MARBLE HILL WOMAN TO 'SIGN' FOR CLINTON

Maria Reed will be listening to President Clinton's every word Sunday in St. Louis.

The 40-year-old Marble Hill woman will be one of two interpreters on stage when the president speaks to the nation's governors.

Clinton is scheduled to speak at 2:15 p.m. at the Adam's Mark Hotel downtown at the annual meeting of the National Governors Association.

Through sign language, the interpreters will relay the president's words to the hearing impaired.

"It is very exciting," said Reed, who has worked as an interpreter for the deaf for about five years. "It is a privilege to be able to do something like this," she said. "I love interpreting."

In addition to Sunday's event, Reed is scheduled to work as an interpreter at a Saturday meeting of the National Governors Association.

The association's members include the governors of all 50 states, plus the commonwealths of Northern Marina Islands and Puerto Rico, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

During the academic year, Reed works as an interpreter at Southeast Missouri State University. "I am interpreting for two deaf students. I go to class with them," she said.

Reed carries the highest certification for interpreters.

"If I am interpreting, I pretty much take on your personality," said Reed. "If they are really excited then I will be talking with a lot of enthusiasm."

Reed grew up with deaf parents.

"I grew up in the deaf world, in the deaf community,' she said. "American Sign Language, that is my first language."

American Sign Language isn't English, she said.

When she interprets for the president Sunday, she won't be 'signing' his speech word for word, but rather relaying it in sign language.

Interpreters have to listen carefully to the speakers.

"It is a lot of processing," said Reed. "You have to keep your ears and your mind open. "When you hear it in English, you have to put the meaning out," she said.

Reed said there are sorely few interpreters in Southeast Missouri to assist the approximately 200 deaf people who live within a 50-mile radius of Cape Girardeau.

She currently is teaching a class to train students as interpreters.