This document was originally
part of the memorial Glimpses into the Life of the Reverend Howard O. Paige.
It is an account of the founding of Hope School of Jackson, Michigan, using
material provided by its main instigator, Howard O. Paige, and organized by his
son Charles.
(By Howard O. Paige and Others)
CAME INTO THE WORLD on April 29, 1941, at a time when there was a very minimal
provision in society for the social/educational development of handicapped
children, especially the mentally impaired.
In 1949 when we came to Jackson,
we sensed, along with others, a desire to bring help to these children; and
Margaret, along with nine others, became charter students in a school to
develop programs to meet their needs and to prove, if possible, the
practicality of such a program.
Once the program got underway, more kids came in, more
help became available from parents and others, and the public schools began to
participate with special guidance and co-operation.
The program continued to grow and by 1956, some forty-two
children were being served at Hope school alone, and similar growth was taking
place at other locations across the country; proving for all to see that it was
“An idea whose time had come.”
To us at home, we can believe that Margaret’s life
experience, along with others of her group, was a price to be paid for the
future welfare of many thousands of handicapped children of today and the
future, across the nation and beyond.
The success and growth of this very humane change in our
social thinking, and the help to the children, was multiplied many times over
by the help from service clubs, church groups, parent groups and countless
individual volunteers and donors along the way, plus the gradual recognition on
the part of the schools of their responsibility to all children.
Currently, the Hope
Activity Center
and the Lyle Torrant facility on Parnell
Road and the new work at the Flora
List School
are all living proof that Margie[i]
did not live in vain, but made a mark in history that will be remembered long
after her name is forgotten.
Her father.
Addenda:
(To her family, Margie brought love, joy, understanding,
to be measured or recognized fully at this late date with the very tenderest of emotions and memories. Dad)
[Because
Howard was too overcome by emotion to be intelligible, the above eulogy was
read by the Reverend Maurice Harlow, a friend of his and the officiating pastor
at Margaret’s funeral June 18, 1984. —C.W.Paige]
Cerebral palsy “CP” > a disorder usually caused by brain
damage occurring at or before birth and marked
by muscular impairment. Often accompanied by poor coordination, it sometimes
involves speech and learning difficulties.
Down’s syndrome > a syndrome of congenital defects,
especially retardation, originally called mongolism.
2513
Norwood Road
Jackson, Michigan
September 18, 1951
Governor G. Mennen Williams
State House
Lansing, Michigan
Honorable Sir:-
We are writing to you on behalf of an estimated 175
children in Jackson city and County
who are not receiving any form of schooling.
They are listed as Cerebral Palsied, Mongoloid and Cretin type
children. Many of these children are
readily susceptible to a specialized program of speech therapy and a semblance
of formal schooling.
Parents of Jackson County have organized a Jackson County
Chapter of the United Cerebral Palsy Assn. of Mich., Inc., and as their first
move opened the “Kerr School Project” which is now in its second week of
school. It is operating in an unused
country school eleven miles from town, this being the one available location at
the time of starting. The opening
enrollment was ten children, and the number will be expanded as fast as our
facilities will permit.
We are very fortunate in having a certified primary school
teacher and the State Association has furnished us with a Speech
Therapist. However, we have been unable
to solve a difficult transportation problem and are being forced to move nearer
town on a regular bus line.
We are now considering building a small school and need
some advice from your staff.
First: What State regulations or
restrictions will affect this program?
Second: What State aid, if any, can be made
available to either the school program or the building project?
The entire cost of the school program is being borne by
the parents, which will surely keep out many who should be in school.
All of our public school contacts have been unsatisfactory
and unsympathetic. They say these
children are “ineducable,” this word being [used] by
Mrs. Belcher from Lansing. We feel this is not a limitation of the
child, but a limitation of the ability of human beings to teach one another.
We believe that God in Heaven is directing our efforts for
these lonely, ignored and forgotten humans, who will surely become State
charges in years to come, if such programs fail.
Therefore, we are asking you, as a just and upright
individual, to investigate with an open mind and help us to accomplish this
humane mission.
Yours respectfully,
Ralph White, Pres.,
Jackson Chapter U.C.P.A. of Mich.,
Inc.
Dear Editor:
The Jackson Cerebral Palsy Assn. is very grateful to
the Citizen Patriot for helping us
bring our organization through the embryo stage and into a progressive
institution. You have helped us greatly
to bring before the public the fact that these kids are not the useless burdens
as they have been traditionally labelled, but that
with the right teaching are a real inspiration to teachers and parents alike
and can develop to a surprising degree of usefulness. This is the experience of groups all over the
U.S. and is not
just a hope.
Recently, an oversight occurred when the wrong man was
mentioned in the Cit. Pat. as president of our group.
Our president, Mr. Ralph White, has done such an outstanding job in
guiding us along the rough road of overcoming deep-seated prejudice that we
feel he has more than justified our trust in naming him our number one officer.
Also, thanks to the kind folks
around town who have listened to our pleas for help.
Grateful.
Howard
O. Paige
1308
Leroy Street
V.P. Jackson County Chap.
U.C.P.A.
(Between Howard Paige and son Charles)
It was early 1984, and I was in the throes of completing
the final portion of my genealogical series The
Coming Together: Volume Two, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow.
