WPSBC Alumni Association

THE DARK BEFORE THE DAWN
By Ellie Goldfon
Part 3 of 3

Ellie asks, “Why, me, Lord.”

Why me?  This is a question which intrudes in all of our thoughts every once in a while. You wouldn’t even count yourself amongst humankind if you couldn’t admit to asking it sometimes. Lying in my bed and sitting in my wheelchair during the day, I had a very large allotment of time to ponder this question. As I mentioned, this wasn’t done as a moan, or, in a wailing fashion. I was genuinely perplexed and very put out by my unfortunate turn of circumstance.

The food on weekends was, in a word, less than stellar. The bountiful fare we enjoyed during the week was replaced by whatever was handy at the time. In one day, we would get a bowl of soup and a piece of bread, followed for dinner, by a half sandwich and a peach.

Near the beginning of my stay on a lackluster Sunday evening, when we received what was supposed to be a chicken salad sandwich for supper chock full of onions, I began to mutter under my breath. That particular day, I had been regaled with stories of the family reunion, of what they had to eat, of the beautiful church service in the little chapel in Ligonier, of the wonderful doings of the young people in the family, and of the delicious Hungarian pastries which were enjoyed by the crowd.

In tears as she had to say goodbye and return to her home in Florida, I can’t even begin to imagine what my dear cousin, Cindy, was envisioning.

And forget about what she was thinking. I wondered, why, Lord. Why, why, oh why. With a blossoming writing career in front of me, a lovely new home, so many loving and kind friends, and so much to live for, I demanded of God, why!

The voice of Jesus came to me, in His quiet and kind spirit. “I’m going to tell you why, my sweetie,” he said, very patiently. “It has been five years since your mothers passing. You were there to visit her each day, and you haven’t been able to absolve yourself of the guilt which wasn’t yours in the first place to own.”

He went on to explain that, by placing me in a very similar situation which would have its own positive outcome, I would be able to finally put the guilt to rest forever.

Awaking next morning to a truly rapturous sense of peace, wholeness, and well-being, my therapies no longer presented major challenges to me. Returning back home to Arizona, G. was replaced by Allison or Allie, as she enjoyed being called. Equally tough in her expectations but a truly kind and patient tutor, Ally wheeled me up to the parallel bars and had me exercise my sore leg with kicks, marches, front and back extensions and side to side swings. Grueling as these exercises were, I stepped up to the plate and got them done every afternoon. My reward? Why, a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie, of course.

So many of us challenge God by asking, why, when, what we ought to be asking is, why not! For sure, why the heck not. Adversity is simply the tool which builds our character, the foundation upon which each human’s spirit is molded and allowed to flourish.

If life presented itself as a giant bowl of rich tapioca pudding with whipped cream upon it, sure, we might want to dig into one or two spoonfuls of it. But consider that, without life’s ups and downs and major challenges, it would simply be a carbon copy. Praise God for the challenges He presents us with, thank Him for every new day, but especially, give thanks that none of us are carbon copies!

The end.

Previous Part

THE DARK BEFORE THE DAWN
By Ellie Goldfon
Part 2 of 3

“Miss Goldfon, oh, Miss Goldfon, your breakfast is here,” the sweet accented voice of nurse Paulita stirred me from my deep sleep. Breakfast. I wanted to simply go right back to sleep. But the thought of Wednesday mornings breakfast interested me. Envisioning a nice waffle with syrup and butter, a lovely fried egg plopped on a piece of crispy rye toast, or a big bowl of steaming hot cereal with sugar and half and half, my chagrin was evident at smelling cold powdered scrambled eggs, limp toast, and some warmed over very strong coffee. The one thing I partook of that day was some pretty good bacon.

Washed and dressed in my finest shorts and shirt and supplied with my narcotic for the morning, a mild mannered fellow, Rich, came to whisk me downstairs to physical and occupational therapies.

“Call me, G.” Once downstairs in the physical therapy room, the young voice of a student therapist giggled when I inquired of Rich, “is this a volunteer job for you?” Puzzled at what I had said which was so funny, I was soon to meet this enthusiastic imp of a student. My twenty one year old teacher and strict task master, Ginara, who wanted me to call her, G. In my dopey state, I didn’t know exactly what her name was. I was saying all manner of combinations, Jalinda, Jolita, Jamara, Jimara. G. instantly evaporated all of my embarrassment.

My G. was quite the task master. We had to get both legs moving, including the sore one, ouch. This sore ankle just hated to be messed with, hated to be held up, particularly hated to be put down, and throbbed continuously.

“Ellie, march on it from your chair, sitting down,” the vixen commanded. Was she insane? The splint was at least seven pounds, but march I did. Twenty five marches. “Now thirty five,” she demanded. In the same day! I never did catch the hint that under these direst of circumstances, it doesn’t pay to brag.

