Christian Record Services, Inc. (CRS)

A multinational, nonprofit corporation that develops, produces, and distributes free publications and services that help meet the educational, recreational, social, and motivational needs of the sight- and hearing-impaired and of those with other physical disabilities. It has its headquarters at 4444 South 52nd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516. History. Beginnings of the Work for the Visually Impaired . As early as 1897 the General Conference, in its awakening awareness of a duty to give the message of the Bible to all the world, gave consideration to reaching the visually impaired. In an effort to fulfill this recognized duty, the International Tract Society, with headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, purchased a stereotype machine for making plates for raised point print and issued a number of tracts. In 1899 a new era opened. A 27-year-old young man from Nebraska named Austin O. Wilson, sightless since the age of 9, and a former student of the Nebraska School for the Blind, enrolled at Battle Creek College and began to urge the church leaders to do more for the visually impaired. As a result, the General Conference Committee decided to publish a journal for the visually impaired, the Christian Record , a 10-page monthly that would present choice reading matter and Seventh-day Adventist doctrines to sightless readers. The first editors of the paper were L. A. Hoopes, secretary of the General Conference, and L. T. Nicola, of the International Tract Society. As far as possible, sightless persons were to be used to do the mechanical work necessary to print the magazine. Wilson was employed to put out the first number. The facilities were crude. After the embossing plates were made with the old stereotype machine, he and his wife (also sightless) used a common clothes wringer to print the sheets that made up the first issue of 75 copies printed in January 1900. The stated aim of the Christian Record was “to educate, and to suggest lines of work that would supply many blind people with an independent livelihood.” The cover of the magazine carried ink-print advertisements of articles that would be good items for sightless salespersons. Also called to service in the new venture in 1900 were two Nebraska friends of Wilson, L. N. Muck and his wife. They were graduates of the Nebraska School for the Blind, and she was a teacher in that institution. Together with the Wilsons, they worked on the production of the magazine the first few years. When Wilson spoke at the General Conference of 1901 in behalf of sending the new magazine to all schools and libraries for the visually impaired, the delegates showed keen interest in the new undertaking by the questions they asked. His recorded answers inform us that at that time an issue had 20 to 24 pages, each containing about half as much as the ordinary typewritten page, and that they were sending out about 200 copies a month. L. A. Hoopes, the editor, stated that already some converts had been won as a result of reading these publications for the visually impaired. The Christian Record was no more than well begun when the Review and Herald publishing plant burned in December 1902, destroying all the equipment, including the special facilities of the Christian Record . The work for the visually impaired was moved to College View, Nebraska, in May 1904. By 1905 the circulation had increased to between 600 and 700. Means of Financial Support. When the paper was begun, church members were urged to make offerings for the support of the new missionary project. They also were urged to visit the visually impaired in their neighborhood and solicit their subscriptions to the Record . If the sightless person was too poor to subscribe, the solicitor was urged to give him or her the money ($1.50 at first) to pay for a subscription. At the General Conference session of 1909 it was recommended that the union and local conferences endeavor to place the Christian Record in the hands of every sightless person in their territories who could read it. Several unions appropriated $300, and each local conference was urged to raise 10 cents a member annually for the work. Accordingly, Muck visited camp meetings, promoting the work for the visually impaired and urging the conferences to raise their goals. At the Autumn Council of 1911 it was voted to support the Christian Record on the same basis as other mission work, by yearly appropriation. In 1912 the periodicals of the publishing house were accorded free mailing privileges in the United States; no subscription price was to be charged. By 1915 a plan of public solicitation of funds from business firms and individuals for the support of the work had evolved. This in time became the permanent plan of support of the organization. Beginning in a small way with part-time solicitors or retired people, the solicitation program has grown as the increased services have demanded. It was enlarged during the administration of D. D. Rees, beginning in 1927. As a result, the finances of the institution have been placed upon a firm footing. Beginning in 1960, Seventh-day Adventist churches in the North American Division give an offering every year to provide the denominational services; the public contributes the funds that provide the nonsectarian services. Nature of Publications and Other Services. Very early