Personnel Officer at Camp White
War-Caused Blindness
Br A. W. HIBERDY
Editor, Camp White Dominewi
Many words have been writ
ten, movies have been made,
and personal experiences re
counted of life as a prisoner of
war. To even survive through
the back-breaking toil, the un
believable brutalities of the
enemy, and the utter hopeless
ness which often overcame these
men demanded more courage
than most of us possess, and
there were many who did not
survive to see that long-dreamed
of day of liberation, and of those
who did, many returned disabled
for life.
One of these is John W. Sind
ers. now personnel officer of
the Veterans Administration
Domiciliary. Camp White. Sind
ers is a veteran of World War
If a veteran of those dark,
dreary days when deadly battles
vere being fought in the far
Pacific area: America wasn't
ready, and the names Corregi
dor and Bataan were strange to
America's ears; a veteran who
knew hunger and the fear of
possibly being one of those who
would not return.
Joined Marines
Sinders, a native of Texas,
joined the Marines in 1938, still
a youngster fresh out of school,
intending to make it his career.
But the fortunes or misfor
tunes of war willed it otherwise.
After his initial period of train
ing, he had a brief tour of duty
in the Hawaiian Islands, then
was transferred to the Philip
pines where the outbreak of
World War II found him.
Through five long months of
heroic battle against impossible
odds he and some 8,000 others
held Corregidor and surrender
ed only after they had nothing
left with which to fight. On May
7, 1942, while newspaper head
lines were screaming of the I..11
of Corregidor, John Sinders was
one of the group captured by
the Japanese army.
An almost immediate victim
of amoebic dysentery, John's
weight dropped from a husky
198 to 113 pounds in less than
30 days, and within a short time
he noticed that he couldn't see
the fences of Cabanatuan Prison
Camp. Then he couldn't make
out the buildings. And, after
four months he could not read
MUTUAL, Inc.
- Nofes) of &4ft
CiMwftiil QvortoWy Dtvxfostf
Oa Sptwabw 26. 1954. ttt Board of
Dtradora of Invasion Muhral, Inc. d
dord a regular quarterly dividend of
ta cent par (hara darivad from invasN
Mat iocomo, plus a drtfrtbutiow of
win ond ona-half cantt par shoro
rap wring, income from raofizad se
curity ptoAhu Tha total of tvonry-ftva
ond ona-hatf cants par shora Is payable
October 11 to Investors Mutual share
holders of record September 28.
M. ntttmmm.C1ummltU Board
t. JOHN ROSSI
Phone 3-4764
JAMES W. AMBLER
Phone 2-8918
Medford. Oregon
? tea . A
the only two books he still had
with him a Bible, and a Span
ish textbook, reminder of peace
time in the Philippines when
he had studied Spanish.
Couldn't Understand
The Japanese couldn't under
stand why John could hot see,
and with them no work meant
no eat. Sinders quickly learned
to find his way around through
his ears and his sense of touch,
and the problem of food resolv-
& - -J -
I " ' l '3 ' 1
JOHN W. SINDERS
Overcomes Handicap
ed itself. He was fortunate
enough to Le assigned to the gar
dening detail for the duration
of his stay in the Philippines.
However, the last year of his
imprisonment was in Northern
Japan where life was even
tougher. Part of the time he
hauled logs. Part of the time
he worked in a copper mine
both dangerous occupations even
for a man with eyes.
Strangely enough it was not
until the final summer when
the war was nearing a climax
that John Sinders began to feel
any sense of doom. The moist
mires, the three-mile hike to
the mountains from the camp
al! of this made him feel that
one more winter would finish
him. "I didn't join the Marines
expecting it to be easy," he says
in explanation, "I expected to
be shot at, maybe even shot; I
wasn't surprised . when it hap
pened" and he had stoically ac
cepted the fact that at least a
third of the 8,000 captured when
he was taken would not return.
Central Optical Nerve Dead
But the war ended, and he
was released one minute after
midnight on Sept. 14, 1945. Aft
er three-and-a-half years a pris
oner. Sinders started home,
blind. Taken to the Oak Knoll
Naval Hospital in Oakland.
Calif., he learned that his cen
tral optical nerve was dead
a result of that original dysen
tery and malnutrition. He had
less than five-two hundredths
vision in both eyes and that
portion comes from the peri
pheral nerves.
Then began a series of treat
ments in Naval hospitals in an
effort to teach him to adjust,
though more than three years
in a prison camp had already
more than begun the process.
He was taught Braille and how
to use a cane. It was then that
he met "the girl." Mary was a
WAVE stationed in nearby
Camp Shoemaker, and in less
than a month they were married.
Sent to Philadelphia and then
to the Institute for the Blind
AN
ft ftt n Q C)
WARD WEEK-THE GREATEST SALE OF THE
BUY ANY OF THE WARD WEEK VALUES ON THIS BIG NIGHT
TONIGHT, 7:00 TO 9:00 P.M.
