The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

i Ss A 3 i y 1 bi 3 | QCATS EL RA SSL RTE yi, ¥) r Emphasis in this class is on skills Mental Retardation Week (May 14 - 21) is now under- _.way across Canada, and the emphasis this year is to make the general public more aware of the capabil- ities and skills of the ementally retarded. That, in a_nutshell, is the goal of Barbara Phair, who teaches a class of ten retard- ed students' aged 13 - 20 at R. H. Cornish Public School "in Port Perry. As Mrs. Phair put it quite simply in a recent interview with the Star: "My goal is $0 have the students recog- nized in the community for the skills they have." To this end the class at R.: H. Cornish follows a course of studies in such subjects as math, social sciences, geography, reading, writ- ing music, and practical courses in home economics wnd shop work. Mrs. Phair explains that while the students do need special and individual atten- tion, the academic work is applicable to any grade, "only it is presented in a simpler manner" In the crafts program, the students, under individual supervision, are working with saws, hammers and power drills. And the class- room, with its own equipped kitchen, allows the students to prepare a menu, and follow recipes. One day last week they whipped up a "buffet-style" meal com- plete with meat balls and potato salad. On the day the Star visited Mrs. Phair's class, the stu- ents were putting the fin- ishing touches on a Mother's Day project. Mar- igold seeds had been plant- ed in pots back in April, and by the middle of May the plants were up and the students were wrapping the pots in coloured paper as Mother's Day gifts. To allow the students to more fully integrate into society, regular excursions are made to the skating rink in winter, the bowling alley, and the swimming pool. in Uxbridge. In ® Students were busy last week putting the finishing touches on their Mother's Day projects, planted Marigolds. CENTRAL SEVEN ASSOCIATION FORTHE MENTALLY RETARDED presents the General Motors Choir Under the direction of Janet Kinsman SUN., MAY 28th - 8:00 P.M. Admission $2.50 TOWN HALL 1873- PORT PERRY Proceeds Sheltered Adult Workshop Advance Tickets phone 985-8619 LANE | Plumbing & Heating Plumbing & Heating ] PORT PERRY 985-2473 Installations - Supplies ou A AA FS v We Y ' . RELL - 4 : . ' . SEA I a i PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, May 17, 1978 -- 9 addition, these activities provide necessary physical recreation and exercise. The students mingle and mix freely on the play- grounds at lunch hour; some attend regular gym classes, home economics, shop and the library. CHANGING Mrs. Phair says that social attitudes towards the retarded are changing for the better, and the fact that the students are being inte- grated at the public school level helps this process. At least one local business has expressed interest in employing some of the students. Others will find work when the Central Seven Association sheltered workshop opens its doors in the near future in Port Perry. The students 'in the special class at R. H. Cor- nish have been attending schools since they were six or seven years old. Some went into the Central Seven special class that was estab- lished on Scugog Island ten years ago, and continued through the Junior class which was set up at Prince \ Bo B00 0 Attention > Golfers Cornish will soon finish its first year. 4 BVD National LZ Open Golf Shirt Short sleeve, 4 button, placket closing shirt style collar in poly-cotton blend. Solid shades and stripes. Assorted colours. S-M-L-XL 14° & *16% . Also other Short Sleeve Shirts in Stock. +A smile, a helping hand and the Marigold plant is wrapped in bright paper ready for presentation on Mother's Day. The students, who come from as far away as Can- nington, Blackstock and Claremont, are bused to the school by a van provided by the Durham Board of Edu- cation, and the Board also pays for transportation to the regular activities out- side the school. Kathy Reid is a full-time classroom assistant, and numerous qualified people volunteer their time for such things as reading, writing, and physical activ- ities. Mrs. Phair taught regular public school classes for 15 years. She worked with the junior special class at Prince Albert School last year, and this year took over the first senior class at R.H. Cornish. She admits the work is challenging, and requires adapting on her part as a teacher. Part of the chal- lenge is to develop lines of communication and expres- MEN'S & YOUNG MEN'S Summer Weight Slacks Polyester slacks in solid colours \ and checks. Blue, brown & green Ri sion in the students other shades. than reading and writing. Sizes 28 to 44 Pictures and graphics are * from $9700 ! one way, and so is conver- i sation, she says, "if you . $i listen very carefully." ' 1 And, she adds, there are It Swe ters £: always new surprises, some BY JA ) of them quite amazing. One of Raglan shoulders, bell sleeves, of these surprises occurred A V-Necks & Cardigans in popular the first day of school last Alpaca Knit style. Assorted i September when one of the colours. hii students missed the bus. S-M-L-XL " He came all the way from V-NECKS CARDIGANS ee Claremont, some 17 miles, on his bicycle. The students have recent- ly---completed" a "social sciences project on a study of the Great Lakes, and the public will be able to view 3 samples of their work this RY) week at Brock's Store - in Gregony 's Men' «Wear Pel. | 5 Port Perry. LAKEVIEW PLAZA - PORT PERRY 985-8160 Public attitudes and - FREEMAN : L..) FORMAL 3 an RENTALS 5) ; d $26.00 30.00 BLAZER DRAW WINNER: 'Bill No. 1475 - Mr. Ken Elliott, Blackstock acceptance of the retarded have come a long way in the past few years, and things will continue to get better with increased public awareness of the skills, abil- ities and capabilities that can be achieved. OPEN 'TIL 9:00 P.M. THURSDAY & FRIDAY