Transcript: Byron K. Smith Interview
When Byron Smith was in sixth grade, his mother got a call from his teacher. She said, "Byron is out there on the monkey bars and he's sitting on the top bar and he's not hanging on with his hands." “My mom said, ‘Let him alone. Yes, he may fall. Yes, he may get hurt but as long as he's not being…
Title
Transcript: Byron K. Smith Interview
Subject
Visual Disability
Education
Family
Employment
Assistive Technology
Description
When Byron Smith was in sixth grade, his mother got a call from his teacher. She said, "Byron is out there on the monkey bars and he's sitting on the top bar and he's not hanging on with his hands." “My mom said, ‘Let him alone. Yes, he may fall. Yes, he may get hurt but as long as he's not being irreverent or grandstanding or behaving poorly, if he's just out there with the guys, shooting marbles in the gravel or climbing the monkey bars, let him go.' That was pretty much the attitude that my family had… do as much of everything with everybody as I could.” Byron recounts how he had attended public school for kindergarten and half of first grade in Bloomington, Indiana, before losing his sight due to eye disease.
In 1951 "Bikey" entered the Indiana State School for the Blind. He learned Braille while attending grades 1 through 5 at the residential school in Indianapolis. With concerted advocacy from his parents and many others, he was permitted to re-enter public school in Bloomington for the 6th grade, the first blind pupil to transfer from the state school. Byron attended University Junior High and High Schools and graduated Indiana University with a degree in radio and television. He shares some stories about how he got into the field of radio. He worked at the University for over 37 years as a reporter, editor, and radio producer.
Byron was active as a member and chairperson of the City of Bloomington’s Council for Community Accessibility and was co-founder of the Handicapped Improvisational Theater, later known as Diversity Theatre. Byron also talks about the work he did with his wife Patsy in audio description. Byron K. Smith was interviewed in 2013. A life-long Bloomington, Indiana resident, he died in 2016.
In 1951 "Bikey" entered the Indiana State School for the Blind. He learned Braille while attending grades 1 through 5 at the residential school in Indianapolis. With concerted advocacy from his parents and many others, he was permitted to re-enter public school in Bloomington for the 6th grade, the first blind pupil to transfer from the state school. Byron attended University Junior High and High Schools and graduated Indiana University with a degree in radio and television. He shares some stories about how he got into the field of radio. He worked at the University for over 37 years as a reporter, editor, and radio producer.
Byron was active as a member and chairperson of the City of Bloomington’s Council for Community Accessibility and was co-founder of the Handicapped Improvisational Theater, later known as Diversity Theatre. Byron also talks about the work he did with his wife Patsy in audio description. Byron K. Smith was interviewed in 2013. A life-long Bloomington, Indiana resident, he died in 2016.
Creator
Indiana Disability History Project
Date
2013-01-18
Contributor
Byron K. Smith - Interviewee
Jane Harlan-Simmons - Interviewer
Peggy Holtz - Interviewer
Rights
Copyright © 2016 The Trustees of Indiana University
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Document
Identifier
011-do
Access Rights
Open to all users
Bibliographic Citation
Byron Smith, January 18, 2013, interview 011-mi, transcript, Indiana Disability History Project, Center on Aging and Community, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Bloomington, IN, http://indianadisabilityhistory.org
Spatial Coverage
Indiana, Monroe County, Bloomington
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