Chalfant: Center's commitment to children continues

During the first half of the 20th century, parents of disabled children faced incredible difficulties. Lack of understanding of the causes of disabling conditions such as cerebral palsy and polio caused fear of those suffering from those conditions. Disabled persons were often relegated to life in institutions where they remained segregated from society. Parents who wished to keep their children at home were faced with a lack of medical and educational resources.

In 1919, Edgar Allen of Elyria, Ohio, established the National Society for Crippled Children. Concerned citizens in Missouri soon established a Missouri Society, and in 1928, the Sedalia Rotary Club worked to establish a chapter in Pettis County.

Dr. F.C. Cater, president of the Pettis County Chapter of the Missouri Society for Crippled Children, commented on the reactions of others to disabled children when he noted that parents are somewhat sensitive about their [disabled] children although there is no need to be.

Cater further pointed out that because of the lack of services for disabled children, most Sedalians were unaware of their existence.

In 1928, the Pettis County Chapter of the Missouri Society for Crippled Children began a deliberate and systematic effort to identify disabled children in Pettis County so that the children might be educated. Work with the children identified in the survey slowed because of the economic difficulties of the Great Depression.

Awareness of disabled children continued to expand, however, as the devastating impact of infantile paralysis, better known as polio, became epidemic during the 1930s and 1940s. President Franklin Roosevelt, who was disabled by polio, raised awareness of both polio and of the importance of physical therapy in helping people to overcome the effects of polio. Sedalians organized a chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.

In 1949, another organization formed to help disabled children. United Cerebral Palsy helped increase public awareness of developmental disabilities. Concerned Sedalians began a chapter of United Cerebral Palsy.

In 1955, according to the Sedalia Democrat, these three local organizations came together to create a center where disabled children could receive treatment. Harold Barrick, president of United Cerebral Palsy of Pettis County, and A.B. Warren, chairman of that organizations educational committee, approached Bothwell Hospitals board of directors, who agreed to provide facilities in the building that had been used as a dormitory for nurses.

Barrick and Warren then sought the cooperation of Virginia Flower, representative of the Society for Crippled Children, and James Durley, representative of the Infantile Paralysis Society. Both groups agreed to work to establish a Crippled Childrens Center. The board of directors elected Flower president.

The Crippled Childrens Center opened under the direction of Mrs. Rudolph Swope and her assistant, Mrs. Robby Whitley. These two women, along with dedicated volunteers, began working with the 13 children originally enrolled in the program. In 1956, the center hired a physical therapist, Walter Gault, and a speech therapist, Leon Whitney.

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Chalfant: Center's commitment to children continues