Since the founding of Hope School
had been such an important event in our family’s history, I dashed off a series
of questions (Q) and statements (S) to Dad and Mom concerning the project, to
solicit answers (A) or responses (R) to thus develop a more complete
picture. Mom deferred to Dad’s
recollections and background material, so the following answers/essays comprise
his replies.
A
Word About
Jennie Paige’s Contributions
Before continuing, I would like
to say a few words about Mom’s contributions during the six years that she and
Dad were part of the movement.
Immediately after the Paiges moved to Jackson
in 1949, Jennie gave birth to Charlie (me).
Also living in the household were Charlene (almost ready to leave the
nest), Margaret, then eight years old, and Mary, four. In other words, Mom had her domestic work cut
out for her in and of itself. Despite the cares of rearing a normal family,
plus constantly dealing with the numberless difficulties surrounding the
raising of a Down’s syndrome child, Mom was still in there pitching to help out
with the retarded children’s projects.
She took minutes at some of the meetings, made and received phone calls,
helped feed countless volunteers, helped organize fund drives—including the
selling of Claxton fruitcakes before the Civitan Club
took it over, was hostess to many social events, co-signed with Howard the
letter of agreement purchasing the schoolhouse to be used for Hope School
(cost: one dollar plus relocation of the
building), and provided an ever vigilant central command post. Perhaps the most important contribution of
all, Jennie provided a solid home base upon which Howard could build his humane
and other aspirations.
March 1984
Charlie,
After sitting down for four or five hours and writing this
memorabilia, we found some typed material covering similar ground, so I’m going
to suggest you read it and be entirely free to use any or all in your own words
to get suitable organization for the purposes you have in mind. It’s almost a separate subject from the
genealogy you are doing in such a beautiful way.
My leaving the program in 1957 was
brought about by a near psycho-burnout due to at least five years of 24-hour
responsibility for the program and the many problems and answers, plus driving
the bus and still carrying on the responsibility of my job at Consumers Power.
As result of this I have a tendency to want to avoid
further recollection or reminiscence, being thoroughly occupied (both time and
interest) in being a good pastor, which is not easy at my age as my mind is not
so bouncy and resilient as it was a few years ago. Now I avoid burnout by placing more faith in
the Lord leading me through tight spots, even sermons.
Things seem to be going well and we’re looking forward anxiously
to spring and to your visit home.
Write soon, we wait anxiously for
your letters.
Love
in Christ,
Dad
and Marilee
S. Margaret Ann born with Down’s syndrome (mongolism).
R. Down’s syndrome (a recent name) was discovered when her
development as a baby was late in many ways and her responses were different, seemingly
motivated more to please others than to gain a knowledge or accomplishment of
her own.
Q. You and Mom took her to a doctor in Jackson(?)
for shots that would supposedly help Margaret.
Took her to treatment how long?
What Dr.?
A. We don’t know where or how the contact was made, but
Dr. Geo. Phillips (later an Alcoholic Counselor at Jackson
Mercy Hospital)
offered to give her shots of “Antuitrin G,” a
pituitary extract with a growth hormone added, if we would bring her to Jackson
for the shot.[iii]
This we did for x number of months and finally got Dr. Harvey in Saginaw
to carry on for awhile, so we wouldn’t have to drive so far so often.
It was not possible to assess long-time change from the
use of these shots as there were no “control” conditions for comparison. There seemed to be some short-time effect
noticeable, but again we had nothing for comparison, only intuition. Margy was a great
sport about it all (about 6 or 7 years old) and thanked
Dr. Harvey for the shots—brought tears to his eyes.
Q. Moved to Jackson
in 1949 and found no retarded children’s facilities? Advertised (?) for parents
in similar situation. Formed
Retarded Children’s Society of Jackson County, Inc., what year? Who were the founding parents? Their children?
A. There were no provisions for training-up children of
moderate-to-severe mental handicap (60 IQ and below), in the home or school
environment, when the family moved to Jackson in 1949 as result of a promotion
opportunity at Consumers Power Co.
Telephone contact was made with
other parents of severely mentally handicapped children, and meetings were
activated to decide what, if anything, could be done, or tried, to establish a
“test” or “trial” program.
In the fall of 1951, a group of
ten “misfits” or retarded were brought together in a country school ten miles
from town with parents doing the driving.
First we had to divide a.m. and p.m. groups, separating younger in a.m.
from older in p.m.
The greatest problems from the
beginning were social, getting kids to accept each other and think “family”
with strangers for first time, realizing that protective parents had for most
part kept these children out of public eye.
Parents’ protectiveness was also a tough nut to crack as all of us were
over-sensitive about our own.
The first major crisis to arise
came in form of a new organization called “Cerebral Palsy Assn,” wanting to
bring help (a speech therapist), but wanted to limit her effort to “CP”
children. An assessment program produced
CPs, non-CPs, and
in-between depending on whether the physical or mental handicap was most
outstanding. A plan was worked
out for maybe a year, when therapist helped all children, and then was
withdrawn because we resisted divisiveness by popular vote of parents (the
mental handicap being the chief criteria for enrollment and child was “mobile
under supervision”). Remember, every
parent helper was a lay person and all were learning by “in service”
experience—one day at a time.
