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It is difficult to remember or imagine life without River Hills, and yet there was a time well remembered by many in this
community when no school, no Association for Retarded Children and, indeed, no hope existed. Thank God, this is no longer
the outlook we have today.
It was difficult, even after careful searching, to set what one might call the “beginning” for this wonderful
school, but a safe date may well have been during March of 1954. This was the first meeting of the Black Hawk County Association
for Retarded Children. The group met at the YWCA, and among those attending were two names you will quickly recognize: Mrs.
Helen Henderson and Mrs. Barbara Emerson! Mrs. Henderson was elected President that evening---nine persons have now served
in that capacity. They are: Mrs. Henderson 1954-56; Mrs. Lucille Stout 1956-58; Mr. & Mrs. Millard Mills 1958-60; Mrs. Barbara
Emerson 1960-62; Dr. Paul Strayer 1962-64; Mrs. Carl Hanson 1964—66; Mr. Mills 1966-67; Sam Beatty 1967-69; and this
year our President is Norman Lemmon.
Also attending this first meeting was a Mrs. Robert Adams who had recently moved here from Washington D.C. While Mrs, Adams
had no children of her own at that time, she was interested in mental retardation because of her sister’s mongoloid
child and her experiences as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Some time shortly after the ARC first began, the United Services Director suggested the idea of creating services for the
pre and post school groups who hadn’t any program whatsoever. The ARC, Society for Crippled Children and the United
Cerebral Palsy group were immediately interested and decided to pool their energies into a joint effort. Space was needed
for the venture and Mrs. Adams volunteered her basement.
Quite a beginning, wouldn’t you say? Well, seven little boys and one little girl were the first students enrolled in
this program which began in March of 1955. Transportation was furnished by the Junior Service League. These ladies also took
turns in helping Mrs. Adams conduct games, story times, rest period, lunch time and a session of jumping on a large mattress
which had been placed on the floor. These classes were held two hours each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon---a giant leap forward
when you recall that until this time there had been nothing.
News of the service began to spread and space for the increased enrollment was needed. In the fall of 1955, the old Rainbow
Drive School was offered to the group rent free! The Exchange Club members arrived with hammer and saw, paint and brush and
worked with such zeal that one could hardly recognize it to be the same place! With repairs made and the smell of fresh paint
in every corner, the little group arrived---everyone was certain this would solve their problem of space forever. A director
was appointed at this time, Mrs. Betty Wood; she served one year. Mr. Paul Morgan served as Director the following year of
1956-57.
Exceptional Persons, Inc., was founded in May of 1957, and Bill Brown was hired as Director. In the beginning, no one, including
Bill, was certain what his job really was but he, nonetheless, began his career by setting out to learn the needs of the retarded
in the community. Needless to say, he found the needs were plentiful. Bill Brown has indeed helped to make Exceptional Persons,
Inc., the success it is today. From a beginning of complete uncertainty until today when he receives calls for help from everywhere
in the country, it is nothing less than a miracle!
it was also in 1957 that Mrs. Carmen became Director of the Center. Another tremendous addition to ARC that year was the
Black Hawk County ARC Newsletter, the monthly publication whose expressed purpose was, and is, to inform its readers of the
progress being made and, hopefully, to challenge more to answer the needs of the future. The first edition numbered less than
400---today 1100 copies are sent throughout the State of Iowa and thirty out-of-state as far as California.
In 1959, Rainbow Drive School became headquarters for the Trainable Classes which were supported by the County Board of Education,
These classes grew rapidly, until additional space was acquired at Hewitt and Longfellow Schools to relieve the overcrowding.
As the County Board of Education took over Rainbow Drive, Exceptional Persons, Inc., through volunteer and parental financial
support, continued to program for pre-school, post-school, and more severely handicapped children and adults in the Salvation
Army Building on Hawthorne Avenue. Until this time transportation had been provided by parents and interested parties---now,
the Junior Service League purchased a used school bus. What a joy it was to see that first bus pull up to the building and
watch the children make their way on and off! To show you how that bus multiplied. “School/Agency Transportation”
now operates a fleet of 18 buses. Otto Jessen was driver of the original bus, hired in January 1962. As the Center continued
to grow, so did the number of buses, drivers, routes and children. To coordinate the needs to the equipment was a tremendous
task in itself, so Mr. Jessen became Traffic Coordinator, driving only when the necessity arose, thus enabling him to handle
the numerous problems which are never ending in this complex undertaking. Without a doubt, “School/Agency Transportation”
has some of the finest and most dedicated drivers ever assembled.
