84 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXCHANGE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 Reprinted with permission from Exchange magazine. Visit us at www.ChildCareExchange.com or call (800) 221-2864. Multiple use copy agreement available for educators by request.

Frankie’s story: Early experiences matter

by Bettye Caldwell

Sometimes we see developmental ad- All alone and with no children and no indoor playground, with every conceiv- vances in a child so dramatic, so spec- apartment or home, I accepted an ap- able type of equipment that could help a tacular, that we have difficulty accepting pointment at Northwestern University child with locomotor problems. During the idea that ordinary growth processes in Evanston, Illinois. One day the chair the walk to the playroom I learned why are at work. The increments are too of my department asked if I would be I had been asked to test Frankie. He had great; the direction of change has rotated willing to do a little ‘charity work’ and been evaluated by a reputable psycholo- 90 or 180 degrees. At such times, we find administer an intelligence test to a little gist who had little experience with very ourselves proclaiming (or mumbling, if boy named Frankie Abbott Lewin, called young children or with children whose we don’t want to offend our more scien- Frankie. At that time he was a little over early environments were barren of either tifically rigid colleagues), “It’s a develop- two years old and lived with his foster love or stimulation. This man had told mental miracle.” During my many years parents in Highland Park, a very upscale Mrs. Lewin that Frankie was severely in early childhood, I have witnessed and suburb north of Evanston. The family retarded and that he would never be even participated in several such experi- thought it would be wise for me to test able to talk or walk normally. I was ences. It is no exaggeration to claim that, Frankie in their home, as he was a little known as somebody “who was good sometimes, memories of them have kept afraid of anything that looked like a with children,” who would thus be able me going when cynicism and pessimism doctor’s office. I drove up to Highland to demonstrate what Mrs. Lewin already threatened to overpower my convic- Park quite timidly on a Saturday morn- believed to be the case, that Frankie was tions and actions. None has been more ing, with a Stanford-Binet kit on the seat very bright. An assignment like that can dramatic or more heartwarming than the beside me, not at all certain of what I wreak havoc on objectivity, but I tried not one from many years ago that I am about was getting into. to be overwhelmed by her enthusiasm to tell. I call it simply “Frankie’s Story.” and convictions. The address took me to a very elegant Background house and garden, where, when I rang Family setting the bell, an attractive white-haired In 1953, my husband went into the army woman of about 60 invited me in. Let me introduce the Lewin family briefly and was immediately sent to Korea. Grabbing her legs and scooting around, here. Mrs. Lewin was known profession- sometimes on his bottom and sometimes ally as Merriell Abbott and was the direc- on his legs, and happily jabbering words tor of entertainment booking for a large Dr. Bettye Caldwell has been involved in the development of high quality early childhood that I couldn’t understand, was the little hotel chain. This was a very important programs in America for more than four boy. Frankie somehow knew that the kit position, and she knew all the big enter- decades. Her work in Syracuse, New York, with famed pediatrician Dr. Julius B. contained items for him to play with, tainers of that time. Dr. Lewin, her hus- Richmond, is often cited as having helped and he kept excitedly trying to grab band, was an orthopedic surgeon and was provide the foundation to Head Start. In Little Rock, she launched and guided the Kramer Project, often described as a it. We worked our way downstairs to head of the Department of Orthopedics “school for the future.” a basement converted into an elegant at the Northwestern University School PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 85 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 EXCHANGE of Medicine. I don’t know whether he tioned Frankie’s condition to her, and she life that few would have dreamed pos- had actually operated on Frankie or had decided to investigate. When she visited sible. Charles Dickens, who wrote several merely supervised the work of residents, the hospital she noticed that no one fed novels about abandoned and abused boys but he was very familiar with Frankie’s the baby — they just brought food in and who managed to leave poverty and make medical history and influential in arrang- left it and that it was stone cold and not their way to security and affluence, could ing treatment for him. He was actually very appetizing. She began driving to probably not have dreamed up a more the discoverer of Frankie and the catalyst the hospital every morning with freshly miraculous story than Frankie’s. for everything that happened subse- squeezed orange juice and hot oatmeal. quently. Then she would hold Frankie and feed Frankie grew up with the Lewins, went him and talk to him. Soon she began to to all the best schools where he made Frankie’s medical history bring little books to read to him and to good grades and had many friends. As I teach him some words. The visits became left Evanston not too long after my early At six months of age, Frankie had a longer and longer, and soon she was encounters with the family, I saw Frankie severe case of polio — the scourge of visiting more than once a day. Probably only a few times. For several years we childhood at that time. His parents were she bonded with Frankie the first time stayed in touch by phone and letter or young and not well-educated, but they she saw him, but, if not, all those times of through brief visits when I had a meeting knew to get him to a hospital. Highwood shared food and socialization allowed the in Chicago, but, as tends to happen, those Hospital, located in a small suburb north process to reach fruition. contacts dropped away. The last time I of Chicago, was their best choice. In the saw them, Frankie was an adolescent. He early days of his illness, Frankie nearly Post-hospitalization arrangements had obviously had more surgery, as his died, but rebounded slightly when placed head appeared less drawn to the side. on a respirator. The muscles on one side Eventually the hospital had to discharge At the time he was preparing for his Bar of his body were more affected than Frankie. The parents, now expecting Mitzvah. It was inspiring to be in the those on the other side, especially in his another baby, felt that they could not take same room with Frankie and the Le- upper body. This caused his face to turn Frankie home with them and provide wins; you knew you were witnessing the sharply to one side. When you looked at adequate care to a seriously disabled maturing of a miracle. These adults had him head-on, you saw only one eye and child. They asked for information about enriched the life of a seriously disadvan- a profile view. For him to look at you an orphanage that might take their son. taged and compromised little boy, and the with both eyes, he had to turn his body At that point Mrs. Lewin stepped in child had blessed the otherwise childless sharply to the side. Frankie had already and offered to take Frankie to her home adults with love and loyalty. undergone several operations to relax and continue his care there, assuring the the muscles on the drawn-up side of his parents that they could visit whenever Recent history neck, and he was to have several more they liked. Probably with some reluc- before puberty. While still in the critical tance, but with a desperate need for help, I had some misgivings about writing stage of polio, he remained in the hospital Frankie’s parents acquiesced. From that up this story without information about for nearly six months. time forward, Frankie lived with the Frankie’s adult years. Without proof Lewins. Visits from the biological parents that the early environmental enrichment One day as he made rounds, Dr. Lewin became less and less frequent, and, after a provided by the Lewins had had a lasting noticed that Frankie was not eating, that year or so, formal adoption by the Lewins effect on Frankie, could I legitimately he was losing weight, and that he was was arranged. So the little boy who was conclude that a developmental miracle becoming increasingly unresponsive. almost destroyed by a crippling disease, had occurred? The story I am telling here Everyone feared that he might not live. whose parents were not able to care for took place 56 years ago, and my last con- There was every indication that, if he him, found a new life that moved him tact with the family was about 40 years should ever leave the hospital, there was from the far left of the bell curve of devel- ago. I did not even know if Frankie was a strong probability that he would func- opmental prospects over to the far right. still alive. After all, he had a devastating tion on the far left side of the develop- To borrow a song title from Evita, he now childhood illness (polio) that has a way of mental curve. If things were to change, could “Practice the art of the possible.” reappearing and causing serious health some serious intervention was needed. But, of course, he didn’t do it by himself. problems long after the actual illness is The busy hospital staff could not provide Help came from a childless middle-aged over. From time to time I have heaped it, so help had to come from another couple who came to love him, taught blame on myself for letting my contacts source. That source turned out to be Dr. him, and took care of his overwhelming with the family disappear. But perhaps Lewin’s wife, Merriell. Dr. Lewin men- health needs, thereby leading him into a you can understand how easy it is to let 86 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXCHANGE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010

