A new boy at school

Press, 24 April 1980, Page 6

A new boy at school

A film on moves to integrate mentally handicapped children into ordinary school programmes will be one of the features of the tenth annual conference or the Association of Teachers of the Mentally Handicapped, to be held in Christchurch on April 25 and 26. The 20-minute colour film tells the story of Colin and Paul, two multi-handicapped boys from Templeton Hospital and Training School and their successful integration with two classes at Russley School during last year and this year. Late in 1978, one of the

teachers at Ru isley School, Miss Ngaio S hippies, met Colin when he started visiting the toy • library for handicapped -riiildren at Christchurch Ea St School. Colin, who hats been blind and mentally handicapped since birth, has a keen ear for music and’ lit was this that first brought him to Miss Stupples’s attention. After discussion with her : class of standarc I 4 and form 1 pupils at Ru: isley School . and with the support of the school’s principal (Mr H. : Toy) the idea 1 of having Colin as a regui’.ar part of the class took > hold. The

class spent many hours; studying and talking about! the problems that handicapped people face, and by; the time Colin started to: visit the school the other children were well prepared. ! How the children .felt 1 about having Colin as a member of the class is out-, lined bv children from the class in a number of filin' sequences. The producer of the film and the person responsible; for all the camera work,! sound recording, and editing is a student training officer, at Templeton Hospital, Mr Tim Powell.