Elma Major
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
When 82-year-old Elma Major of Overbrook Road,
Dallas, decided to write a book five years ago she had
one thing in mind — helping people.
The former grade-school teacher was the driving
force nearly 45 years ago for Pennsylvania’s first
Special Education Elementary class held in Luzerne
County.
Major also taught Pennsylvania’s first class for
“trainable mentally retarded children’ in the late
1940’s while employed by the Allentown school district.
Now Major is about to become a published author of
a book entitled, ‘Tips to Parents of the Mentally
Retarded.” The book is being published by Carlton
Press of New York and is expected to hit the book
stores some time later this year. Major said she hopes
the book will help families with retarded children to
better cope with their special children.
“If this book helps only one family,” Major said,
“then T know it will be worthwhile. I have seen the
frustration on the faces of parents with retarded
children and I thought a book like this just might be
able to answer some important questions.”
Major said before she even began writing the book,
she rummaged through area libraries looking for
information that would be helpful to families with
retarded children. Major said she found a great deal
of information on what retardation is, but very little
on the various mental levels of children. So she began
five years ago to compile a book designed to provide
first-hand anecdotes about her 43 years of teaching
and her experiences with retarded children.
“When I began teaching I was concerned about all
children,”” Major said. ‘They (children) were not all
alike. There were children of all mental levels. I found
that families needed hope, courage and information on
what help was available,” Major said. “This book has
a little bit of everything in it. There is even a section
on how to find an institution for the child if it is
needed.”
Major said the best thing to happen in education
dealing with retarded children was then Pennsylvania
made it mandatory in 1972 for school districts to
provide special education classes. Prior to 1972, there
were some experimental classes but they were not
mandatory and often were the first programs to be
eliminated.
“I was very pleased when they made special
education mandatory,”’ Major said. ‘Before it was too
easy for parents to say no to schooling, or to say that
they did not have time for them.”
According to Major, one of the main topics of the
book deals with the “Importance of Readiness.” In
other words, knowing when to push retarded children
and how far you can go before you harm the child.
“A child should not be pushed,” Major said. “In my
book, there is an explaination of the certain stages of
retardation. It also explains that you should go slow.
You can’t expect to go fast with all retarded children.
They are all different.”
Major told the story of writer Pearl Buck, author of
the best seller, “The Good Earth” and how she knew
when to slow down while teaching her only child, a
downs syndrome case. Buck reportedly pushed her
daughter ‘until her little hands began to sweat,”
Major said. “Again, they are all on different mental
levels and families need to be aware of that fact.”
Other chapters in. the soon-to-be published book
include, A Mother’s Search, a chapter about a working
mother’s search for help with her mentally retarded
child; We Have Come a Long Way, a section dealing
with the evolution of special education; Types of
Mental Retardation and Know the Level of Your Child,
a chapter which explains how to determine what level
of retardation you child may be suffering from.
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
~The awarding of contracts to pro-
vide milk to the schools of the Lake-
Lehman School District was the
subject of controversy again this
year when the board of directors
met Tuesday, Aug. 13.
. When the proposal to award the
contracts to Dallas Dairy, Blue
Ribbon Dairy and Highland Dairy
‘was made, director Bing Wolfe
reminded the board that in prior
‘years, the milk contracts were the
subject of some disagreement.
Wolfe recommended that in order to
avoid additional problems, the con-
tracts to supply the milk be
awarded to the three dairies on an
equal basis. Since all three bids
were equal, and the three compa-
nies purchased the milk from local
farmers, Wolfe suggested that all
three should deliver equally.
Director Daniel Hudzik amended
- Wolfe’s motion with the exclusion of
Highland Dairy. The motion passed
as amended by Hudzik after much
discussion among the board mem-
bers.
John Oliver, junior high school
principal, was appointed assistant
football coach, at a salary of $1,920,
and Susan James was appointed
assistant girls’ volleyball coach.
Ms. James was also one of the
nine appointments made at the
meeting. She was named as a math-
ematics aide at $8 per hour.
Other appointments in cluded
Drena Gorgone, reading and
pany a life transition
adult learners)
Wilkes-Barre.
English teacher, $14,284; Judson
Holdredge, reading specialist, $14,-
334; Emily Larkins, elementary
teacher, $13,984; Debbie Noon, half-
time mathematics teacher, $6,992;
Patricia Pfieffer, reading supervi-
sor, $27,784; Jeff Smith, suspension
monitor, $13,984; Sandra Stickland,
reading specialist, $14,684; and
Bonnie Turchin, elementary
teacher, $14,334.