Here's why you'll want to attend:
You'll be FIRST to shop hundreds of Ward Week Super Bargains!
FIRST to select the best of the bargains on whatever you need!
You'll be eligible to win one of the valuable door prizes!
Special Exhibits for "do-it-yourselfers" in our Basement!
Free balloons for the youngsters!
No Handicap To Work
in New York for testing and
rehabilitation, Sinders eventual
ly was discharged from the Ila
rine Corps on Julv 3, 1946, and
with Mary, his wife, returned to
his native Texas.
Takes Courageous Step
Now he took a step which
must have required a great deal
of courage: In the fall both he
and Mary entered Clifton Jun
ior College, then on to Baylor
University. After a year they
decided to enter law school.
Throughout their years of study.
Mary's eyes served for both of
them. "It wasn't easy." he says.
They worked hard and re
viewed regularly. John received
his law degree and passed 1 :e
Texas bar in June, 1952. Mary,
because she had been ill and got
a late start, received her degree
a year later. During this period,
and because they feared they
could never have a child, they
adopted a daughter. Mary Kath
ryn, now 8!i years of age. Now
they also have a son, John Jr.,
2'2.
When Sinders had adjusted
to his lack of sight in school,
he now found that lawyers were
more plentiful in Texas than
Texas steers. As a result, he
went to work for the city of San
Antonio, later applying for a
position with the Government.
He was selected and sent to
the VA Center, Waco, Tex., as
a personnel officer trainee. '
Uses Telescopic Lenses
' Since graduation from col
lege, John has learned to use
glasses equipped with telescopic
lenses. Although he may use
only one eye a0 a time, the
glasses allow him to read any
thing within eight inches. An
other type of lense also makes
it possible for him to view dis
tant objects, such as a football
game or movie. He occasionally
falls up steps and sometimes
walks in front of a bus. But,
like all persons denied their
sight, he has learned to use his
memory and his other senses to
the extent that sight is almost
unnecessary.
From Waco VA Center, John
was transferred to VA Hospital
Salisbury. N.C., then to VA Hos
pital, Durham, N.C., as assistant
personnel officer, and in July
of this year he was assigned to
the VA Domiciliary at Camp
White as personnel officer.
Not Through Studying
John Sinders is happy in his
work with the Veterans Admin
istration but is not through with
studying. He hopes in the future
to be able to take additional
Suez Company Estimates
Drop in Canal Shipping
Paris (U.R) The old Suez
Canal company Saturday esti
mated a drop of about two per
cent in shipping tonnage through
the Suez canal during Septemb
er compared with the same
month of 1955, although the
overall trend had been toward
considerable annual gains.
This percentage is based on
an estimate of 1.150 ships aggre
gating 9.400.000 tons for Sep
tember, 1956, compared with-1.-197
ships and 9,551,000 tons in
1955.
EXCITING EVENING PRE-VUE OF
Discovers
courses which will assist him
in increasing his value to his
employer as well as taking fur
ther studies in the law. He hopes
someday to get his Doctorate in
law. His biggest difficulty, he
says, is that he can't drive'. He
tries to keep people from know
ing of his physical disability
and surprisingly enough often
succeeds. He wants no sympathy
because he has complete faith
in his own individual ability.
John Sinders wholeheartedly
subscribes to the theme of the
current National Employ the
Physically Handicapped Week
when it reads, "A physical handi
cap is not a job handicap when
a person is properly placed in
employment."
IN THERE PICKING Sally
McClutchen tries out her
cotton picking hands ust
before the 17th annual Na
tional Cotton Picking con
test gets underway at Bly
theville. Ark.
Menon In London;
Nasser Talks End
Cairo (U.R) India's V. K.
Krishna Menon ended his talks
with Egypt's president Saturday
and headed for London to try to
get the west to sit down with
Egypt and work out their differ
ences over the Suez canal.
Menon's move reflected a
growing belief the United Na
tions Security council will not
be able to solve the Suez prob
lem. Egyptian officials made it clear
Egypt would spurn the western
proposal brought before the se
curity council Friday. The pro
posal calls for the international
control of the canal a condi
tion Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nas
ser has flatly-rejected.
Lima, Peru U.R) Eight
persons were killed and 18
hospitalized with serious in
juries in a bus accident near
Huancayo Friday.
Use Mail Tribune Want Ads
For Quick Cash
YEAR I
v 'Cj
Factory Stands as Testimony
To Courage
f Editor' nnt- Pruirlent Finhnu-ftr
has designated this National Employ
the Physically Handicapped Week. The
following is a story or an unusual way
""-n lie pnvsiraJiy Handicapped
themselves are meeting the challenge.)
By ALFRED LEECH
United Press Correspondent
Chicago (U.R) A neat lit
tle factory in the suburbs stands
as a testimonial to the courage
of handicapped workers and the
opportunity they found in free,
enterprise.
The Paraplegics Manufactur
ing company is no, "sheltered
workshop" for the physically
handicapped. It's a profit-making
concern in a highly competitive-field,
and 72 of the 80
stockholders are employees.