When winter set in, it became
obvious the country site would not work, so the good people at the Queen of the
Miraculous Medal church in Jackson let us fix up, wire, and use a basement room
the rest of the school year until summer 1952.
A raffle was held in the winter of 1951, and proceeds used to buy a new
Chevy van to move kids to school and home using parents and volunteers as
drivers.
The problem of finances began the
first day, with tuition enough to keep out of the red and additional charge for
those using the “bus.” Contributions
from many directions helped defray expenses and “sponsor” kids who could not
pay part or any of cost. The local “Civitan” club took the retarded children movement as their
project and helped in major ways to keep the program rolling.
We had to move again because of
Fire Marshal’s orders, so the 1952 fall year opened in a small country school
nearby called “Daniel School,”
with parents and volunteers doing driving.
It became obvious, in 1952, that
the program was successful and greatly needed, but that having our own quarters
was key to continuance and growth. The need for permanent quarters also called
for a parent company for financial responsibility, so the “Retarded Children’s
Society of Jackson, Inc.” was formed and incorporated during 1952, paving the
way for owning our own school property.
Arrangements were made for selling stock at $10.00 per share, with each
parent required to buy or own five shares to qualify for admission of their
child.
A demountable school annex was
found at Michigan Center
and purchased for $1.00, along with promise to fill the basement hole and move
by a certain date. A lot was owned by
four of our parents on West Avenue,
and being needed by the County Road Commission, a deal was made to purchase it
and exchange for a larger lot a short distance away.[iv]
The parents excitedly moved in
and cut the building into two parts (total = 90 feet), so the mover
could take it through town—from Michigan Center to the new site, about a ten
mile trip. A foundation was laid up on
the W. Monroe Street
site and, after about a five month strike by cement workers, the building was
finally set down about May 1, 1953.
Parents and friends worked
through the summer of 1953 to repair broken windows[v]
and other damage to building, and the Plumbers Union gave several Saturdays[vi]
to lay out an excellent plumbing installation.
Then the Electricians brought their union “school” out and installed
up-to-date wiring, all done under the supervision of the City Building
Inspector.
The Civitan
club graded the playground, installed a cyclone fence and a layout of swings,
slide and other playground equipment.
Parents installed a nice flag pole[vii],
and the “big day” came on October 5,
1953, the new “Hope School”
was occupied by children for the first time.
The program grew as fast as
finances were available, both from parent standpoint and the operating
budget. A larger bus was purchased and
put into operation, making morning, noon
and afternoon trips (a three-hour program seemed to be about the limit of their
attention span). By 1956, the program
had grown to over forty children.
From the opening in October 1953,
a continuing program of parent education, and child evaluation, was carried
out, and included publicity through sending out speakers and help from local
newspapers.
It seemed apparent from the
beginning that the public school system definitely had a responsibility in our
area, and continuing effort was made to work with them, exchanging information
and accepting their help with evaluations and programming. Our first contact with the County School
System Superintendent was cool, obviously a “wait and see” attitude. Ironically, a successor to the original
“Hope” school was named after him, probably because of his long service as County
Superintendent.
The eventual takeover by the new
“Lyle Torrant Facility” relegated the Hope
School program to a Day Activity
program, also in a new building built for that purpose, as most of our original
children had become teeners and more.
At the outset, we were able to
help others—Saginaw, especially—to
get their own program going. The
movement seemed to be nationwide. “An idea whose time had come!”
Original Hope School parents and children:
Parents Children
Howard and Jennie Paige Margaret
Fay and Marilee Janes Linda
Fred and Virginnia
Scheele Jean
Anne
Louis and Mary Russo Nancy
Ralph and Jean White Douglass
Lilas Sanders Rennie
Ed and Eugenia Steelman Johnny
Irene Walker Douglas
Lawrence and Edna Gates Judy
Joe and Marion
Zurek Joan
Irwin and Ruth Gourlay Kay
Walt and Marie Jackson Janet
Howard O. Paige President
Irwin Gourlay Vice
President
Ruth Gourlay Treasurer
Felix Best Attorney
Jeff Andress Business
Executive
Lucille Jackson Secretary
Marion Loomis First teacher and “special
education” student
Loretta McDonald Second teacher (retiree)
Margaret Wiant Speech
Therapist
Grace Speech
Therapist
Kerr
School Project Formed in country
school by that name in 1951.
Moved to “Queens”
Church Winter/Spring 1952
Moved to Daniel
School Fall 1952
Moved to Hope School Owned by Retarded
Children’s Society of Jackson, Inc., in October 1953 (original enrollment
about 20).
S. The Assn. tried to solicit
support from Lyle Torrant (what was his title and
office?), but failed to convince him of the need. The Assn. received funds/other support or
assistance from Community Chest? Other
establishments/groups/ societies, etc.?
What happened between Torrant interview and
when it was decided you folks would have to create your own school?
A. State and County thinking was undergoing change due to
pressure from our activities and others.
Their approach was cautious, wait and see, minimum of commitment, and
all tied to state supervisors and control, with no “say” on our part [as
parents]. We decided to proceed as
indicated from our experience, working close as possible with schools and
public, leaving all doors open for communication, cooperation, and even later
takeover by school system, not giving up any sovereignty until assured all
retarded children needs accounted for and met.