Occupational therapy was taught by my kinder friends, Maria and Danielle. My personal trainers, extraordinaire. “Beginning with two pound weights, we curled and we crossed over to the other side, we punched, we flexed our wrists, we did everything and anything you can think of to strengthen our arms and back.

“Ellie, you must learn to stand up straighter,” G.s voice thundered at me. “I have to be tough with you because I don’t want you to fall back down and hurt yourself once you go home! After all, you know you will have nobody there to help you.” Well, golly, although she was right, I had been oh, so proud of myself, using the parallel bars to hop back and forth, to strengthen both of my legs, and to once again feel whole.

In retrospect, I now really smile broadly because these personal trainers of mine whipped me into tip top shape. An eager student, my world was enhanced and broadened by the myriad of older folks and younger folks who visited the therapy room with far more involved problems than I could ever have had.

Lunch arrived every day at one pm. Working and working tirelessly in the morning, lunch was always eagerly anticipated, delicious and usually plentiful. Served piping hot, it was usually something royally fattening, a casserole of broccoli and rice covered in cheese sauce, a hearty tuna noodle casserole, chicken ala king, or a meat loaf dinner. Figuring that we worked very hard every morning, the powers that be in the kitchen of the Heritage place saw to it that we were well fed at lunch.

Morning, afternoon, and evening, the strong pain medicine kept coming. Were it not for the strong medicines, I wouldn’t be able to do the therapies, but with the administering of voluminous amounts of happy medicines, unforeseen complications rear their ugly heads.

Constipation, a well known side effect of narcotic use, is itself the major cause of illness and cramping. Indifference towards food is another, but the worst symptom is mental incapacity and foolish dreams. In my most notable dream, I was sitting at home. Underneath the pillow of an armchair, I spied an array of things: combs, brushes, lotions, a wallet full of money, keys, all manner of stuff. I proceeded to give it all away to the people surrounding the chair and me. When I was done being lady bountiful, with a start, I realized that I had given all of the contents of my purse away.

Nights are divided into endless visits by interested aides. Given the infrequency of predictable helpers because all nursing homes are short staffed, the most difficult periods for the residents and rehabbers is at night. When a person’s night is uneventful, it is irritating to be awakened and checked on two or three times every evening. However, when crises arise and no help is forthcoming, the waiting can be endless.

A regular, healthy and mobile person, it is completely inconceivable to be away from your beloved home, enveloped in coarse bed clothes in a warm room, and finding yourself constantly waiting: for a bed pan, for a blanket, for help cleaning up.

Although placed in a very unenviable position because of an injury, you the patient thoroughly realize a painful truth, but nonetheless, an inevitable fact that, were it not for such places to instruct you in meeting your new and complicated needs, you would never be able to go home again.

Previous Part                         Next Part

THE DARK BEFORE THE DAWN
By Ellie Goldfon
Part 1 of 3

“Good night, sweet Ethel,” my disembodied voice mechanically spoke from my nursing home bed. “Good night, my Ellen.” We were quite the rare pair, Ethel, having lost both her legs to devastating diabetes, and Ellen, a now virtually dependent and helpless blind woman with a rebuilt ankle.

The demolition of my otherwise eagerly anticipated summer began quite dramatically. Innocently stepping out to water my patio vegetables, I plunged down a two foot drop from my beautiful back porch to the decorative flagstones below. Somehow, by the grace of God, I managed to walk on the ankle, get myself into my room, phone in hand, take a couple of Tylenols, get ready for bed, and then, call the ambulance.

“You broke it, for sure,” the paramedic said. “Ah, but don’t you worry, they’ll have you out of the rehab center in no time.”

Rehab center? Well, yes, but of course, and that had been my supposition while awaiting the arrival of the ambulance. My dear mother had died at the hands of such a place, and I was terrified to the bones.

This was to be the week of my long awaited visit with my cousin, Cindy, and her husband, Chris. Our family reunion was to take place the following Saturday, and I wouldn’t even be allowed the opportunity to visit Mom’s grave. Inconceivable as it was, it was indeed real and perplexing, not to mention, unthinkable.

“Ellen, honey, I am your night nurse, Eric,” the soft soothing voice broke my reverie. A female nurse asked if I’d like a snack. “Well, of course not, silly people,” I thought. What were they thinking? But I was the silly one, for, had I known that they always had baked ham sandwiches at the ready, I would have eaten one.

“You might as well eat,” soft spoken angel Eric continued. “After this, it’s nothing by mouth for you after midnight tonight.”

Eric began patiently describing the three types of fractures. “You could go home tomorrow, but then, there’s the possibility that it could be complicated,” he said. I knew that I wasn’t to go home the next day, based on my jellied mass of an ankle which kept swinging erratically in its socket.

“Well, my young lady, you’ve gone and done it,” Dr. Gayle’s voice boomed, again awakening me from my trance the following morning. “Three months. Of course, we’ll have to send you to a nursing home for a short stay of a few weeks.”

“Holy mother of God, they are dead serious,” I thought. “Well, all right then, if it’s to be, then let’s get it over and done with.”

