Friday, October 29.1971
7
University Daily Kansar
Gary Samuels Applies Primer Coat to Car Tag
"When using the words 'mentally retarded,' we must realize there are varying degrees.. We can't classify them all alike. With the proper training, these people can develop their ability to the maximum degree and most of them can become self-supporting."
Ted Wiley Dips Tags in Paint
Bess Stone Center Gives Retarded Another Chance
By VICKI FERRELL Kansan Staff Writer
It's an industrious house. In one room men are busy sanding and varnishing walls and furniture, and ceramics in a kiln. The tables in the house are covered with scraps of yarn, wicks for candles and little bottles of paint. The rooms are decorated beautifully. They have been given a chance to live.
The shelter workshop differs from the activities center in several ways. The workshop will provide training for possible employment in the community, a source of income for the clients and finally, job placement for the individuals that are ready.
Condra, formerly the director of the vocational program for the Lawrence Unified School District, he was "intrigued by the businesslike environment these handicapped people would be involved in at Cottonwood."
Bess Stone, sponsored by the Douglas County Association for Mentally Retarded Children, is only one part of the program for mentally retarded adults in Lawrence. A new project under construction, called "The Wizard," will take this program one steer further.
This house at the corner of 7th and Ohio streets is the Bess Stone Activity Center for mentally retarded adults. It is a day workshop where mentally retarded adults can gather for training, instruction and activities designed especially for them.
(CONDRA EXPLAINED Cottonwood as basically expanding and diversifying habitat)
Gary Cordra, director of the center, said there are about 15 clients at this time. Their ages range from 25 to 72 years old. Many have had a very sad and dislime life before coming to the center. Some have been left home or institute. No one took the time to care about them. They were dismissed as something below human.
"WHEN USING THE WORDS 'mentally retarded'," Condra said, "we must realize there are varying degrees. We can't classify them all alike. The clients we work with are termed as either educable or trainable. With the proper training and support, their ability to the maximum degree and that of them can become self-supportive."
One of their latest projects is making the Big Blue Country license plates that are now seen around the city. A division of the company subcontracted the center to do the job.
"Nothing will be scrapped where it can be improved upon. We will be adding the shelter workshop dimension. This will increase employment in the community," he said.
THE SHELTER workshop will be operated like a small business. The
projected 40 clients will sub-contract jobs from manufacturing firms, such as putting together cardboard boxes, or doing different tasks. If the jobs they will be based on competitive jobs
There will be certain projects that will be used simply for training. It will be considered busy work as opposed to money making. Then later as the skills develop the emphasis will be shifted to money making.
"Don't get me wrong, though," Condra said. "We're in this business for the employment of the retarded. Any profit we make is our investment to buy more production materials."
CONSTRUCTION OF Cottonwood has been made possible because local people contributed $100,000, an amount matched by the Office of Health, Education and Welfare.
When the workshop begins operation, the money will come from a variety of sources, Condra said. He listed them as being from county taxes for the mentally retarded, possible state funds for the children, tuition fees from the clients (sliding scale on ability to pay), local contributions, sub-contract income and welfare funds.
Besides organizing a business, Cottonwood will run a balfway house. This will be residential housing for mentally retarded adults capable of being away
from an institution but not ready for independence.
"MOST OF OUR clients now live in home with their parents, in foster homes where they are the only mentally retarded individual in the home, or in nursing homes," Conda said. The halfway house situation will necessitate live-in houses. They help train the clients in social techniques, preparing them to live independently.
The fulfillment of these goals at Cottonwood would almost complete the program for the mentally retarded in school through life. A preschool program is already in operation at Haworth Hall. Elementary age children have classes at Cortley Elementary School and there are programs at Lawrence High School and programs at Lawrence High School.
"Again, I must point out that these programs are only for the educable and trainable. It is now up to the state to establish programs for the lower range of mentally retarded people." Condra said. This entire program for the mentally retarded offers many opportunities for students to do volunteer work in various areas. Condra said, "We have a much more cooperation between Bess Stone, Cottonwood and different departments of the University as an outgrowth of mutual need.
Mary Mathews (Right) Does Silkscreening
Kansan Photos by David Masoner
Big Blue Tag Nears Completion
"We're in this business for the employment of the retarded. Any profit we make will go back into the business to buy more production materials."
The Finished Product in Place