Q. Were there newspaper articles and the like? Are copies still around?
A. Grandma Maude clipped many clippings and they are on
hand.
S. Condemned schoolhouse bought in 1952 for $1.00 and
moved to location on W. Monroe Street
with help of volunteers. Bldg. cut into
sections.
R. Unions helping to build: Personal
help:
Plumbers Local Robert Weider, architect for Civitan
Club
Electricians Local
Carpenters
Local
Painter
Contractor (outside)
Community
Chest help started about fall 1954 or 1955.
Q. Land for building donated by Fay and Marilee Janes?
A. Janes and Mitchells
owned lots on West Avenue
next to W. Monroe Street
that the County wanted for a library, so Road Commission (County) bought their
lots for $500 each and gave us the adjoining, larger lot for our school (1952).
Q. School started October 1953. Who were teachers, volunteers or
professionals? Who or what controlled
standards?
A. Parents who could possibly get away took turns as room
mothers. Volunteer drivers: Mary Ewing, John Copeland, Mrs. Gee (Virginnia Scheele’s Mother).
NOTE: Because of my
availability due to rotating shifts, I was able to drive bus, administer
overall program, do many repairs and serve as general factotum in all things,
even to building a later cement block addition of two rooms and office.
Q. Did you receive pointers/help, etc., from established
retarded children societies in other cities?
In what way?
A. Received help in form of two public addresses from
Dr. White, a minister and counselor from Lapeer State Home.
Received help from evaluation team from University
of Michigan, headed by Dr. Ketcham, who evaluated our entire program and helped with
ongoing counsel as needed. Our teacher,
Mrs. Loomis, was taking special courses in special education at University
of Michigan and was able to arrange
for this help.
Help as to other groups was mostly outgoing or comparing
notes for swapping ideas (all so very new).
Q. What year did the cement block addition go up?
A. It looks like cement block addition went into service
during winter 1956/1957, not sure of date.
Q. Where did the school buses come from?
A. First school bus $1,500 raised from a raffle, with
special price by Crutchfield Chevrolet Co.
Second school bus from a church, purchased with a $200
donation, motor overhauled by Uncle Mutt and bus painted by H.O.P.
Q. Wasn’t there a parade in which Hope
School participated?
A. The Hope School bus was in Jackson’s
1954 Centennial[viii]
Parade.
Q. You were president of the Retarded Children’s Society
of Jackson, Inc., during what time frame?
A. H.O.P. president Kerr School Project 1952 till Retarded
Children’s Society organized 1952, then president of this until spring 1957.
About the program itself. Entrance requirements were:
1.
Unacceptable in any “public school” program.
2.
Be mobile enough that teachers and room mothers did not
have to lift them.
3.
Be reachable by voice, music, so that a gainful
experience could be brought to bear.
4.
Be able to handle finances ($6.00 per week at first),
possibly with help of a sponsor.
Even buying stock was sometimes sponsored. A plan was developed where parents could earn
shares of stock by helping with the building program at $1.50 per hour credited
towards stock. The Paiges
had 99 shares at one time, and others accumulated sizable blocks. Each share represented one vote on Retarded
Children’s Society business.
There were many surprises.
As parent interest increased, so did their intense concern for other
children as well as their own. The
changed parental attitude brought a changed “response” attitude almost at
once. Parents, themselves, often
commented about the changed attitude and responses within themselves, possibly
realizing that others needed to share their experiences of ignorance,
loneliness, frustration and not just a little self-inflicted guilt such as “Why
Me?” or “What have I done to deserve this?” or “Am I being punished for something?”
These attitudes quickly gave way to positive approach of
searching for the kids’ abilities rather than their handicaps. This surely made bigger, more wholesome
people of all who got involved.
Meeting held in Mr. Torrant’s
office in County Bldg., April 22, 1952,
at 8:30 a.m.
Present: Mr. Lyle Torrant
Mrs. Belcher from Lansing
Miss Foster
Mr. Ed Licking of Michigan
Center
Mr. Fred Keicher of Michigan
Center
Ralph White
(President of Jackson’s Chapter of the U.C.P.A)
Howard
Paige (Vice President “
“ “ “
“ )
Mr. L. Torrant opened meeting
with general statement of need in County to take care of children not enrolled
in public school. Mr. Torrant read plan of expansion of present Kerr School
Project to encompass Jackson County.
Mrs. Belcher pointed out that there was no way possible to
work a private enterprise such as this into the State plan. The only way would be for a school district
to take complete charge, hire teachers, pay expenses and operate as school unit
in a school room.
Miss Foster pointed out that about 200 mentally
handicapped children are now being served by the public schools, and that there
was neither room nor teachers to go any farther.
It was pointed out to the group that the Kerr people were
satisfied and happy with their present setup and felt, at least for now, the
program was complete and self sufficient; that it was our feeling of duty to
other children like our own that prompted us to make this offer. Also, that our future plans, if not changed,
will be to expand as fast and far as possible, but without school and state
assistance, would be a much slower process.
