-3 At this time we are reminded of the fact that the National Center was the This was dream of two great ladies, Mary E. Switzer and Helen Keller. Mary Switzer was really the architect of the legislation, and in her usual dynamic way gave the leadership, on behalf of the Social and Rehabilitation Service, which resulted in the inauguration of the National Center. Helen Keller, in her great love and wisdom, had the idea of the National Center for many years. focused most succinctly in her Last Will and Testament, in which she praised the work of The Industrial Home for the Blind in behalf of deaf-blind persons and, in effect, passed the torch on to IHB to bring her dream into fruition. We hope that we will be able to dedicate the National Center itself to Helen Keller and the Research and Training Building to Mary Elizabeth Switzer. Not to proceed now would destroy one of the most unique movements in which the Social and Rehabilitation Service has taken leadership in behalf of a minority group of citizens who had been greatly neglected over the years. What has been done thus far proves without any doubt that, given proper opportunity for research and training, not only the more capable deaf-blind population of the United States can be rehabilitated, but we have definite proof, in addition, that many of those who have been neglected for many years in homes for the retarded and institutions for the mentally ill can be salvaged. As we pointed out in the beginning of this great movement, this work will not depend on miracles, but on devotion and skill, and the provision of adequate services and facilities. Our continual prayer is that we can now take the remaining step to accomplish all of this. Peter J. Salmon National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEAF-BLIND YOUTHS AND ADULTS June 6, 1972 79-885 - 72 pt. 2 36 CONCEPT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEAF-BLIND YOUTHS AND ADULTS HISTORICAL BACKGROUND It Briefly stated, the idea of the National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults grew out of several movements in relation to deaf-blind persons which were sponsored by the Social and Rehabilitation Service of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The most important of these was Project No. RD 10045, a sever-year project that provided services to desblind persons in Regions I, II, and III (HEW), primarily along the Northeast coast of the United States, but was not strictly limited to this area. demonstrated clearly the need for a national program for deaf-blind persons, which ultimately led to special legislation that created two separate programs the Centers and Services for Deaf-Blind Children under the U.S. Office of Education, Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, which provides services through ten regional areas of the United States for the training and education of deaf-blind children. Separate legislation was provided for deaf-blind youths and adults, with national headquarters to be located in Sands Point, L.I., N.Y., and it is operated by The Industrial Home for the Blind. The legislation for each of these programs was developed in 1966, and the law creating the National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults was signed on October 3, 1967 (PL 90-99), while the law creating the Centers and Services for Deaf-Blind Children was signed on January 2, 1968 (PL 90-247). The original legislation relative to deaf-blind youths and adults provided for a main facility with three additional satellites at different points in the United States. The satellite phase was deleted by the Senate, and the permanent National Center was provided for, with four regional |