Review of First Midwest Regional
Therapeutic Recreation
Symposium

By Stan Labanowich

MORE THAN 340 RECREATION WORKERS from throughout the state of Illinois and neighboring states gathered in Champaign on May 13, 14 and 15 for the first Midwest Regional Therapeutic Recreation Symposium. Sponsored jointly by the Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Society (a branch of IPRS), the Department of Mental Health, the Office of Recreation and Park Resources Cooperative Extension, and the Department of Recreation at the University of Illinois, the Symposium dealt with problems and issues related to four special populations: the mentally ill, the mentally retarded, the aging and the physically disabled. Using the theme, "Expanding Horizons," the 24 educational sessions and four general sessions focused on broadening the service capabilities of all levels of therapeutic recreation personnel.

The symposium opened on Thursday afternoon with a 4:00 general business meeting of the Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Society, followed by the Symposium Banquet at 6:30 p.m. in the Illini Union. A highlight of the banquet was a presentation of framed reproductions of the Charter of the Illinois Therepeutic Recreation Society to the 24 signatories who were present at the charter meeting of the Society in November of 1970. The presentations were made by I.P.R.S. President, Jack E. Lindberg.

The keynote address was delivered at the banquet by Professor Timothy J. Nugent, Director of the Rehabilitation-Education Center at the University of Illinois. Professor Nugent, whose program for physically disabled students stands as a model for service both at the National and International level, charged the participants to work "with" and not on or for people. He described therapeutic recreation as one of

John E. Lindberg, President of IPRS, presents Jerry Kelley with copy or ITRS Charter with Dan Kennedy and Dave Austin looking on.

View of capacity crowd attending opening Symposium banquet.

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Dr. Tim Nudgent presenting the opening key-note address.

the most effective tools in the rehabilitation of people in special populations, saying, "We were spinning our wheels in rehabilitation until we began a program of recreation and athletics for our physically disabled students." He went on to describe the responsibility of the professional in engaging in programs which would close the gap between the community and the treatment center. "The goal of rehabiliation," he stated, "is to return the individual to society."

The following day's sessions began with an address by Dr. Frank Hayden, Director of Physical Education - Recreation for the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. Dr. Hayden, whose Special Olympics for the retarded has reached over 200,000 mentally retarded, outlined the principles for programming for the retarded and described the values gained.

The symposium participants spent the remainder of the morning in eight separate educational sessions at three sites: the Illini Union and Rehabilitation-Education Center on campus and the nearby Ramada Inn. Some outstanding speakers were featured, including Dr. L. D. Slaughter, a Chicago psychiatric consultant who interpreted therapeutic recreation as a "revolutionary activity," Dr. Albert J. Shafter, Superintendent of Bowen Children's Center and Dr. William P. Hurder, Professor in the Institute for Exceptional Children at the University of Illinois, covering "Administration and the Therapeutic Recreator," and Jan Chermak, Supervisor of the Rehabilitation Unit for the State of Illinois' Division of Health facilities who spoke on "Governmental Standards in Facilities for the Aging."

Mr. John Briggs, Deputy Director of Department of Mental Health, kicked off the afternoon's activities in a general session when he challenged the delegates to look ahead to the changing needs of society in the '70's, acknowledging the mental health professionals' failure to deliver adequately in terms of service through past decades.

Educational sessions programmed for the remainder of the afternoon included Professor Gerald O'Morrow of Indiana State University and David C. Park, Executive Secretary of the National Therapeutic Recreation Society, giving their views on developing a new philosophy of therapeutic recreation; a panel presentation on current research in therapeutic recreation featuring Dr. Mike Ellis, Director of the University of Illinois' Motor Performance and Play Research Lab, Professor Peter Witt of the Department of Recreology, University of Ottawa: and Dan W. Kennedy, Co-ordinator of Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Illinois; Dr. Peter Verhoven, Chairman of the Department of Recreation talking about preparing leaders for activity programs for the aging; and Evelynne Villines, Executive Director of the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped in the State of Iowa calling attention to the making of community

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THERAPEUTIC...

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recreation facilities accessible to the physically disabled.

Some top-flight entertainment was presented to the Symposium delegates in the evening at the Rehabilitation-Education Center under the direction of Mrs. Judy Harris, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with the Champaign Park District. Physically disabled students in the University of Illinois Rehabilitation - Education Center program enthralled the audience with their delightful folk singing and a demonstration of wheel chair handling skills.

The final morning the Symposium was dedicated to seven educational sessions running concurrently, and preceding the closing general session, which featured Dr. Earl Kauffman, Director of the Council on Aging, University of Kentucky. Again, an impressive array of speakers conducted sessions of great appeal to symposium participants. As a sample: Trudy Dworkin, Social Worker for the Department of Mental Health, Marshall Banks and Clarence Dade, both of the University of Illinois, analyzed the effects of using recreation with subculture groups; a trio for activity therapists from I.S.R.I., Mary Hosteter, Michelle MeDonough and Sandy Macey, described innovative group approaches in A.T.: Jim Hohm, Activity Therapy Director at Dixon State School, and Joe Lack, Vocational Instructor at Dixon, gave a rundown on their innovative recreation programs for the mentally retarded; Jackson Meyer and his staff of activity therapists at Peoria State Hospital described the aging in institutional settings; Francis Heinlen, Activity Therapy Chief at Downey Veterans' Hospital approached the new problems associated with the disabled veteran of Viet Nam as they are uncovered in approaches to activity therapy programs.

Among the many participants were a number of recreation workers from community programs which indicated to the Symposium organizers a growing interest and involvement in therapeutic recreation. Overall, the response to the Symposium was excellent and far above original expectations in terms of numbers. The Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Society, which held its business meeting in conjunction with the Symposium, reported a membership roster of 118, and together with its members' work on the Symposium, brought its first six months to a successful conclusion. It is evident that therapeutic recreation personnel are for involvement with a professional organization and in the topics introduced at the meeting—research, organization of regional councils, education and registration and certification.

Stan Labanowich is President of the Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Society and on the staff at the University of Illinois.

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