Mrs. Belcher stated that legislation has been completed,
and was not made public yet, for funds in amount of $100-plus, per capita
allotment, to be available to any class of not more than ten children per
teacher, or twenty children half-day per teacher, which was set up in any
school district. The class must have a
qualified teacher okayed by state, and each child
would have to be diagnosed and okayed to the class as having sufficient mental
possibilities as to fit into class. The
class period would continue two years, after which the child would again be
diagnosed for further education. If
okayed would continue on, if not okayed would be returned to the parent with
recommendations. Under this program the
parent, too, would receive instruction to go with school effort. There would be no place for parents or their
money or influence in the plan for their child and the class.
(Mrs. Belcher stated our group will probably never
know how instrumental we were in getting this program set up.)
This plan really is an expansion of the present special
education department already in operation, and has been extended to include
more children. Future plans call for
establishing, where necessary, day nurseries or workshops, where other children
could be taught or cared for, over periods of time, to relieve parents. Such a class, as the first, would be the
complete responsibility of the District sponsoring it.
Mr. Keicher and Mr. Licking
brought out the fact that outright rental of their rooms was not permissible,
as they have formed the policy and have turned down applications from parochial
schools, etc., trying to rent space, and their constituents would not permit
it.
Mr. Licking mused that if our group were taken into a
class, and at end of two years [even] two or three made the grade, then our
group and facilities would be needed to carry on a similar program as at
present, until such time as state provides further.
As the meeting closed, it was thought that there was still
room for much discussion, and tentative plans were set for a Friday afternoon
in very near future, when a meeting would be held at Pearl School, with Mr. Torrant, Mr. Greenwalt, Mrs.
Belcher, Miss Foster and a representation from our group, to enlarge on the
State plan and talk over possibilities of formation of classes.
Mrs. Belcher was asked
what, in light of this new arrangement, could we do or be doing to direct our
activities in the right direction. She
said it was pretty much up to the group.
-
- - - - -
My afterthoughts: —
1.
Expand, but slowly.
2.
Get own quarters, not too elaborate but ours.
3.
Protect our program in case we should lose help from
U.C.P.A. (Mrs. Belcher says the
State U.C.P.A. will be unable to spend any money on any but straight CP
programs after June 30.)
4.
See what arrangements are necessary to get bus and bus
fund into school name.
5.
Plan for future with understanding that welfare and
future of each individual child must be first consideration, but with further
understanding that even though some of our kids go into state class, the less
fortunate will need us even more, and it is the obligation of each of us to
protect the program as we now have it.
Should a child fail the state class, we will be there with open arms to
give it our best.
6.
Mrs. Belcher has had her views radically changed
regarding the mentally retarded child, and our program and several
complimentary statements rang quite true, as did her statement about the June
30 deadline for CP expenditures. I think
the fact we have gone ahead in spite of Hell and High Water has won the respect
of her and many others.
— If we don’t get the CP help — who will?
H.O.P.
1308
Leroy Street
Jackson,
Michigan
October 7, 1952
Michigan Center
School Board
Michigan Center,
Michigan
Gentlemen:
We, the undersigned representatives of the Cooperative
Association for Retarded Children, wish herewith to present a bid for purchase
of demountable school building at Michigan Center as advertised, the bid to
consist of $1.00 in cash, and other considerations, among which are removing
the building from the school premises and filling and grading the basement
excavation on its present site, all within a reasonable time limit.[ix]
We should like to explain the purpose for which the
building is intended:
The Association is soliciting stock holders to cover cost
of moving and installing building on a permanent site, to house groups of
retarded children for clinical, day nursery and academic activities.
Should the program become economically unfeasible at some
future date, the property will be sold, and the stock holders reimbursed.
Thanking you for giving this your kind consideration we
remain:
Howard
O. Paige
Temporary
Chairman
Mrs.
Jennie B. Paige
Temporary
Secretary & Treasurer
Cooperative Association
for Retarded Children
Child Units to be Linked
A new organization, combining two already active, is in
the planning stage for the benefit of the retarded children in Jackson
County. Parents who organized the Kerr school project
are joining with the Jackson County Association for Retarded Children to form a
new Cooperative Association for Retarded Children, with Howard O. Paige as
temporary chairman and Mrs. Paige as temporary secretary-treasurer.
Invitations have been sent to some 80 persons to attend a
planning meeting for the new association at the Adult Education center, room
215, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Mr. Paige has announced the purchase of a
building for the association’s use. The
building must be moved, however, Mr. Paige said, and a site for it is
being sought. About a quarter acre or
more of land is needed, he said. He asks
that anyone knowing of a location near the city call him at 3-3052.
Reprinted from a Jackson Citizen
Patriot article appearing in October 1952
1
|
HOPE SCHOOL - The House that Faith Built
By
Howard
O. Paige
May 1956
An historical account of the development
of training facilities for mentally handicapped children in the Jackson area
resulting from the parent effort to do something about it and resulting in the
formation of the Retarded Children’s Society of Jackson, Inc.
Retarded Children’s Society
of Jackson, Inc.
A HISTORICAL
RESUMÉ of the many events in the development of the Retarded Children’s
Society, and the movement in the Jackson
area is both informative and inspirational, and it is hoped that this document will
fulfill both these needs. It must be
understood that during the course of time covered, many sources of help
appeared, some for short periods and others for longer; but, regardless of the
duration or magnitude of such help, or possible reasons for its cessation, we
shall be ever grateful to each benefactor for his help along the way to
fulfillment.
