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Show Patience, Love Helping Blind Youth To Learn "When Social Services called and asked if we would take a little blind boy into our home 1 said no because we had nine other foster children at the time and felt we couldn't handle another child," said Mrs. George Prandsen of Panguitch "At the very moment I told them a cold, heavy feeling came over my body. I couldn't understand it," she continued "This time my husband and I felt we were turning away someone who was part of our lives. I struggled all that night and when the Welfare office opened the next morning I called and told them to bring the boy over When they brought him a warm, happy feeling came over me and I felt he belonged to us," she explained That was nearly eight years ago and Peter was then 2'v years old and couldn't walk, crawl or sit. A learning process had to be followed before he could attend the Ogden school for the blind Ho attended the school three years and then had special training. Peter Prandsen is now 10 years old and has been im m legally adopted by Mr. and Mrs George Fran-dsen Peter attends Panguitch Klementary School and is in fourth grade He knows the spelling of over 200 forms of braille and by feeling a raised world globe can name every continent The Frandsen's have lived in several places before moving to Panguitch It seemed doubtful Peter would be able to learn in a public school until Bruce Owens of the Panguitch Elementary School with the help of Superintendent of the Garfield County School District, Henry Jolley. found a way to help Peter. Through Man Power a special aid, Elaine Hatch, has been hired to help Peter adjust socially and academically to the public school. "Our goal is to help Peter learn enough so when he enters high school he will become a part of the school's activities on his own." she said "He has made great progress since first starting school," she continued. He is able to find his way around the school. He eats school lunch without any special help from the teachers and enjoys recess time. He enjoys learning and competed in the spelling bee and came close to being the top speller. Not only is he learning but it has been a learning process for the students in his classroom and throughout the whole school. Peter helps his classmates learn braille His being there is teaching them patience and concern for others For Valentine's this year he wrote in braille the name of each student and "Be My Valentine" on their individual cards Most of the students in school are understanding and encouraging to Peter. The Ogden school for the blind supplies the necessary learning tools such as a braille machine, braille alphabet flash cards, books, special learning devices like word kits plus a lot of good advice. He has a tape recorder and record player from the Utah Library for blind and visually handicapped in Salt Iake City The American Printing Company for the blind is changing his school books and workbooks to braille. Because Peter is blind he has learned to depend upon his sense of hearing more than those able to see. By listening to vibrations in the air he knows when he is close to an open door, a wall, a parked car or any other thing that gets in his way. He is able to listen to voices and can tell who most of his classmates are. Another person in the area who has overcome blindness is John O. Christiansen, Beaver County attorney. "A person with any handicap must learn his skills and limitations and live with them and not try to be what other people are," he said. Christiansen attended the school for the blind until he was old enough to enter high school. He returned to his home in Beaver and entered Beaver High School. He had no trouble adjusting from the public school "because eveyone was so good and cared about me," he said. Although Peter Frandsen had a rough beginning the important thing in his life is he has people who love him. He has someone in school to help him learn the skills and social conduct necessary to succeed. He has friends, the ability to learn quickly, and more important, he has the desire to make something of himself. Everyone can learn from the persistence and desire of Peter Thanks Peter for sharing your life with the people of Panguitch. PBI Elaine Rlggs, special aid tor Peter Prandsen blind boy attending Panguitch Elementary school Peter is able to name all the con- tinents on the world globe, he knows over 20 braille forms. He is learning to adjust to public school. |