Tuning In To Federeationism

Tuning In To Federeationism

Tuning in to Federationism

by Donald L. Mitchell

From the Editor: In the following

story Don Mitchell describes the ways he has found to use the opportunities

presented by his job to educate the public about the abilities of blind people.

Don describes himself as a relatively new Federationist, but he has already

learned the knack of representing the organization positively wherever he goes.

This is what he says:

As a fairly new member of the National

Federation of the Blind, I am still tuning in to the philosophy of the organized

blind movement. I am learning what this movement is and why it is necessary.

As I learn, I find that there are no real surprises.

Like most other blind people I have seen

and experienced condescending treatment by those who don't understand our capabilities.

As a professional piano tuner and teacher of piano tuning, I am regularly exposed

to the common and not-so-common stereotypes the public have about blindness.

Every day as I meet the public, I have the opportunity to educate people about

blindness and to promote equality for all blind people.

As I go into the homes of my clients,

I am greeted with a variety of responses. It is not my practice to announce

to a client on the phone that I am a blind tuner; this is not relevant. I am

a tuner, trained and prepared to do a good job. Because I hire a driver and

carry a white cane, my customers quickly realize that I am blind. This is where

the varied responses begin.

A few are concerned and express disbelief

that I can really do what they hired me to do. In my twenty-five years of experience

I have had only one client refuse to allow me to service her piano. Some are

overly solicitous. They may begin to move furniture out of the way or even try

to carry all 200 pounds of me to the piano! Yet other clients are astonished

and go on about how amazing it is that I can do what I do. Fortunately, a little

patience and the competent doing of my job usually convince the skeptics.

Those customers who prefer to worship

the ground I walk on can be harder to deal with. I don't want to be thought

of as brave or wonderful or extraordinary just for doing my job.

Since I rely on these people for my income,

it is important that I do nothing to offend them, but at the same time I cannot

allow inappropriate treatment to continue. I have made it a practice to talk

to these persons about their attitudes. After many years of experience, I can

carry on a conversation while doing most of my work. This gives me one or two

or even more hours to discuss blindness and related matters.

The issues I am often called upon to

discuss include (1) the hearing ability of a blind person; (2) the natural musicianship

of the blind; (3) the ability of a blind person to move around without vision;

(4) the way a blind person does the basics like eating meals, reading newspapers,

and traveling throughout the community. All of these things are easily performed

by visually impaired persons trained in the alternative techniques well known

to most members of the NFB.

As an established piano tuner-technician

I am in contact with thousands of households every year. I have the opportunity

to be observed by and talk to both children and adults in the family. Many of

these families become regular clients with whom I will work through the years.

This provides the piano tuner with great possibilities: to educate families

about blindness, to confront common stereotypes, and to make progress in changing

the perception of what it means to be blind by demonstrating in real, practical

ways that the blind are normal people who happen to be blind.

These issues are very important to me

as an NFB member. I was recently asked to take the lead in organizing the Piano

Tuners' Division of the NFB. As tuners, the blind have opportunities to educate

the public as well as to perform a valuable service to the music world. Unfortunately

some blind persons are unaware of how excellent a career choice piano tuning

can be. This, I am sure, is a result of our history. Piano tuning was developed

as a career choice for the blind by well-meaning sighted people. In the nineteenth

and first half of the twentieth century, blind men were routinely tracked into

this profession. The concept of self-determination was unheard of.

Thank goodness things have changed today!

Blind persons can choose almost any career they want. But piano tuning, which

continues to be an excellent occupation for blind people, is attracting at least

twenty sighted people for every blind person.

Blind men and women should not overlook

piano tuning as a profession. Piano tuning gives us the chance to educate the

sighted world about what it means to be blind and while doing so to be honorably,

gainfully, and enjoyably employed.

If you want more information about piano

tuning as a new,

challenging profession for the blind,

please contact Don

Mitchell, Director of Education, Emil

Fries Institute of Piano

Tuning and Technology, 2510 E. Evergreen

Boulevard, Vancouver,

Washington 98661, Phone (360) 693-1511,

Fax (360) 693-6891, e-

mail [email protected]