Letter to Editor: Shriver led us to think where we are

To the Editor:

As I listened to the story of Eunice Shriver’s great efforts to bring Special Olympics to the world I remembered the very early years in which our Mitchell students participated. At that time, parents were still receiving advice to institutionalize children who were born with noticeable disabilities.

Our Olympians traveled to Vermillion, Redfield and Spearfish for the state games. The only swimmer in our group was trained by her parents.

As I watched the racers I thought about how many students had so little opportunity to participate in the real world of competition.

Now Eunice Shriver has led the great right to life movement for thousands of these youth. She has led us to plan and think far ahead of where we were.

My first experiences with special students was with those physically handicapped. No mentally challenged children found room in those schools. We all had to learn what could happen. One of my first activities in special education in South Dakota was to arrange the trip of Sr. Mary Theodore to our state ARC Convention. She came to us from St. Coletta’s in Wisconsin where Rosemary Kennedy was a student.

Sr. Mary Theodore shared with all us, parents and teachers, the right to take positive steps to improve the situation. I remember how the whole picture changed when Gov. Janklow moved to bring those in Redfield and Custer into a new world.

All this adds to the total picture of what can happen and is still happening in this special area of service.

Shirley Barns, White Lake

Tags: our towns, white lake, shirley barns, eunice shriver, special olympics, opinion