Celebrating Hadley’s Centennial: A



Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Celebrating Hadley’s Centennial: A Letter from Julie Tye PAGEREF _Toc26455258 \h 2William Hadley and The Hadley Correspondence School PAGEREF _Toc26455259 \h 4The Making of an Exceptional Educator PAGEREF _Toc26455260 \h 4The Hadley Correspondence School is Born PAGEREF _Toc26455261 \h 5William Hadley: A Life Well Lived PAGEREF _Toc26455262 \h 6Fulfilling the Vision: Dr. E.V.L. Brown PAGEREF _Toc26455263 \h 7Dr. Brown’s Family Inherits a Passion for Hadley PAGEREF _Toc26455264 \h 9Fundraising at Hadley PAGEREF _Toc26455265 \h 10A Winnetka-born Organization PAGEREF _Toc26455266 \h 10The Lions Club Roars into Action PAGEREF _Toc26455267 \h 11The Woman’s Board Steps Up PAGEREF _Toc26455268 \h 12Connection to Hadley Extra Special for Woman’s Board Member Ashley Eckman PAGEREF _Toc26455269 \h 14A Lifelong Affiliation with Hadley Continues to Drive Sarah Barden PAGEREF _Toc26455270 \h 16Friends of Hadley PAGEREF _Toc26455271 \h 17How Distance Learning Sets Hadley Apart PAGEREF _Toc26455272 \h 18Academics at Hadley PAGEREF _Toc26455273 \h 20Hadley Goes International PAGEREF _Toc26455274 \h 22Learning Experts Serve as Hadley’s True Heroes PAGEREF _Toc26455275 \h 23Discussion Groups Creating a Sense of Community Engagement PAGEREF _Toc26455276 \h 25Hadley Growers: Helping Gardeners and Learners Bloom PAGEREF _Toc26455277 \h 25Forsythe Center on Cutting Edge for Helping Persons with Low Vision Get Back into the Workforce PAGEREF _Toc26455278 \h 27Iowa City Man Wins Hadley FCE 2019 New Venture Competition PAGEREF _Toc26455279 \h 29Hadley Technology: Past, Present and Future PAGEREF _Toc26455280 \h 31Technology: The Early Years PAGEREF _Toc26455281 \h 31Game Changers: Personal Computers and the Internet PAGEREF _Toc26455282 \h 32Looking to the Future: Workshops PAGEREF _Toc26455283 \h 33Hadley Partners with Technology Leaders on Accessibility PAGEREF _Toc26455284 \h 34The Changing Face of Vision Loss PAGEREF _Toc26455285 \h 36Hadley’s Reimagined Home on Elm Street PAGEREF _Toc26455286 \h 38Hadley Hall of Fame PAGEREF _Toc26455287 \h 40Dr. Richard Kinney PAGEREF _Toc26455288 \h 40Geraldine Lawhorn PAGEREF _Toc26455289 \h 42Celebrating Hadley’s Centennial: A Message from Julie TyeWe are excited to commemorate Hadley’s centennial in 2020 and proud to share this accomplishment with the North Shore community. We were born here, in the Hadley family living room on Oak Street in Winnetka. And, we grew up here, nurtured by the vision, leadership and support of local residents who have championed Hadley’s important work for the past 100 years. Today, Hadley continues to benefit from the many local volunteers, staff members and donors who support our mission.For those less familiar with Hadley, we are—and always have been—a distance learning organization. This means our blind and visually impaired learners do not come to us, we go to them using the medium that works best for their individual needs. This could be braille, large print, audio or online. At our headquarters at 700 Elm Street in Winnetka, Hadley staff researches and develops our curriculum, produces and distributes course materials, engages and helps our learners, and raises money to support our programs. In addition to those who work onsite, we have experts offsite who are also helping to create on our curriculum and working with learners.Much has changed since William Hadley taught his first “braille by mail” course in 1920. However, Hadley remains strong because we have continuously innovated and adapted to ensure we are providing the greatest assistance to the blind and visually impaired people who need our services. As a result, Hadley is the largest educator of braille and provider of distance education for people who are blind or visually impaired worldwide. In fiscal year 2019, we reached more than 172,000 learners from all 50 states and in 65 countries.Despite these changes, our goals remain constant: to empower people who are blind and visually impaired to thrive at home, at work, and in their communities. Following William Hadley’s lead, we take a personalized approach to this mission, so our learners get the help they need, when they need it. People who are blind or visually impaired often feel isolated; at Hadley they are part of a community where they can find assistance from experts and also have the opportunity to connect with others, like themselves, who are living with vision loss. Hadley also remains fully committed to maintaining our 100-year history of providing learning free of charge to blind and visually impaired people and their families. Many people with vision loss are unemployed, underemployed or living on a fixed income. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, cost is not a barrier to Hadley learners.2020 is a significant year for Hadley for many reasons. In addition to commemorating our rich history, we are also reimagining the organization to best serve people the growing population of older individuals with vision loss. I hope you will read on to learn more about Hadley of the past, present and future.Sincerely,Julie S. TyePresidentWilliam Hadley and The Hadley Correspondence School“When your life’s ambition has failed you, pick up a new thread of endeavor…make your renewal of effort count for other people…because when you think of the other fellow only and not yourself, your own problem fades into insignificance; in unselfishness lies the real thrill of being alive.”Dr. William A. HadleyThe Making of an Exceptional Educator William Allen Hadley was born in Mooresville, Indiana, in 1860. He graduated from Earlham College in 1881 and returned to school at the University of Minnesota so he could earn his master’s degree and become a teacher. Hadley began teaching in Wilmar, MN, where he also served as the Superintendent of Schools for a time. After taking a year-long break to continue his studies at the University of Berlin, he returned to the Midwest and married Jessie Henderson, a fellow schoolteacher. Hadley went on to work at Marietta College in Ohio and the Peoria Public Schools before coming to Chicago to teach at Lake View High School. Along the way, William and Jessie had two daughters, Margaret and Emily. Seeking more space to accommodate their family of four, the Hadleys moved to 913 Oak Street in Winnetka in 1905. The family loved living in the area, enjoying outdoor activities such as gardening and attending concerts at Ravinia.In 1915, Hadley’s life was dramatically altered when a bout of influenza caused his retina to detach. Today this could likely be fixed surgically, but at that time it meant loss of vision in this eye. Because he had lost sight in his other eye in a childhood archery accident, William Hadley was completely blind at the age of 55. This was a difficult adjustment. Hadley found great assistance from his friend and neighbor, Dr. E.V.L. Brown, a renowned ophthalmologist. Dr. Brown not only knew the science of vision loss, but also the psychology. He recognized the importance of vision rehabilitation for recovering self-esteem and encouraged Hadley to stay active and learn braille.However, Hadley was frustrated to find that there were virtually no educational opportunities for blind people. Motivated by his love of reading and learning, he taught himself braille with the help of his wife, Jessie. During this time, he also stayed busy tutoring New Trier High School students in his home and typing manuscripts for an author friend. While he learned to accept his vision loss, he lacked a strong sense of purpose.In 1919, fate again intervened in the form of a Winnetka neighbor. Hadley had struck up a friendship with Reverend Plumer from Oklahoma, who was spending the summer in Winnetka with his daughter’s family. While discussing Hadley’s love for teaching and options, Plumer suggested that Hadley use his talents and experience as an educator to teach his fellow adult blind by correspondence courses.The Hadley Correspondence School is BornHadley was excited by the possibilities and enlisted the assistance of Dr. Brown, who soon shared his enthusiasm. Their research revealed that nothing like this had ever been done, yet the need to educate adults with vision loss was profound. This project also brought William Hadley back to life. He was invigorated by the challenge and got to work making it a reality.By 1920, word of his idea was spreading. A farmer’s wife in Kansas wrote to him desperate to learn braille so she could read again, and “braille by mail” was born. She mailed her exercises to Mr. Hadley who corrected and returned them along with notes of help and encouragement. This was the beginning of the close instructor-student relationships that is a hallmark of Hadley learning. After this first success, Mr. Hadley was ready to take on more students. He advertised his correspondence school in a free periodical printed in braille and received over 100 replies — from all 48 states, Canada and China. This reinforced the significant need for the teaching services he was offering and helped provide direction for the type of courses that should be offered. In response to this feedback, the curriculum was expanded to include English Grammar and Bible Study, which Mr. Hadley authored, brailed and taught himself. For the first year, Hadley ran the school out of his living room at 913 Oak Street—with the help of his wife Jessie, and the support and encouragement of Dr. E.V.L. Brown. Using only the modest means of his teaching pension, Hadley provided education to more than 60 students free of charge. This policy of tuition-free education that Mr. Hadley established a century ago continues to underpin Hadley learning today.As the years went on, the School’s enrollment and staff grew but Mr. Hadley continued to develop, braille and teach many of the courses himself -- including English Grammar, English Literature, English History, American Literature, Ancient History, Medieval and Modern History, Civil Government and Geography. He also brailed personal letters of correction and encouragement to accompany each lesson he sent to students. William Hadley: A Life Well LivedWilliam Hadley remained actively involved in the School he created until 1936 when, at the age of 76, he underwent an operation that took much of his vigor and required him to scale back his teaching.He was honored for his pioneering work in education during his lifetime, receiving two honorary degrees from Beloit College, a Doctor of Law degree in 1931 and a Doctor of Humanities degree in 1933. The year before his death, Hadley reflected upon his life in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, remarking: “I had been a teacher all my life and my work was not done. I was idle several years, adjusting myself, but eventually I decided that my ability to teach had not left with my sight. Now I know that my most valuable work has been done in the last 20 years. I am not sorry that I was made blind.” William Hadley passed away at the age of 81 on October 2, 1941—almost exactly a year after the death of his beloved wife, Jessie. Throughout the decades, we have kept William Hadley’s spirit alive, providing timely, practical distance learning for people who are blind or visually impaired and their families. He would be gratified to know that what he started has made a positive difference to thousands around the world living with vision loss.Fulfilling the Vision: Dr. E.V.L. Brown“Prevention of blindness if possible, if not, then the Hadley School.”