“But first, my dear, it will be surgery tomorrow morning for you. We’ll get those tests over with, today.”

Being the eternal optimist, I somehow manage to see humor in everything. A lovely breakfast would be forthcoming. The next four days were a haze of smelly food, major narcotics, and kidneys which wouldn’t work properly. Thank goodness, this was simply occurring as a consequence of the insertion of a catheter during surgery. Unable to eat, to evacuate, and to sleep, and with the emergence of skin breakdown on my legs and bottom, and bedsores soon to possibly follow, the irony was that I couldn’t wait to be transported to the nursing home.

Angel Marilyn greeted me, “Miss Goldfon, welcome. I am your night nurse, Marilyn,” the friendly older woman’s voice floated as music to my ears. “After we get you into bed, we’ll see to a good supper for you. They’re featuring stuffed peppers and mashed potatoes tonight. It shouldn’t be long. Now, let’s get you into your bed.”

With the help of several strong young men, I was deftly and gently placed upon my air bed. I had specially requested an air mattress, due to the prevalence of bed sores in nursing homes. Explaining how special my bed was, Marilyn regaled me with memories of her youth, how she loved to administer back rubs, and how nursing had really changed. After that night, Angel Marilyn was whisked away by the wind, or Heaven or God, never to appear again to either Ethel or me.

Life in a nursing home rehab facility is largely what you make it. In conjunction with the long hours spent in physical and occupational therapy, time hangs heavily, wondering and waiting – for meals, for opportunities to be put to bed at night, for visitors on weekends, for much needed help during long lonely nights.

Whenever I would experience a siege of the sads or a bout of self- pity, all I had to do was think of my partner in the next bed. Not only my beloved friend and delightful roommate, Ethel is the most stoic person I’ve ever met. Through trials, endless exercise, mystery meals, and endless nights waiting to be changed or given a much coveted bed pan, we counted on each other to create both laughter and merriment out of foolish, frustrating situations and debacles. Ethel and the aides who attended to our needs would always cheerfully mention that I would be going home very soon.

Throughout the ordeal, I absolutely never believed that I would go home. At least, not for a very very long time. Three weeks to the day of my arrival, I was finally homeward bound and scared green. While in the home, I was virtually helped with everything.  Now, finally allowed the opportunity to go home, what would I do? Why, I couldn’t even put my shorts on. Endless arguments with my shorts and underwear, navigation with a truculent wheelchair, a stubborn refrigerator which won’t let me enter it, and a myriad of silly turns of circumstance, make me chuckle. We’re doing it, by golly.

You’ve heard the saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” – you are helped by helping yourself. I’ll thankfully heal, while many folks don’t. My independence will be restored in a couple of months, and there is always a rainbow at the end of each storm. Be oh, so brave, for we know not when winter will yet again emerge into a bright buoyant and glorious spring.

Next Part

This morning, the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children (WPSBC)   received a bomb threat.  Now I’ve never heard of the school being terrorized like this throughout my attendance there during the 1970s, or at any time before that or since, until today.  But with the rash of bomb threats received by the nearby University of Pittsburgh and surrounding schools, I suppose that it was only a matter of time before some nut would try something like that with WPSBC.  Hopefully they’ll make arrests soon.

At any rate, the buildings at WPSBC were evacuated for only a short time, and daily classes and administrative activities quickly resumed.  The Pittsburgh police conducted a search throughout the entire school campus, but found no bombs or any other suspicious-looking devices.  Will update this post with any new information that we receive.

Tom Hesley

References

• WPSBC   Website

In the Fall of 1922, the Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind underwent a name change to henceforth be known as the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind. Within its majestic walls and throughout its hallowed halls, the student body embraced the notion that merely to be a good student wasn’t good enough. Excellence was the name of the game! Competitive teams were to emerge. A track team, wrestling team, swim team, bowling team, as well as many clubs such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, instilled purpose, ambition, and a zest for enjoyment in the students. As far back as the 1930s, sportsmanship and competitive zeal were focused on as keenly as education. Readily understood was that a reverence for competitive sport was as much a part of education as ones studies.

With the passage of each educational day, the students at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind not only learned their lessons well, through two hour long daily study periods, but heartily appreciated and enjoyed their free times. Let us visit the school during the time period of the mid 1950s to the 1970s.

Each day would begin at seven Am promptly, as the residential houseparents would awaken the students by strolling down the corridors of the second and third floors and knocking on each door. The first school bell would chime and the day would commence.

After breakfast, morning assembly would take place in the chapel. With its many pews and its magnificent pipe organ that was donated in 1901, a student organist would play two or three songs, either patriotic or religious, and the mornings announcements would then be read. Morning assemblies would often be times when new student talent would be showcased, on-site medical appointments would be announced, and birthdays would be recognized.

Composed of seven fifty minute class periods, the school day would be divided into four morning classes and three afternoon classes.

