Representatives at this convention and my state administration decided to expel those people from our board, to send the money from our treasury to National and to remain dormant for a few months until our organization was out of danger.
Here is a summary of our pluses. First, in 1964, we came out of our bomb shelter and went to work again. Second, in the process of testifying before the legislature we managed to educate a few of them as to the needs, capabilities and determination of the blind people of our state. Thirdly, in the report that was put out as a result of the study recommended by the legislature, the School for the Visually Handicapped campus was to be used during the summer months to provide orientation — services for the adult blind of the state. And Fourth, a decision to establish an orientation center was officially made in 1971 WHEN Services for the Blind 'was transferred from the New Mexico Department of Welfare to the New Mexico Division of Vocational rehabilitation.
In 1964, a very dear lady joined La Luz Chapter by the name of Beatrice Lambee who was losing her sight as a result of diabetes, ^ At the time of her death in 1973, her husband established a Beatrice Lambee Memorial Fund which has be' of great help to the La Luz ^ Chapter ever since.
In 1965, the first President of La Luz Chapter, Tony Moya was run down by a car while he was attempting to cross an intersection in Santa Fe with his dog guide, His death was a great loss to the state, but this event so stimulated the members of the Santa Fe chapter that we went to work to make certain that blind pedestrians would be assured safety on our streets. We spoke before every civic organization in the community. Our message was based on the language of our White Cane Law. Also in 1965, because we had made such a good impression with our civic clubs, we were able to obtain from Pilot Club International of Santa Fe a donation in the nature of a scholarship to help a blind student complete his masters in Social Work at Tulane University. This was our own John Caldwell.
By 1965, we had tried twice to organize a chapter in Albuquerque and seemed totally unable to get it off the ground. In 1966, we were on the backs of the agency again. Why? This time because a vending stand operator had been dismissed from her stand and had not been notified of her right to a hearing according to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. The National Federation of the blind joined us at the barricades and a hearing did take place. Testimony showed that this operator had been forced to work with broken down equipment and was humiliated when she requested its repair. We won that battle.
In 1967, it was a hallmark year for legislative victories for the blind. We joined other states to get through .Our right to organize bill which was similar to our national legislation of 1957 which was introduced by senator John F. Kennedy who was later to become the president of the united States. Unfortunately, our bill failed in Congress. This was the year when our white cane legislation was also signed into law. A couple of bills which were satellites to our White Cane Bill—one, strengthening our dog guide law and the other breaking down barriers for better employment opportunities for the blind also passed. Our fifth bill, dealt with our right to vote by secret ballot making it possible for us to take any person of our choice into the voting booth.
In 1963, a young lady who had started school at the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped late, because of illness would not have been allowed to graduate because she would have completed her 21st birthday before this took place. The Board of Regents of the school was asked by the New Mexico Federation of the Blind to allow this young lady to complete her studies there,
In 1969, we succeeded in getting a memorial passed through the legislature, strengthening the opportunity for the employment of blind teachers.
In 1970, the White Sands (Alamogordo) Chapter was chartered. Also in the Spring of 1970,- State and National leaders drove to Alamogordo to protest the denial of contracts to five teachers—four, of these were blind. We discovered that when this denial was decided by the Board of Regents a majority was not present. Not only did we succeed in getting these teachers rehired, but also in the dismissal of john best, the superintendent of the school, this guy had only been there one year. The sad part of the story was that he sued the State of New Mexico. I'm not exactly certain what grounds he had, but they did have to make compensation. We went to work again to recommend a worthwhile replacement, but the majority of the Board selected a fellow less ready for this job than the previous chap.
in 1971, following action taken by other states, we changed our name from the New Mexico federation of the Blind to the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. Also in that year, we succeeded in organizing a sturdy Albuquerque Chapter. Barbara Innis was the first President of this chapter. This was the year for new chapter_ Las Cruces chapter and Roswell Chapter were also chartered.
Also in 1971, Services for the Blind was transferred from the New Mexico Department of Public Welfare to the New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Again we went before the legislature, pleading with them that this change not be made, that we-remain where we were until we could succeed in getting our program under a commission, but of course, this did not happen.
In 1972, Barbara Innis, our new State President, was hired as Counselor of Blind Students at the University of New Mexico. Also that year, we began working closer with our state library. In 1973, State and National leaders met in the summer of that year with the Senate Finance Committee to begin paving the ground for a commission bill. We left there not too encouraged.
In 1974, we received news that Harold Bruce was resigning. What an opportunity we thought we had to get a qualified person hired as head of Services for the Blind. Would you believe that we were actually optimistic? We communicated with Dr. Robert Swanson and^ asked him to consider applicants besides those in his- department.
We asked the National Federation of the Blind for recommendations and the vivacious Mr. Dawson who had been working in the Iowa Program was sent to us. Oliver Ortiz was working through every channel to get the job and he succeeded.
In 1974 also, the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind was opened in Alamogordo. In 1974 and 1975, we worked diligently for a commission for the blind in our state. One reason for the defeat of both of these bills was that neither Governor Jerry Apodoca nor Governor Bruce King were receptive to commissions.
In 1976, the Las Vegas White Cane Chapter was chartered and joined our family. 1977 and 1978, were not the most productive years. We were obliged to listen to Bill Prince rattle off on how good Bob Swanson was working for our program and what a good advisor he was to Mr. Swanson. Also in 1977 and 1978, we began attending Leadership Seminars at our National Headquarters.
1979 brought a vivacious Linda Miller to New Mexico. She began putting new vitality in the Albuquerque Chapter and it began growing by leaps and bounds. In 1980, Linda Miller was appointed our new President by the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico Board of Directors to replace Lee Jones who had to resign because his responsibility for employment seeking took a great deal of his time. New Mexicans went NAC tracking for the first time that year. Linda conducted a tremendous 1981 convention. At this convention we chartered our first student Division and our first New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped Alumni Chapter. Also that year we confronted the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped Regents on their accreditation by NAC.
In 1982, what a great year that was! Fred Schroeder, our great President came to us. He has succeeded in making this organization one of the greatest in the country. Our accomplishments through this leadership are many. We are now field representatives for aids and appliances in our state. We conduct a terrific scholarship program. We have an extensive library. We have strong chapters. We have just acquired our new office space. We have a significant quarterly newsletter. We have taken great strides in educating our legislators and we are increasing our numbers of delegates to National Conventions.
In 1983, we accomplished a successful Legislative Banquet. 1983 also brought an interesting person to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped, Dr. J. Ventura Garcia. This year we succeeded in getting our own Joe Cordova appointed on the Governor's Committee on Concerns of the Handicapped.
1983 brought the new Shiprock chapter into our Federation family.
We have a lot of battle scars, but we have many victories. We are mow securely bound to our parent organization. We all together stand at the barricades. Let us now renew our commitment which is, "We know who we are and we will never go back."