- Dr. E.V.L. BrownEdward Vail Lapham (EVL) Brown was an important presence in the life of William Hadley. When William Hadley first went blind, it was Dr. Brown—an ophthalmologist and Hadley’s friend and neighbor—who encouraged him to stay active and learn braille. Dr. Brown was also critical to the founding and success of the Hadley School. From the time William Hadley first approached him with the idea of starting a correspondence school, he provided essential leadership and counsel to the organization.While William Hadley developed and brailed the courses and taught students, Dr. Brown worked to build and manage an organizational structure that could provide tuition-free learning to students. In 1922 he was appointed to be Hadley’s first President of the Board of Trustees and he would serve in this role until his death in 1953.Born in Morrison, IL, in 1896, Brown studied at Hahneman Medical School. There, he grew fascinated by the wonders of the human eye and continued his studies in this area at Rush Medical College and the University of Chicago. Later, his research would take him to the University of Berlin and Vienna. He also applied his German-language skills to translate scholarly texts, including The Human Eyeball and The Diseases of the Eye, into English.Dr. Brown was an eminent Chicago ophthalmologist and a dedicated educator. In addition to private practice, he taught at Rush Medical College, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois, and served as President of the Board of Trustees of the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness in Chicago. He also received many honors throughout his career, including the highest honor in his field, the Howe Medal of the American Ophthalmological Society. A 1953 editorial in the Chicago Tribune recognized some of his other contributions in the field: “Dr. Brown led the movement for the passage of a law which saved infants from total blindness, a requirement for antisepsis of the eyes at birth.” He was also described as someone who “liked to honor those who have overcome obstacles” in their careers, which inspired him to become the first president of the National Medical Fellowship of Negroes in Medicine. An extremely accomplished man, Dr. E.V.L. Brown was a dedicated educator, renowned ophthalmologist and great humanitarian. His providential friendship with William Hadley launched The Hadley Correspondence School and his “inspiring and practical leadership” was critical to its success.Dr. Brown’s Family Inherits a Passion for HadleyDr. Brown’s enthusiasm for Hadley was shared with his family. His daughter, Nancy, and her husband Clarence Boyd (Bud) Jones also became involved with the school in the early 1940s. A few months after Dr. Brown died, Bud Jones took over as the President of the Board of Trustees. When Jones took the reins, the school was in a precarious financial position, at risk of not meeting the month’s payroll. He got to work inspiring people about Hadley, getting support from his friends and neighbors and securing new contributors. An accomplished lawyer and Secretary of the Diversey Corporation, Bud was devoted to Hadley. He is remembered for his “wealth of wisdom and practical know-how” and for working tirelessly to raise Hadley’s profile, spearhead the building campaign and put the school on firm financial footing. In the sixteen years that he served as board president, Hadley’s services, manpower and income more than quadrupled.He accomplished much of this in partnership with his wife, Nancy, who brought great creativity and energy to help the School. She played a pivotal role in fundraising, effectively rallying the support of the Board of Trustees and founding the Hadley Woman’s Board. Fundraising at HadleyAs the vast majority of the blind are dependent upon others for food and shelter, all courses are given FREE to the students, who are enrolled from practically every state and from several foreign countries.Hadley Annual Report 1923Hadley learning has always been free of charge to people who are blind or visually impaired and their families. While the overall prospects for people with vision loss may be brighter than they were a century ago, today many live on a fixed income or are un- or under-employed. Hadley never wants cost to be a barrier to our learners. With this in mind, raising money to support the learning and services Hadley provides is integral to what we do—and an important part of our story.A Winnetka-born OrganizationIt was the support and generosity of Winnetka residents that got Hadley off the ground. The first check Hadley received from outside supporters was for $1,000 in 1921. It came from Douglas Smith, president of the Pepsodent Company, and Mr. John Scott, of Carson Pirie Scott, both of whom lived in Winnetka and were patients of Hadley co-founder Dr. E.V.L. Brown. In a 1989 interview about the early days of Hadley, Nancy Jones, daughter of Dr. E.V.L Brown remembered her parents as a “remarkable couple,” that was “surrounded by remarkable people in this village.” She explained, “Winnetka is a town that stands out,” it was “just full of philanthropic, civil minded, thoughtful, generous, and unusual people.” Many from the local area gave generously of their time and money in the early years – especially Hadley’s Board of Trustees. When Hadley was incorporated as a non-profit in 1922, this newly formed Board provided the financial support needed to move operations from William and Jessie Hadley’s living room to a small second-floor office at 584 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka. Later, their generosity would keep Hadley going through the lean years of the Depression, and donations from the Board were key to purchasing the land at 700 Elm Street, where Hadley now stands.The Winnetka Community Chest was a critical, steady income source in the 1940s and 1950s. However, these monies came with the stipulation that Hadley could not actively solicit additional funds from Winnetka residents. This prompted the school to reach beyond the town border for financial support—a critical step towards its long-term viability. However, because the Community Chest restricted the information that could be shared within the town, many people in the area were not familiar with Hadley. So, in the early 1960s, Hadley left the Community Chest in order to strengthen relationships with those in its hometown. It is thanks to the generosity of countless individuals, groups and foundations that Hadley can continue to provide learners with tuition-free education. There are too many to name, but a few stand out.The Lions Club Roars into ActionFounded by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones in 1917, Lions Club International is a service club that counts blindness-related causes among its projects. This was inspired by none other than Helen Keller who appealed to the Lions Clubs to become “Knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness” when she addressed their international convention in 1925. So, it was fitting and fortuitous when the newly chartered Winnetka Lions Club adopted The Hadley Correspondence School for the Blind as its main project in 1929. The school was in urgent need of financial support at this time, and the Lions Club contribution was critical to Hadley’s survival during the Depression. This was the beginning of a long and important relationship for Hadley.The Winnetka Lions worked tirelessly to spread the word about Hadley. As a result, the school gained the attention and support of other Lions Clubs across the state and was officially adopted by the Illinois Lions at their State Convention in 1935. Their continued campaign would lead to great exposure for Hadley, including the opportunity for Hadley to attract worldwide attention by exhibiting at the International Lions Convention when it was held in Chicago. In addition, initiatives such as a Lions-organized paper drive in 1951 were instrumental in raising funds and generating publicity. In 1953, the Lions of Illinois formalized their commitment to blindness-related causes with the forming of the Lions of Illinois Blind Activities, which supported Hadley and Leader Dogs for the Blind. This committee raised significant funds through its “Candy Day” sales. Meanwhile, the Winnetka Lions raised additional funds for Hadley through an annual Pancake Breakfast. Through the 1950s, more of the state clubs were coming into the fold and, by 1958, the Lions contribution comprised a significant portion of the school’s income. When it was time to expand the Hadley building in 1968, the Lions were again there. Funding for specific sections of the building were raised through memorial donations honoring past Lions. These monies were raised concurrently with the Lions’ usual and generous donation to Hadley’s general fund.Today, the Lions Club International continues to support vision-related causes and has expanded this scope to include blindness prevention and sight restoration. Hadley continues to benefit from the generosity of local Lions Clubs who donate each year to help us fulfill our mission of helping people who are blind and visually impaired thrive at home, at work and in their communities.The Woman’s Board Steps UpIn the early years, the wives of Hadley’s founders and Board of Trustees—including Mrs. William Hadley and Mrs. E.V.L. Brown—played a significant role behind the scenes helping their husbands and the School. In 1953, many of these women stepped out from the shadows to formalize and organize their support by creating the Hadley Woman’s Board.This move was prompted by necessity. In 1953 Hadley had only $500 left in the bank and no immediate plan for how to make payroll. Nancy Brown Jones, daughter of founder Dr. E.V.L. Brown, came up with a solution; “It would require women, who keep their shoulder to the wheel,” she explained in a 1989 interview. Together with her mother and other prominent local women, such as Mrs. Ernest S. Ballard who was the first chair, the newly formed Board spent the summer hosting teas along the North Shore to raise money for and awareness of Hadley. Soon, the Woman’s Board was off and running. Nancy Jones remembers, “We had great strengths in the early Woman’s Board…They were unusually capable, bright, charming and well-organized women who knew how to get right to a problem.” 