Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1954-09-17
REPORT 70 Parents
81 b. MARTHA M. ElioT
Chief chI'drsns Screen

Nobody your own age 10 play
with
No place of your own to play
That's a sad and unWh0lesome
situation for any child.
Many Of our retarded children
are doomed % such a world 0f
loneliness. But for 40 such chil-
dren Sd Detroit life was different
this summer
One troubled but sensible mother
Of q 16-year-oldi with the mental
age Of s. was the one who started
things moving
Three years ago this mother, con
cerned because there seemed
nothing outside his home for her
boy 20 do went to the city Supbrin-
tendent of Parks and Recreation.
and asked II some place IN The
parks couldn't be found where chit
dren such as hers could fomp and
hnd some happiness in simple out
door pleasures.
Within three months an outdoor
day program was functioning. Now
in its third year, this summer pro-
gram IS working smoothly.
Sheltered areas in two Of the CITY
parks are reserved for the use OF
these youngsters. Directing actiVi-
ties Is q Park Department em-
ployee. He IS helped BY two other
employees and mothers who take
turns Transporting children 10 and
from the park BY car pool. and
staying 70 help from 10 Ia the
morning TO in the afternoon.
Fathers are involved, too. For in
stance, they made most Of the fur
niture and special equipment.
The program was backed By the
.ocal members Of the Association
for Retarded Children. One Of the
workers is a member who had
taught mentally retarded children
in public schools The director of
the project had had no contact with
mentally retarded children before
its start. He did have, however, a
great gift Of friendliness and in
terest
I'VE just set out to make the
children happy be says. ut has
been strictly q program Of trial and
error
Children who come are of vary
ing degrees Of mental retardation.
"a calendar years. some are as
young as and 3. The oldest this /
summer was 35
There Is a great deal OF group I
activity with particular effort to
make each child feel he 81 she "be
longs The children have calisthen- /
les each day, work at handicrafts
or in the garden. play simple I
games, have a chance to tell the /
group about some experience and 1
TO 90 on special outings together
% midget car races, picnics, base
ball games. the circus.
For the mothers there Is relief
from 24-hour-a-day, 365-days-a-
year demanding care. For the chill
dren there Is escape from loneIi-
ness into a world 81 championship
where they are not expected to 90
more than they want to. and can,
do.
By-products Of this play time for
some O the children, the Depart-
ment Of Parks reports. have been
major gains IN their capacity to
handle the r0utines Of life.
One little 7-year-old, when she
lrst came to the park play project
Two years ago, could do nothing
With other children. She could take
20 guidance from adults. Now, she
an sit in assembly, play games
With others, and talk. Until 8 90
ear-old started coming to the park.
Ie had never spoken a complete 4
entence. One day, to eYeryOne's
urprlse, he asked permission to
ttend a picnic. Today he speaks
3 full phrases.
All the children. the Department
avs. have improved ia self care
" keep their hands and faces
lean, their clothes ia neat order
some are able to keep track Of
money make change. and tell time.
Already three other cities have
cent observers % study DetrOit's
INVENTIVE program with view 10
fying out something Of the sort
themselves.