The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1962-01-19
RETARDED CHILDREN
I'M NORTH CAROLINA
GIVEN PPORTUNITY
Constantly Broadening Program for
Handicapped Proving
Successful


CHAPEL HILL,-The story of
the North Carolina Association for
Retarded Children, Inc, is success
story. It is the story of what
small group of determined parents
can do. These are parents who have
stood to be counted and said: "We,
know retarded children exist-be-
cause each Of US has had such a
child"
These parents have helped to
introduce a new word into the
handling of North Cardinals re-
tarded children. That word is
"hope."
The NCARC was started in 1853
by small group of friends, teach
ers and parents at the Caswell
Training School. An open meeting
was held in High Point in June of
that year at which time the state
was divided into Is districts, and
leader elected for each district.
In 1868 Caswell was North Caro-
lina's only State Training School
for the retarded. In a provocative
article in the Greensboro Daily
News, of October IL, 1852, Burke
Davis has stated bluntly that it
was not. an institution of which
North Carolina could be proud.
He charged that Caswell was a
training" school in name only.
There was no educational director.
The pressure upon the admins
tration to accept custodial cases
was so great that there was a
little room left for educable and
trainable retardates. In despair
many parents no longer even
sought admission for their children.
For lack of funds the state had
closed Caswell's occupational ther-
apy shop. And, in extreme cases,
retarded children were being con-
fined in mental institutions-and in
jail-because there was no place
else to send them.
It was against this background
that the NCARC set to work. In
one year it's membership rose from
60 to nearly 1000. The associa-
ton. The association had voted to
promote bond issue to build the
Murdoch and O'Berry Training
Schools, and had backed Felix Bar
ker, director of special education
with the State Department of
Education in Raleigh, in drive to
survey the total educational needs
of North Cardinals retarded
children.
By October of 1854 classes for
retarded children had been started
in Winston-Salem, Greensboro,
Raleigh, and Charlotte, and plans
for additional classe throughout the
state were underway.
Initially, the classes for "train-
able" children were operated pri-
vately by individuals and groups,
supplying funds at the community
level.
Today, the NCARC has more
than 5000 members and, largely
as a result of it's efforts, both
training" and "educable" re
tardates are being accepted into the
public school system. There are
community-sponsored day camps al
Madison, at Camp Spruce in Cabar.
rus county, in Hendersonville
Raleigh, Albemarle, Durham, Sails
bury and Goldsboro.
At Caswell, Murdoch and O'Berry
the emphasis is on rehabilitation
Last year more than 10 students
were graduated from Caswell into
self supporting, self-respecting job:
in their communities. Next yeal
this number is expected to increase
Plans are being drawn up or shell
tered workshops throughout the
state. At Fayetteville state-feder
fal "Half-Way House" is soon te
be established which will help grad
yates of Caswell make an adjust
ment to the outside world.
"Though our membership has
grown enormously, it is still largely
made up of parents and teachers
of retarded children" prominent
and active officer Of the NCARC
explains. II think / might airly say
that we are less interested in ex
tending our membership to people
who are not intimately concerned
with the problem of mental re
tardation, than in educating the
public to the existence of thi!
problem, and the various needs.
eff we, in our local groups, con.
centrate our energies on any one
phase, that's probably all we woult
manage to get done. Ideally. we
aim to initiate programs-say
kindergarten, day camp, a board.
ing home, whatever the specific
need in specific area. Then We
try to interest some business OF
civic group and let them carry tn;
ball. So far, we've been pretty
successful"