2020 marks 67 years that the Hadley Woman’s Board has been working diligently to fundraise for Hadley. Over the years, Woman’s Board members have also devoted their time and talents to the School, such as giving tours of the building to visitors, reading books for audio recordings, arranging get-acquainted luncheons for students and blind veterans, and interviewing influential people to interest them in the school. The Woman’s Board’s success has made it a special partner and financial cornerstone for Hadley. In addition to the general fund, the Woman’s Board has raised funds to support many initiatives—such as Hadley’s Blinded Veteran’s Initiative, Family Program, Business Education, and Low Vision Initiative. Every year, the Woman’s Board sells Braille Holiday Cards to raise funds in support of Hadley. Started by Nancy Jones in 1956, the cards always include a message transcribed in braille as well as an ink-printed note. Sending the card has been a tradition for many families and a wonderful way to expand the reach of Hadley worldwide.A large percentage of the Woman’s Board proceeds are raised through special events, including an annual gala that brings the community together in support of Hadley. Over the years, these affairs have included dinner dances, casino nights, Kentucky Derby parties, garden parties, art sales and wine nights. Some highlights include opening night of the 1965 Royal Marines Tattoo and the 1995 gala celebrating Hadley’s 75th Anniversary, with Barbara Bush as the Honorary Chairman. This year, the Hadley Woman’s Board and Hadley Board of Trustees are planning a landmark celebration in honor of Hadley’s centennial. This fun and festive evening is scheduled for April 4, 2020 at The Dalcy in Chicago’s Fulton Market. The event will include cocktails, dinner and dancing to the music of TVK Orchestra. To be a sponsor, purchase tickets or learn more about the event, contact sara@hadley.edu or call 847-784-2876. If you are interested in joining or would like more information about the Hadley Woman’s Board, contact Suzy Parks, Hadley Woman’s Board President, at suzyparks@ or 847-274-3202.Connection to Hadley Extra Special for Woman’s Board Member Ashley EckmanIt’s been a long road that’s led Ashley Eckman to her position on the Hadley Woman’s Board, but she believes she is here for a reason. Moving to Glencoe from New Jersey in 2013 with husband Brian and sons Will and Sam, Ashley had one of the most unforgettable experiences of her life while searching for a new home on the North Shore.The story actually begins on March 11, 2002, when she gave birth to her first son, Eli. Born with osteopetrosis, a rare metabolic disease, the Eckmans would learn three months later that Eli was also blind. As a new mom, Ashley wanted to do everything she could to help guide him through the very early stages of life. “We were looking for resources,” she recalls. “I didn’t know a single person who was blind. I knew our world was a visual one and wanted to be able to help my child learn about this world. That’s when we first found out about Hadley. We took a course called ‘Reach Out and Teach’ that came in an envelope through the mail. “I remember seeing Hadley’s Winnetka address but never really thought anything about it. They would send correspondence courses by mail. They were so hopeful, so sweet, and the support was free. They let us know we were not alone; that they’ve done this before; that they have the answers for what we need; and that we’re in this together.” Eli received a bone marrow transplant during the first year of his life and would survive for six more years before passing away at the age of 7 in 2009. Fast forward to 2013, when the Eckman family had 72 hours to find a home after Brian started a new job with Northbrook-based Astellas. “We heard how nice it was to raise a family on the North Shore and were driving down Elm Street and that’s when we drove right past Hadley,” recalls Ashley.“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Then I saw the braille on the Hadley sign, and it was very clear that this was Eli’s way of saying hello and that hey, you’ve got this; everything is going to work out.”The Eckmans bought a home the next day in Glencoe and, soon after, one of her son’s friends would come over to play. Ashley showed him one of Eli’s braille books they had kept. “The boy’s mom said that she had a friend who was on the Hadley Woman’s Board and that I might like to meet her,” recalls Ashley. She would soon have coffee with fellow Woman’s Board Member Sarah Barden and the two made an instant connection. “With a new home, new town, and two young children, it wasn’t my first thought to connect with Hadley, but I met Sarah and not too long after joined the board,” says Ashley.Raised in a military family and moving very often allowed Ashley to be able to purge her belongings very easily. “But for some reason I kept that ‘Reach Out and Teach’ curriculum and the fact that I kept it means a lot,” she laughs. “I didn’t know that I’d be on the Hadley Woman’s Board, but it just seems quite serendipitous.”Ashley has served as secretary for the last three years and is involved in several Woman’s Board fundraisers each year, including the yearly sale of Hadley’s holiday cards. In fact, she proudly displays the first Hadley holiday card her family sent to family and friends when Eli was 2 years old, back in 2004. The front features a picture of her, Brian and Eli with a Happy Holidays message printed in braille on the inside. “We sent this holiday card 15 years ago and today we still send braille holiday cards from Hadley. It’s amazing to know that I’m now so closely associated with such a great organization.“Knowing that Hadley’s offices are close by has helped. I’m always looking for hellos from Eli and being able to be involved with Hadley is just another nod from him.” She continues: “But I don’t want my story to be about how we lost a child. We remember Eli through pictures, stories, and memories. He lives in our hearts forever. I just want to help other families who have loved ones with vision loss because through Hadley, I was given encouragement and hope and wish to share that same message.”A Lifelong Affiliation with Hadley Continues to Drive Sarah BardenSarah Barden’s affiliation with Hadley dates back nearly 50 years to when, as an 8th grader living in Wilmette, she met Dr. Richard Kinney, one of the organization’s pioneers. Dr. Kinney was the first blind person Sarah ever met and he made an impact that she still recalls today.Sarah attended New Trier High School for two years before her family moved to Lancaster, OH. She graduated from Miami of Ohio University with a double major in learning disabilities and elementary education and taught in that field. She and her husband have since raised their own family in Northbrook.In 1992, Sarah became reacquainted with Hadley when one of her mother’s friends sponsored her to join the Woman’s Board. Like many Hadley Woman’s Board members, her interest was largely social. She enjoyed being part of this group of women who were doing good work in the community. However, Sarah’s connection with Hadley became more personal when her sister Libby gave birth to Annie. Born at just 26 weeks, Annie had blindness caused by retinopathy of prematurity. Today, Annie is a recent college graduate and working her first full time job out of college, at the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments in Richmond Heights, MO. When she was very young, Annie and her mom designed a holiday card used by Hadley and later, while in high school, Annie completed a course in music that Hadley offered.