SPRING 1951 Many
phone calls went out in an effort to get a group of parents together to discuss
what, if anything, might be done to bring schooling to children of such mental
degree as to be unacceptable in the public schools. Parents came and went, and finally numbered
ten who were anxious to make the experiment and willing to stand the cost. One of the parents knew of a teacher who was
willing to make the try, and whose qualifications were such as to make the
trial a fair one. A country school was
obtained rent-free about ten miles south of town, and the parents moved in to
clean and make ready.
SUMMER 1951 The
United Cerebral Palsy Association was organizing chapters around the state, and
offered the services of a speech teacher if we would form a Jackson Chapter,
U.C.P.A. It was not known at that time
how many of our children might by CPs, but with a
paid speech teacher as a prize, the Chapter was formed and school started in
September, with the regular teacher and the speech teacher as the staff. The ten children were transported in the cars
of parents who were available to drive.
Early Indications
(1) The children of the original
ten were a wide variety of mental and physical development; indicating that a
larger program was needed to permit better working groups. Some improvement resulted by dividing into
morning and afternoon groups, and this complicated the transportation scheme.
(2) The term “cerebral palsy”
became a “bone of contention” among both parents and outsiders. Objections were voiced from outside that CP
funds were being used for non-CPs. As a defense, the parents established the
“Kerr School Project,” with its own management and treasury to carry on the
school program clear of the main organization.
This move was moderately effective.
At that stage it was very difficult to prove which were, and which were not, CPs. We did know, however, that all were mentally
retarded and needed all the advantages of this exploratory effort, to give them
the type of schooling they could absorb and benefit from according to their
capability.
(3) As bad weather approached,
the 25 miles round trip to the school became prohibitive, and quarters were needed
closer to town.
FIRST MOVE The
church authorities at the Queen of the Miraculous Medal church offered the use
of a large basement room which was unused but warm. The parents cleaned, painted and prepared the
room, and school was moved late in October.
BACKWARD LOOK It
should be pointed out that the parents were “babes in the woods,” in many
respects, at the outset. The needs of
the children were not known; Parent Education was a bookshelf word; discussing
each others child was taboo; any mention of institution was also taboo; all
were highly keyed-up and oversensitive to anything even verging on criticism,
constructive or otherwise; all were expectant of more or less quick results or
indications of the future of the various children. The teachers, stalwart souls they were, had
to deal with parents as well as the children.
FIRST SCHOOL BUS Transportation
is always a difficult problem, and in those days it fell to a few who were
available with cars to get the children to school. During the winter, a Jewish Sisterhood
stepped in with their cars and at their own expense to help. In January, 1952, they helped with a
television set raffle, and sufficient funds were raised to buy a Suburban
station wagon and to set up a fund, supplied by donations and projects, to keep
the bus operating.
ANOTHER MOVE In
April, 1952, the Fire Marshal declared the room not safe for classes due to the
boiler room arrangement, so new quarters were found in the basement Sunday
school room at the St. John’s Evangelical
Church. In May, the school was moved to the new
location; three moves in our first school year.
SUMMER PROGRAM
was carried on in 1952 by, again, borrowing the country school which had a
nicely shaded yard, and taking the children there three days per week for a
romp and a lunch. All services were
donated, so the only cost was transportation and lunches. The program was good for parents and children
both, and most of the enrolled children participated.
SECOND YEAR We were fortunate to gain the use of the
Daniel School, three miles out in the country, which had been conditioned and
was ready for use. All that was required
was that we maintain it in good condition.
This location served nicely the whole school year until June, 1953, when
the “Kerr School Project” was disbanded in favor of the new organization.
WHY A NEW ORGANIZATION The
Cerebral Palsy Assn. was anxious from the start to get their services into the
public schools, and during the winter at Daniel
School showed loss of interest in CPs who were known to be mentally retarded. They indicated there would be little or no
help from the U.C.P.A. after the finish of the school year. During the winter, our speech teacher’s time
was shared with the public schools. The
U.C.P.A. asked that CP children be separated
from others, which would have placed children of all ages into one group, or
else would have required the operation of four small groups. Both ideas were out of the question—the one
unfair to the children and the other economically impractical.
HANDWRITING ON THE WALL Late in 1952, the
following became evident:
(1) Loss of U.C.P.A. help was but a matter of
time.
(2) Not enough children for good grouping.
(3) Not large enough to warrant all-out public
help and acceptance.
(4) Kerr School Project not incorporated.
(5) No object to carry the U.C.P.A. name with
no help forthcoming from them.
(6) Uncertain quarters — a day-to-day
proposition in someone else’s building gave a feeling of lack of permanence to
the organization and public.
A NEW BUILDING In
October, 1952, after searching for quarters for purchase, a building was found
at Michigan Center
which could be had for the moving, and immediately a bid was placed and was
accepted with the proviso that the building be moved and the basement backfilled
and graded.
THE NEW
ORGANIZATION[xi]
was established and incorporated to handle the entire business of setting up an
entire new program, in our own building, on the basis of previous experience,
and to build for permanence. Another
successful raffle was held, and enough raised to pay for moving the building
and backfilling the hole. The mover cost
$1,200, filling the hole $100, the new lot $1,000,
foundation $585, telephone cable moves[xii]
$385. Total: $3,270.
