Profiles, May 1976

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Montanan Magazine, 1969-2020 University Relations 5-1-1976 Profiles, May 1976 University of Montana (Missoula, Mont.: 1965-1994) Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/montanan Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation University of Montana (Missoula, Mont.: 1965-1994), "Profiles, May 1976" (1976). Montanan Magazine, 1969-2020. 47. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/montanan/47 This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the University Relations at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montanan Magazine, 1969-2020 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. profilesI Vol. 8, No* 4 May 1976 There are no tour guides here by Judy Hensel, Profiles editor They'll warn you about Boulder. They'll ask if you've ever visited an institution for the mentally retarded, and if you answer no, they'll tell you to be prepared for what could be a shock. Not that it's in a particularly unpleasant location. Built on land no one else wanted that had been a swamp at one time, the grounds are muddy, but not without some esthetic qualities. Large trees have been soaking up the abundance of water for many years and even the oldest buildings are well kept and clean. But it is Montana's institution for the retarded of all ages, and unless you are used to being around people who sometimes behave in very bazaar ways, you won't feel comfortable visiting. It doesn't seem to be a place where college students would want to take up residence. But Cheryl, Beverly, Dudley, Jack and Linda are University of Montana students who have lived there since last summer. I spent a day there in March observing them. (The names of the Boulder residents are fictitious.) There are no tour guides at Boulder, no colorful brochures explaining its programs, no sidewalks for tourists to walk. But Beverly had our visiting schedule all planned when we arrived at the student quarters in an old brick house on the grounds. "You'll have to see Susan to see the difference a home environment makes. And it would be good for you to see Kevin," Beverly said. "He's got a sense of humor," added Cheryl, his speech teacher. "Most kids here don't." I learned I'd see each of the students working with photo by Bill Nettles . one or more of the residents using techniques they have learned as psychology, social work and speech pathology majors. They have been working under a "I doubt it," she said out of the side of her mouth. I colorful toys and a can of grapefruit juice. Billy was University program called the University Year for suppressed a laugh. She was right. I had over-killed unaware of our presence and concentrated only on Action, jointly sponsored by the federal ACTION and been too polite. But she was wrong; I had enjoyed Dudley. Agency, the Montana Department of Institutions and meeting her. "Look at me, Billy. Look at this toy. Good!" the University of Montana. They receive subsistence We had to hurry to catch Beverly's daily Billy had performed the two requirements—mak pay for working a year in a state agency while appointment with Susan, the mongoloid preschooler, ing eye contact with Dudley and looking at the toy continuing to earn credit from the University. Course who lives with her family in town and who Beverly Dudley pointed to. He was rewarded with a drink of work and practicum supervision are provided by a especially had wanted us to see. Susan recited her grapefruit juice, a pat on the stomach and praise from faculty affiliate at Boulder and UM faculty members pronunciation exercises clearly and enthusiastically in Dudley, who records his daily progress in a log. Each who make weekly trips to Boulder. the small practice room where she sat with her older learned skill talces many hours to learn and requires Our organizer, Beverly Walker, a communication sister and Beverly. A problem with pronouncing the repeated reinforcement. It can never be assumed that sciences and disorders major, left us to our schedule word "this" was solved when Beverly firmly informed a skill once learned will remain learned. and hurried to her first tutoring session of the her they would go no further until she said it right. It A, month ago. Jack's mongoloid pupil could not morning. Roberta Manis, UM staff member who became more obvious why Beverly is proud of her identify the parts of her body. Instutitionalized since a directs the program, and I went to our first visit—a pupil later when we visited older mongoloid women baby, she has never had a need to learn basic skills, small group of young children. who have been institutionalized all their lives and including how to speak. We watched as Jack drilled Strange, guttural noises and an occasional scream cannot speak. Susan will start first grade next year. her, having her point to various parts of her body and greeted us at the door of the cottage where about ten Cheryl was waiting for us outside the speech room, rewarding her with grapefruit juice. After drinking the retarded children were struggling to get on their coats and she began to tell us about Kevin, her star pupil juice, she carefully set the cup on the table, another to catch the bus to their next activity. The scene who has been learning to correct his habit of speaking skill she has learned from Jack. appeared to be total confusion. In the midst of very fast and with a stutter. Cheryl explained that she It was time to go, but Beverly wanted us to quickly helping three or four at the same time, was Jackie has been using an articulation machine to help Kevin see one of her favorite residents before we left. All day Idland, a psychology major who has recently joined "slow it down and make it work." She believes it she'd been telling us stories about Raymond. He is the U YA program to get her academic credentials. She doesn't take a degree to help someone like Kevin, but most famous for his talent for disassembling the back has worked as an attendant at Boulder for several working on a "one-to-one" basis and sincere praise. of one of the washing machines, hiding a small part in years. She was calm. Her face was relaxed, and she was Kevin's only reward for doing well with the his clothing and waiting in the hall for someone to try speaking in a normal voice as she affectionately but articulation machine is praise from Cheryl, who he is to start the machine. firmly instructed and helped the children put on their very fond of. Beverly had described only his antics, and I was not coats and stand in the doorway to wait for their ride. "I say, 'Damn, you do well, Kevin', and he is so prepared to see a severly deformed dwarf of a man, "The kids are really getting neat now," she said after pleased and ready to work harder," she said. whose communication is limited to two sounds, the bus had left. "At first we had to drag them on the A few minutes later we joined Cheryl and Kevin pushing his wheel chair to his doctor appointment. bus." She is teaching them imitative behavior, how to where they were working with the articulation Beverly matter-of-factly pointed out how he has identify shapes and to respond to commands that will machine, which records and plays back sentences that adjusted. When not in his wheel chair, he walks by lead to learning basic living skills. After they reach a Kevin reads from a card. During the introductions it using his incredibly strong—although deform certain level, they'll be moved to another, more was extremely hard to understand what Kevin was ed—arms and wrists to replace legs that never grew. advanced group. saying. But as soon as he began working with the Conversely, he also can use his feet and digital toes "I think it will work o.k.," she said. "But it will take machine, he began to speak slower, articulating each much the same as most people use their hands. years." word and carefully pausing before beginning the Beverly patted him on his shoulder and Our next stop was "the Canary," the lunch room, next. enthusiastically wished him an enjoyable visit with the where, although it was barely midmorning, some of Partway through his lesson, he turned to Cheryl and doctor. the attendants and residents were eating lunch. We asked, "How-am-l-doing?" sat with Linda Evanson, a social work major, and Mary, "That's great, Kevin! How did you used to say it?" The UYA program in Montana since has ended who ate lunch while we talked. As Linda ate her lunch "Howamldoing? Howamldoing?," he grinned. because no funds for needed cost-sharing with the and talked quietly with us, she kept an alert eye on federal government were available from the state. Mary and marked down on a chart how well she was Dudley Black and Jack Beslanwitch are psychology Beverly and Cheryl have returned to campus to finish using her recently learned table manners. Linda majors who have been working with some of the most their studies, as have other UYA students from other explained later that Mary is an 18-year-old resident severly retarded at Boulder.

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