that happen when one is frantically busy ability and practice the art of the pos- happened to Frankie had a lot to do with a family and a demanding profes- sible. The dramatic changes that were with what happened to me. I found my- sional career. manifested in his first three years of self hoping that in some small way my life were not transitory. Frankie gradu- work could catalyze other developmen- Yet all these years I have wanted to share ated from the Univer-sity of Colorado, tal miracles in the lives of children. Frankie’s story with my early childhood has worked in a variety of settings, colleagues because of my deeply held and is now a businessman in the Chi- Early childhood miracles conviction that favorable early experi- cago area. We are both scheming about ences can have a profound and lasting where and when we can meet. I tend to use dramatic language and to effect on children. Over the years, any think in superlatives, for which I hope time I became discouraged about our Effects on me you will forgive me. As a consequence, effectiveness, I could remind myself of in this telling of “Frankie’s Story,” I have Frankie and have my faith renewed. At the time I met Frankie, I had not repeatedly referred to what happened Then, once I started writing the story, I yet received my calling to work with to Frankie Lewin as a developmental became obsessed with finding Frankie young children. I was really groping miracle. I have done this as a way of re- and learning something about his adult for what I should do with my life. minding us of the possibility of such oc- life. I used all the computer skills I pos- When my husband came home from currences in our own professional work. sess to try and locate him through such Korea and we returned to St. Louis, Certainly Frankie’s story has a moral for ® things as Google and White Pages, all to I was offered what seemed like a all of us who work with young children. no avail. strange position for me at Washington Most of us don’t have the financial or University School of Medicine: the emotional capital to orchestrate a major Then one day I was talking on the phone directorship of a new clinical facil- movement across the bell curve for a to a pediatrician friend, Dr. Ralph Chase, ity designed to help young retarded child all by ourselves. But we have more in San Angelo, Texas, and mentioned children and their families. One of the than enough resources to allow us to be by chance that I was trying to find the first things I did was to set up a small significant participants in the process. address of a 58-year-old man somewhere preschool for the younger children And, when this happens, we will benefit in the Chicago area, probably one of three mornings a week. As there was just as the children do. You don’t stand the northern suburbs. It turned out that very little professional material writ- within the radiance of a miracle without Dr. Chase had been a pediatric resident ten about such efforts those days, I catching a few of the light rays emanat- at Evanston Hospital at the time of my often thought of Mrs. Lewin and what ing from it. meeting the Lewins. He was optimistic she had intuitively done: fed, talked that one of his pediatric friends, still to, read to, and loved the child that Teachers and caregivers have daily op- practicing in the area, would be able to fate brought to her. It seems that I portunities to be the catalysts for spec- locate Frankie. Within 24 hours we had have spent most of my professional tacular developmental advances for chil- his telephone number. Within 24 more life trying to validate what she did dren who otherwise seem destined to hours, I was talking to him. intuitively. end up in a developmental wasteland. We help provide love and attention, a The three conversations Frankie and I With this experience under my belt, healthful environment, good nutrition, have had — and there will be many more I was ready for what was waiting for and appropriate interpersonal interac- — have been most gratifying. He has an me in Syracuse, New York, when my tion day after day. So, whether we think absolutely beautiful voice and flawless husband completed his surgical resi- of these dramatic changes as miracles language. He remembers me, partly from dency: the opportunity to pioneer the or simply developmental advances, that last visit described earlier and partly development of the Children’s Center, they are all around us, just waiting for from remarks of his mother. As he said, usually accorded the accolade of being a chance to happen — and waiting for “My mom talked about you a lot; she the first high-quality infant child care us to help. The opportunity to be part of said you were a really neat lady.” Right center in America. such miracles in the lives of young chil- now I consider that one of the nicest dren is a bonus of our professional work compliments I have ever received. At this Although Frankie’s miracle had oc- that should not be taken lightly. juncture, there is still much about Frankie curred 10 years earlier, little shafts that I don’t know, all of which will come of the light that glowed from it still in time. For this story, suffice it to say offered inspiration to me. It would not that he has continued to disregard prob- be an exaggeration to say that what PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 87 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 EXCHANGE