“Many people assumed that I became involved with Hadley because of Annie, but that wasn’t the case as I’d been on the Woman’s Board long before she was born,” said Sarah. “Annie’s story has given me more of a drive to make sure that the visually-impaired population of our society is served, accepted, and totally mainstreamed. She’s been such an inspiration to me and my family. Knowing how she has flourished in life has pushed me to be an even more active supporter of Hadley.”Sarah is an involved community volunteer beyond Hadley. She was a member of the Junior League of Evanston and currently serves on the Northbrook and Ravinia Woman’s Boards. However, “Hadley has always been my passion and main focus,” she explains. “Here, you are fully aware that they need you in all sorts of ways. There are opportunities for us to serve here at Hadley aside from just fundraising.”In addition to being a past Woman’s Board President, Sarah is a longtime Hadley Trustee and is a co-chair for Hadley’s Education and Centennial Committees. She points with pride to the fact that the Woman’s Board is a true working board that works tirelessly to uphold Hadley’s mission of serving the population that they do free of charge all around the world. “We’ve stayed focused to that. Our delivery, our technology, and all of the services we provide; we just continue to get better and better as an organization as a whole.” Friends of HadleyIn 1974, the Woman’s Board gave rise to the Friends of Hadley. The Friends were focused on supporting the school’s unique educational programs, helping Hadley students on an individual basis and addressing specific causes. For example, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Friends of Hadley helped a student who was without a home, personal belongings and, most importantly, her personal computer which she needed to continue her employment. By pooling resources, they wrote a check toward the purchase of a new computer monitor and adaptive software so she could return to work. In 2006, this group won the American Council of the Blind’s prestigious James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes people or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional service to others.How Distance Learning Sets Hadley ApartAt Hadley, ‘distance learning’ is among the most used phrases but only because of the importance of its meaning. Distance education has always been Hadley’s model of learning. This approach worked well 100 years ago because the blind and visually impaired individuals that William Hadley set out to teach did not need to travel or disrupt their lives to access education. It was also economically fortuitous because materials in envelopes marked “materials for the blind” could—and continue to—travel through the U.S. Postal Service for free.Braille was initially the primary means for communication between students and teachers and later large print, audio and online formats were added. More recently, digital technologies have given rise to new exciting new mediums including podcasts, videos and webinars. While the way we deliver learning has evolved, Hadley’s philosophy has not. “We’ve been consistent with distance learning since 1920 and it’s still our focus, although technology is proving to be the biggest game changer in our providing assistance for thousands of low vision individuals around the globe,” Chief Program Officer Ed Haines explains. “Back in the day, we started sending out our audio courses on vinyl records as part of the talking book program. That morphed into cassette tape, then digital talking books. The future is definitely pointing towards people getting their audio workshops on devises like Alexa.” What does distance learning mean to Hadley learners today? It means studying in a convenient location, with course materials and teachers' comments arriving by mail or via email; allowing students to study on their own time and at their own pace; and the ability to receive specially designed course materials in the medium of choice. However, Hadley’s distance learning approach is also personal. It’s the one-on-one attention from Hadley’s instructors that sets us apart. Hadley’s licensed educators check and respond to completed assignments individually, as if you were sitting together in a classroom. Help is always available via phone or email when someone has questions about their studies or needs assistance solving a particular problem.Today, Hadley offers hundreds of workshops in four main categories: Braille, Technology, Employment, and Adjustment Independent Living and Recreation, the latter being particularly important for those who experience low vision at an older age. “All four go together,” explains Haines. “You can’t really adjust emotionally or psychosocially unless you have attained some level of independence; or level of independence unless you have some level of adjustment. They are just very interrelated.”For the past century, Hadley has been developing new distance learning programs to improve our offerings and adapt to the needs of people who are blind and visually impaired. In 2020 we will take a bold new step in this direction with the launch of a new workshop format to deliver content. To increase our reach and impact, we’re broadening our virtual platform and transforming traditional courses and seminars into bite-sized 10- to 20-minute experiences,” explains Charmaine Martin, learning expert and practice leader for the Adjustment, Independent, Living, and Recreation Team.“Learners will also be able to customize their experience when on our newly-designed online platform, and choose the font style and size, page color and contrast that work best for their individual needs. And as they move through content, Hadley’s system will retain preferences, tailoring subsequent visits to match preferred user experience and interest.”Martin says that individuals who prefer offline learning will still have access to printed materials, newly delivered in a series of short booklets and audio clips with on-demand production and shipping powered by an upgraded and integrated database.“It may seem counter-intuitive because we are a distance-learning organization where the teaching happens online or through mailed materials, but our learners tell us is that they are desperate for community,” adds Ms. Martin. So, Hadley is making this happen, connecting visually impaired learners, family members, and subject experts through discussion groups. It now has a number of groups that meet on a weekly or monthly basis to share and discuss across a broad range of topics, such as Spanish, braille, travel, gardening, technology, crafting, writing and much more.Hadley learners are striving for independence. Charmaine explains, “being able to help them makes all the difference in the world. It’s an amazing feeling of accomplishment for everyone.”Academics at HadleyIn 1920, William Hadley began been providing blind and visually impaired individuals with learning they could not find elsewhere. For the past century Hadley has continued this mission, proactively identifying the gaps and developing learning solutions to address these needs. Here are just some of the highlights:There were few educational opportunities for people who were blind when William Hadley lost his vision. Hadley learned braille on his own and then set out to help others, like himself, who lost their sight later in life by teaching “braille by mail.” When he advertised correspondence courses for the blind in a braille periodical, he was flooded with requests for subjects to teach. In response he wrote, brailed and taught courses in English Grammar and Bible Study. By 1922, the school was serving more than 400 students, and teaching new courses such as Business Correspondence and Short Stories. And, at the end of the decade, the curriculum had expanded to include business, math, languages, history, government and, of course, braille.The Depression prompted the need for more learning of practical value. So, classes such as insurance selling, and poultry raising were added to the array of course offerings—which, at this point, also included foreign languages, science, business law, literature and geography. In the 1940s, the school launched additional classes in economics, first aid, accident prevention, insurance sales, and bookkeeping. In 1944, Hadley joined forces with the University of Chicago to offer selected college-level courses in braille to qualified blind students. Hadley served as a secretarial intermediary between the University and students and developed classes in English and psychology in braille.Hadley was serving nearly 1,400 students per year in the mid-fifties. Enrollment continued to grow exponentially into the 1960s and Hadley began to focus on a critical problem for people with vision loss: finding employment. This greater emphasis on vocational training prompted new courses on blind medical transcription, secretarial occupations, computer science and braille music notation, and updated courses in business, sales and abacus. In 1966, a popular course on amateur radio theory was introduced and, following a subsequent donation of radio equipment, Hadley had its own licensed amateur radio station.In the 1970s, Hadley introduced the High School Program that was geared towards the millions of blind adults who had not had the opportunity to complete high school. This allowed visually impaired students to earn a high school diploma, either completely through Hadley or to supplement course credit from traditional schools. Hadley had always been helping family members but formally launched the Parent/Child Program in 1984 to focus on the special needs of parents and family members. Through this, families could find guidance, encouragement and resources to support the development of blind individuals of any age. To “teach the teachers” Hadley partnered with Utah State University in 2009. This collaboration brought affordable college-level courses to educators who work with those who are blind or visually impaired. These classes were also available to parents, professionals and blind consumers. Recognizing the growing number of people who have low vision due to age-related conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes, The Low Vision Focus @ Hadley, was launched in 2014. This initiative laid the groundwork for much of the new curriculum that will be rolled out in 2020. Hadley Goes InternationalFrom the very beginning, Hadley attracted interest from blind and visually impaired students around the world. While the “braille by mail” model allowed Hadley to serve international students, it was not a fast process given distance and geographical barriers.In 1959, Director Donald Hathaway and Assistant Director Richard Kinney attended the Fifth World Assembly of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind in Rome. While there, they were approached by Latin American delegates who wished to replicate Hadley in their countries. This was the beginning of Hadley International. Under this new initiative, Hadley partnered with local agencies for the blind to open satellite offices in key regions of the world. This enabled Hadley to overcome linguistic barriers and deliver resources more efficiently. In the 1960s, Hadley leadership felt strongly that Hadley belonged wherever it could serve a need, and devoted a portion of Hadley’s total budget to international efforts. As a result, Hadley continued to expand across the globe—with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Greece, India, Italy, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Spain and