Blind Student Says Public
School Has More Advantages
By Teresa Burns
Poet Staff Writer
People usually don't per
ceive Tamara Rorie as
being blind. Even though
she is and has been since
birth, you tend to forget
about it. It's all in the way
she carries herself; the
fact that she has always
attended public schools;
and the power she has to
realize that the sense of
sight is not synomous with
understanding or know
ledge.
"People say I don't act
like a blind person," Ms.
Rorie began, "I think I'm
more self conscious. I don't
walk with my arms out and
I'm careful how I eat - I
don't make a mess." -
Being in public schools
has given Ms. Rorie the
opportunity to deal with
many types of situations
and people she may not
have confronted in a school
for the blind. She says
τ ; · public schools for her has
more advantages than dis
advantages.
"I've learned to cope
with people asking about
my handicap," she stated,
"Sometimes people are un
couth and tricks are played
on me. Sometimes it bo
thered me, but not to the
"■ extent that I wanted to stop
living."
Starting out in public
scnool wasn't Ms. Rorie's
idea completely. After all
she was just six years of
age. "My parents decided
that I would go to public
school thoee first six years.
Then after that I decided I
wanted to go to public
school."
Now a student at Garin
1100 Libraries
Have Driver's
• +
Handbooks
! RALEIGH · Tar Heel
motorists soon will be able
; to obtain copies of the
< ! North Carolina driver's
handbook at over 1100
libraries across the state.
The books are provided
free of charge for motdrists
preparing for driver's li
cense tests.
Elbert L. Peters Jr.,
I·. commissioner of motor
vehicles, said six copies of
;» ; the handbook were mailed
.'t · last week to public, tech
'l nical college, specialized,
senior high school, state
government, university
and college libraries.
"This distribution will in
sure that the handbooks
will be available in most
cases to the state's motor
ists," Peters said. "We feel
it is another step in our
efforts to improve the level
of service we provide to
North Carolina drivers "
Handbooks will continue'
to be available at the 110
driver's license examining
stations throughout the
state. The books are loaned
to applicants prior to the
test hv examiners.
ger Senior High School, she
ranks Slst among 564
seniors. This year she be
came a WSOC Scholar of
the Month, was nominated
for the Morehead Scholar
ship, and won a scholarship
from Delta Phi Beta to the
college of her choice. She
plans to attend the Uni
versity of Chapel Hill and
will seek a Bachelor of
Science degree in Physical
Therapy.
Scholarship is evident
but not because Ms. Rorie
studies all the time. "I tend
to have to get things done
when working with people.
I depend on other people
and I get it done because
other people's time is in
volved," Ms. Rorie re
vealed.
Even though she attends
public school she has an
itennerary teacher, Naia
Jones who helps her with
assignments. "She brails
tests and work sheets. She
will write out the work for
me and reads things to me
in my study hall. She helps
another blind student at
Garinger and other visual
ly impaired students in the
school system also," she
continued.
Ms. Rorie also reads on
her own. "I'm an avid
reader," she modestly ad
mitted. Most brail mate
rials are ordered from
Raleigh. Disc, records, and
tapes are sometimes or
dered from Raleigh but she
can find them at the library
in Charlotte also. Brail
books seem to be limited in
variety. "There's not a lot
of black literature. They
have regular fiction and
non fiction but not exten
sively, especially black li
terature," she commented.
Sometimes Ms. Rorie
writes notes from the class
es in brail, sometimes she
tapes the lecture, and other
times Mrs. Jones reads a
book or chapter for her.
Which ever the case, she
says she has to do the work
other students have. "The
teachers never give me
different work. I receive
the sa the assignments arid
I work them out the best
way I can," she said.
This year she took a
typing course and it will
probably help her in col
lege. Once in college she
plans to take her type
writer and use it; take her
tape recorder and use it;
and in a way become a
teacher herself. "Once I
get to college I'll have to
hire readers. It will be up to
me to see that it is done
properly," she explained.
For instance she has to tell
the readers what informa
tion she needs for a particu
lar paper.
Ms. Rorie is indeed ta
lented, but don't assume
that her other senses are
extraordinary or super
sonic. She says that it is a
common myth that blind
people automatically hear
better. "It simply means
that I listen better. I have
no better sense of hearing
than you, I have just de
veloped it because I use it
more."
Her hobbies include
reading, astrology, playing
the piano, listening to mu
sic, cooking and eating. As
far as her social life is
concerned she says she
goes out sometimes. "I
do not have any problems
with going out," she stated.
