All the News That's Fit to Hear

Nor do they do the stock charts or the box scores. But they do everything else: They read articles and editorials and the TV grid. They describe maps, charts and photographs (including whether the pictures are in black and white or color). They read each panel of the comics. They describe what's on sale at Hecht's and to which cities Independence Air is offering low, low fares.

"Obviously, the Sunday paper takes longer," says Washington Ear founder Margaret Pfanstiehl.

Margaret started losing her vision when she was 30. Although the Library of Congress offers Braille books and magazines, she thinks it's important that the blind not be cut off from the daily torrent of words that the sighted take for granted. So, after learning of a similar service in the Twin Cities area, she started the Ear.

There's a bit of skill to reading the paper out loud. "A lot of aspiring radio and TV personalities will come out," Margaret says. "It's wonderful practice for them."

If they pass the audition, that is: a half-hour cold reading of news stories, poetry and a scene from a Thornton Wilder play. Then there's the pronunciation test: mujaheddin, sobriquet, vichyssoise, bivouac, Taipei. . . .

Half of those who apply wash out.

"If the blind person can't understand the person who's reading, then we're not providing a service," says Nancy Knauss, administrative director.

Dave Katz of Greenbelt passed. He's been coming once a week for about the past two years and is the voice of Tuesday's Post Business section.

That means deciding how to read a lot of numbers. Is the Standard & Poor's 500 up 6.75 to "twelve oh six point eighty-three," he asks, or "twelve-hundred six point eighty-three"?

Upstairs from Stewart, Dave and the dial-in studio is the broadcast studio, where engineer Bill Hensel watches volunteers Ruth Laubgross and Joe Kenary read selections from The Post live on the air from 7 to 9 a.m.

The signal, sent out over something called the sub-carrier of WETA-FM, can be picked up by special radios the Ear makes available free of charge.

"I consider this the pinnacle because it goes out live," says Ruth, who made the decision to volunteer 30 years ago, the very first day she heard an ad for the Washington Ear.

"I always wanted to work in a radio station," she says, "ever since I was a little girl." She likes reading local news. The recent glut of Martha Stewart and Michael Jackson stories leaves her cold.

"I read with one man for 16 years," Ruth says. "He couldn't stand Marion Barry stories. I would try to ease his burden and read those stories."

Back downstairs in the dial-in studio, Catherine Wakelyn is taking a break from her reading. "My voice hasn't given out yet," she tells Stewart.

A retired lawyer from Takoma Park, Catherine has what doctors have diagnosed as macular degeneration. "Eventually, I'll probably have to use the service myself. I'm prepaying for that."

She turns to Stewart. "Give me something frivolous to read," she says. "I just read the front page."

He hands her USA Today's Life section, and she walks back into the studio to start reading again.

Soon someone, somewhere, will be listening.

The Washington Ear also offers audio description of plays on local stages. If you know someone who would benefit from the Ear, call 301-681-6636. Or go to www.washear.org.