When Frances was nine years old, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, commonly called tunnel vision. Thankfully for her, it has been a very gradual loss of vision. She taught elementary and pre-school for 14 years.
The photo at the right shows Frances taking children for a ride on her beloved horse, Lucky.
The picture at the left was drawn by Frances before her eye condition interfered with her artistic abilities.
Her third book, Beth's Fella, is about the horse which she raised from a foal, and her many experiences during the 33 years of his life as she coped with tunnel vision. She had moments of despair with the handicap, but didn’t let it keep her from having a wonderful life.
Fella and Lucky were very important parts of her life.
Frances' son is riding Fella in the picture to the right. Fella was 24 years old when the picture was taken.
That same year, Fella met Lucky. It is quite interesting that Frances rode Fella with Lucky and his owner 12 years before she bought Lucky. He was named Beau when his owner and her friends visited the farm and rode on the wide dirt roads. Enjoy a highlight of that visit in the excerpt, "The Posse Cats," from her book, Beth's Fella.
Later, Beau's owner became ill and had to sell him. Several years passed and Beau fell into the hands of a man who neglected him. When Frances bought Beau, she named him Lucky. With her constant care, Lucky restored his strength and handsome looks. Lucky inspired her to write her first book, A Lucky Pair.
Beth's Fella and A Lucky Pair present opportunities to teach about visual impairment and to improve reading vocabulary. Beth's Fella begins when Beth (actually Frances) was a child in 1955, and it has many details about farm life at that time.
Frances D. Strong has a degree in elementary education with a minor in art from Columbia College in Columbia, SC. During college, her tunnel vision interfered with very few activities although driving a car was not an option. Now she uses a seeing eye cane.
She and her husband live on her parents' farm near Sumter, SC. They have three adult children and four grandchildren. Twice a day, she ventures out to the barn to tend to her daughter's retired horse which is named Sir in her book, Beth's Fella.
Frances retired from teaching because of her eyesight. Then Fella died at age 33. Her third book, Beth's Fella is his story. Soon after Fella died, her beloved father passed away. Poppa is a major figure in Beth's Fella. Frances became depressed.
Her life was uplifted when she rescued an old Tennessee walking horse from neglect. For seven years, they were close friends.
After Lucky's death, she wrote his story: A Lucky Pair.
Her second book, Pat the Cat, is for her first grandchild.
She has written other stories, poems, and church plays for children.
Frances belongs to the Writers' Division of the National Federation of the Blind.
Send an email to request information about school visits. She will read it with the help of her computer program, JAWS (job access with speech). This enables Frances to continue writing by using this wonderful screen reading program.
The @ sign is missing from the email address on this site to help avoid spam. Copy and paste the email address.
Replace the word, AT, with @ sign.
francesstrongATftc-i.net
Phone: 803 - 469 - 0307
Read suggestions for creative writing in the classroom.
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Beth's Fella
Written by Frances Dinkins Strong
Illustrated by Kay Payne
Grades 3-5 +
© Frances D. Strong 2002 All rights reserved. Thanks for not copying any part of this book.
Published by Learning Abilities Books.
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For lessons using this book, see Guidelines, Background, and Questions.
Table of Contents: 1 Bright Beginnings; 2 Sisters; 3 Two to Train; 4 Special Places; 5 The Lost Calf; 6 Blackie; 7 The Hero; 8 The Savannah; 9 Nellie;10 The Monster from the Deep; 11 Visitors; 12 Beth and the Children; 13 The Posse Cats; 14 Fella, Sir, and Prince; 15 A Gallant Ending; Photos of People and Pets in the Story
Excerpt from Chapter 1, A Bright Beginning
The South Carolina April morning was perfect. The sun’s rays sparkled on the damp dew-filled grass. Beth searched the wooded area with her eyes to the west but saw nothing. Slowly her eyes moved to the south across the wide open pasture but she saw no movement.
