Beth Finke here. After my first book Long Time, No See was published, I spent weeks on the phone begging bookstores to have me come and do a book signing. I particularly wanted to land a gig at the ever-popular Book Stall in Winnetka, Ill., but when I called Book Stall owner Roberta Rueben, she didn’t sound interested. What to do? Play the blind Card, of course.
”The Hadley School for the Blind is right there in Winnetka, isn’t it?” I asked. Roberta admitted she’s always wondered about that place. “How about I do a booksigning, and then have someone from Hadley come and talk about the school, too?” Even over the phone, I could tell Roberta’s eyes were lighting up. She knew a lot of people who wondered about that Hadley place, she said. A dual presentation like this might bring a crowd.
I didn’t know a soul at Hadley back then, but these were desperate times. I called the Hadley School, pleaded my case, and they liked the idea so much they sent George Abbott, the Dean of Education, over. George charmed the crowd, I sold a lot of books, and Roberta has been championing my writing ever since.
I made a new friend in George Abbott that night, and I really liked this guest post he wrote for Second Sense’s blog – it gives a different look, ahem, on lending an arm to someone who is blind. I think you’ll like it, too.
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Sounds great! I hope to develop a relationship like that with Industries for the Blind here in Winston-Salem, NC. Best wishes for future sales! London
I don’t know if I ever told you about my family’s connection to Richard Kenney, a former president of the Hadley School for the Blind.
My parents lived in an apartment building across the street from the Hadley School. Richard Kenney and his wife, Evelyn lived
next door for several years — I think it was mostly after my father had died. They were both blind and deaf. They had a doorbell
that was activated by fans throughout the apartment. When their son, Clark, was born, they mostly carried him around.
My mother would go over and help when they got babyfood for Clark — she would hand each item to Evelyn who would then
put it in an order she knew in the cabinet. They had a playpen where they kept him.
Mother was sometimes summoned to help them. They communicated by using a typewriter that had keys on one side and brail on the
others. Evelyn died when Clark was still very young — I remember visiting her — she had a horrible kind of cancer. I am not
sure what happened to Clark after her death, and I think Dick moved away.
I often wondered what happened to Clark . I did a search on Dick Kenney — found his obituary with no mention of either Evelyn
or Clark! Now I am really curious…
I love your example of tenacity and creativity!
Hello, Anne. I do not know about Clark, but you might reach out to Hadley’s vice president of development and communications, Deborah Bloom. Her email is bloom@hadley.edu or call 847-446-8111. I also wonder what might be mentioned about him in the book University of Courage, which is about Hadley’s early history.
-George
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