Mrs. Carmen resigned her position as Director in 1963. It was in August of 1963 that Elmer Kortemeyer, Jr., came to our rescue.
Upon touring the Center, I recall being very impressed by Mr. Kortemeyer’s calm and assured manner. From the moment
he opened the first classroom door, I was stunned. Seeing is believing, but what I was seeing did not seem possible.. .children
of every size, age and description, laughing, coloring, pasting pictures, rolling on mats and so on. Without a doubt my greatest
shock came when we reached the gymnasium.
Having always believed that mongoloid children were the lowest in intelligence, (shades of the Dark Age thinking), the sight
I was witnessing was simply too much! Here were several mongoloid children riding trikes, scooting in wagons, dragging pull
toys, and playing with basketballs in an attempt to score! When I expressed my amazement, Mr. Kortemeyer patiently explained
more about mental retardation than I had learned in the five years to date.
While impressed with the Center, but building was large and drafty and not beneficial to the children’s health. However,
over the holidays the Center’s services were moved to the First Lutheran Church on High Street, and January of 1964
found the children busily engaged in learning all sorts of interesting facts about the new school--like where the bathrooms
were and all the necessary things like that!
Mr. Kortemeyer began the very successful Summer Park sessions, carried out two weeks each summer when the church facilities
were being thoroughly cleaned and repainted. What perhaps began with apprehension, ended beautifully, as the children enjoyed
not only the fresh air but the change of pace as well.
Mr. Kortemeyer left our group in August of 1965 Dean Settle served from 1965-66. It was in 1956 that Larry McDonald became
Director and he very capably serves in the capacity of Principal of River Hills School to this day.
The l lit t e group of 7 boys and one girl had grown by leaps arid bounds through these
years. When we first came to the church in 1964, accommodations were spacious, but it was soon bulging at the seams. A hot
lunch service was begun with Maxine Essman, who remains with us today, hired as first cook. Additional buses had been necessary,
as well as several staff members, to accommodate the needs of an increased enrollment. Something had to give. classroom space
in the nearby Grace Methodist Church eased the strain for a while, but everyone knew larger facilities were needed or children
would have to be turned away. How do you turn them away when there is nowhere else for them to go?
So, thoughts, plans and ideas were hashed about at every meeting and in between. Everyone was looking at unused buildings
of every description---none so much as dreamed of a new building. One might think this strange, but the services of the Center
in themselves were such a “couldn’t be done” sort of thing that even the most involved persons could hardly
believe it at times. A new building? Well, years of attic and hush-hush “conditioned thinking” had to be overcome
by everyone in order to envision greater heights.
When it was learned that the government would not lend money for the older building,
then and with a great deal of reluctance, the new building began to take form, in thought at least, but it still seemed a
very remote dream.
About this time, the Minnie Crippen Foundation was searching for an ideal group to sponsor. They were looking for a dream
and we had one. After many meetings between the Minnie Crippen and Exceptional Persons’ Board members, a plan was submitted
to the Foundation. The presentation was given by Wayne Mooers and the architectural plans submitted for approval. The building
would house a capacity of 356 persons. It would be 35,000 square feet, include 24 classrooms, lounge, library, kitchen, dining
room and recreational facilities, including an enclosed swimming pool. A Federal grant of $296,904 had been approved, which
was to include services for any retarded child from Area VII.
Once the presentation had been made, the war on nerves began. One or two members of the Minnie Crippen Board were out of town
and before a decision could be made, they must hear the presentation which had been taped for their convenience. Following
this, a very thorough study of the Will had to be made to ensure that Mrs. Crippen’s wishes were fulfilled to the fullest
measure. Everyone thought of little else in those days, other than hoping and praying for acceptance.
Finally, on May 3rd, 1966, announcement of the new $800,000 Center was made jointly by Bill Brown of Exceptional Persons,
Fred Koch of the Minnie Crippen Foundation, and Perry Grier, Superintendent of the County Schools.