She turned her face to the east. She blinked several times, pushed up her glasses, and wiped her eyes. The bright sunlight made it difficult for her to see. There it was! She saw a most glorious sight! Queenie was walking with her little foal bouncing along behind her. God seemed to paint that picture just for Beth.
Beth squatted down beside Duchess and tearfully said, "I can’t believe it. He’s so perfect." Duchess barked as Beth hugged her collie for a moment.
Experience the excitement when Beth first sees her newborn foal and the precious moment when she touches him for the first time.
Watch Beth and her sister as they train their young horses. Enjoy the ride down the country lanes. Visit the beautiful millpond. Join the girls as they discover their secret garden. Laugh at the sight of a horse rolling over in the huge mud puddle. Be surprised by who wins the race. Share the sadness when Beth’s dog dies. Beth marries and has three children who learn to ride on Fella. Read how Fella brightens the life of a handicapped boy.
Follow the development of Beth's tunnel vision from mild to severe. Understand concepts of poor periferal vision and night blindness. Notice subtle ways to help people with handicaps.
The family didn’t realize Queenie was pregnant when they bought her. They knew nothing about Fella’s sire, and they assumed he was a three gaited horse. At age 24, he surprised them when a group of women named The Posse Cats brought their horses to the farm. They enjoyed the smooth gaits of their Tennessee walking horses on the wide dirt roads. The excerpt begins after Beth's friend, Peggy has arrived with her horse, Pal, to ride with Beth and The Posse Cats.
Excerpt from Chapter 13, The Posse Cats
The Posse Cats began going at the nice running walk. Fella and Pal cantered which was faster than the walking horses' favorite gait. Peggy pulled her horse back to a trot. Beth didn’t like to trot so she tried a slow canter but Fella was so excited he wanted to run. As she held him back, surprisingly, Fella developed a gait he had never done before.
Beth looked back and said, “Peggy! Look at Fella. I do believe he’s racking like a five gaited horse!”
Peggy’s face lit up and she said, “Wow! I think you’re right!”
Beth continued to hold him back and at the same time nudge him on. He kept on racking. Fella’s gait was just the same speed as his visitors. Beth loved this gait because it was easy in the saddle, too.
Beth leaned over and said to her horse, “Fella, you’re the best. I can’t believe you are really racking. You are amazing!”
A Lucky Pair
Written by Frances Dinkins Strong
Illustrated by Mattie Dinkins Roscoe
K - 3
© Frances D. Strong 2002 All rights reserved. Thanks for not copying any part of this book.
Published by Learning Abilities Books.
Read Excerpts, Lesson, Endorsements.
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check or purchase order.
This book has the honor of being recorded by
The SC State Library Talking Book Services for People with Disabilities.
A Lucky Pair is based on facts except that the heroine is a young person.
The story is told by the Tennessee walking horse, Lucky.
Table of Contents: 1 Neglected; 2 Tryouts; 3 The Best Gift; 4 The Vet's Visit; 5 Lost; 6 Friends; 7 The Good Life
Chapter 1. Neglected
It was a terribly cold winter day. I stood there helplessly bracing against the bone-chilling wind as it cut through my frail body. Surely, I thought it was going to be another miserable day. When Mr. Jones approached me with a halter, I noticed two people had arrived.
. . .
This is how the story begins. Lucky is rescued by a visually impaired girl, Amy. Learn how Lucky wins her heart. See how Amy almost misses the chance to buy Lucky. In spite of the best medical attention, Lucky becomes blind in one eye. Enjoy how Lucky and Amy meet each other's needs.
Feel the excitement as Lucky becomes lost. He is caught in a web of vines. Experience the warm reunion and the experiences of other children with Lucky.
Relax as they are blessed by the good life.
Here is how the last chapter ends.
I must have been napping and didn't hear Amy call us for breakfast. When I did hear her, she was coming out in the pasture using her seeing eye cane.
"Lucky, where are you?" she called. "Even with my dark glasses, I can't see well in this bright sunlight."