Turkey. Across these countries, the curriculum mirrored Hadley Central’s approach, primarily teaching English through the local language in braille, by mail. There was also an emphasis on introducing new courses that related to vocational requirements across the markets.By the 1990s, new web-enabled technologies meant learning materials could be delivered more efficiently from a central location. The rising cost and complexity of maintaining operations abroad led to closing international offices in Europe in 1992 and the last locations in South America and Latin America in 2000. China was the exception and remained open until 2012. At its peak, Hadley China taught English and English braille to more than 1,000 students each year. However, it also became prohibitively expensive to keep a physical presence in the market. Today, Hadley continues to serve people who are blind and visually impaired around the world. In fact, in 2019 we reached learners in more than 65 countries. Hadley’s distance learning model and digital technology make it a seamless process, with learning accessible around the clock from any location. Learning Experts Serve as Hadley’s True HeroesUnless you’ve gone through it, it’s impossible to imagine losing your vision and having the confidence to continue living independently. Hadley’s learning experts are essential to helping learners navigate this new reality so they can live their best life in a brand-new environment.Hadley’s professionally trained experts collaborate with learners to integrate insights gained from Hadley content into their learning/life experience. “People who call are often scared and anxious and simply want to know that life can go on,” explains Charmaine Martin, learning expert and practice leader for the Adjustment, Independent, Living, and Recreation Team. “We tell them that they can still do things that they normally do, but that they just have learn how to do them in a different way, and we can help get them there.”A Hadley employee for the past 22 years, Martin started as a file clerk but has since earned master’s degrees in orientation and mobility and in vision rehabilitation therapy. She’s also a certified braille transcriber. “You can feel the anxiousness of the caller but also the relief once they hear what we have to offer in the way of assistance, and that we will be there to help guide them every step of the way.”Martin shares that it is most frequently an older aged individual who has experienced recent vision loss who reaches out to see what Hadley can offer. Because their literacy is already there and that they are at stage when they’re not yet ready to want to learn braille, most are simply seeking tips and tricks on how to navigate through their new life and the experiences that come with it. “And they want it quickly,” Charmaine adds. “We’re in the age of YouTube, when people don’t want to sit thru a 12-15 lesson course to find out about independent living. They want to have all of the information at their fingertips and want it right now. Fortunately, our new platform that we’re working on is more or less the ‘just in time’ type of education our learners are seeking.”While Hadley’s online discussion groups have helped provide an enormous sense of community for those living with low vision, it’s the learning experts who are on the front lines every day, communicating in real-time, and make a difference in people’s lives. Whether it’s tips on shaving, navigating the kitchen, or even how to locate a pair of dropped glasses without stepping on them, Martin and her fellow Hadley experts are always there to provide support. “Teaching braille has always been our number one source of help, but people come to us at different stages (of vision loss),” she explains. “When blindness hits, you want to know that what you’re feeling is normal. Just like you grieve for the loss of a family member, you can grieve for the loss of your vision.” For Charmaine, it is an “amazing feeling” to see how someone struggling in the beginning learns to adjust. She affirms this feeling also extends to sighted individuals when they’ve learned to help their loved one gain back their independence. Discussion Groups Creating a Sense of Community EngagementVisual impairment is often isolating. Compromised sight can make it difficult to travel and get around in public leading to a loss of independence, established routines and engagement with the outside world. According to The Global Coalition on Aging, low vision has also been shown to result in a 9.5 times greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 200% increase in clinical depression. Staying connected is critical—and something that Hadley learners are eager to do. So, Hadley recently launched a series of Discussion Groups where learners can interact with others who share their interests and learn from others who are facing similar challenges. Hadley Discussion Groups are free of charge and open to anyone with a visual impairment, their family members, and even medical professionals. These forums allow learners—who are spread out across the country and around the world— to gain knowledge, share information, connect with one another and build community. Subjects capture learners’ broad range of interests and needs. Whatever the pursuit, it is likely that Hadley has a discussion group for it. Topics include: Tech it Out, Hadley Growers, Spanish Chat, What’s Cooking, Resource Roundtable, Get Up & Go, Crafting, Embracing Braille and Writers’ Circle. Discussion groups are also an important component of Hadley’s new workshop format. They provide a valuable avenue for ‘social learning’ that, research and experience reveal, is critical to people with low vision. If learners are not able to join the live conversation, they can access the discussion content after the fact by downloading the transcript or listening to the audio recording. Topics are timely and seasonal—such as how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey or online shopping for holiday gifts.Feedback from learners has been excellent. They enjoy the cross-section of people who participate, the ability to ask questions of experts and the group, and the opportunity to share their own tips and experiences. Visit hadley.edu/discussions to browse all of the discussion groups. Click ‘Tune In’ to view upcoming topics, times to join in and access past sessions.Hadley Growers: Helping Gardeners and Learners BloomHadley Chief Program Officer and Learning Expert Ed Haines recently took Hadley’s popular Container Gardening course in an exciting new direction, creating the Hadley Growers discussion group. While Ed has been considering creating a garden-centered chat for a while, the transition to Hadley’s new learning format provided the ideal opportunity to launch this monthly get-together. Since its debut last year, engagement, participation, and gardens have been flourishing. Each month, Hadley Growers attracts attendees from across all U.S. gardening zones and around the world. It also appeals to all types of gardeners—from beginners to master gardeners with vast expertise. Nancy Matulis is a lifelong gardener. She has also had low vision since birth as a result of retinopathy of prematurity, the leading cause of childhood vision loss. With limited vision, contrast is key, so Nancy plants bright flowers and purple beans so she can see them to pick. She also pays careful attention to raised beds, using wind chimes to help her identify them. “It’s a challenge when I put a tool down and can’t find it,” Nancy remarks. However, this does not limit her gardening goals or success. A Master Gardener, she grows a variety of plants—including fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Nancy came to Hadley ten years ago to challenge herself to learn new things. Hadley’s distance learning model has made it possible for her to be a lifelong learner. “Hadley is a resource like no other for people who are visually impaired,” she confirms. Hadley is also a place where she can now further her love of gardening. As a participant in Hadley Growers, she enjoys being part of this community of fellow enthusiasts. “It’s fun to listen to gardeners from all over sharing ideas.”The popularity of Hadley Growers does not surprise Ed Haines. An avid gardener himself, he recognizes “gardeners are really into this hobby and want to talk about it.” Learners connect with the group, sharing their gardening questions, advice, frustrations and triumphs. However, gardening also creates connections beyond Hadley. As Ed points out, “Gardening is an activity that blind and sighted people can enjoy together. It’s truly a community builder.” Ed is excited by the number of advanced gardeners like Ms. Matulis that are gardening with a range of vision impairments. “This shows that the gardening community welcomes diversity and is inclusive,” he notes. Forsythe Center on Cutting Edge for Helping Persons with Low Vision Get Back into the WorkforceUnemployment among people with disabilities is a serious issue, and this is especially true for persons with visual impairments. The National Federation of the Blind reports that over 70% of working age adults with significant vision loss are not employed full time. And the situation is expected to only worsen. The National Eye Institute projects a dramatic increase in the number of Americans with low vision, from 2.9 million in 2010, to 5 million in 2030, and to nearly 9 million in 2050. Although low vision can occur at any age, most people with low vision are over 60 years old. “Because this generation will live longer, many will strive for years to keep their jobs and live independently with low vision,” explains Colleen Wunderlich, director of Hadley’s Forsythe Center for Employment & Entrepreneurship. “I’m concerned because society is not prepared for the increasing numbers of people who will lose their vision 10 to 20 years down the road. It’s been a silent epidemic for a long time.” Through the Forsythe Center, Hadley offers tuition-free courses and online modules that focus on business planning, marketing, basic accounting and financial statement preparation.