A ten minute morning recess would find many of the youngest children romping outdoors, while high schoolers would be dashing off to grab a mid morning snack from their dormitory rooms, or chatting with friends.

The curriculum closely followed that of the Pittsburgh public schools. When one entered ninth grade, one would be presented with course choices for ones future. Course categories would range from the general course, which prepared students for careers such as massage therapy and vending stand operation, to the business course, for aspiring secretaries and medical transcriptionists, and finally, the academic course of study, designed for the college bound.

Formal instruction would end promptly at three thirty PM, and this is when the physical education program would begin two days each week, once for swimming class and once for gym class.

The special interest activities would be held during the remaining three days. These ranged from concert choir and band practice, to wrestling matches and cheer-leading opportunities.

Study Hall was a mandatory part of each evening. Held from six to eight Pm, required daily homework was done in a flash, and Braille copies of both the dictionary and the World Book encyclopedia were eagerly perused.

Surprisingly, the day did not ended at the conclusion of the evening study hall. Recreational programming such as games of bingo, bowling complete with student pin setters, drama club, ham radio club, science club, and outside play would round out this ambitious day.

Working opportunities presented students with the chance to earn spending money. The on campus snack bar, complete with a cash register and shelves which needed stocked, provided the unique opportunity to actually operate a commercial establishment. Many a young boy or girl would go on to run their own snack bar, through programs established by the United States government.

Through classes in wood shop, sheet metal shop, Junior Achievement membership, and home economics, future carpenters, business entrepreneurs, and home-makers dotted the landscape.

Traditions and Ambitions

The school, during the mid to late twentieth century, cultivated the imaginations of its elementary students through educational seminars for junior high participants, wherein lively intellectual discussions took place, from the debate over Chinese Communism versus Soviet, to the chance to gain appreciation for the citizens of neighboring South America via international classroom visitors, the cooking of foods which were popular in the southern hemisphere at the time, as well as geographical simulations within the classroom.

For many years, both the concert band and choir would pay annual visits to the Webster Hall hotel, the Three Rivers Arts Festival, and the William Penn hotel.

The Boy Scouts would hold an annual Camporee every Fall with five other schools for the blind. Traditional high school dances in honor of Sadie Hawkins day would be held, and fund-raising opportunities by the two service clubs, the Key and Lock clubs, would provide the students the chance to hold an annual luncheon and fashion show, the proceeds from which allowed the young ladies to adopt a Vietnamese foster child.

Established in 1952, the wrestling team competed with such schools as Shadyside Academy, Kisky Prep, Bishop Boyle, and the School for the Deaf in weekly matches, garnering many victories.

The 1960s ushered in many innovations. The year, 1967, brought with it the opportunity for the business students to use their first Dictaphone machine to learn how to take dictation, and a new speedy tape duplicator was purchased for the school library through the Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation.

For the enterprising teachers of the sixties and seventies era, information and innovations would be utilized and implemented from conventions held as far away as New Zealand and Belgium. One such unique discovery which had its roots in Pittsburgh at the school, was the realization that through the use of compressed, high speed speech, elementary students could process information at a much higher rate when studying.

The 1940s

1949 Younger nursery school age children are now being admitted.

1949: Composed of salesmen, lawyers, musicians, radio announcers, businessmen, and educators, an active alumni organization invites its members to speak to students regarding vocational choices.

The 1950s: A Decade of Firsts

The 1950s was a decade of initiation for the school.

• 1950: First parent teachers organization meeting is held.
• 1950: First program is begun to benefit the parents of blind infants.
• 1950: The school is now conducting on-site hearing tests to recognize hearing impairment and speech defects.
• 1950: Travel training instruction is begun.
• 1950: First car is purchased to take students on field trips.
• 1950: New training class unveiled in switchboard instruction.
• 1950: The Pittsburgh Lions Club initiates its first annual Christmas tree sale.
• 1953: New kindergarten classroom building is built.
• 1953: Name changes to Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children and the organization is functioning in a rejuvenated plant with expanded, revitalized curriculum and a newly awakened public is evaluating and supporting the organization with interest.
• November 16, 1953: Mayor David L. Lawrence proclamation of “school for blind children week” in conjunction with public relations efforts.
• 1954: The school Discontinues the policy of isolation of the sexes – meaning dining rooms saw boys and girls of similar ages eating together. Instituted dances and directed recreation over the weekend – and permission for boys and girls to leave the school together.

Then and Now

Although there are appreciable differences between the appearance and customs of our school from its earlier formative years in comparison to the current 21st century example, there are surprising similarities in both instruction and the continuing of traditions. Though the landscape and architectural facade differs from the campus of old, the defining principle of thriving and flourishing is actively encouraged. Raising the bar in the education of the blind and children who are multiply disabled, positive change continues to be the prevailing philosophy of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.

Then:  Sight saving classes were a fixture in the day to day education of students. An ophthalmologist was not only on the Board of Directors of the school, but available for visits and consultation at what was known as Eye and Ear hospital.

