University of South Carolina Libraries
Blind student le By Tammy Baughman Mark "sees" with his ears. He swims because he is not able to jog. He uses a tape recorder for studying. Mark is blind, but he is otherwise a normal college student. Mark Spires, a USC senior, has not been blind all of his life. At six years old, he was playing with a knife, sticking it in putty. "The knife got stuck, and as I pulled it away I jabbed myself in the eye," Spires snid His rioht ove was iniureri rmisinff the other eye to become infected. "I BECAME blind gradually. It was a good thing it happened when 1 was so young. If it was to happen now it would be harder to cope with, bec&use I would have had my sight for so long. "People ask me all the time if it was hard not being able to see after seeing perfectly for six years. It was pretty wild to gradually see my sight diminishing. One day I could see all my fingers, and then the next day I could only see one," Spires said. Spires, from North, a small town near Orangeburg, came to USC because he did not want to go to a small college. "I went to a small high school and lived in a small town; I wanted something different. Plus, two of my blind friends that I met in a school for the blind were coming to USC," he said. Spires was offered scholarships to Fur man University, Baptist College of Charleston and Presbyterian College. "I WAS pretty smart in high school. There was no shadow of a doubt in my mind that I wanted to go to college, and to a big one. That's why I did not go to the colleges that offered me scholarships," Mark said. One thing USC had that the other colleges did not was a media arts department. "I want to go into some area of media arts, probably broadcasting," Spires said. He is working toward a degree in interdisciplinary studies through the College of Applied Professional Sciences. Spires had to make a big adjustment after moving to USC. He lived in Preston dorm his first two years at USC. "I came to USC in the summer of 1978.1 wanted to try summer school first so I could learn the campus before the fall rush." | G reat with SILK *2jQf (.. O utstanding with SHIRTS ^^1 IC ourteous with customers 0 pen Mon. - Fri 7:30-6, Sat. 'til I C onvenient w/Drive-ln window K nits kept in shape 5 how your USC ID and get a I Ik IT ! 25v/0 UI>CV^Umi 11 Laundered Shirts and Dry Cle ! 1 jCaiZielle CLEANERS AND FURRIEI r j 1711 TAYLOR STREET STREET 2 ; I (next to the Township] i j PAPA ! ! PIZZA & S Original i Ne "' York f ; Style Pizza { f J and Subs Grand Opening Special ! $1.00 OFF on anv I j j Ptaa ^ [. J Located in the Ca Center, West Col I Nexl I L -'5 ads normal univei trvi - nrai During his first semester of school, Spires ? met a lot of people. "I did not think I would he meet so many people at first, because I was in I blind, but I was really wrong. People were is i very nice and friendly," Spires said. kn i Sp HE LEARNED his way around the dorm ?la first and learned Russell House before to tackling the classrooms. "It was hard learning my way to classes, but I just had to learn. I tried to schedule my classes in the same building so it would be easier," Spires J said. sul on Spires has accomplished learning the task ?n of crossing streets. "I keep up with names of J*c streets. Most sighted people don't even pay attention to names of streets. A blind person w* has to know them. I also try to remember landmarks like trees and fire hydrants," Spires said. 1 When crossing streets, he listens for the sa parallel traffic. When he hears the motor of the parallel traffic move, he can,walk. "The only problem is when a car is making a right ^ (turn) on red. Most cars stop, and p( cnmafimoc T hoar tho cnroivhina cniinH nf ? oviliwilliva A 1IVU* V*?V* wv* V/V/V.ii*?.e MWM..W >? | brakes. That kind of makes you stop real aj fast," Spires said. ~c Familiar with campus, he also knows his ^ way around Five Points and the downtown j area. "If I need help in getting somewhere I just ask for help. Sometimes I take the city g bus and other times friends give me rides," aJ Spires said. bj jMMM |iSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS6SSSSSS I C E PJ8 Cf\ OUT BY2 5 B | I | Serving I I a.m. to I a.m. |. || 771-4098 on H Great Delivery! a; W I LdUlO ' !fi I With Purcha ' | J Regular Sub Y | I Get Our "Goo I | Shirts For C JOF'S IF1 UB PARLOR^ | | n jp * Happy Hour i 1 X I!' .154 OFF any ! | Z>r\siL bottle of BEER | 8 F"*l~ f^VTr V//A /? _ i: | )c rino limn; j g 3pm - 9 pm l j< Mon. - Sat. | {\ Takeout Orders J Call: G 796-7322 j | pitol Square Shopping >< { |< lumbia ? Hwy. 378 ? I ;<J t to Bi-Lo I 'I 6-7322 - I C ? ?? 