STOCK ISSUE Permission
was granted by the Securities Commission to sell shares of non-interest bearing
common stock at ten dollars per share to defray the capital investment in the
building, land and equipment. A plan was
devised to permit parents to earn shares of stock by helping in the construction
work. The rate of pay was below normal
wages, but was additional incentive for parents to share in the project. Stock sales paid off the moving costs, and a
well-wisher donated $500 towards the purchase of the lot.
REMODELING As a result of several “bees” and much
work between times, the building, which measured 21’ by 72’, was cut in two and
prepared for the mover. Actual moving
was delayed first by a cement shortage, then by icy weather, but took place in
January, 1953, and the basement filled.
The building set on skids until May, when weather permitted building a
foundation on the new site.
The lot was purchased from the County Road Commission, who
helped in many ways to adapt the lot to our needs. A local architect graciously went over the
tentative remodeling plans and gave many worthwhile suggestions. The building halves were finally set in place
on the new foundation in May, 1953, with parents and children looking on and
sharing in the excitement.
Partitions were removed; joists, sub flooring and flooring
were checked and replaced or repaired where
necessary. After many long hours of work
it began to look like a school again, as partitions went into place and
blackboards were installed.
MIRACLES BEGAN
TO HAPPEN when the building trades took a hand. Also at this point, the Civitan
Club built a complete fenced enclosure of the playground, furnishing all
materials. Plumbing contractors and
trade locals turned out in force to install a completely new and modern
plumbing system, using new fixtures and materials. The cost was for materials, only. The electricians’ local installed a
completely new electrical system. Other
tradesmen assisted with block laying; a painting contractor and his crew
painted the interior as it was finished; heating men obtained materials from
their contractor-employers and completely installed a perimeter-type,
oil-burning heating system, furnishing all the materials except the furnace,
which was donated by a local manufacturer.
During this time the parents plugged away, too, giving the place the air
of a beehive.
An addition was built on to the main structure to house
the heating plant and water heater. A
base slab of concrete was poured and enclosed with a cinder-block wall, making
a complete enclosure for the entrance porch, with combination doors. However,
days flew by, and it was three weeks past the opening date of the public
schools, when on October 5, 1953,
a large donated flag was raised on the parent- built flag pole, and the school
was populated with children for the first time.
For some it was the first time they had been accepted into any
school. Now this one was their own—to
share with others who also shared their handicap.
Three classes were started in 1953, two in the morning and
one in the afternoon, using only one-half of the building divided into two
classrooms. In the summer of 1954, the
other half was finished, and the original partition opened up to permit larger
class rooms, with a total accommodation of four classes to total 40
children. The fourth class was started
in January, 1956, when the enrollment reached 37 and required two full-time
teachers.
TUITION During the first years in the “Kerr
School Project,” tuition was charged at $6 per week. The third year, when classes were opened in
the new quarters, tuition went to $7.50 per week, or $252 per year. Community Chest help was received, to start
January 1955, and it was possible to drop tuition to $210 per year, or $5.25
per week. Transportation costs were
defrayed by a charge of $0.25 per day for those who use the bus.
PARENT ACTIVITIES Fully
as important as the child education effort is the parent education
program. Starting with only the work as
room mother as an educator, the importance of this phase of the work became
more apparent as speakers were introduced into monthly meetings, to bring ideas
for establishing better understanding between parents and children, and in the
families. Many good speakers were
brought in by the United Cerebral Palsy Assn.
A progressive plan of education for parents of handicapped children was
carried on for a period of eight weeks, in the fall of 1951, by the Crippled
Children’s Society. It was of
inestimable value to those who attended, especially as our school had but
recently started. Combining an educational
feature with the social, in the monthly general meetings, has served well to
bring in new ideas and understandings, and parents outside the school group are
sharing them with us.
PUBLIC SERVICE With
the advent of Community Chest help came evidence that the help of our Society
was needed as an agency to carry on public service programs to help acquaint
the public, professional people and outside parents, with the various aspects
of our school, and the problems of our parents and children. Special events especially arranged for this purpose were planned, one in the fall and one in the
spring.
The first brought in Dr. Horace White of the Lapeer State
Home and Training School as a public speaker.
Next, three educators were brought in from the University
of Michigan and Detroit
to completely evaluate the program at our school. They spent one full day with the teachers and
children, then met with professional people at dinner
to interpret the whole picture to them, meeting again in the evening, this time
with the parents assembly for the same purpose.
This brought our school very close to friends at the University
of Michigan, which has helped in
many ways for counseling, where needed.
On April 28, 1956,
representatives from 17 groups operating schools like our own were invited to
attend a roundtable discussion carried on in four groups representing
Administration, Teaching, Public Service, and Parent Activities. Dr. Warren Ketcham
was brought in for an afternoon speaker, and the speech and discussion
summaries published from recordings and distributed to the schools represented.
SUMMARY - MAY 1956
Dating from the organizing of the Society, and the school for our
retarded children named HOPE SCHOOL, there have been many, many contributions
of help, of furniture and materials, of money both by stock purchase and by
direct donations. The good will of the
public has flooded Hope School
with a warmth which will ever be an inspiration to us
all, and we are dedicated to preserve it in full measure for the children of
the future, whose parents shall help to carry on in our place, to bring
fulfillment to the “House That Faith Built.”