My Role in the Drama

I played only a very minor role in Frankie’s drama — a walk-on part, we might say. But it was the kind of role that early childhood professionals often have a chance to play; that is, we can provide direct experience or peripheral support that will cata- lyze major developmental advances. Mrs. Lewin was a smart and cagey woman. Despite her strong bond with Frankie, she might not have adopted him if she had thought he was destined to be seriously retarded. (Remember that she had been told that before I came into the picture.)

I knew almost nothing about Frankie’s health and family history before coming to the house to test him. At the time I was not very experienced clinically and did not know much about how to interpret wide scatter in a test performance. Nor had I had much experience testing children who could not sit still for the duration of the test. I knew only that I saw flashes of brilliance in some of the things he said and did, and I was absolutely convinced that he was not and would not be retarded. He just needed to have the gaps in his experiences filled. I felt that once that happened, the wide scatter on the test items would disappear and everything would cluster toward the upper end. I told Mrs. Lewin all of that, did not give her a written report, and she thanked me profusely. After all, I had confirmed what she knew all along to be the case. But had I not found those teasing bits of higher potential scattered among the failures, and had I not told her honestly what I had seen, the dramatic changes in Frankie’s life circumstances might not have occurred. I went back to the house on several Saturday mornings to finish the test, and Mrs. Lewin wanted to pay me for my time. I was too young to know about consultants and consulting fees, and I declined. Besides, in my regular Northwestern teaching I didn’t get to spend much time with children. Playing with Frankie for an hour while I tried to complete the test was a treat for me. But Mrs. Lewin insisted that she wanted to do something for me. She had a small choker of pearls made for me (my first real pearls) from the end pearls of her favorite necklace. I have worn those pearls with pride for more than 50 years and still see them as a symbol of what can be done for children.

Have you witnessed or been part of a developmental miracle for a young child?

If so, send a brief description to: Bettye Caldwell 12780 Rivercrest Drive Little Rock, AR 72212 or as an attachment to [email protected].

She is interested in compiling a book of such stories to be used as evidence of the power of early childhood programs to enhance the lives of young children.