“Whether someone is seeking a job, wanting a better job, or aspiring to be their own boss, we help develop the business skills needed to be successful,” explains Ms. Wunderlich, a Joliet native who has been with Hadley since 2013. Each year, the Forsythe Center awards $30,000 in grant money to deserving individuals through its ‘New Venture’ competition for entrepreneurialism. Wunderlich realized the need for this competition a few years ago when she was teaching a Hadley course on business plans and started seeing a lot of people’s business plans come through. She recalled the “courses to prepare people for business planning and competition” when she earned her MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and set out to create a similar opportunity for Hadley learners.Last year’s winner, Darrell Kirby, was just 20 years old and a junior at the University of Iowa when he began losing his sight. Within a few months he would be completely blind due to possible complications linked to his diabetes. Now an owner of his own multidisciplinary behavioral healthcare practice, Kirby’s story is featured in this 100th anniversary section.The initial funding for the competition came from E-Trade Founder Bernie Newcomb who, like Wunderlich, was born blind. Since then, funding has come from Sandy and Richard Forsythe, who also provided the seed money to start the Forsythe Center at Hadley in 2011. “It blows my mind and is simply astounding that there are people out there like Darrell Kirby who are able to do what they do,” said Sandy Forsythe, who joined the Hadley’s Woman’s Board shortly after moving to Winnetka in 1983. “Knowing our name is at the forefront of this program is such a great feeling. We recognize that it is working and has helped so many people.”Sandy knows firsthand the difficulty and struggles that comes with living with a loved one with vision loss. Her husband, Rick, who started his own company, Forsythe Technologies in 1971, developed macular degeneration in 2004 at the age of 65. “The one thing that I’ve learned about blindness and people is that they want their dignity, they want to contribute to society, and plain and simple, they want a job,” adds Sandy. “We are thankful to help open this door to them.” As the only program of its kind, the Forsythe Center for Employment & Entrepreneurship is continually growing and developing new coursework to go along with a new online portal. It is also always re-imagining the way it teaches business planning and how it is preparing people for the New Venture competition.Colleen gleams with pride when asked about the Forsythe Center’s accomplishments. “I’m proud of our entrepreneurs,” she says. “They make this program successful. We are so honored to have touched well over 200 businesses in different phases of the development process. The fact that we are funded by private corporations and philanthropists gives us a tremendous amount of freedom and autonomy to be creative and think out of the box.”For more information on the Forsythe Center for Employment & Entrepreneurship, visit or call (800) 323-4238.Iowa City Man Wins Hadley FCE 2019 New Venture CompetitionDarrel Kirby was 20 years old and a junior at the University of Iowa in 2008 when his life was turned completely upside down. Studying to earn a degree in psychology, Kirby, a diabetic since childhood, began losing his sight and within a few months would be completely blind due to detached retinas that didn’t respond to treatment.“The most difficult part of going blind is losing your independence,” said Darrel. “That brought its own set of challenges. I was no longer driving, and traveling was?difficult. I was a junior in college and all of the sudden I didn't know how to be a student. I had worked at the university bookstore, and I didn't know how to do that. I was devastated.”Darrel would leave school and return home, hoping for answers but became isolated and depressed. “I lost friends, lost my identity, and went into a dark, depressing and hopeless place,” he recalled. “(Before losing my sight) I valued independence, was sociable, had a lot of friends, was willing to take risks and try all sorts of new adventures,” Kirby explained. “Suddenly, I was scared to do those things. I was scared to leave my apartment, and friends didn't know how to interact with?me.” Eventually, he found help and inspiration from others in the blindness community, giving him the motivation to return to school and reimagine his life. He received guidance from the Iowa Department for the Blind, where he learned braille, cane travel, how to use the computer, cooking, and other home living?skills. He also learned that he didn’t necessarily have to give up on all of the dreams he had before he lost his vision.Once back at the University of Iowa, Darrel earned his master’s degree in social work in 2008 and became a licensed independent social worker and certified drug and alcohol counselor. Over the next eleven years he worked as a counselor at agencies in the Iowa City area, including the University of Iowa and the Veterans Health Administration. These were positive and rewarding experiences, but Darrel aimed to move into private practice because it allows for greater schedule flexibility, improved financial prospects and the opportunity to work with clients long-term across a wider range of experiences. In addition, he recognized that Iowa City needs more therapists that are experienced working with college students, have expertise handling issues such as substance abuse and eating disorders, and have diverse identities and backgrounds. So, Darrel joined forces with a colleague whose experience and expertise complements his own, to start Thrive Behavioral Health, LLC. Hadley’s Forsythe Center for Employment & Entrepreneurship (FCE) was key to making this a reality. Darrel found all of Hadley’s FCE classes “immensely helpful” to starting Thrive. As he describes it, “My vision and this dream were the outline and it was like someone gave me crayons, and I was coloring it in, and it was coming to life. The Hadley courses that really stick out are the ones on financial management. I am so much better prepared to pay my bills and have a sense of where we are going because of the detail and direction that the courses demanded of me.”In June of 2019, Kirby was awarded the grand prize of $30,000 for winning the Hadley ‘New Venture Competition’ for the business plan he developed for this new multidisciplinary behavioral healthcare practice that he now operates. Kirby and his business partner will use these monies to prepare additional office space and purchase needed equipment to grow the business. “The money will speed up the process and help us to hire the qualified therapists we want to attract. It will help Thrive come to fruition and be the business that I really want it to be,” he states.However, the experience goes beyond the prize money. Darrel shares, “I had made up my mind that, no matter what happened with the competition, discovering Hadley and completing the classes and having the business plan was an enormous gift.” Now that he has won, he sees it as a vote of confidence “that I have the capability to run a great, a thriving business, and that I can trust myself in the decisions I made. “ Hadley Technology: Past, Present and FutureTechnology has had a powerful impact on the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired—and on the possibilities for distance learning. For the past century, Hadley has been on the forefront of these developments, embracing technology to improve our ability to reach and teach those in need of our services, and to enhance the quality and experience of the learning it provides.Technology: The Early YearsIn the 1920s, when Hadley was first founded, braille textbooks were produced one-at-a-time on braille writers, making for a time- and labor-intensive process. In these early days, William Hadley wrote and produced most of these himself, even once more staff was hired to assist.So, when braille presses came on the scene in the 1930s, it was transformative for the school. The ability to produce textbooks much more efficiently enabled Hadley to expand its student base and course offerings.Alfred Allen was hired in 1922 to be William Hadley’s “right hand man” and manage the business affairs of the school. Allen was also an innovator who developed a braille press with an accompanying stereotyping machine that produced zinc plates from which the books could be printed. This sped up production of textbooks so the school could keep pace with the growing demand. Allen also pioneered the idea of the “Talking Book” in the 1930s. Under this program, Hadley sent recordings for learning and enjoyment to students, along with a record player so they could listen to them. Since many students did not yet have access to electricity, the machines Hadley provided were spring loaded. This initiative inspired the Talking Book program the Library of Congress launched later, which loaned electric players to Hadley for its students to use.The Tellatouch, a revolutionary invention for deaf-blind people, was introduced in the 1940s. Typing on the Tellatouch keyboard raises a braille letter at the opposite side of the console. This allowed sighted people to talk to a deaf-blind person who could read braille and was a life-changing development for people like Dr. Richard Kinney – a Hadley educator, administrator and, ultimately, president – who was deaf and blind.When Hadley’s new building was constructed in 1957, it included an audio recording studio. This gave the school the ability and flexibility to produce these learning materials in-house. It also brought many broadcasting personalities, such as Shirley Cole of “Little Orphan Annie” fame, to Hadley to record course material.In the late 1950s, the Thermoform Braille Duplicator revolutionized printing. Books could be produced for a fraction of the cost of publishing them on a large braille press and materials could be updated more efficiently and easily. With the 1960s came the Vistoner, which scanned printed documents and translated the shape of letters into tonal patterns. Leading the way on this technology, Hadley worked with the Veterans Administration to develop and teach a how-to course about this technology. In 1974, Hadley introduced a training program for the Optacon, a tactile reading machine that recognizes ink print. The Optacon made it possible