Oklahoma Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf

Below is information graciously submitted to OKRID Secretary by Sandie Busby in February 2018.

Thank you Sandie for the submission, and also a THANK YOU to those who have pioneered the profession and community with courage.

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The Lamplighter was a newsletter put out to all deafies, Methodist church

and interpreters at the time.

July 1971, 1st page:

The Oklahoma Chapter of the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf met and

organized during the Oklahoma Association for the Deaf convention in Tulsa July 9,

1971. Stan McElhaney, president of the OAD, was very instrumental in passing

legislation at the business meeting of OAD providing $25.00 seed money for expenses in

setting up the OKRID. E. R. Rhodes, (Ruth’s father) was also a big booster.

The organization will be known as “OKRID,” and will be responsible for recruiting and

training people to interpret; informing all Judges and keeping them informed concerning

your interpreting law, establishing requirements for interpreters, and many other project

are planned. The next meeting is planned for Sept. 11, at 2pm at the Assembly of God

church in Oklahoma City.

Sept 1971 issue

The Oklahoma Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf will hold their 1st meeting, Saturday,

September 11, at 2pm in the First Assembly of God Church in Oklahoma City. Officers

include Mrs. Ruth Stidham, President, Dr. W. Ted Griffing, Vice President, Mrs. June

Pierce, Secretary, Mr. Jack Foreman Treasurer, and LaVerle Carrington, evaluations. A

report will be printed next month of the planning. Any deaf person who is interested is

invited to attend along with all hearing people who are interested in making a strong

interpreters group in Oklahoma.

December 1971

The Oklahoma Chapter of the Registry of interpreters for the Deaf was officially

organized at a meeting in Tulsa Oklahoma, November 6, 1971, guest speaker at the

meeting was Mr. Tom Dillon, principal of the New Mexico School for the Deaf. The next

meeting of the Oklahoma Chapter of Registry of Interpreters will be February 5, 1972, at

St. Luke’s United Methodist church, 1516 N. Harvey in Oklahoma City, at 1pm.

October 1972

OKRID to hold fund raising dinner:

The Oklahoma Chapter of Registry of Interpreters for the deaf will hold a spaghetti

dinner, Saturday, October 14, at 12 noon at Mrs. Jenny Koons home 1610 E. 17th Place,

Tulsa, Oklahoma. Price of the dinner is $1.00.

Purpose of the meeting is to add extra money to the treasury, elect a secretary and hear

reports from various committees. Please let Ruth Stidham know if you plan to attend in

order to know how much food to prepare.

Jean Scrivener was there; many other folks were involved.

  • (Linda Blue: It is funny but now that I think of it, we never somehow established W. T.

    Griffing as a name for OKRID along before Richard Mullins. He was the first true leader

    of many, many areas of our state and for the deaf and interpreters. Richard Mullins

    moved to Oklahoma about 1975-76 and Griffing died in 1985)

    LaVerle Carrington, W. T. Griffing, Jack Forman, were the old timers and then the other

    folks followed after that. Seems Jack and Maxine Money from Tulsa area were involved,

    it was mostly church interpreters who really got together and tried to get this going.

    Linda Blue recalls around 1973-75 not sure exact date, but Linda Dyer came to

    Oklahoma. She along with LaVerle Carrington worked with many other folks to keep the

    organization going, as well as Kathy Jones.

    According to LeVerle Carrington:

    1976—OKRID put up $200 to start a legal fund to assist OAD in the fight against the

    City of Oklahoma City and the Police Department.

    -August 5, 1976, an application was filed for temporary restraining order and

    temporary permanent injunction against the Okla. City Police Dept. because of

    the continued practice of arresting the deaf without providing an interpreter was

    filed.

    -August 6, 1976, the court ruled the interpreter law did not apply to hearing-

    impaired or speaking impaired persons on the arrest level.

    -September 3.1976 a petition in error and Designation was filed requesting a

    hearing in the Supreme Court moving the hearing out of the lower court.

    1977—OKRID meeting held May 14, 1977 at the OCHI conference in Tulsa; new

    officers were elected.

    President: LaVerle Carrington

    Vice President: Fred Watterson

    Secretary: Maxine Money

    Treasury: Wanda Hull

    Board Members: Stan McElhaney, Jack Bertram and W. T. Griffing

    Evaluation chairperson: Jack Money

    Training/workshop chairperson: Linda Dyer

    Editor newsletter: W. T. Griffing

    33 Deaf and hearing joined the newly formed OKRID by paying $3.00 per person

    -July 8, 1977, the appeal was briefed by amicus curiae and submitted on its merits

    -September 29, 1977, the Supreme Court entered an order of transfer to the Court

    of Criminal Appeals.

    -October 18, 1977, the Court of Criminal Appeals entered an order of dismissal

    because the case was not criminal in nature.

    -November 14, 1977, OAD and OKRID’s lawyer, Marti Hirst, filed a motion to

    reinstate the appeal for the Supreme Court to direct the court of Criminal Appeals

    to reconsider the case and set aside their previous order dismissing the appeal and

    in support of this alternative case.

  • 1978—January –Jack Money became seriously ill and doctors advised him to be relieved

    of all his activities. As a result, Jack resigned as evaluation chairperson.

    Linda Thurman was appointed to take the chairpersons position of evaluations.

    -March 4, 1978—OKRID held an evaluation in Okla. City

    Evaluators: Linda Thurman, LaVerle and Wendy Carrington, Wanda Hull, Jerry

    Randel and Raymond Willingham

    Pat Stowe and Glenda Jones made the skilled rank and Connie Jo Russell, Terri

    Brown and Pat King made the apprentice rank.

    -March 10, it was reported that OKRID membership had grown to 45.

    -March 15, 1978, the Oklahoma Supreme court ruled requiring all state police

    departments provide interpreters for deaf mutes at the time of arrest. This caused

    a dilemma among small town police departments and as well as in larger city

    police departments.

    November 4, 1978—US Senate passes the Bilingual Hearing and Speech

    Impaired Court Interpreter Act which strengthens Oklahoma Supreme Court

    decision.

    -April 21-22, 1978 Linda Dyer held the third interpreter training workshop at East

    Central University with Mrs. Annett Long, from Arizona, emphasizing reverse

    interpreting.

    -May 19, 1978 (Friday) OKRID held next meeting at the O. C. H. I. meeting at

    East Central University. At this meeting the membership had grown to 65. This

    activity brought about the Interpreter for the Deaf Act at the 38

    th

    Legislature,

    which passed the Senate Bill 490 and became effective May 21, 1982.

    LaVerle and Linda Blue were Chairpersons for the OKRID for the RID evaluations held

    in Tulsa Oklahoma at TCC (summer of 78?). Kathy Jones, Linda Dyer and a few coming

    before the committee attempting for their certifications. Annette Long from Arizona was

    the RID representative along with LaVerle and Linda Blue.

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