Evening star., 1951-10-05
They Study for Their Chi|dren's Sake
By George Kennedy

THE STORIES they told were simple
l. ones-incidents that could have
occurred in any home containing chill
dren. But there was common denomi-
nator that made each tale tug at the
heartStringS.
This was meeting of parents of ex-
ceptional children. The term is an
euphemism. Their children are no
prodigies. They are exceptional in that
they are backward, mongoloids or VIC
Tins of brain injuries due to cranial
structure or obstetrical difficulties, cere-
bral palsy victims or children suffering
some degree of mental retardation from
unknown causes.
One mothers testimony was that Z
year-old Johnny was listening to the
radio with his normal 10 and IL year old
brothers. Mother thought it was time
to send JOHNNY to bed. The brothers
wanted to hear the end of the program.
Johnny started upstairs reluctantly.
dragging his feet at each step. Half way
up he turned and called back to his
brothers, "Bedp That was about all he
could say. But they continued listening
to the program
Johnny's medical diagnosis is "con-
vulsion equivalent" He occasionally goes
into something like an epileptic seizure
but it's not epilepsy
When he got upstairs he refused to
put on his pajamas, brush his teeth and
do all those things that with SO much
difficulty he had been taught to do.
Johnny's mother, who was telling the
story. made nothing Of it. She helped
him do everything. BY this time the
program was over, Johnny's older broth
ers were upstairs and Johnny went to
bed without further incident.
One mother at the meeting asked
why Johnny usually was allowed to stay
up until his older brothers went to bed
and the answer was that it seemed to
work out better.
Frederick A. 1ndorf. the George Wash
ington University consultant on child
behavior. who was conducting the meet
ing, commended Johnny'S mother on
making nothing Of it. He said that
the good thing about her handling
OF Johnny was that she did not take
issue with his backwardness, but set
goal little bit ahead Of where they
were in the process of education so that
they were continually working for i'm
provement.
The next parent to testify told about
her little boy George. a victim of brain
injury. His skull has not been large
enough to allow brain development.
He has had several operations.
George was watching an old Western
movie on the television set. his mother
said. She confessed that she was so
tired from housework that she did not
pay much attention to the televised
movieS-but George did. First she told
him no. that they had not seen it. Then
something happened on the screen that
made her realize that they had seen it
and she told him so. George said to his
mother. You're stupid"
The mother recounted the incident
with some satisfaction and Mr.. Indorf
told the group that George had no in
tention OF being as rude as it sounded.
George was merely experiencing a little
satisfaction in knowing more than his
mother did in this instance.
The next to testify was a father, q
lawyer in the Government. His 9-year-
old son, mongoloid. had become sick
at school for this type of children
in Massachusetts,. He brought him
back home and "for a few days
I had hopes that the old difficulties
were over"
But on the fourth night little Eddie
refused to put on his night clothes,
threw himself on the bed and cried for
is minutes straight. The father un-
dressed him. put him to bed. said his
prayers with him. The little boy asked
him to read story from the Happy
Family Book" and the father did. The
father took satisfaction in the boys re-
membering the book and the stories be-
cause it had been over year since they
had been read to him.
Mr.. Indorf's comment was that the
little boy had been sick and wanted a
return to the old days when he had been
babied-that it was well his wish had
been gratifled on this occasion because
the next night he had gone back to the
routine he had learned at school of put
ting himself to bed.
The remarkable thing about the meet
ing was that here were parents, who a
generation before would have been
drawing a veil over their domestic diff
fculties, coming together and exchang-
ing information on their problems. And
such Is that saving quality of humanity
call it what you will-they were hav-
ing good time doing it.
Soft drinks were passed around and
committees were formed for study of
several subjects. Mr.. ndorf does not
attempt to answer all the behavior prob
lens. They are referred to the floor for
discussion. The children for the most
part will never be able to support them
selves. But they can be trained to take
care OF themselves to varying degrees
and to fit into family existence.
They can be sunny, cheerful, even
happy iu their limited existence and
they are all affectionate These parents
are aware-make one another aware-of
the fact that the happiness of families
of several children has been wrecked by
the mothers devotion going almost en-
tirely to the child who seems to need
her most.
This work at George Washington Uni
versity started last fall when the College
OF General Studies under Dean Mitchell