Now:  Remarkable success in the restoration of vision has been achieved through the Cortical Visual Impairment Clinics, which are held on the campus of the school. An on-site physiatrist, Dr. Ellen Kitts, as well as an ophthalmologist, Dr. Paul Freeman, make weekly visits.

Then: With the purchase of its first car in 1950, the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children has given students the chance to go on interesting field trips. Among the more interesting trips were those to the aviary, Phipps conservatory, the airport, and Buhl Planetarium.

Now: Students still enjoy field trips as they did in earlier times. Those trips which are still provided are trips to baseball games, Carnegie museum, Christmas shopping expeditions, and the eagerly anticipated excursion to Kennywood park.

Then: Student talent shows were held, and awards were given to the best performers.

Now: Each month, a special award is given to the student who has shown the most progress, based largely on the reports of teachers, speech and language pathologists, instructional and residential aides, and physical and occupational therapists.

Then: A junior-senior prom was held annually where the young people decorated and dressed up.

Now: In May, the prom is still held. The couples still dress up, and dance to the latest top forty tunes.

Then: Students enjoyed working at various jobs at school some of which were work in the kitchen, on the switchboard, in the greenhouse, and at the school snack bar.

Now: Students work in the school store (called The Lions Den), work in the greenhouse, deliver papers, and water plants.

Then: In 1950, the annual Christmas tree sale was begun by the Pittsburgh Lions Club.

Now: In its 62nd year, the tradition lives on and is extremely successful!

Then: Boy Scouts was a very popular organization on the school campus. Working towards merit badges proved to be both challenging and interesting.

Now: Both the Boy Scouts and the Girls club meet weekly.

Then: Visiting choral ensembles and barbershop quartets such as the Muses and the Sweet Adelines brought beautiful music to the eager ears of our students.

Now: The Hilda M. Willis performing arts series brings both local and nationally known performers to the school for weekly performances.

New Look, Noble Vision, Many Roads

As we so vividly observed during our historical excursion, the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children is no stranger to change and innovations. Uppermost in the minds of the administrators was and still is the wish to make life richer and fuller for children who are blind. The school was about to undergo yet another more significant change with the embracing of children who were not only blind, but who had the challenges of many other disabilities. The board of directors knew it was now time to serve a previously forgotten group of deserving, disabled children.

In 1968, a two week pilot project involving 16 children, ages six to thirteen, with concomitant disabilities was initiated by the school to see if such a plan could, indeed, be successfully implemented. By the 1970s, blind children co-mingled along with children with varying degrees of blindness and disability, and the traditional courses were being taught, as before.

Due to the beginning of widespread mainstreaming in the mid to late 1970s, the makeup of the student population of the school began to dramaticly change.

The 1980s were a busy time of reconfiguration of the campus, hiring specialized personnel such as nurses, and both physical and occupational therapists, in addition to speech language pathologists and paraprofessional residential and instructional aides.

In 1985: the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children initiated three different research projects which were designed to help bring independence to multi-handicapped students.

In 1986 after intense study and discussion, the School transitioned to a facility fully dedicated to educating students who in addition to blindness, evidenced severe multiple disabilities.

Major transformation in the school’s population led the administration to make changes in the physical plant, curriculum, and staffing. Medical and therapeutic supports for the extremely challenged and often medically fragile population were now cornerstones of the programming.

1988 saw the change of the curriculum from a more traditional base to a non-graded set of programs.

Today, in 2012, the school does not utilize the traditional curriculum of grades. By the time a student graduates from the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, he or she will have completed three levels; the early childhood curriculum, the intermediate curriculum, and the transitional curriculum.

Students in the early childhood department range from three to six years of age. Located in the Janet Simon building or what is known as the Early Childhood Center, the program not only teaches blind children with multiple disabilities, but also teaches children who have blindness as their only disability. These children move on at the age of six to a successful integration into public school, tutored in the fundamentals such as a knowledge of reading and writing Braille, the ability to utilize the white cane to move about, and the vital opportunity to learn daily living techniques and skills.

During the past three years, the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children has added several exciting new facets to our existing programming. A key component of what is done in 2012 is outreach. In addition to teaching the children who attend school on the Oakland campus, our teachers travel to neighboring public schools, to the homes of the youngest students, and in addition, cultivate relationships with families whose children would benefit from our Cortical Visual Impairment clinics and program.

In addition to the outreach done by the school, the post graduate vocational training program for students from 21 to 26 years of age, and our Transitional Academy are offshoots of our five year strategic plan which was initiated in 2009 by our superintendent and executive director, Todd S. Reeves.

According to Superintendent Reeves: “In the earlier days of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, there was only one road. Education was based within the school.
Now the roads are two-way, our Outreach staff gets on the road to School districts at the same time our enrolled students are on the road to WPSBC.”

Wanted: your memories

With the approaching 125^th birthday of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in January, 2012, we at school are very interested in your memories and thoughts at this very significant time in our long history.