the need of a circulating library was seen, especially as a means of making available the braille Bible, in 18 volumes, and other inspirational books. In 1909 C. N. Miller, a sightless editor, reported that such a library had been established. The library contains choice inspirational and religious volumes, circulated postage free, as is all matter for the visually impaired in the United States and Canada. Mrs. C. W. Degering (1948–1958) and Mrs. C. G. Cross (1958–1974), both sighted librarians and skillful braillists, have been largely responsible for the rapid development of the institution’s large lending library, which is considered to be not only the best but also the largest of its type. By 1926 there were enough SDA s among the visually impaired to create a demand for braille Sabbath school lesson quarterlies. In response that year, the institution began publication of the Sabbath school lessons, including notes and helps (now called The Student ). In January 1937 a monthly magazine for the thousands of junior-age sightless children, called The Children’s Friend , was begun. Under the leadership of C. W. Degering (1949–1958), an expanded program of publication was inaugurated. In 1951 the institution received permission to braille the magazine Life and Health , issued monthly. Two evangelistic magazines— The Bible Expositor and later These Times —were published for some years, but these were dropped in the fifties in favor of Bible correspondence courses and doctrinal tracts. In 1954 a magazine for teenagers, The Youth , was begun. In February 1955, in response to an obvious need, the Christian Record Talking Magazine was introduced. Issued quarterly on disks, this medium allows the visually impaired and others with physical disabilities to enjoy talking features: nature, adventure, and informative interviews relevant to current events. This method reaches those who cannot read braille. During the fifties a number of inspirational books, such as Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, Steps to Christ , and The Desire of Ages , by Ellen G. White, and Alone With God , by Matilda Andross, were recorded as talking books. These are distributed by the United States Library of Congress and its 50 regional libraries. In January 1959 a magazine in large print was launched for those who, although legally sightless, are partly sighted and can read large print. Gauged for youth and young adults, it was called Happiness . In April 1961 the two magazines were combined under the name Youth Happiness and were brailled as well as published in large print. In January 1976 the magazine was renamed Young and Alive . In 1959 a new experiment was made in the production of storybooks for sightless parents of sighted children. These books are trademarked FULL VISION books. The sightless parent reads the brailled story on the left-hand page while the child’s attention is held by the picture on the right-hand page. The series of storybooks includes Bible stories, stories about nature, science, and patriotism, and poems for small children. Projects include the printing of more material in large or sight-saving type for partially sighted readers. Steps to Christ , the first of these books, was completed in May 1965. Since 1962 considerably more talking books have been produced, including the Conflict of the Ages Series and many other books. In February 1961 the taped edition of The Student was started. It contained senior-division lessons, mission stories, and 30 minutes of articles from the church paper. Since 1972 The Student has been produced in braille and on flexible disc. It contains only the adult Sabbath school lesson quarterly information. In 1962 the tape-lending library was begun. Volunteers from many parts of the U.S.A. read assigned books onto tapes for the organization. These are duplicated and put into circulation in the tape-lending library. Christian Record employs many area representatives in the United States. The representatives assist thousands of people each year who are sightless or have other physical disabilities. The representatives introduce people to the free services of CRS and assist them in making adjustments to a different way of life, both physically and spiritually. Beginning in January 1965, a quarterly braille edition of the Review and Herald (now the Adventist Review ) was issued for SDA braille-reading adults, to enable them to keep up with the progress of SDA activities in all parts of the world. The institution makes no charge for any subscription, book, or other benefit. Students who have visual, hearing, or other physical disabilities, have the opportunity to receive scholarship money from CRS . Having outgrown its plant, the institution erected a larger plant with ample provision for expansion and occupied it the summer of 1963. CRS helps SDA conferences overseas by sending publications and Bible courses. Most of the services are sent directly to English-speaking people in 70 countries. Contracted Services. The original motive of the sightless people who encouraged establishing the Christian Record was to bring SDA teachings to the visually impaired. As time went on, it was decided to make the magazine nonsectarian, since many copies went to schools for the visually impaired and to others who were zealous members of other churches. The new policy was to use the Christian Record as a benevolent nonsectarian