Washington State University - Chinook Yearbook (Pullman, WA)

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SOUND AND SENSE A Special Seed The Office for the Physically Impaired on fourth floor Holland has served stu¬ dents for six years. Before this office ex¬ isted, Dan Maher, blind since birth, was a WSU student. Maher was aided by the curricular advisory program at French Ad, which at the time was not centrally located. The English education major experi¬ ences the world around him with the aid of hearing and touch. Now a faculty member, Maher spends his time as a program adviser for various ASWSU committees. Maher frequently spends his evenings performing with his guitar, for friends and the public. Maher has found the value of being himself, a genuine love for his dog, and a will to see. Chinook: What made you decide on coming to WSU? Maher: I was interested in journalism and broadcasting. WSU is probably one of the best communication schools in the country. Chinook: What are the limitations on learning for the blind? Are the educa¬ tional services extensive enough to do what you would like in the employment spectrum? Maher: You can do almost anything within reason. There are some discri¬ minations which do occur, especially in the larger cities. I changed my major ab¬ out six times. I was in forestry for awhile, and then I figured that at the rate I was going, it would take at least 20 years to obtain a degree. I had it down to where I could identify 30 trees just by feel, smell and all those extra scenses; but, I don ' t think I could have done 300. Lab scien¬ ces are much too visual. Sometimes they can be beat, but most often, no dice. You have to know your limitations. Chinook: What was the procedure in¬ volved for taking exams? Maher: I went in to see the professor and took all my exams orally. This had its good points and its bad. One good point is of course, that you get to know the professor. You really learn more from oral exams because everything is clar¬ ified. One bad point is, if you don ' t know what you are doing, there are gaps in your conversation that you can drive a horse and wagon through. Chinook: What dorm did you live in? Maher: Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy was a real jock dorm in those days — the ultra party dorm. I was never much into par¬ ties. When you get a bunch of people in there drinking beer and talking, you get all the guys picking up on the girls. It is a very visual game. You can really feel that. I couldn ' t swing that, but I met people that could get past the party atmosphere. So, I had a lot of really good friends, because once you get into verbal communication, that is when the really good relationships begin. Chinook: What are some activities you like to attend? Maher: I like to go to gatherings of about 12 people, where everyone ' s playing the guitar, and there is a little beer, but not enough to get everyone wasted. I like to go to places where people talk and let you know who they are. Chinook: How did you become in¬ terested in the guitar? Maher: Well, mom used to force me into the piano, and I played the drums for awhile, but when it came to the guitar, I just picked it up by myself. Chinook: When you perform, can you feel a significant amount of feedback to draw from your audiences? Maher: Well, I guess it ' s what they call body language, and vibrations, yes you can feel all that. Sometimes you get real¬ ly bored audiences, but I don ' t really give a hoot. One thing about being a musician, is when you do the Irish, Scot- ish, and traditional like I do, some peo¬ ple do not like it. I am a little tired of the disco generation coming in and telling me how to run my show. If they don ' t exemplify any kind of respect for me, then I don ' t show them any respect. I just publically over the microphone say, hey, I don ' t have to put up with this 24

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A SMILE COSTS NOTHING smile costs nothing, but it gives uch, it enriches those who receive ithout making poorer those who ve. It takes but a moment, but the emory of it sometimes lasts forever, one is so rich or mighty that he can t along without it, and none is so )or, but that he can be made rich by It brings rest to the weary, cheer to e discouraged, sunshine to the sad id is nature ' s best antidote for trou- Yet it cannot be bought, begged, rrowed or stolen, for it is something at is of no value to any one until it is yen away. Some people are too tired give you a smile, give them one of mrs. As none need a smile as much he who has none to give. p Left: According to Teri Jacob and Pam march , WSU is the home of a thousand smiles. 23

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bullshit. I am working hard for them and if they don ' t realize that, then in my book they can leave. You may not like what somebody does in the music world, but you can try to appreciate what people put into it. Chinook: Have you ever had trouble getting your dog into public places? Maher: Yes, occasionally someone will say, I am sorry, but we cannot let your dog in here. Then I have to show them a little card that explains the federal law. Seeing eye dogs can be allowed in any public place, and in any form of public transit. There are some disadvantages to having a dog. The dog doesn ' t do all the heroic things people think. You can ' t just say go to the bank, and the dog will go there. We have to direct him by saying, right, left, forward, and we have to know when to say it. Chinook: What is the working span of a seeing eye dog? Maher: They work about 10 years, and then they will lose something, like part of their sight, or hearing. Then we have to have them put to sleep. Or, as an alternative, they have a retirement ken¬ nel for them in New Jersey where I ac¬ quired the dog. The dogs basically die of broken hearts there. They get the best of feed and the best of care, but you ' re not there anymore, and that kills them. Chinook: Do you feel that because of your impairment, that there is a motiva¬ tion factor in your goals? Maher: You have to think about motiva¬ tion itself. Why are you motivated? Do you push yourself because you want to do it strictly for yourself, or do you want to be competitive like everyone else. It is healthy to be competitive to a point, but it ' s very, very dangerous. A person just has to be who they are, and try to find out what their good at. This whole thing about trying to compete against the en¬ tire world is pure hogwash. The only person we ever have to prove anything to is ourself. Chinook: What do you feel are the be¬ nefits of being blind? Maher: There are benefits to just about everything except being a rock. The be¬ nefits, I feel, are that I get to know the people I am involved with a lot more. There are a lot of things I do not take for granted. For one thing, I think that peo¬ ple take their sense of vision for granted. Stevie Wonder once said a funny thing. He said if he had the chance to regain his vision, that he wouldn ' t do it, which I think is really stupid. Maybe when you ' re rich you can say things like that. I do not have any visual picture of any¬ body I know, but if I ever received that visual picture I would make sure that I would look at it as an enhancement. My vision would be adding to the know¬ ledge I already have about people, rather than allowing it -to change any of the perceptions that I have in terms of who they are. Chinook: So if you had the chance to regain your sight, there would be no doubt in your mind? Maher: I will see before I die, that ' s just like there is a blue sky, that is the reality of it. I will have vision a long time before I die — I think technology is heading in the right direction. But people say, what if you don ' t? I can think about it totally rationally and say well, what if I don ' t. Then something inside says, I will see, thats the way it is, that is the way it is going to be. It ' s just like I know that 1981 comes after 1980. 25