She turned and walked back towards the barn. When I came up behind her, she was mumbling something about me. Then I nudged her on the back.
"Oh!" Amy jumped around. "There you are!" She laughed.
I waited for her to grab a handful of my mane as we walked side by side to the barn.
Moments like these were special times for both of us. I had many years of bliss on the farm with Amy. I know we gave each other that extra spark in life. Every day could be faced with bright anticipation. We were truly a lucky pair.
Read lesson plan about visual impairment for A Lucky Pair.
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Pat, the Cat
Written by Frances Dinkins Strong Illustrated by Linda Lee
Pre-K - 3
© Frances D. Strong 2003 All rights reserved.
Thanks for not copying any part of this book.
Published by Learning Abilities Books.
Order: Amazon.com, BN.com,
PayPal,
check or purchase order.
Frances loves cats. She currently has several of them.
This tale of fun and forgiveness is for her first grandchild, Laura.
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Frances was still using the handicapped access features on her old Mac computer when she wrote her books: A Lucky Pair and Pat, the Cat. After publication, she found it increasingly difficult to read text on the computer. Now the JAWS program reads material on her computer.
Through membership in The National Federation of the Blind, she learned about Neil Towery's ministry which he calls Recovering Sight. He teaches students to use a computer program: Job Access With Speech (JAWS). This is offered through his church, the Church of the Holy Comforter.
The picture is courtesy of "The Item" in Sumter, SC. It was used in a newspaper article written by Bobby Baker. It shows Frances and Neil as she uses the computer. Notice, the monitor is turned off. She hears the computer read what would be on the screen. When she types, it checks spelling along the way. She uses keyboard commands rather than a mouse. Any command which can be given with the mouse can also be given with the keyboard.
Neil has choroideremia, a genetic eye disorder which he first noticed as a teenager. At age 31, he had to give up driving. For 30 years, he has been blind. He began this ministry in January of 2004. It has been a blessing to the teacher and to his students. He uses this scripture as his motto.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.... - Luke 4:18. He feels that computer technology is a partial fulfillment of this scripture.
Frances was Neil's second student. JAWS has opened a new world for her increasing her confidence and her ability to communicate. Now Frances helps Neil teach other blind students how to use the computer.
The JAWS program has a scanner which she uses for reading anything which is typed: a newspaper, a bill, etc. She can surf the Internet. She sends and reads emails independently. She enjoys hearing from people who have read her books and who have visited her website.
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The Writers' Division began in 1982 at an NFB national convention when it seemed that writers needed a place to hang their hats while other divisions met. Writing is one area where the playing field is leveled for blind writers, as one can submit one's work by mail and need never meet the publisher, or even mention one is blind. But members of the Writers' Division feel no need to hide their blindness, and indeed use the magazine, "Slate & Style" as a jumping off point to write about blindness and educate the sighted public.
Blind writers take a slightly different approach to writing, but that difference is covered in the adaptations used to make computers talk, or in writing in Braille, or on tape. Those with some vision use Zoom text to make the print larger so it is visible. Whatever method is used, one of the key problems for blind writers is being able to read back what they have written so that revision or proofing is possible. Programs like WindowEyes and Jaws make the text audible. While no program is perfect, these certainly go a long way to making computers accessible.
Several of our writers have gone on to publish books, including Eugene van Wyck, a physical therapist, who wrote My Precious Spine & I: a Self Care Manual for You and Your Spine (ISBN #1-8945530-6-3). Gene wrote to me to thank me for the resources printed in "Slate & Style" which helped him find a publisher. Reviewing books isn't the focus of "Slate & Style." Getting them written and published is the focus. "Slate & Style" is available in large print, Braille, email, and cassette.
To subscribe to "Slate &
Style," contact Lori Stayer, Editor. To avoid spam, the address has xxx between Lori and Stay.
LorixxxStay@aol.com
Delete the x's in the address. If you send an email to Lori, be sure to put "Slate & Style," in the Subject Box.
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This is how the book begins.
All of a sudden on the window screen,