Just as I did when I wrote about my memories for you a while ago, we know that your special memories could fill a book, let alone, a column.  Our ultimate goal is to publish a column during 2012 which will be placed on the   website of the school,   for the readers who are unfamiliar with WPSBC. To get an idea of what the various time periods were like in which you attended.

Once you’ve gotten your memories written down, please send them via email to: prittsj@wpsbc.org or you can mail them to

Jillian M. Pritts, Institutional Advancement Manager
Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
201 N. Bellefield Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa.   15213

We sincerely thank you in advance.

Ellen Goldfon,
Class of 1974

Dear Alumni:

WPSBC Superintendant Todd Reeves along with Jillian Pritts WPSBC Director of Public Relations are requesting members to share their thoughts and memories of time spent receiving education at the school.  They request it be brief and concise.   Below is an email from Jillian Pritts.  Examples to think about may include a favorite class, specific recreational activity or field trips that stood out for you individually.  Please share this with other Alumni that do not have the use of email.  If interested the school appreciates your input and would like responses sent over the next month
or so.  Send thoughts and memories to prittsj@wpsbc.org.

Sincerely,
President Ted Crum

From: Pritts, Jillian [prittsj@wpsbc.org]
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 10:30 AM
To: Crum, Ted; ELLEN GOLDFON
Subject: Thoughts and Thanks for WPSBC

Hi Ellen and Ted!

Wondering if you might be interested in helping me.  I’m getting up some new info on the School’s website regarding the 125^th anniversary and one of the new sections is called “Thoughts and Thanks” where we want to elicit some well wishes/memories regarding the School.

I need to get it up and running and I’m hoping you might be willing to submit something.  Not really looking for anything long or in-depth or extensive, just a personal reflection or perspective.

If yes, would you email it to me?

Ted – wondering if you might be willing to share this with our alumni?  You can either just forward this email to the members or you can send me their addresses and I (or Todd) can send something out on behalf of the School?  Your call on what might be most effective.

In fact, if there is anyone else you might want to share this opportunity with, please do.  Once I get maybe one or two up (hopefully your thoughts and thanks) you can always direct them to our website or give them my email address for more info.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks  so much,

Jillian  — prittsj@wpsbc.org

BYLAWS

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF

THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL FOR BLIND CHILDREN

As Amended through September 22nd, 2011

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Alumni Association of
the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purposes of this organization are:

(1) To furnish its Alma Mater with observations, experiences and
accomplishments that may be of practical and educational value;

(2) To promote a spirit of cooperation between the School and its
graduates;

(3) To foster good fellowship and create unity of purpose among
the graduates.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Candidates for membership in this Association shall be
recommended to the Convention by the Membership Committee.

Section 2. Candidates for membership shall be of good moral
character and of respectable standing. They shall either have graduated from
the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children or shall have completed four
and one-half years of elementary education or two and one-half years of high
school at the School.

Section 3. If spouses of Alumni members who are not themselves
members wish to join the Alumni Association, they must communicate their
request, orally or in writing, to the Membership Committee. Acceptance into the
Association will entitle them to the right to debate and vote at all meetings,
but they may not hold any elective office.

Section 4. In order to have the right to debate and vote at
meetings of this Association, members must be officially registered. To be
officially registered requires paying membership dues, unless such payment has
been waived in particular cases by the Board. .

Section 5. The dues for this Association shall be determined by
the membership from time to time and shall be payable before the first session
of any regular or special convention of the Association.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION

Section 1. The officers of this Association shall be President,
Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and
Parliamentarian. In addition to the aforementioned officers, there shall be an
Archivist who shall be appointed by the President.  As of September, 2011, the slate of officers
is as follows:

• President: Ted Crum
• Vice President: Ed Facemeyer
• Recording Secretary: Bonnie Newland
• Corresponding Secretary: Ellen Goldfon
• Treasurer: Tom Hesley
• Parliamentarian: Al Petrilongo

Section 2. Election of officers shall be held at biennial
conventions of the Association, and voting shall be by standing vote, unless
otherwise agreed upon by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members
present at such meeting.

Section 3. The elected officers shall hold office for a period of
four (4) years, until their successors are elected and duly sworn in, except
for the Treasurer, whose term shall expire when the receipts from the
convention have been properly allocated and entered into the books of the
Association.

Section 4. Each officer may succeed him/herself in the same office
for only one additional consecutive four-year term. The Parliamentarian may not
succeed him/herself in that office, but may run for any other elective office
during the election which takes place immediately following the expiration of
his/her term. The Archivist shall hold office for an indefinite term at the
discretion of the Board. During his/her tenure in office, he/she shall not be
excluded from holding any elective office in this Association.

ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The duties of the President shall be:

(1) To preside at all regular and special meetings of the
Association and of the Board;

(2) To call all special meetings of the Board;

(3) To keep informed of all committee work and of all activities
of the Association;

(4) To appoint members to serve on all functioning standing
committees and to establish other committees, whenever necessary, to help to
study or resolve particular problems or matters of interest and concern to this
Association;

(5) To serve ex officio as a member of all committees with the
right to vote;

(6) To countersign, with the Treasurer, whenever required, all
checks drawn on funds of the Association in the transaction of official
business of the Association.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall assist the President in any
way requested by him/her, and shall assume the duties of the President in
his/her absence.

Section 3. The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be:

(1) To keep an accurate roll of the membership of the Association;

(2) To keep accurate records of all convention proceedings and
meetings of the Board;

(3) To have charge of all official papers and other property of
the Association, excluding the documents and material in the custody of the
Treasurer.

Section 4. The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be:

(1) To receive and file all correspondence addressed to the
Association, after it has been made known to the addressee or to the Board;

(2) To be responsible for all out-going correspondence of the
Association;

(3) To countersign with the Treasurer, whenever necessary, all
checks drawn on funds of the Association in the transaction of official
business of the Association.

Section 5. The duties of the Treasurer shall be:

(1) To have charge of all monies belonging to the Association, and
to deposit same promptly in bank accounts designated by the Board;

(2) To collect all dues and all fees or charges imposed upon
members at the direction of the Board;

(3) To pay promptly by check all bills incurred by the Association
upon approval of the Board;

(4) To sign, with the President or the Corresponding Secretary,
all checks drawn on accounts of the Association for the payment of bills/debts
incurred by the Association.

(5) To keep accurate books and records of the financial affairs of
this Association.

Section 6. The Parliamentarian shall have the duty of deciding all
questions of parliamentary procedure during meetings of the Association and of
the Board. His/her authorities, the bases for his/her decisions, shall be
“Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” and the Bylaws of this Association.
When necessary, he/she may employ an assistant, appointed by him/her, who will
provide whatever aid the Parliamentarian requires. The Parliamentarian shall also
serve as the Chair of the Bylaws Committee.

Section 7. The duties of the Archivist shall be:

(1) To assess and identify the documents and materials to be found
in the archives of the Association;

(2) To organize and catalogue said documents and maintain them in
a secure location;

(3) to take charge of any material given to him/her by the Board,
to dispose of unwanted materials with the approval of the Board, and to give
custody of materials to any member of the Board or to any other person(s)
connected with this Association as authorized by the Board;

(4) To keep the membership informed as to the nature, extent and
disposition of the archives of the Association.

ARTICLE VI. The BOARD

Section 1. The Board shall consist of the officers of this
Association and three (3) Directors elected by and from the membership at
biennial conventions of the Association.

Section 2. The Board shall formulate and execute the policies and
procedures of the Association with a view to promoting greater efficiency in
accomplishing the purposes and goals of the Association.

Section 3. The Board shall conduct the business of the Association
between conventions and shall hold three (3) meetings annually at a time and
place determined by the Board.

Section 4. One of the Directors shall be elected for a two-year
term; the second for a four-year term; and the third Director for a six-year
term. Thereafter, one (1) director shall be elected for a six-year term at each
biennial convention, and no Director may succeed him/herself in that office.

Section 5. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by a majority
vote of the remaining members of that Board. Notice of such election shall be
given to the membership by an announcement in the Alumni Bulletin.

ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS

Section 1. This Association shall meet biennially in convention at
the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children unless otherwise provided by
an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Board.

Section 2. In order for a convention of the Association to be
valid, at least thirty (30) members must have been officially registered.

Section 3. At least fifty percent plus one (50% plus 1) of those
members officially registered for a convention must be present at any business
meeting in order to transact the official business of the Association.

Section 4. Special meetings of the Association may be called by
the Board whenever necessary for specified purposes. However, such meetings may
transact only such business as was specified in the call to convention, and
such business may not supersede action taken by the regular convention.

ARTICLE VIII. PUBLIC ACTION

No member of the Association shall represent the Association
either in correspondence, publicity, or in person without the expressed
authority of the Association or the Board.

ARTICLE IX. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Standing Committees of this Association shall be
the Arrangements Committee, the Audit Committee, the Bylaws Committee, the
Membership Committee, the Necrology Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Program
Committee, the Publicity Committee, the Ways and Means Committee, and the
Welfare Committee.

Section 2. The Arrangements Committee shall take charge of all
physical arrangements necessary to insure the comfort of all in attendance at
biennial and special conventions of the Association and at all events,
activities or meetings of the Association which are held in addition to such
biennial and special conventions.

Section 3. The Audit Committee shall examine the books of accounts
and financial records of the Association which are kept by the Treasurer.

Section 4. The Bylaws Committee shall make recommendations to the
Association from time to time for changes to be made to its Bylaws. Any member
desiring to submit to the membership a proposed amendment to the Bylaws shall
do so through the Bylaws Committee.

Section 5. The Membership Committee shall process all applications
for membership in this Association and shall introduce prospective members to
the Association prior to their being accepted as new members.