She is president of the
Student Council, member
of the Honor Society, a
member of the Garinger
High School Town Singers
and Choir and a member of
St. Paul Baptist Church.
Her essay entitled "Why
It's Cool to Stay In School"
won in a contest sponsored
by WGIV and Dial Soap.
Ms. Rorie is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. James
Rorie. Whatever lies ahead
for Tamara Rorie, one of
seven children remains
unknown. For now, how
ever, she realizes that life
is not contingent on what
one does not have, but
rather how one utilizes
what they do have.
...An avid reader
Woman Reach
WomanReach, Inc. is of
fering a free seminar en
titled "Changing Sex
Roles" on Thursday, May 8
at 7:15 p.m. at 100Θ East
Boulevard.
Janice Stroud, a UNCC
Sociology Professor, will
be conducting the seminar
along with a discussion on
the traditional roles of men
and women in our society
and how these roles are
changing.
These changing sex roles
permit more flexibility and
allow men and women to
become more fully human.
Ways You Help Your Husband Earn More
wive· bave a powerful
influence on how much
money their husbands earn
- and you can help your
husband boost his pay
check, reveals an eye-open
ing study.
"Our study shows that
men whose wives are emo
tionally supportive not only
have happier marriages
but also make greater pro
gress on the Job," declared
Dr. Peggy Draughn.
The findings, she said,
hold true for both blue- and
white-collar workers. Dr.
Draughn, who made the
study of 175 married men,
said wives who want their
husbands to earn more ·
should:
Praise him as a lover.
"Our study showed that
man's feelings of compe
tence as a husband are
strongly tied to his wife's
approval of him when it
comes to romance and
lovemaking."
Give him a hero's wel
come when he comes home
from work. Greet him with
enthusiasm and make him
feel like the mainspring of
the family.
Let him Know you ap
preciate his efforts «s a
breadwinner. Never be
little his work or complain
that he's not earning
enough.
Show respect for his
judgement both at home
and in public. "The man.
who commands the respect
of his wife can tackle his
job with his head held high
and be a creative, imagin
ative worker."
Dr. Draughn said that
even a working wife
making a lot of money can
protect her husband's ego.
She should make it clear
that she cannot get along
without her husband's
'love, affection, compan
ionship and friendship.' "
Dr. Draughn - assistant
professor of home eco
nomics at Louisiana State
University - warned that
the study showed wives can
also have a negative im
pact on their husbands' job »
performance.
"Tnose whose wives
made them feel incompe
tent as mates reported an
inability to deal with job
conflicts, work assign
ments and relationships
with fellow workers. And
tney were not able u
ahead the way the
wished." - Arline Bret
cftûima
with
The
Spinners
May 3 · Shows at 3 and 8 p.m.
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Vote Μην ftth
Bertha
Maxwell
Democrat
Candidate for
N.C. House of
Representatives
Bertha Maxwell
AN EDUCATOR...
Charlotte Mecklenburg School System
Classroom Teacher
Corrective Reading Teacher
Principalehip Morgan Elem. School
Albemarle Rd. Jr. High Elem. School.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE
Professor, College Human Development And Leaning
Frank Porter Graham Professor
Vice President of Academic Affairs & Planning,
Johnson C. Smith University
A LEADER.
ON THE BOARD OF: The Charlotte Arts & Science Council
Charlotte Drug Center
N.C. Women's Task Force on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Coordinator of Delta Sigma The ta Women's Education Equity
Training & Assessment Project
Member Friendship Baptist Church
INNOVATOR...
First Black To Have Principalship of a Predominantly White
School in CMS
Conceptualized & Implemented The Curriculum in
Afro-American and African Studies
Bertha Maxwell
The Committee to Elect Bertha Maxwell extends beat wishes I
the following candidates:
Board of County Commissioners:
Raleigh W. Bynum
L.C. Coleman
Robert L (Bob) Walton
District Court Judge, 21th Judicial District
T. Michael Todd
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
(Non-partisan Election)
Phil Berry
John W. Elliott
Wade Moaley
Sarah Belle Stevenson
Maggie Lamb Nicholson
Ella Scarborough
Sarah Belle Stevenson
Φ
BERTHA MAXWELL has new visions in government - she will be a representative in the N.C. House of
Representatives who will: develop legislation meeting the needs of all CITIZENS; develop a axnmunicatior
network with all CITIZENS; remain visible, viable, accessible and accountable to all CITIZENS
Paid for by the committe to elect Maxwell