From: Mike.Freeman@f126.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Mike Freeman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: "Blind Loyalty"
Date: 12 Aug 92 21:18:39 GMT
Reply-To: Mike.Freeman@f126.n105.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:105/126 - Lawson & Reay, Vancouver WA
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 23845

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

To: mattioli@took.enet.dec.com (John Mattioli)

 In a message to All <17 Jul 92 18:58> John Mattioli wrote:

 JM> As far as the text of the article
 JM> itself goes, let's just say that
 JM> if everything they say about the NFB
 JM> is true, I'm darn glad I don't
 JM> work there.  I'd have a hard time
 JM> working for a guy who's WIFE even
 JM> calls him Dr.

Hi, John.

First, as I indicated in an earlier message, everything in the article
is certainly not true.  Leaving that asside, however, let's consider the
so-called military atmosphere and manner Ms. Cunningham alleges exists
at the National Center for the Blind and see if there is not an
explanation that makes sense.  (By the way, I have absolutely no idea,
and do not care, what Mrs. Jernigan calls Dr. Jernigan at home or off
the premises of the National Center; it's none of my business anyway.)

It should be noted that Mrs. Jernigan worked at the National
Center long before she married Dr. Jernigan.  Thus, the habits she
acquired would tend to carry over.  This leaves the question begging,
however, as to why formal titles are used at the National Center.

In the days of yore (up to say ten years ago and maybe even after in
some places) it was common in social service agencies (including rehab
agencies) to refer to clients by their first names while requiring
clients to call staff and counselors "Mr.", "miss" or "mrs.".  The use
of these appellations was to indicate respect for those with authority.
One still sees this with teachers.  With use, such titles also became
(consider the teachers again) a means of *indicating* authority.  Thus,
in rehab, blind clients were constantly reminded of their inferior
status viz a viz the counselors, psychologists, O&M instructors, RT's,
etc. etc. etc.

Beginning in Iowa, I believe, Dr. Jernigan sought to break this verbal
barrier of exclusivity.  There are two ways of doing this:  call
everyone by first names or call everyone by sirnames with titles.  Dr.
Jernigan wanted it to be indicated to everyone (including the clients
themselves) that they were respected.  Thus, he chose to have everyone
call everyone else "Mr.", "mrs." or "miss".  We must remember that,
until fairly recently, it was still common in offices to call people by
sirnames with appropriate prefixes.  Dr. Jernigan is 65 now; he is a
product of an earlier generation.  I still remember the vestiges of that
system.  While it makes little sense to we baby-boomers, it made plenty
of sense to those who went before.

Lest you think this is unique to the NFB, my wife was a social worker
working for the State of New Mexico during the 1970's.  Her supervisor
told her that she should call clients by their sirnames with "Mr." etc.
attached because the clients called her by her sirname and it was
desired to give the clients respect.

One final point:  do any of you remember "To Sir with Love"?  The
teacher there told the students that they all (along with him) were
"sir" because they were going to be adults soon and they had better get
used to being treated like adults.

Mike Freeman

P.S.  John, I realize this may be anathema to you; we programmers are,
by and large, an informal bunch.  But believe me, in context, the rule
makes some sense.  In any case, compared to worrying about decreasing
the unemployment rate of the blind or fighting for minimum wages for
sheltered shop workers or fighting to get blind day-care workers
accepted, a matter like what one is to be called on the job pales into
insignificance.

-MF-
___ CRR QWK 1.40

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