Section 6. The Necrology Committee shall compile a list of the
deceased members of the Association and represent the Association in conveying
appropriate sentiments to Alumni members or their families in times of illness
or death.

Section 7. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of
candidates to fill all open elective positions on the Board.

Section 8. The Program Committee shall have charge of the actual
programming of biennial and special conventions of the Association and the
programming of any events, activities or meetings of the Association which are
held in addition to such biennial or special conventions.

Section 9. The Publicity Committee shall have the task of
publicizing judiciously, accurately and adequately all projects and activities
of the Association.

Section 10. The Resolutions Committee shall submit to the
Association for consideration recommendations and resolutions which will
expedite meetings or promote the interests and general welfare of the
Association.

Section 11. The Ways and Means Committee shall plan organize and
promote fund-raising activities in behalf of the Association, with the approval
of the Board.

Section 12. The Welfare Committee shall work with the School’s
social services personnel for the purpose of promoting the comfort and the
welfare of needy children at the School. The committee shall also perform acts
of kindness for Alumni members in times of distress in order to promote their
welfare and comfort.

ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of
the Association by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members
present, provided that written notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have
been sent to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to said regular or
special meeting.

ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION

Section 1. If in the opinion of the majority of the members of the
Board the Alumni Association of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind
Children no longer serves the purposes for which it was intended, the
dissolution of the organization may be considered. The date, place, and purpose
of the meeting at which this matter will be acted upon shall be communicated to
as many Alumni members as possible at least thirty (30) days in advance. Upon
the affirmative vote of three-quarters (3/4) of the members present at this
special meeting, the Board shall proceed with the dissolution of the
Association in accordance with applicable laws of the Commonwealth.

Section 2. Upon dissolution, the funds of the Association shall be
disbursed in accordance with a plan which must be approved by a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of the members voting at a meeting held for that purpose. In
formulating this plan the membership shall consider that one (1) purpose of the
Association has been to provide financial support for programs and services to
children at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.

From: Jillian Pritts [mailto:prittsj@wpsbc.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 3:20 PM
Subject: Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving

Please Help Support the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children on “Day of Giving” 10/13/2010

Want to help provide an education that lasts a lifetime for boys and girls who are visually impaired? Make your gift go even further on October 13, 2010!
On Wednesday, October 13, 2010 from 12:00:00 A.M. Midnight until 11:59:59 P.M please visit http://www.pittsburghgives.com/ and contribute to the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.   A total of $500,000 in matching funds will be available through this Pittsburgh Foundation initiative called a “Day of Giving”. All credit card gifts made to the School via this website will be matched with a prorated share of the available Foundation funds. Everyone who gives will cause a portion ofthe matching funds to be directed to our School.
For complete information on the “Day of Giving”, including rules and regulations, please visit: http://www.pittsburghgives.com/

Questions? Contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 412-621-0100 or email: prittsj@wpsbc.org
Thank you in advance for your support of our special school.  http://www.wpsbc.org/

Jillian Pritts 

Insights Mentoring Program Seeks Adult Volunteers
Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh
1800 West Street, Homestead, PA 15120

This fall the Employment Opportunities Project at Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh is launching the Insights Mentoring Program. The purpose of this pilot program is to match young people ages 14-21 who are blind or visually impaired with a successful and confident adult who also experiences limited vision. Since visual impairment can be such an isolating and low incidence disability, we want to offer young people a friend/advisor who has faced and overcome similar challenges. Some of the areas where these mentors will be able to provide guidance will include: dealing with attitudes about blindness, becoming an active member of the community, identifying resources for assistance, offering tips and tricks for living independently, and enhancing job exploration through valuable insight.

BVRS is seeking successful, confident adults who are blind or visually impaired to become volunteer mentors for this exciting new program. Applicants will go through an interview process and be required to undergo a background check and attend a mentor training session. At the time of the match, both the mentor and mentee must attend a program orientation. Please see below for additional details about the mentor position.

Your Commitment:

• Enter into a mentoring relationship for a minimum of 1 year.
• Attend all relationship building activities offered by BVRS.
• Meet in person at least once each month with your mentee.
• Stay in contact with your mentee at least once a week by phone or email.
• Provide BVRS with monthly feedback on your relationship.

Your Role:

• Provide advice/guidance on a variety of topics
• Share learning/skill building experiences
• Connect the mentee to other resources/services
• Help the mentee develop positive self-image and realistic goals

Individuals interested in becoming a mentor should complete the attached Mentor Application and submit it along with a 1-page bio to Sue Lichtenfels via email: slichtenfels@pghvis.org. Once your application is reviewed, Sue will call to schedule your interview. If you have any questions about the Insights Mentoring Program, please contact Sue Lichtenfels at (412) 368-4400 x3472 or (412) 965-4779.

Susan Lichtenfels
Transition Specialist
Employment Opportunities Project
Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh
1800 West St.
Homestead, PA 15120

(412) 368-4400 x3472
(412) 965-4779 (M)