Evening star., 1948-08-22

An amputee who has conquered
his disability stole the show at the
fourth biennial convention of the
American Federation of the Physi-
cally Handicapped here yesterday.
He is Harry Fishel, So. veteran
Boy Scout official from Apollo. Pa,
who has had only one leg since
he was Is years old.
Mr.. Fishel amazed convention
guests by running, jumping and
climbing stairs without using either
crutches or a cane
He walked in air on crutches
heightened so they became stills.
He caught tennis ball that he
bounced against the wall.
Boy. Is. Is Youngest Delegate.
Balancing himself on his crutches,
he kicked his one leg high to strike
a board held in the cir by young
admirer, Eugene Bybel, Is. of VAN
dergrift. Pa. Eugene. who had polio
when he was 9 months old. is the
youngest delegate to the three-day
convention.
Il am not putting on an act
said the acrobatic smputee. who
also Tswir1s. divrs; and rides sf1orse.
back and a bicycle. Il am trying
to get it across to the others that
they can do this so they will get
confidence in themselves. And I
want the public to learn that a
handicap isn't to be sympathized
with. Too often the normal person
doesn't know what the handicapped
can~do: We 'flave- lot OF sbbifiittv H.
You've never seen guy jump
around like this guy" exclaimed
Eourg Eugene with a big grin. Eu-
gene is expectantlv looking forward
to the day when he will throw
away his braces and crutches and
begin doing the same kind of thing
Chapter Meets Weekly.
Mr.. Fishel. who has worked as
clerk for Carnegie-Illinois Steel
Corp. for 40 years and has been
scouting leader for "a, drove Eugene
and three other delegates from his
area. near Pittsburgh, to the con-
vention.
Back home. their chapter of the
organization meets every other week
for parties and to plan help for
other Handicapped persons.
Representative Kelley. Democrat,
Of the same Pennsylvania district,
was one of the principal guest speak
ers at yesterdays convention ses-
sions. He told the delegates there
should be great improvement in arti-
fetal limbs and similar devices with
in the next six years.
You can't expect to duplicate ma
ture, but the devices of the future
should approach nature better than
they do at the present time" Repre-
Kelley said. He backed A
bill. passed by Congress for further
research on prosthetics.
Messages Are Read.
The Pennsylvania Congressman
also urged co-ordinated Federal
program for the physically handi-
capped which should aim toward
enabling them to lead normal So
cial and economic life.
At banquet last night. Paul A.
federation president, read
from President Truman
and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.
Your members are leaders in the
highly praiseworthy efforts that are
being made to find better and more
Jobs for physically handi-
capped American men and women"
the Presidents message said. All
these workers are deserving of an
to work at tasks for
which they are we'll equipped
Mrs. Roosevelt wrote: MY hus-
band was always deeply interested
in anything being done to help
handicapped people to lead useful
and satisfying lives. and I have
always shared his interest"
New Term Is Urged.
Harry S. Wender. chairman of
the District Recreation Board and
the federation's general counsel,
was tomaster at the banquet. He
urged the delegates to devise new
term to replace the designation
physically handicapped" describ-
ing the present term as unsuitable
and unwieldy.
Harvey w. Brown. president of