C2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Way 9,1951 , * ** 's>ss 's< VOf's - fw*z *■ * Learning is an important element of the day's routine at the S. June Smith Center. Here Jason Peznosky learns to take pegs from Betty Irwin - Special person for special children BY SALLY BAIR Staff Correspondent Caring, patience, love, un derstanding. These are all at tributes which will be recognized tomorrow when mothers bask in that warm glow of affection known as Mother’s Day. Betty Irwin is a mother and grandmother who possesses these traits and more, and she has shared her nurturing with dozens of children over the years. Her five daughters are married now but as they grew up Betty reached out and has been meeting the needs of special children at the P fc “Hold your spoon. That’s a good boy,” Betty encourages Aaron Weigle as he learns to feed himself during lunch at the Center. Mother's Ay Tribute S. June Smith Center in Lancaster for 14 years. The wife of County Agent Jay Irwin, Betty is a teacher of the pre school multi-handicapped class at the Center housed in Bethany Presbyterian Church on North West End Avenue. She states simply. “I like small children.” That is an understatment as a visit to the classroom quickly shows just how special each child is in the eyes of teacher Betty and her staff of aides and volunteers who work with the children daily on a one-to-one basis. What Betty and her helpers do / r k a peg board and store them in their proper container. S *fT each day is provide training and care to children whose problems range from cerebral palsy, to blindness, to mentally retarded, to having seizures. Often these problems come m combinations. Teaches Self-help What does she teach the children? Betty states, ‘'We work with self-help skills and with gross and fine motor skills and toileting. Our goal is to help them reach their highest potential.” Betty says the work at the Center is designed to be “as normalizing as possible.” She explained, “We give them an opportunity to touch, feel and explore things that normal children get into regularly. Special children do not have these op portunities either because parents are afraid or simply because they are handicapped and can’t get there.” So it is not unusual for the children to be allowed to play in sand, in flower pots or in packing materials, just for the tactile stimulation. The children come to the Center for a full day, so feeding is part of their routine, as are naps in the afternoon. Betty says that lunch may be devoted to helping a child accept solid food, or learning to hold a spoon on his own. Asked if the job requires a special patience, Betty says with a laugh, “Oh no, I had patience before. But the hardest thing is not to have more happening for the parents’ sake. Most children are happy children • in their world. It is a question of whose eyes they are imperfect m. These children give more than we can give.” Betty displays a deep un derstanding for the parents of these special children when she states, “These parents must face the death of their dreams of having a child who is normal. We teach love in a different way. Love is also pride in what the child can ac complish. And with these children you love them for themselves.” Betty stresses her positive outlook and the positive approach used by the Center in helping parents learn to work with their handicapped child. “It is im portant to know what the child can do and to know that the child can’t do. Parents need positive input.” In fact, she sees the classroom at the Center as offering a respite for An old fashioned rocking chair is an important piece of equipment in Betty’s classroom. Here she gives Jamie Shaw some loving care and attention and. he responds with an eager smile. A smile like that can make your day. the parents. “It is a relief for parents from the daily care and it allows them to meet some of their own needs. It allows them to spend more time with their other children and with their husband.” Perhaps most important, she says, “It teaches parents to let go.”_ Within the classroom there is a lot of positive verbal rein forcement for tile very smallest of accomplishments. Betty says, “We rejoice with each progress, and it varies from child to child. Children often hit a plateau and then do something very little.” There is a constant murmur in the room as the aides and teachers tell the children what they are doing with each change m position - or change in activity. Betty says she can see a different response in the children to different people. “All of them know my voice and they definitely respond to my voice and to the regular aides.” Getting Started Betty began as a substitute teacher two days a week. “I volunteered because when I moved to Lancaster County everybody seemed to be so busy. Jay was also busy with his work and the kids were in school.” Asked if it was depressing for her after working with her own children, Betty replied, “To be honest the first day it was, but I promised to go back the second day and after that 1 was captured.” She has been on the payroll for 10 years. There have been changes in the program at the Center over the years. At the time Betty began working then* students of school age were a large part of the program. However, with changes in the law, the education of school age children was provided through Intermediate Unit 13 and the Center began working with pre schoolers. That is a positive change, ac cording to Betty. “The biggest difference I’ve seen is the age at which we reach a child. It used to be at age five or six or older and by then many had given up. When we reach them as infants we can show the parents what they can expect to accomplish. It is so important to get them young. Dreaming is what makes some of the things happen.” Another change Betty has ex perienced is setting higher goals. She says, “I have seen higher expectations than when 1 first started. Also, then we saw parents every day when they brought in their children. Now most children are brought by van.” Betty explains that their students come from referrals by doctors, hospitals, friends or other agencies, adding that the agencies in Lancaster work veiy closely in identifying children who need help and providing services to them. The Center provides an evaluation and referral program for children, as well as classes in infant stimulation for parents and children, a toddler program and, of course, Betty’s pre-school program. There is one class each in Ephrata and Gap. The Center operates year-round, going for 11 weeks with two weeks off. In this way the children are assured of continued care, but teachers get a break which is well deserved. Betty admits to being physically and mentally tired after an 11 week session. Because of funding cuts, the Center will be facing the dilemma of providing services to the same number of people with fewer dollars, according to Director Barbara Sullivan. A large portion of then- budget comes from the local Mental Health and Mental Retardation Office; the remainder is state and federal monies. There are many professionals involved in the child’s in dividualized program, including a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist and a psychologist. Together they provide the course of action to be taken and Betty says she relies heavily upon them in her work. Betty doesn’t need to put it into words, but when pressed she says, “It is very fulfilling and it can stay fulfilling as long as you don’t brag it home with you. It’s pretty much like a nurse’s job.” Despite her saying she doesn’t take it home with her. Jay, who receives a fair number of phone calls himself, says jokingly, “She gets more calls at home than I do.” But he proudly talks of Betty giving her time to speak with concerned parents. A map in the office of the Center (Turn to Page C 4) -
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