Preserving The History of People With Disabilities

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Cynthia's collection currently includes about 250 items, 60 percent of which were bought on eBay. Her entire collection of First Day Commemorative (FDC) postcards, all came from eBay. One of her favorites is an FDC from the White House with an insert card from then-President Eisenhower welcoming the Third Annual World Congress of the Cripples, now known as the President's Committee for Persons with Disabilities. "Another favorite FDC honors the Mayo brothers (of Mayo Clinic fame) and it is important because it has signatures of both Jonas Salk (inventor of the killed-virus polio vaccine) and his rival Albert Sabin's (inventor of the live-virus polio vaccine) on it.

"I also have books, dolls with disabilities, and much more, all of which tell the story of how we who are disabled came to be part of mainstream society," she says.

Her dolls, called Hal's Pals, were some of the very first dolls to portray people with disabilities as active individuals participating in ordinary sports activities. "One is a skier who is an amputee and another is a person who uses a wheelchair and also participates in wheelchair races," Cynthia says. "There were several other types of dolls with disabilities involved in other sports that were made. They are quite hard to come by though, since these were very limited editions."

Numerous special-issue postage stamps from various countries are other prized possessions. These were issued during the 1980s which the United Nations declared The Decade of the Disabled. Pin tabs (metal pin-back-style buttons with fold-over tabs) are another interest. "My collection includes pin tabs that relate to the early days of polio, and I am still looking for ones from the 1930s," she says.

Cynthia also has photos, and a very special diploma. "One picture I have shows Alexander Graham Bell signing into Helen Keller's hand at a social function. I have had this picture in my collection a very long time and when I recently saw it on eBay, it was only the second time I had ever seen it."

Last spring, Cynthia scored her greatest eBay find. "I bid $50 and won the bid for an old diploma from the Columbia Institute for the Deaf and Dumb," she says. "We know this institute today as Galludet University in Washington, DC. The diploma is over 100 years old, and it is on sheepskin. It has the original signatures (which have been authenticated) of President Ulysses S. Grant and President Galludet. It is the oldest known surviving diploma of this school. It has been valued at several thousand dollars."

Looking for holiday presents for a loved one with disabilities? Here are some gift suggestions: Audio Books - They're not just for commuters! People with visual impairments will love these books! Braille Books - An assortment of books for readers of all ages! (Continued on page A-3)

There are two things Cynthia would love to add to her collection. "The first is any letter or note written and signed by Helen Keller but the seller must be a member in good standing of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC) or similar organization," she says. "Collectors should be aware that not all Helen Keller signatures are authentic.The second most important item to me is a very early wheelchair. The seat is made entirely of wicker. It has three wheels—but the thing that sets it apart from all others is the steering / pushing mechanism. It has two poles that are handles, which extend upward from the wheels, and they require pushing and pulling to operate."

Cynthia says there are many disability collections, but none she has found to be along the specific lines she collects. "There is a growing interest in the culture and history of disability," she says. "Ironically, many people collect items such as mine for collections in other categories such as FDCs, tab pins, dolls, autographs, etc."

She feels it is important to chronicle the history of people with disabilities so everyone will know how attitudes and technology have changed over the years, and because people with disabilities "need to understand, and put in perspective the past, in order to go forward in the future." She adds, "I can't help but believe we must build our future on the foundation of the past, not reliving it, but reflecting upon it, with respect, appreciation and understanding."

Cynthia says she would also like to thank all the wonderful sellers at eBay who have put these items up for auction. "Had it not been for them and eBay, these historical artifacts and the disability culture they represent may have been lost forever to the disability community. Things that people would probably have thrown away have become not just important to me but, I believe, important to the community at large."