The Minnie Crippen Foundation would purchase the 80 acre Hartman Reserve from the YMCA for $200,000, with the YMCA to continue
its camp facilities as usual. Funds for operation would come through the County School Board and an allocation from the County
Board of Supervisors Mental Health Fund. Bids were to be taken beginning May 15th and contracts let on June 10th of 1966.
Ground breaking ceremonies were held in August 1966.
From there it was a matter of men and machines. The school site was a solid mass of trees and undergrowth; in driving past,
one couldn’t imagine how everything could be accomplished---but, as you know, it was! The trees were felled, the land
cleared and leveled and trucks and machines of every size, shape and description rolled in.
When summer of 1967 arrived the hot weather made working nearly inhuman and even more insufferable than the heat was the horde
of insects that bit unmercifully. In visiting the site, I marveled at their stamina, knowing few persons would have had the
endurance of those men.
Progress was steady, but time was short and it did not appear possible for the building to be ready for occupancy; Rainbow
Drive School had been closed and services at the Lutheran Church had been terminated so there was nothing to be done but wait.
If necessary, word would be sent out that classes would not be held until further notice. However, in learning the tremendous
need for the school, these blessed men pushed even harder. Though some areas were still to be finished, nonetheless, the doors
were open for the first day of school on September 5, 1967! The swimming pool was completed and ready for use the following
year.
The new school was first called the “Black Hawk Developmental Center” but such a lovely building needed a much
nicer name and this year it received just that ... “River Hills”. Many people thought the school should be named
for Minnie Crippen, but the Minnie Crippen Foundation vetoed this proposal and approved the name “River Hills”
instead. So, the name River Hills is the expressed desire of the Minnie Crippen Foundation and it is equally as lovely as
the building it graces.
Quite a History our school has, isn’t it? From nothing, not even hope, to a basement and eight students to this magnificent
structure and an enrollment of 250. From Mrs. Adams and the volunteer Junior Service ladies to a payroll of 97 persons are
indeed accomplishments truly worthy of the respect which has been shown and expressed by everyone working in the field of
mental retardation and laymen as well. From the ignorance of a million yesterdays to the enlightenment which will create a
brighter tomorrow. In working with the retarded it became apparent that not only the brain damage but audio, visual and speech
defects must be countered for the individual to function at his highest level. For this reason, consultants from these various
areas have been staff regulars. So that you can see how varied and complex the staff of River Hills is, we employ: 28 teachers,
16 aides, 13 work study students (from High Schools), 3 cooks, 1 Registered Nurse, 20 bus drivers, 1 secretary, 2 office work
study students, 1 Curriculum Consultant, 2 hearing consultants, 2 psychologists, 1 vision consultant, 2 speech therapists,
1 reading teacher from Hawkeye Tech, 3 janitors and our Principal, Mr. McDonald.
If you recall, the motto for the Association for Retarded Children is “Unto The Least of These’’ . . . words
taken from the Holy Scriptures which identify the foundation this group has built on. Certainly, because the efforts of the
ARC are within the will of God, that it has succeeded so tremendously.
If all this progress has left you breathless, you needn’t feel badly, because I feel somewhat that way myself, even
after delving into the past to uncover it bit by bit. However, one can easily see that given an idea to work on, people will
and do come gladly to assist in whatever way they can. This we have seen through the many groups providing services to our
school; the hair care, student parties, cookies and swimming pool helpers are but a few of the “extras” that have
frosted the cake, so to speak! So, to say that any one person or any one group is responsible for River Hills would be untrue,
for it is actually the efforts of many, many people. Likewise, it will be the efforts of many more to keep it growing.
Yes, we’ve come a long way, but there is a long way to go. Legislative measures must be established or updated, the
St. Francis project, the Group Living Homes, and furthering the Sheltered Workshops at Goodwill which have only begun, are
merely a sampling of the labors and challenges which lie ahead. “The triumphs over obstacles of the past, are the spurs
which will inspire the accomplishments of the future.” So, don’t relax for even the shortest while. The sand in
the hourglasses of time is shifting and the Bugle is yet calling us to action. May I ask if you will be heeding its plea?
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