(Caption Under Picture: “GROUP
PLAY IMPORTANT”)
Teaching the children how to get along with others is one
of the main objectives for Hope School
pupils who could not fit into public school groups. The school was established by a group of
parents active in the Retarded Children’s Society.
A well-balanced program is provided in Jackson
County for mentally handicapped
children who are unable to fit into public school groups. Operated by the Retarded Children’s Society,
Inc., Hope School
is a semi-private institution that provides social, recreational and
educational training programs for city and county children of ages 6 to 18.
In five years of operation, this program has grown from a
small country school promotion by 10 parents into a full-scale professional
operation. The advanced thinking of
educators, psychologists, sociologists and medical men is directed toward
working with these children to assure that nothing is overlooked
during their developmental years.
ENROLLMENT
UP.
Thirty-four children finished the fall semester
Friday. New enrollments will increase
attendance to nearly 40 for the start of the new semester Monday. All classes are on a half-day basis. Most of the children are picked
up by the society bus and taken to the school at 816 W. Monroe. Morning classes start at 9 a.m. and afternoon classes at 1 p.m.
Reprinted from the
Jackson Citizen Patriot article
appearing January 22, 1956
2
|
Newspaper Articles Mentioning Hope School Benefit Dance
Benefit Dance for Hope School Sept. 29
Hope School
operated by the Retarded Children’s Society, will receive the proceeds from a
benefit dance to be sponsored September 29 by the Falaceco[xiii]
club, made up of office girls in the Falahee Road plant of the
Clark Equipment Co.
The party will be held from 9:30
p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the
Arbor Hills Country Club, with music by Drexel Lamb’s orchestra. Special entertainment during the evening will
be furnished by members of the club and the Balladeers.
The dance is open to the public, and tickets may be
obtained at the door that night or by contacting Mrs. Frank May, ST 2-5135.
Dear Elmer
(A regular column)
Back in the days when flinch and croquet occupied folks
instead of canasta or golf, a chap once quipped it was
unwise to underestimate the power of our wimmin. Brings to mind the many feminine
organizations over the nation which play such an
all-important part in present day life.
Among them are these gals who organize in offices, plants
and shops of various types. All are
doing a sweet job and none more so than the Falaceco
crew out to Clark Equipment. Was
chatting with one of the outstanding members, Betty Brush, and found officers include Billie Arnold, Jean Osborn and Carolyn Wilson. Purpose of the club is to provide
recreational and social doodads for personnel and promote good will among the
girls, and they sure have accomplished each and every one of their objectives
and how!
Last week they staged a dance at Arbor Hills for the
purpose of raising needed funds for Hope
School. It was a huge success and had several
features, but ONE incident was a snickeroo.
Understand that Howard Paige—who with his pals has done,
and is doing, a grand job at the school—doubts that wheeze about “It’s an ill
wind what don’t blow no good to nobody.”
He was laying cement blocks at the school and a quick zephyr caused him
to lose balance and he fell, busting a bone in his foot. There is nothing funny about THAT—but the
night of the dance, while Howard was home with his crutches, his name was
called as one of the prize winners. And
what WAS the prize? Just what he
needed—a free ticket for a complete dance course instruction. So we all hope Howard soon will be doing a
trick rhumba with gestures and also that the members
of the Falaceco Club at George Spatta’s
place continue their wonderful work—you are TOPS.
Reprinted from Jackson Citizen Patriot articles appearing in
September and October 1956, respectively
3
|
Newspaper Article Mentioning
Howard’s Fifth Election
Paige Retains
Retarded Tot Post 5th Time
Howard O. Paige was elected to his fifth term as president
of the Retarded Children’s Society in Hope
School Monday night. Other officers are: Vice President, Robert Fisher; Secretary,
Mrs. Glennis Wilkinson, and Treasurer, Mrs. Ruth
Gourlay. New board
members are Mrs. Nelson Beaman, Mrs. Donald
Corley and Dr. William Stackable.
Mr. Paige outlined the history of Hope
School and explained the tuition
and transportation costs for the new board members. Mrs. Marion Loomis, director of
education, announced the formation of a Girl Scout program to be inaugurated
February 5. Because of the lack of
personnel at this time, a similar program for boys will be delayed, she said.
Reprinted from a
Jackson Citizen Patriot article
appearing in January 1957
4
|
Newspaper Article Telling of
Howard’s Resignation
Paige Resigns Society Post
Resignation of Howard O. Paige as
president of the Retarded Children’s Society was accepted at a special board
meeting Friday evening in Hope School.
Mr. Paige has served as president
of the society for the past four years, during which the school has doubled its
enrollment and enlarged its building.
Mrs. Calvin Loomis was appointed administrator of the
school, and Robert L. Fisher, acting president, appointed an
administrative committee consisting of Miss Nettie Brott, chairman, Mrs. Howard Wilkinson and
Mrs. Irwin Gourlay.
Reprinted from a Jackson
Citizen Patriot article appearing
in 1957
5
|
END NOTES
Home
or Return to Family of Jennie and Howard Paige