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mrsmitchell helps with a puzzle glimmer of hope rev christen jen conducts vvorkshop jobs plight of retarded child your child is retarded he hu nothing to offer society and soc iety nil nothing to offer htm wrc the blunt wordi of a doctor to donald parents but he truth did not come easily to bui and jean a they frantically grasped a the itraws of hdpe and tried in vain to console each other however despite numerous con tuluuona with a dozen doctors and the spending of several ihous and dollars the diagnosis was still i the lime at first they had no strength tn face the reality but finally they were forced to resign themselves to the tact donald was retarded there wis nothing that could be done for mj nothi fl him e- tor donald was born a retarded jf- child in an age when a retarded i child was a secret child tucked je my from the world in the con- 5 fines of his family or secreted in k w institution to oe forever un- aeen but not forgotten and this could be ihc expfruncc of many parents retardation has over 70 known causes and research is- turning up more causes daily it could happen to any family re gardless of race creed color fin ancial status or background it could happen today today about three in every 100 children are in some degree mentally retarded today however their outlook is somewhat brighter thlngi arc be ing done far them by a society that once shunned them ism ftplls there ore in ontario alone 5 000 members in 60 associations con n pc led with the ontario associat ion fur retarded children whleh was founded in 1053 they operate 56 of canada s 150 schools and conduct 1 800 pupils through daily lessons one of these is the hil ton and district association for retarded children with 10 pupils from the north of halton county there is also a new 25000 school opened recently at burlington and another school at oakvlllc for pilplls from the town and trafalgar township others in the neighbor hood may be found in south peel brampton guelph and hamilton because pressure on the govern ment to establish classes for these retarded children under the public schools system has not to date proven successful each unit must support itelf fortunately plight of these children has stirred up the warm hearts of many indiv iduals and women a groups and service clubs who have done incs timatale community service with their volunteer donations and ser vice public appeals for funds have also proven successful in recent years but each association is still doing the minimum for the child ren need workshops more money and more workers are needed to give the children the necessary treatment and rehab ilitatlnn after they have out grown school age sheltered work tshops arc needed where retarded continued on page eleven bflhtylfth ynr no 22 wxt arin 4tre jtaes acton ontario thursday novemosr 26th 1959 second section retarded childrens school gives pupils chance to learn a good example of the sue being achieved with retai children is seen right her northern halton county vbere ik- mlllnt ra nilhrl awlrtjofl for retarded children la doing an astonishing db of dally training and care for 10 mentally retarded children their sunshine school on brown st opposite milton arena has five hilton three acton one trafalgar and one esquaalng und ents sunshine school originated i meeting of parents and interested hilton district citizens in fobru ary 1938 when a committee was formed to organise a sc sept ember 21 saw the opening new classroom in the rear of the hilton town hall with three pupils their teacher was mrs pat fitz gerald assisted by mrs p k he- williams at christmastime a short three months from their small beginning the pupils entertained their pa cnta and fritnds by demonstrating what they had been learning in school routine thry opened with prayer repeated the days of tin week salvb ijufl saw hip qur hymn and a christmas wing and demonstrated table manners early in 1906 the soh l in creased from three to six pupils and new quarters wire ul up in the basement of emmanuel baptist church in november shortly at there but for the grace of god go l them words of gratitude cam be uttered by any father or th with normal youngster the fact is a mentally retarded child pas fc born to anyone 1 regardless of economic status educational background race colour or religion there are at least 70 known or suspected reasons for this condition that can occur before or during birth or in early childhood in canada alone 34 mentally retarded children are born every ay gte thanks that our child is normal by helping a great cause mentally retarded children can be helped volunteer visitor will be calling at homes in acton and district in the near future he or she will carry literature describing the work of the milton and dis trict association for retarded children throughout the north halton district please greet the visitor with kindness study the literature and make a generous donation that the retarded of this area will not be forgotten dont let a retarded child become a discarded child tht mhton and distinct association for ketakdo chiumen post office box 671 mtlton ontajrjo urward mrs fitzgerald left town and mrs jean robertson was gaged to instruct the children in their daily morning classes mrs pal mcoraih of speyside and let i ahem fallen ednet sensed balldtnc the 1057 officers of the ssaoctat n n wen faced with increased en tollmen and the need once again of new quarters a small four room build in on brown si mil ton was rented and plans were made to equip the building after a busy tummu the executive had transformed it int two classrooms a workshop a kitchen and bath room complete wilh plunn desks blackboards shelves and a tumbl ing mil rev mi chrislcnsen old red his servicts for an hour each week 1 1 leich the b ys handicrafts wilt saw hnmmtr and planes the kin tlk club of millun offered u equip and mum tain the kitchen facilities in june of tha year the prln cipals assistant mrs g jeff arcs was promoted to p incipal and mrs jean mitchell also of campbell villi was named assistant mrs robert buekmr of acton also as sidwi giving nir ific without ro- mmilrjlum lo instruct the pupils in music uid mivuiunl lull day clauses it wis durink this year thiil some pupils became of age to tend full day classes since the fall of 195b something new has been added lo the pupil instruction