[nfb-talk] Centers for the Blind

[david]

Hi, List,

I had a few questions about some of the policies of centers for 
the blind.  My sister recently went to the Reach Center for the 
Blind in Tupelo, Mississippi since she will be going off to 
college in just a few months.  I was looking at what the center 
does, and talking to my sister about things that go on there.  
Overall, I think the center is one of the best in the state, and 
I admire it for trying to follow the methods used by the center 
in Ruston, Louisiana.  However, it is lacking in some areas I 
think.  First of all, it has all of it's classes and dormitories 
in one single building.  I guess this is not so surprising, 
because I imagine that Ruston is one of the few places that have 
apartment residences that are really designed for you to live on 
your own.  Another thing is that you must be at the center for 3 
weeks before you can go spend a weekend night at home.  Is this 
so the clients will be adjusted to a center like this? I talked 
to one blind man, and he was very indignant about this and said 
that since the students are adults, they do not need these silly 
rules.  Also, my sister will have to take an I.Q.  test and god 
knows what other psychological tests at the center, and she said 
that she thought she would have to take some kind of test where 
she had to arrange shapes on a board or something in a certain 
amount of time, but she may be wrong about this.  Also, almost 
all of Reach's instructors are sighted, although students do have 
to wear sleepshades which is a good thing.  Would it not be that 
hard to hire more blind instructors? After all, I was under the 
impression that Reach was modeling Ruston's methods, and Ruston 
is known for having many blind instructors.  Anyway, this is why 
I have decided not to attend Reach after high school and instead 
go to Ruston instead.  So, what do you people think of these 
diferent centers and your likes and dislikes about them?

David