1 sity life, strives Som found ( eople ask me all the time if if ; hard not being able to see they<* Test r seeing perfectly for six the pr rs. It was pretty wild to dually see my sight tests, i inishing. One day I could see Sph try fingers, and then the next I could see only one/ "it i allow ? Mark Spires remin a sign dogs i ITP iMnirnC niTTI?\I nffor* him riHoc Kiif - y ? vi ijuii utiv/i iiuu i iuv^o, uuv Ulcill 1 won't take them. "I would feel paranoid said, taking a ride from a stranger. Being blind "Dg a disadvantage. The person could pull a proba ife or gun on you easily," he said. They Vlthough he is blind, he still has to study, blind ires uses a tape recorder to get notes in throui iss. "It's a real drag listening to the tapes Dog study. You can hear chairs moving, bulldc ople sneezing and the professor getting off Sheph j subject or cracking a bad joke," he said. "Th you g Student readers help Spires learn the trainf bject better. "Using the readers depends dog 1 the individual. Some listen to the readers said.' d others record the reader," Spires said. $150. ! said he prefers listening to the reader, Spii L : j i_ : i i Uo ctr i saiu ins imiiu suiucuiiiRi leuus tu ??v &v inder. least Student readers need to be experienced orrui d dependable. They need to be fairly is go< telligent and serious about college, Spires peopl id. SP the 1 MOST OF the readers are available ever; rough Handicapped Services, located on arefc jndleton Street. Readers are paid by the pers< C. Commission for the Blind and are Spin lowed to work 40 hours a month. "I have to Hi: it everything I need from the readers in 40 that >urs. Some months I can and some months :an't," Spires said. tryii Readers help with research papers, too," maj< )ires said. The reader goes to the library ^ry id gathers material to be recorded for the dani ind student. !^^SSSSSSS| i| 11 tSw 1 $1.00 >\ 11 C {t jjj | -? ricc i 5 4 Free j| | Main Street Store 629 Main I \ 63IMain Across from Towers ? V Service! | j-i j ise 0f '[ I i ^' ou Can I | ! d Stuff' [ | | j ill ^a'n $treet ^tore _| $ | j 63 I Main :> :> 5 I The 5 Virion Tano ^ W RVIV I of the Carolina Pro | wiii have its first rr | Wednesday, Sept. J | in Room 307 of the. I Come joi 3 4 ' for the best 5 books required for class can be >n tape through certain companies. "I get the book on tape first. The tapes e, and you return them at the end of tr," Spires said. ing procedures for the blind are up to ofessor, but exams are always oral e harder and more confusing than i tests, especially oral multiple choice >pires said. IES USES a walking stick to help him >und, but he wants to get a Seeing Eye s against the law for someone not to a guide dog inside a building. It is me of a joke about a man who puts on his window that says no Seeing Eye illowed. It must either mean the blind an nr thp rincf pan rftad " Snires " " o ? ? ? S gs can be a lot of trouble, but I will t)ly get one when I get out of school, are good companions," he said. A person can get a Seeing Eye dog {h schools that train them. s most used are black Labradors, gs, golden retrievers and German erds, Spires said. ere is a school in New Jersey where o for three or four weeks and are d with a dog. They want to give you a hat matches your personality," he rhe price for a Seeing Eye dog is about es takes advantage of his leisure time, es to the physical education center at )nce a week to swim. "Since I can't jog i, play tennis or racquetball, I swim. It yd exercise and a good way to meet e," Spires said. [RES SAID he hopes to finish school in text two years. "Jobs are hard for rone but especially hard to find if you lind. People will give a job to a sighted in before giving it to a blind person," ssaid. ; goal is to find a job in broadcasting vill pay enough on which to live. ieing blind does not keep me from ig new things. The fact that I can't see es me want to try new things more. I'll most anything, if it is not too jci uiw, oj^iicd ddiu. ? Coupon ?| I Mauro's | OFF any size Pizza! j Cokes with a small I Cokes with a large Drily Expires 9-12-82 I 799-4432 siaiauBu?aiBiaB Jj ? Coupon Vlauros i %^lTrttnDc oinrl I4.VI IV*7 UMM 2 Cokes J $5.20 Only Expires 9-12-82 | 799-4432 j v?* ?; czx Committee || gram Union gj leeting on g !th at 3:00 1 Russell House gj n US! 1 g