for blind people to read non-braille text, making things like newspapers, magazines and bills accessible.Hadley updated its recording studio in the 1980s, enabling learning materials to be captured and shared on cassette tape. Celebrity readers, such as Sammy Davis, Jr. and George Shearing, read and recorded books or magazines for Hadley. In later years, additional enhancements including a teleprompter, powerful computers and digital sound editing software allowing Hadley staff to digitally master, edit and duplicate recordings in house. Game Changers: Personal Computers and the Internet The 1990s brought the personal computer and, since then, the speed of technology has accelerated exponentially to open new doors and opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired. One of the most significant developments was the screen reader, a software program that enables a blind or visually impaired user to read text on a computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. Now, Hadley students and teachers could correspond and share materials electronically. While computers and screen readers were prohibitively expensive for many in the early years, today, nearly every program has major accessibility options built right in, as does every Apple product. Then came the Internet. Hadley launched online learning, or “eHadley,” in 2001, beginning with a course on “internet basics.” eHadley quickly gained steam and more materials were rolled out over the following years. Seminars@Hadley was launched in 2006. This popular series of free, online sessions was made available to blind and visually impaired individuals around the world and was the precursor to Hadley Presents the Discussion Groups forums offered today. In 2012, Hadley introduced a series of videos about how to use the iPhone and Apple products. Hadley has been building this library continuously and it has recently been expanded to include Android products as well. You can find these on the Hadley website (). Since technology is increasingly in the hands of users, much of Hadley’s current curriculum is designed for them to gain comfort and leverage its capabilities. The popular Tech It Out discussion group does just this by exploring a variety of technology-related topics in a setting where learners can share their experiences and ask questions of experts. Looking to the Future: WorkshopsNow, Hadley is putting the technology in place for our next century. We are transforming the manner in which we offer our education going forward so we can best serve the growing population of people facing vision loss and empower them to meet the challenges ahead.For this, Hadley is repackaging its traditional programming into dynamic online workshops. Course materials are being portioned into digestible, interactive experiences that are accessible to learners whenever and wherever there is a computer. For those learners who prefer, these materials will also be available in braille, audio and large print. With a multi-media approach and interactive formats, this new format will let learners move at their own pace, practice their knowledge and learn through scenario-based settings with real-life applications. Hadley 2.0 will also accommodate individual vision conditions through customized settings—such as font style and size, page color and contrast. And, it will tailor content and make recommendations based upon user interactions and feedback. Hadley learning experts and learning developers are currently working diligently to bring this vision to life for rollout in early 2020.Hadley Partners with Technology Leaders on AccessibilityWhen Doug Walker joined the Hadley staff to focus on assistive technology approximately eight years ago, Apple had recently come out with iPhone accessibility features—and Hadley learners were eager to learn more. So, he rigged up a recording studio in his Nashville, TN, home office and got to work videotaping a series of tutorials that could be shared through Hadley’s website.This was just the beginning. Hadley learners loved this platform, so Doug upgraded his production studio and continued to create videos on iPhone accessibility features—such as VoiceOver and Magnifier for low vision. Then, at learners’ requests, he expanded the curriculum to include tutorials for the Mac.Apple took notice. Sarah Herrlinger, Apple's director of global accessibility policy & initiatives, contacted Hadley about forming a relationship wherein Hadley would be featured on their website as a go-to resource for iPhone accessibility. Since then, this relationship has continued to flourish. Hadley’s tutorial library now covers how to use accessibility features on a full range of Apple products—including Apple TV, Apple Watch and iPad. Doug Walker has also presented at Apple on vision accessibility on multiple occasions. And, when Apple needed to teach visually impaired individuals how to use Swift Playground as part of their “Everyone Can Code” initiative, they reached out to Hadley for help. In fact, Walker presented on this topic at Apple’s Michigan Avenue store last month.Because Apple’s accessibility features were built right into the device software, this was the logical place for Hadley to focus its technology teaching. However, since then, other technology companies have followed suit—and Hadley is keeping up with the demand for learning.This has led to new technological opportunities—including relationships with Microsoft and Google. For example, Hadley recently launched a new series of Android accessibility videos with Google so all smartphone users can learn to make their device more accessible. Hadley is also in the process of creating tutorials for Microsoft products including Microsoft Word, Windows, Outlook and Windows Mail. These will be produced in mirror versions: one for people with low vision, a second for people who use a screen reader. Walker, who is visually impaired, recognizes first-hand the incredible power that technology has. “I’ve often said that my smartphone makes me half as blind. It really is true,” he remarks. “Our smartphones open up the world to us. Since the software is built right into the device, there’s no need to purchase any third-party software to make our device fully accessible. Now, we are able to get the same content at the same time as our sighted peers with a devise that everyone can use…right out of the box.”The Changing Face of Vision LossImproved prevention, detection and treatments have resulted in fewer children experiencing vision loss. However, at the other end of the age spectrum, vision loss is a growing concern. As the baby-boomer population ages, visual impairments caused by eye diseases—such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma—are on the rise. In fact, research by the National Eye Institute projects that the number of Americans with low vision will continue to grow dramatically, from 2.9 million in 2010, to 5 million in 2030, to 8.9 million in 2050. Poor visual acuity is just the beginning of their challenges. Impaired sight makes medication management precarious. Getting around in public, or even one’s own home, becomes unsafe. Cutting food and cooking a meal turns hazardous. The loss of independence and lack of mobility that accompany vision loss frequently lead to increased isolation, depression and a reduced quality of life. Those with vision loss are 2.5 times more likely to fall; 2.4 times more likely to have depression; and 9 times more likely to have dementia. There is an urgent need to support the millions of older individuals new to vision loss. In the United States, vision rehabilitation is provided as a social service. People in need of assistance are typically referred to state-run agencies, but these organizations are often oversubscribed and underfunded and simply cannot provide the type, volume or speed of support that is needed.Nor is the medical community set up to help. Vision rehab has never fallen under the medical model and these types of services are not billable through Medicare, Medicaid or regular insurance. Once there is nothing left to do to treat the underlying disease or restore vision, people are usually left in the cold, without needed assistance or support.What Is Hadley Doing? As the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind and visually impaired worldwide, Hadley is uniquely qualified to serve this growing population. We are doing this by bringing together our esteemed 100-year history with new technological capabilities to deliver the most impactful learning experiences.Hadley’s distance learning model allows us to be there to help people facing visual impairment through this challenging transition. Whereas it might take months to see a vision rehab counselor at a state-run agency, Hadley learning and learning experts are available immediately. Hadley learners have access to personalized learning experiences in the comfort and convenience of their homes. And, because they also have the opportunity to learn from and interact with others across the Hadley community—including learning experts and others facing similar challenges—through our forums and discussion groups, the experience of vision loss becomes less lonely and isolating.Scheduled to launch in early 2020, Hadley workshops will feature tailored curriculum to meet the needs of older adults new to vision loss. Workshops will be dynamic and engaging, portioned into digestible, interactive experiences that allow learners to go at their own pace, practice their knowledge and learn through scenario-based settings with real-life applications.Help will be immediate and accessible so learning can begin right away. Resources will be available 24/7 from the comfort and convenience of the learner’s home. When assistance is needed, Hadley learning experts will be there to provide coaching that is friendly, competent, relevant and helpful. And, as throughout Hadley’s 100-year history, learning will be free of charge to people with vision loss and their families. While it expands its focus to assist the growing population of older adults new to vision loss, Hadley will also enhance the learning experience for all of the people it has been serving for the past century. It will improve its ability to meet its learners where they live and