one morning a week thiy arc given in horn s free ice time at the millun arim lo fui uiei their physic i development ind give the sludints some health ful recreation as thiy be run only nc child had ivir d lined hades befoic n iw six aic skating in their own and the progress of the others is i sourie of constant umucment lo the pitcnts and tea eheii farm rporta activities another highlight of their in struction was a trip to the farm of one of the executive members where the pupils expressed much interest in the animals and the care of them they like spurts so h was a big uecasion when wresllei whlppcr billy watson paid a vuu to the school find posed tor picture with the children lost year one of the girls tended camp behvood the guelph district fresh ur cimp fur retard ed children this summer one of the boys enjoyed a happy holiday at bel wood they visited a dairy and the fire hall and appeared on the kitchener tv station last remembrance day th an investment in people dear neighbours your local issoenlion is doing llic job you cin reid ibout in this pnper or that tin ein si i fur yourself if y u visit the sunshine sch ml on blown si milton tbc 1 isk we have undertaken on yiwr behdf h is been neglected so completely that il can be bones 11 y slated thstt more his be e n d m for the me ntally retarded m the past decide than is d n in 11 prev ous n corded lime we mi t h iv ur finnnciil support at this time to provide the meessirv ice mm hi hum ui trim these citizens of gurs these ciliins hi i vc wit bven blessed is yeiu and i with normal in t llimiict 11 s just this simple neighbour if you and i don t do it it won t cr 1 dom w di n i ixpfl suffieunl funds in our oumpiieji to build suit tbli ice mim dile n trnl is why thia ycir we wirfi ui isuibluth n nc fiino i ii si 5111001 inwards next years effort which will put i r the ml lutein fir v ur support this is i ct nimumlv prob h m md we nri kiting u an opinrlunity to invest in people do y m kihw of mj iwtl r nv stinenl i l w r member th it reurded children con be helped and we can help them sincerely o q addison children paid a visit to the ceno taph neax the school whare they viewed the monument learned why it u erected and said a prayer for the war daad their ann o at p whril oarents and frltndi are invited for p brief program presented by the pupils is another outside activity when the student gel a chance to khow off their knowledge of the simple things they are capable of doing singing l a joy u the pupils and once a week mrs george el liott comem to play the piano for a rousing singsong of the hyjnns and the favorite tunes theyi rove so well the weekly workshop les sons are also fun tor the children who take such pride in being able to finish a simple chore to the sat isfaction of their loach or none could read reading la a problem for some but easy for others if they begin classes at an early age ifivc is the minimum they learn much easier than if ihey begin later according to the principal one student is now working on the grade two reader while others arc at grade one and pre primer level none could read when thry entered the school including one boy who spent five years in grade one at public school measuring telling time identify ing numbers counting dressing themselves singing tumbling painting memory work hand work cooking learning health rules and many other simple thinps are drilled and ic drilled one boy loves to lell guests what time it is others arc work ing on flash cards in an effort to get them reading easier one loves adding and subtracting another wilh a misfurmed hand delights in tying his own shoe laces memorise psalms one little girl could never dress herself but she is learning one boy can drive his fathers car and tractor and works in a garage on weekends one fellow couldn t speak understandably but now has no trouble conversing some have memorized four psalms their rhythm and movement classes arc helping with courdln atlon of body movements and con centration they do hot compete with others but arc given separ ate instruction in the various phases of class work one boy who is s3 but has the mind of a child went to public school for several years but dldn t even know any numbers when he joined the sunshine school yet his handiwork is boautlful feign accldenta each one him been taught to give his own name and address and tho name of their parents they closely tollow tho work of the junior red cross and dramatize first aid rules by h iving a pupil feign an ace id ent while his associates care for him here in the words of their prin cipal is the case of jurt one of the 10 students we see a child of 10 years of age in ibm starling at our sunshine school he had never been to school so he hsdn t a pen cil or a book he had great dltfic- cven his family know what hcfrmjfc was a child alone in his little world fie was tense and drew inul himself a great deal so was difficult to teach loves mm this child is as a ney creature today he is relaxed and very hap py he can talk wilh anyone and be understood he has learned to lend for tils own protection and infiirmalion he can do dimple oi hint ing and measuring and ini time he has learned about the people and things in his own com- munily and he has learned to use his hand in making things of pap er leather and planlic in the workshop hr is using a hammer and drill and saw jtr loves music and rhythm and through these things ha gained c nfidence and self cintrol lo the extent he can skate alone afw twn veawons of praetic learning in rt mtnt le houie- work ha made him helper in the home learning wxlil behaviour and manners is helping him to fit into his home and community life has it been worth while well it has been worthwhile many who saw the sunshine schiml crow from three shy pupils to the present enrolment of happy friends will vnurh for the valur of the training they are receiving fttpsm mat the problem now u that an in creased enrolment l expected the executive knows of many more retarded in milton aelnn george town and the surrounding 1nm- ships the school cannot approach parents to rirol their children but 11 is expected that more students will be voluntarily enrolled to tha near future just one instance i the rase of a fouryvar aid north burlington boy wttoae parents sre so enthused they have already made apnllcat- enrol him in the school ft accepted on bis win birthday next march