THE WATCHERâ€"MOTHER Margaret \Viddemer She always leaned to watch for us, Anxious if we were late, In winter by the window, In summer by the gate; And though we mocked her tenderly, Who had such foolish care, The long way home would seem more safe, Because she waited there. Her thoughts were all so full of us â€" She never could forget! I And so I think that where she IS She must be watching yer, Wailing till we come home to her, Anxious if we are lateâ€"â€" Watching from heaven's window, Leaning from heaven’s gate. t I: t Schools seems a slow process, it is most en- couraging to note that over a period of a very few years the problem of the child who needs special help has become the concern of an ever-increasing number of people in our province. Through the media of newspapers, radio, TV. and magazines, in addition to the con- certed eï¬ort of Inspectors. Teachers, Home and School Associations and other interested groups, the programme of the Women’s Instiâ€" tutes of Ontario has progressed beyond our expectations in bringing this special help to those children needing such assistance in our rural schools. Ninety-four copies of the sheet “Programme Suggestions" were sent out to all subdivisions in Ontario in December. Ten additional reâ€" quests were answered for programme help. Speakers were arranged for six meetings on the subject. School Boards and Home and School Associations were entertained and panels and discussions held. In addition to this, Branch members all over the province have supported and encouraged their local Association for Retarded Children, with sub- stantial ï¬nancial help, volunteer classroom assistants and drivers for their schools. Reso- lutions asking for inclusion of these schools in our system of Education also show interest in the progress of the work of the Association. It is of interest to note that the Ontario Asso- ciation for Retarded Children has taken over the responsibility of Camp Belwood, and for the ï¬rst time at least one child from each local association will enjoy camp activities. This is a great step forward for those children who are unable to enjoy regular school classes and pleasures. Interest is rising at a rapid rate in the ï¬eld of Selective Education. That is, taking gifted pupils and enabling them to go forward as fast as they can. Consideration of their special 6 needs is being met with researchY stud practice. The Stothers Exceptional Child Found;an has completed its ï¬rst year of activilr pm gress is being made in its primary “m 0, providing improved services, diagnm 1 search, information for teachers, liai- tween home and school treatment and service organizations, and also i with information on available edu. facilities. A press release of its acct. ments will soon be available. In the February 27, 1957 issue Farmer’s Advocate and Canadian Court there appeared a rather pitiful yet v: story called “Our Little Girl Was Borl Reprints of this touching little family: and its struggle to overcome a savers and resulting speech handicap. has, circulated by the Stothers Foundatio From our point of view, I quote ll. av. cerpts: “We had it brought to our ;. My, by the speech therapist that people W outgrow speech habits; they have to by gt: out of them. “From our early grasping for answcl mlr child‘s problem, we have now arr a: speech therapy. The methods and psi 1.4;; of this science have answered our in s. they can do for thousands of cascs er» speech is a problem. We suffered l: L:- Y and I re- ‘i‘l be. - nines llnna] inh. lite comparison with others, but had WI: Mn more earlier, we could have made fas c.9- gross.†It is a story like this that spurs us llh new and greater enthusiasm that al oil children needing help may beneï¬t. Inspector Wm. G. Rae of Incorporn ‘- of Grey comments as follows on the re 7 of Remedial Service which began opera m September 1956 in his Inspectorate: “Any assessment of the results the Remedialâ€"Teacher service in this Inspr rate must, at this early date, be made in I'LL] terms, due to the fact that we have nw ado records in summary form that cover t tual evidence. Such summaries will b ade toward the end of the school term ll. .ne “1 might say, however, that we are do V‘ll' Pleased with the change in attitude, 1! aa- demic advancement and the general 0 “d†a: 1: in THE GREATEST NEED IN THE W0! The greatest need in the world todal' i5 ' ""11 that always has been in dangerously short Fl.“ Yet upon it depends the future of our childi Ht“ country, our civilization. {\tomic scientists, bombing planes, guided ‘ “M â€"â€"n is none of these. Nor can cits scarcitv " “9" come by frenzied effort on production line “l classrooms. For this greatest need is true Christian ch" ‘3‘.†Its worth is unquestioned as a quality of lead --‘“P But Christian character never can be abufl“ "'3‘ high levels until it is commonplace in all walks 111’"â€" â€"Fram a Y.M.C.A. Church service or. Mar» i t 1 HOME AND COL-MT!"