where they are—with applicable knowledge and practical solutions to help them thrive at work, at home and in their communities.Hadley’s Reimagined Home on Elm StreetHadley’s headquarters at 700 Elm Street was originally built in 1954 and expanded in 1968. While state of the art at that time, by 2018 it was in need of structural improvements and had to be brought up to code with the addition of sprinklers, an elevator and updated wiring.The need for these mechanical and safety updates prompted a unique opportunity to make other improvements to the building that would equip Hadley for the future.The nearly year-long renovation was finished last spring. The result is an ideal combination of form and function that increases collaboration, inspires creativity, improves efficiency, enables technology and empowers our visually impaired staff and visitors.Technological advances built into the construction include an expanded audio/visual studio and virtual reality screening room, the latter immersing sighted individuals, including health care professionals, into a world of limited vision. “For the first time, we can offer a true experience of what those living with visual impairment face every day,” said Hadley President Julie Tye. “We’ll be using this space for a myriad of purposes and to demonstrate how Hadley helps, teaching those experiencing impaired vision to more readily navigate their world.”Chief Operating Officer Mary Nelson explains how Hadley’s expertise in serving those with compromised vision helped shape some of the features of the new building. “Design elements are employed throughout to make the space function well for everyone,” explains Nelson, who oversaw the project for Hadley. “Wayfinding is aided by varying the wood and carpeted areas on the first floor. Visitors can follow the wood path to head to key areas, like the elevator, kitchen, restrooms and conference rooms,” Nelson explains. “And there’s even a notch in our new countertop in the kitchen to allow for resting a cane while using the sink.”Individually dimmable LED lights are used throughout, enabling adjustment to a comfortable level for each office space. Natural light is also captured throughout via interior sidelights and transoms. “Only a small percentage of visually impaired individuals have no sight at all,” Nelson explains, “and even for those who can only distinguish light and shadow, daylight provides wayfinding cues and a sense of time passing.” Hadley’s new construction also added sensory experiences throughout the building, Nelson notes. “A living wall of green foliage plays a prominent role on the first floor, leading out to the sensory garden of the courtyard area. And the wallpaper on the second floor has a tactile element, which adds another wayfinding cue for those with compromised sight,” according to Nelson. Special touches from the original building have been preserved and enhanced. Key among these is a large window panel on the front of the building, which is split into six panes, representing the 6 portions of a braille cell. Enhancing this feature is the newly added braille representation of the agency’s name which was added to the side of the stairway leading to the second floor. This feature was added as a gift from the metal workers involved in the project. “Clearly, it means a lot to us that those helping us bring our new vision for Hadley to life were so inspired by our mission that they added this special touch.”Hadley Hall of FameMany exceptional people have led, taught and learned at Hadley. Here are a few of these remarkable stories.Dr. Richard Kinney“The days when a deaf-blind person has to limit his objectives are gone, and now he can shoot for the stars for a full life in every sense. If we shoot for the stars, we may at least touch a rainbow.”Dr. Richard KinneyDr. Richard Kinney was a beloved Hadley teacher and administrator from 1954 until 1975, and Hadley president from 1975 until his passing in 1979. He was also deaf and blind.Born in East Sparta, Ohio in 1923, Richard Kinney was the son of a teacher and a hardware store merchant. When he was six, Kinney fell ill with an undulant fever that left him blind, arthritic and with progressive hearing problems.Because the local school was not equipped to teach a blind child, Kinney was homeschooled by his parents when he was young. An extremely bright youth, he later returned to school and went on to graduate as valedictorian of his high school class. Kinney studied at Ohio’s Mount Union College until 1944, when the additional loss of his remaining hearing forced him to withdraw from school. To continue learning, he enrolled with Hadley. At the urging of his Hadley instructors who recognized his exceptional promise, and with the support of a Helen Keller Scholarship that provided for a full-time companion student to accompany him, Kinney returned to Mount Union. He graduated top of his class and was the third blind and deaf person to graduate from an American university, among the first two being Helen Keller. He would later explain, “When I went back to college after losing my hearing, I told myself I couldn’t lose because my friends outnumbered my problems. My friends made the difference.” Indeed, Kinney had no shortage of friends. Despite the fact that he had to communicate with the help of a braille writer or an interpreter, he was a witty conversationalist who was described as having “the knack of turning a first acquaintance into a lasting friendship.” After graduating college, Kinney came to Hadley as a teacher and administrator. He was also a sought-after speaker who frequently presented to Hadley friends and supporters. Fundraising and public relations were officially added to Kinney’s responsibilities when he was named Assistant Director in 1958. He excelled in this role, and the school’s endowment fund grew significantly under his leadership.In 1962, Kinney married Evelyn Davis Warmbrodt, a blind schoolteacher from St. Louis. Their son, Clark, was born in 1963. Tragically, Evelyn died of cancer just two years later.In 1975, Richard Kinney was named Hadley President. He served in this role for four years until his death in 1979. Kinney was an accomplished author, poet, traveler, leader, scholar and educator. During his lifetime he was awarded a degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Union, the Helen Keller Gold Medal for Literary Excellence, the Anne Sullivan Gold Medal, and the Citation for Meritorious Service from President Eisenhower. As a 1978 Chicago Tribune article described Kinney, “it takes only a brief visit with Kinney to quickly sense the depth of courage and resilience running through him. His spiritual vitality is communicated by his words, but perhaps more by what he is than by what he says.” Dr. Kinney’s impact on Hadley was profound. As Nancy Jones, daughter of Hadley founder Dr. E.V.L. Brown summarized in 1989, “Richard Kinney was just a force for us and such an inspiration. He gave his life and love to this School, and we are so privileged.” Geraldine LawhornGeraldine “Jerrie” Lawhorn was a remarkable woman who was an instructor at Hadley for 46 years. She was also an accomplished poet, author, pianist and actress who was deaf-blind.It is unclear what caused Jerrie to lose her vision and hearing, though a case of childhood measles may have played a part. Her sight began to deteriorate when she was eight years old, and she was completely blind at the age of twelve. By age of 19, she had lost all of her hearing too. Jerrie was born in Dayton, OH, and grew up in Chicago where she attended Sherwood Grammar School and graduated from Marshall High School with honors. In high school, Jerrie began writing and public speaking and won several prizes for her short stories. The daughter of a vaudeville showman, she also had a lifelong love of the theater. After high school, with help from her mother, she pursued her talent and interest in the arts, studying music and drama at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and the New York College of Music. She went on to perform in one-woman shows around the country including Carnegie Hall. A New York Times article in 1983 called Jerrie, “a gentle, witty woman with a pleasant and distinguished speaking voice that she attributed to much coaching and practicing after she went deaf.” In 1966, Jerrie and seven other deaf-blind individuals were awarded the Anne Sullivan Gold Medal in Washington, DC. Among the recipients in attendance was Hadley administrator and educator, Richard Kinney, who invited her to join Hadley as an instructor. The following year, Jerrie started working at Hadley teaching two courses: Independent Living for Those Without Sight or Hearing and Verse Writing and Poetry. Set on earning her college degree, Jerrie later enrolled in Northeastern Illinois University. She graduated in 1983, at the age of 67, with a degree in Rehabilitation of Deaf-Blind Adults. This made her the first African American deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree—an accomplishment that was covered by three television channels. However, this was far from her first time in the spotlight. Throughout her career as an artist and educator, she appeared on a number of television programs, including Someone You Should Know in Chicago, The Phil Donahue Show, Good Morning America and Ripley's Believe It or Not. Jerrie was very active in the deaf-blind community, presenting and conventions and seminars and serving organizations such as the Illinois Advisory Board for Services for Persons Who are Deaf-Blind. She once commented, “Because they cannot see or hear, the deaf-blind are the most isolated of the handicapped. They are limited to only direct contact and that makes them isolated from most groups. We have a lot of work to do to broaden the world of the deaf-blind.” Jerrie was adored by her students and fellow faculty. She retired from Hadley in 2011, at the age of 95. This same year, she was named the Winnetka Teacher of the Year by the Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce. Upon receiving this award, Jerrie commented, “working with students around the world has enriched my life. I sincerely hope I have contributed to the lives of others.” ................
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