enterprise, and announce in its pages any tracts and other publications of a sectarian nature, which those interested could receive free upon request. Such sectarian work conducted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and paid for by the church at actual cost, is carried on the organization’s books as “contracted services.” Longtime Workers. Among the sightless workers who have given long and faithful service to Christian Record are Mrs. Armenta Zadina (50 years), Albert Macy (35 years), Mrs. N. L. Muck (more than 25 years), N. L. Muck (more than 20 years), Lyle Harris (more than 20 years), and Mrs. A. O. Wilson (nearly 20 years). Longtime sighted workers include Mrs. A. S. Bringle (more than 50 years) and Dean Duffield (40 years). D. D. Rees was editor and manager for the longest period—22 years. Among others who worked more than 30 years are E. R. Corder, F. G. Corder, Mrs. Ora F. Lightcap, Mrs. D. F. Bush, Mrs. J. L. Derby, and H. F. Drake. Recent Developments. After the appointment on Mar.1, 1958, of C. G. Cross as manager and editor, surveys were conducted dealing with the facts on, and trends among, sightless people and organizations serving the visually impaired. The information from these surveys and the work of the institution were studied by a committee appointed by the General Conference. The Christian Record Board voted favorably on the recommendations of this committee, and made them the framework for subsequent progress. As a result, emphasis has been focused on reorganizing and developing the field work; dropping and combining certain magazines, and initiating new periodicals to meet specific needs; meeting the demands of the state and local permit-issuing organizations in order to qualify for the thousands of solicitation permits that are needed annually (the public is asked to pay for the nonsectarian services only; the Seventh-day Adventist Church pays for the sectarian services it promotes); launching publications in large print for people of dimming sight or with partial vision; greatly increasing the capacity of the free lending library of braille, recorded, and large-print books; encouraging closer cooperation with ministers in following up Bible interests; producing a new type of book for sightless parents who rear their young sighted children; developing more services specifically for visually impaired SDA s participating more actively in professional meetings within the industry; maintaining a constant public relations program both within the church and among the public; launching a new department of magazines, books, music, and special programs on magnetic tapes; inaugurating a system of volunteer workers in the plant and in the field; and producing more books on long-playing records, and cassettes. An addition to services is CRS ’s National Camps for Blind Children. Since its beginning in 1967, more than 34,000 sightless campers have attended camps throughout the United States and Canada. Activities enhance self-confidence, boost morale, and offer hope. Since 1980 a winter camp at Winter Park, Colorado, has been offered. Approximately 45 campers participate in downhill skiing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and many other winter sports. The deaf services department serves more than 4,000 individuals, and programs are added each year to help those who are hearing-impaired. A videotape-lending library, youth camps, workshops, easy English publications with simple sentences for adults, coloring books for children, and Bible lessons are offered those with hearing impairments. In 1963 the organization changed its name from Christian Record Benevolent Association, Incorporated, to Christian Record Braille Foundation, Inc., so as better to identify the organization. In 1989 the organization changed its name from Christian Record Braille Foundation, Inc. to Christian Record Services, Inc. Because CRS offers services for deaf and others with physical disabilities, the name needed to encompass more than braille work. As of June 1993 circulation of the publications of Christian Record were: Christian Record , braille, 6,500; Christian Record Talking Magazine , flexible disk, 13,300; Children’s Friend , braille, 3,400; Deaf Light , easy English, 3,800; Encounter , recorded, 6,300; Lifeglow , large print, 29,000; New Dawn , easy English, 700; Review , braille, 800; The Student , braille, 2,900; The Student , cassette, 150; The Student , recorded, 2,700; Viva Radiante , Spanish, large print, 1,000; Young and Alive , braille, 7,000; and Young and Alive , large print, 26,000. Editors and Managers: L. A. Hoopes and L. T. Nicola, 1900–1902; L. N. Muck, 1902–1904; L. N. Muck, E. T. Russell, A. W. George, J. S. Hart, 1905–1907; B. E. Huffman, E. T. Russell, C. N. Roberts, J. S. Hart, 1908–1909; C. N. Miller, 1909–1911; L. N. Muck, Mrs. L. N. Muck, Mrs. A. O. Wilson, 1912–1913; Mrs. A. O. Wilson, 1914–1916; H. C. Lacey, Mrs. A. O. Wilson, 1917; H. C. Lacey, M. E. Willis, 1918; J. N. Anderson, M. E. Ellis, 1919–1920; J. N. Anderson, J. H. Jeys, 1921–1923; Roger Altman, 1924–1927; D. D. Rees, 1928–1949; C. W. Degering, 1949–1958; C. G. Cross, 1958–1973. Hereafter the managers did not serve as editors. General Manager: A. W. Kaytor, 1973–1974. Presidents: F. G. Thomas, 1974–1978; Eugene Stiles, 1978–1980; B. E. Jacobs, 1980–1982; Howard H. Voss, 1983–1985; Vernon L. Bretsch, 1985–1991; Clarence E. Hodges, 1991– .