The Sidney herald., 1956-10-18
Elk Speech and
Hearing Clinic
Here Oct. 27-30

iiS CAho sponsored MODile
Speech and Hearing Clinic OPP
ened this Fall September 30, Oc-
tober l and 2 at the local Elks
Lodge. The therapist in charge
of this clinic is Elton l.. Stewart,
who replaces therapist Denny
Brake, now in charge of a SINH
lar mobile unit operating in
northwestern Montana. Stewards
Eastern Montana travelling clinic
serves Miles City, where he is
headquartered, Lewistown, Glas-
gov, Wolf Point, Sidney, and
Glendive. 1t will operate in Sid
ney about three consecutive days
each month. Schedules as to the
clinics dates of operation are
maintained by Mrs. Mary l.. Reh-
bein, County Health Nurse, and
Mr.. Francis L. Jones, chairman of
the local Elks Speech and Hear
ing Committee.
The latter is also handling the
scheduling of appointments and
may be contacted by calling his
home, phone PAW, The Toggery
phone l90-W, or the Elks Lodge,
phone 542.
Mobile Speech and Hearing
Clinics r sponsored by the
Montana State Elks association,
and r a program of the Mon
tana Society for Crippled Chill
dren, which is Montana's Easter
Seal agency. The clinics operate
in the local Elks Lodge of each
town served, and with the ex-
ception of the therapist, all help
is volunteer, being furnished or
obtained through local Elks or
their wives.
The purpose of the clinics is
not to give instruction in plat
form speaking, debate, or even
English grammar, but rather to
furnish consultation and therapy
for those whose speech is either
lacking to some degree in intel
Eligibility, or is sc ~noticeably
different or defective as to call
more attention to the manner of
speech than to what is being said.
Children and adults are accepted,
and one does not have to be an
Elk to benefit from the clinics
services. Most of the speech
problems are articulatory prob
lens which are functional in ma
ture, with no organic pathology
involved. However other types of
disorders which include stutter-
ing, voice problems, cerebral pal
Sy, cleft palate, aphaSia and hear
ing problems.
A fee schedule has been estab-
lished and this is $500 for initial
examination and $500 for each
therapy session thereafter. This
fee is adjustable to each persons
each family's ability to pay.
Those who are unable to pay
the full fee or any fee at all are
as welcome to the clinics services
as + those who are able and
willing to pay the full fee. The
fees do not support the program,
but are for the purpose of ex-
banding the speech and hearing
throughout the state.
At the present time, the thera-
.ists for the mobile speech and
hearing clinics have case loads
which are much too large to al
low the best therapy. A better
program would necessitate more
Iherapists, so that each would
cover a smaller area and thus
De able to see each person for
4 longer time and at more fire.
luent periods. There is also a
great need for public understand
ng and support of the speech
and hearing programs. At the
present, some of the therapists'
ime which might be spent in
or research must neces-
;arily be devoted to promoting
md explaining the program for
he purpose of gaining the public ,
acceptance and support which it !,
must have to be successful. :
The local Sidney program pres
has an urgent need for one ]
,erson who has the time, ability, {
md interest to perform the fol- ]
functions, unpaid: (This
'erson may or may not be an I
,lk). Cd Receive phone calls for
appointments during G
he therapist's absence and notify '