The workers are honorary
members of the International
Brotherhood of "Electrical Work
ers and are paid union scale wag
es. The unique firm was founded
five years ago, not without the
problems and headaches encoun
tered by most small businesses,
plus some of its own.
Wheelchair President
President and co-founder is
Dwight Guilfoii; 33, a father of
six. He was stricken with polio
and spinal meningitis in the Air
Force and gets around now in
a wheelchair.
"If we had been real smart
we'd never have started this
operation,"' Guilfoii said, smil
ing. "Because most of the experts
said it couldn't be done. Business
friends said we were crazy and
social workers told us there were
too many special problems."
But the company has thrived,
making electronic sub-assemblies
for a distinguished clientele that
includes Admiral Corp., Argonne
National Laboratory, Bell and
Howell, Bendix Aviation, Hot
point, Motorola, Sears Roebuck,
Stewart-Warner and Western El
ectric. "We don't get any special con
sideration," Guilfoii said. "We
have to bid low and meet com
petition. And we have to turn
out quality material."
Most Are Paraplegic
The firm normally employs
about 85 persons. The office
girls, the sales manager and the
To NEW, LARGER QUARTERS AT
Investments made
by the 1 0th of the
month earn
dividends
as of the First.
Monday, Oclober 8, 1958
of the Handicapped
foreman are not physically hand'
icapped, but virtually all the
production workers are.
Most of them are paraplegics
in wheelchairs. But there are
others deaf mutes, blind, spas
tics, advanced heart cases.
The work benches are higher
than normal to accomodate the
wheel, chairs. Ramps have re
placed steps throughout the en-
fire plant.
Bob McShane, a former fire
man whose back was broken
when a wall collapsed on him in
a fire in 1952, is both production
worker and a member of the
board of directors.
When the firm ran into a tem
porary financial squeeze, Mc
Shane bought all the stock he
could.
Gibson Refuses to
Tell of $6,000 Loot
Coquille. (U.P) Ernest Le
roy Gibson, captured fugitive
from the Linn county jail, re
fused Saturday to tell author
ities whether he had recovered
any part of the $6,000 loot from
the Linn county treasurer's of
fice that he is suspected of hid
ing somewhere in Coos county.
Gibson was captured Friday
after a 72-hour search in the rug
ged area around Seven Devils
road near Coos Bay. He was
found in a car stolen at Empire,
Ore., the previous night and was
later arraigned on a car theft
charge and lodged in Coos coun
ty jail here.
At the time Gibson took a cab
from Bend to Eugene and thence
to Coos Bay with the abducted
driver, he was carrying a red
brief case. He did not have it
when he was captured.
"It-had nothing in it. I threw
it in the ocean," he told arrest
ing officers who speculated that
it might have contained money
Gibson was accused of taking
from the Linn county court
house.
First dental school established
in the United States was located
in the city of Baltimore in 1839,
So That We Can Better Serve
The People of Medford and the
Rogue River Valley ....
IU1
iru
North
Mi
JUST ONE BLOCK WEST OF
FORMER LOCATION
The steady growth of this long-established Medford in
stitution has made necessary this expansion in space,
facilities and personnel. It is but another step in a long
range program of First Federal to keep pace with the
, continued development of the southern Oregon area. It
means, improved service for our investors and mortgage
loan clients. We cordially invite you to drop in and see
our new quarters, just half block north from Main on
Ivy street near the Hotel Medford.
Your Savings GROW - -With
SAFETY!
FIRST FEDERAL
Savings & Loan Assn. of Medford
29 North Ivy R. F. Kyle, President
Mail Address: Post Office Box 1348
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE SEVEN
'I figure my future is here,"
said McShane, who has a wife
and .four daughters. "This job
has meant everything to me. I'm
not just killing time here. I m
producing something useful.
So I want to help keep the
company going.
Fastest service to
!u i
l 1
SAN FRANCISCO j rs
SEATTLE VA hrs.
CHICAGO io, hr,.
HE VV r Wffn J3V4 hrs.
Fast one-stop service I
Leave 10:40 p.m. daily
t Airport fermina. In Medford call 3- PliL S
3643 or an authorized trawl agint. L: " J
MOVED
Ivy Street
Our Flexible savings plan lets you accumulate
savings conveniently our of income, and these
savings go right to work for you. Safetly too.
Savings here are insured to $10,000 by the
Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corpora
tion. Take advantage of our investment or
savings plan and start your -money working
for you.
Algerian Rebels Fire
Machinegun From Taxi
Algiers. Algeria, (U.R) Al- "
gerian rebels riding in a taxi
spattered pedestrians with ma
chinegun fire during the rush
hour in Bone Friday night.
Three persons,v two of them
women, were killed and 24 oth
ers wounded.
The taxi roared through ma
jor thoroughfares of the eastern
Algerian port city with machine
gun fire shot from its windows.
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