Caution, Blind Priest Driving: The Story of Father Thomas J. Carroll, Changing the Public’s Perception of Blindness by Rachel Ethier Rosenbaum has recently become available to BVA members and their families via Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD), a service of the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Print Disabled.
Father Carroll served as BVA’s first National Chaplain from 1946 until his untimely death in 1971. He was a pioneer in the field of blind rehabilitation and instrumental in the inauguration of the Hines Blind Center in 1948. He is one of only 32 members of the American Printing House for the Blind Hall of Fame.
Notwithstanding the humorous title of the book, Father Carroll was not blind himself. In BVA circles he was known for stirring speeches and frequent counseling sessions, utilizing both his professional training and innate sensitivity in assisting blinded veterans to understand their potential for productive and meaningful lives. Chapter 6 of the book, entitled “The Birth of the Blinded Veterans Association and Hines Hospital,” further reveals the important role BVA played in Father Carroll’s life.
Despite knowing Father Carroll personally and having special access to his writings through her 33 years as Executive Director of the Carroll Center for the Blind, Rosenbaum researched his life for more than eight years. In 2014, she attended the BVA 69th National Convention in Reno, Nevada, to speak with BVA members who had met Father Carroll personally.
NLS and its resources fall under the jurisdiction of the Library of Congress. It is a free braille and talking book library service for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials. Through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS circulates books and magazines in braille or audio formats, that are instantly downloadable to a personal device or delivered by mail free of charge.
To access the book or for more information on how to qualify for BARD services, click here.