Bryon Dodson was appointed as a
full-time custodian, and Catherine
Coombs and Diane Yaple were
appointed to cleaning positions. Sab-
batical leave for the second semes-
ter of the 1985-86 year was approved
for Edward Ladamus; and for the
first semester of 1985-86 for Byron
Race. Marilyn Smith’s leave was
extended to one year.
The board approved the use of
Rural Health’s services to provide a
school physician and Nesbitt Hospi-
tal’s athletic screening program for
the district at a cost of $2,500.
A motion to approve an agree-
ment with College Misericordia for
allowing the college to place student
teachers and nurses in the’ district
was passed by the board.
The Northeastern Pennsylvania
segment of the 1985 Jerry Lewis
Labor Day Supershow - the Telethon
to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy
Association (MDA) - needs volun-
teers, announced Manny Gordon,
chairperson of the Supershow in this
area. The 21% hour extravaganza
will be televised on WNEP-TV
Channel 16, starting at 9 p.m. on
Sunday, Sept. 1, through 10 p.m.,
Monday, Sept. 2.
The 20th annual Telethon Super-
show, which will originate live from
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, will
be carried throughout the U.S. by
some 200 “Love Network’ stations.
The show’s format includes 45 min-
utes of national programming and
15 minutes of local programming
Barre, it isn't as
imagined.”
during most of its hours on the air.
Funds raised by the Supershow
help MDA continue its extensive
research and patient care programs
covering 40 neuromuscular dis-
eases. The Association sponsors 500
individual research projects world-
wide as well as research-clinical
centers here and in England. MDA
also supports some 240 hospital-
affiliated clinics nationwide, where
people with any of the 40 disorders
covered by Association programs
receive medical care, orthopedic
aids and related services.
The MDA clinics serving this area
are located at The Geisinger Medi-
cal Center in Danville, The Wil-
liamsport Hospital, Williamsport
and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital,
Wilkes-Barre.
difficult as | had
—
sresessasnssssnnaas
Hay ride
The Annual Shrine Family Picnic
was held at Irem Temple Country
Club on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Illus-
trious Potentate Paul Schramm
appointed Dr. Richard C. Post, Ori-
ental Guide as General Chairman,
who had special praise for all the
Nobles who contributed their time
in making the Family Picnic
another smooth success.
An Old Fashion Hay Ride round
Irem Temple’s Country Club
grounds was enjoyed by many with
Dr. Richard C. Post, Oriental Guide
as driver of the tractor.
Listed below are the winners and
place winners in the various compe-
titions which were held during the
afternoon:
Sports Events: 25 yard dash, ages
4 and 5, boys, Matthew Herbert,
Jarrett McTigue; girls, Blaire
Quinn, Lia Hartman, Sharon
Thomas; 35 yard dash, ages 6 to 8,
boys, Chris Walsh, Mike Lee; girls,
Amy Luft, Debbie Dembroski; Sack
race, ages 9 to 11, boys, Richard
Meredick, Ricky Knaus; girls Jenni-
fer Fletcher, Michelle Melner; 3
legged race, ages 12 to 14, boys,
Kenny Turley, Chuck Harts; girls,
Eileen Smith, Robyn Fedor.
75 yard dash, ages 15 and up,
boys, Matt Lipo, Harrison Bal-
thaser; girls Lyn Krasnavage,
Danny Duda; spoon race, ages 4
and 5, boys, Lenny Tohach; girls,
Heather Jones, Tara Slocum,
Heather Agnew; 50 yard dash, ages
9 to 11, boys, Scott Lufft, Ken
Turley; girls, Jennifer Fletcher,
Bonny Lee; Wheelbarrow race, ages
6 ot 8, boys, Ryan Harts, Michael
Preuss; girls, Stacey Lloyd, Kathy
Lockman; wheelbarrow race, ages
12 to 14, boys, John Karasnavage,
Harry Karasnavage, Kenny Turley,
Chuck Hart; shoe race, ages 12 to
MUMS THE WORD
Cotton on a
spoon, boy, Walter Fry, girl, Bar-
bara Knaus; clothes race, boy, Jack
Jones, girl, Lynn Krasnavage; Feet
first, boy, Jack Jones, girl, Jennifer
Besecker; Back stroke, boy, Tom
Mertz, girl Jennifer Besecker.
oy
2
NE
29
Y)
Teleflora e
WE
DELIVER
ETE m
VISA |
Dallas Post
subscription for:
Name
ye
Address
Given by
Address
like us tosendacard).
your "at ng
a ne
em & S51 one
yee
*
A