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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1972)
Hostels house retarded adults by Debby Fairiey For nine years, Pauline Kelso has run a boarding house for mentally retarded adults. She likes to call it a kind of "halfway house" a step between institutions and independence. During that time she's had about 20 different boarders "an awful lot of nice boys." Most are on their own now, some are married, but many still drop in to visit. Four "boys" live with her now, in addition to her own slightly retarded son. "I'm like a second mother to mem sometimes," she said. "I get on their backs about things just like a real mother would they have to take care of their rooms and get along with the others, but otherwise they are fairly independent. After two months I give them their own housekey."" All the boarders have jobs. Charlie is a cleaner at Goodwill Industries, Bob makes hair curlers at the vocational service center and Jerry works at a gas station. They go to church Sundays and to friendship club on Thursdays for picnics, basketball and dances. Tuesday is YMCA night and on Wednesday Bob goes to night school. In the summer. Charlie and Kelso occasionally go fishing at nearby lakes. "We'll stay out all night long if they keep biting for us," she said. Mentally retarded adults are 'like other people m most ways," says John Thompson, supervisor of adult hostels at the Lancaster Office of Mental Retardation (LOMR). They want a good job, they have girlfriends and boyfriends, they go bowling, open checking accounts and sometimes get drunk, just like anybody else." Living in a home for a while helps them become familiar with the little things household chores, shopping trips and . club or church activities that make it easier to fit into the community later, he said. Right now, LOMR is looking for more people who will board one of their clients in their own home. This usually involves a spare bedroom and meals. Room and board is paid by either LOMR or the client himself, usually $135-$140amonth. This can be fairly profitable for . the homeowner, but the relationship would not be strictly that of landlord and boarder. "We would expect the client to be a part of the household, in terms of using the other home facilities and helping with home duties too," Thompson said. Most of the adults have friends, activities and families besides their jobs, and LOMR encourages as much independence as possible. But the homeowners would be expected to take some responsibility for helping the boarder pick up the necessary social skills, though caseworkers from LOMR do remain in touch. "I can think of one really nice guy-he's got a good job and is very stable and mature emotionally and all he really needs is a roommate or a couple to live with. It would be a great thing for him," said Thompson. If enough good homes were available, many mentally retarded adults who now live in adult hostels, nursing homes or institutions could have a chance for a more normal life, he said. "We need people who care." State University proposes all-media noncampus study The State University of Nebraska (S-U-N) has completed a survey of a large segment of the Nebraska population to determine approximately what enrollment could be expected in an all-media off-campus university. NU President D.B. Varner proposed the plan to the Board of Regents last spring and received approval to proceed with the study. It was financed by a grant from the U.S. Office of Education. S-U-N proposes to offer first and second year college courses for credit via ETV, audiovisual cassettes, films, telephone and all other communications media. The clientele study revealed that a significant percentage of Nebraska's adult population would be interested in taking a ourse or two through S-U-N. ' In addition, a substantial segment of the high school juniors and seniors said they thought they would be interested in completing some college v.xk during their senior year. S-U-N courses would be offered for credit and would be transferable to the college of the student's choice. The first course being developed is introductory accounting, the first choice among adults and students surveyed. Psychology was the second most popular choice of participants in the survey. G. Robert Ross, project director for S-U-N, and Robert D. Brown, study director, accompanied Varner to Washington, D.C., recently with the results of the S-U-N clientele study for review with the U.S. Office of Education. n V! I t j y K. J?.( mn Western Thrills will play for Jazz and Java from 3:30-5 pm. Friday in the Nebraska Union South Crib. The Miss University of NebraskaMiss Lincoln Beauty Pageant will be held Sunday at 8 pjn. in the Union Ballroom. Admission is fifty cents for students, one dollar for non-students. Interviews for the Union Program Council and conference chairman will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Interested students may sign up in 128 Union. Theodore Johnson will speak on "Proust and Turner" at 2:30 p m. Friday in Sheldon Art Gallery Auditorium. He will be available for conferences at 1:30 pjn. in 318 Burnett and at 3:30 p -into speak with students planning to participate in the Bordeau Study Abroad program which he will direct. Excellence in Sound Reproduction Make Your Own Instant Big Bed Beplay SOLD AT: CAMPUS BOOK STORE HOSPE MUSIC CO. and Other Fine Stores by tsCmco dompany 3901 North 6Sth Street Lincoln. Nebraska 68507 .lr Minrmmi I I 'ftn mf 0U 8ggCI o J J-J . SUPpCHTIXS ACTRESS ELLEN BURSTYN i BEST iLSiSPPomttiQMkCron MM m WMeMttSIMMMBM -TOwn r LAST WZE&CO I IfffilOTE EXP. Cinssa 1 : "The Last Picture Shoe I, 3:OS. 8:10. 7:20. 9:30 p.m. Cinema 2: "FunmliT i, 3:03, S OS. 7: 12. 91 8 p.m. CampmUneekK -"Tha Godfather" 5 30, S:4S pm. tmtmar- "Southern Comfort" 12, 2:18. 4, 8. 5:48. 7:30. 9:18. 11 pjm. nebracka: "Culpepper Cattle. Company 1. 2:42, 4.24, 0.06, 7:48,9:30 p.m. Starwtew: "The Omasa Man 7:48, 11:32 p.m. B0V Jack" 9:40 pm. Stat: "Jennifer On My Mind" 1, 3, 8, 7.9 p.m. Itvtrti f'Tk Great Nerthfield-Miiinaaota Raid" 1, 2:40. 4:20, 6. 7:40. 9:20 p m. Varvty: "The Godton" 1:20. 3:18, 8:16,7:16,9:14 pm. S4tb ft O: "Bi Jake" 7:48 PA "Utile mm -W FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1372 p X BELL and FLARE JEANS LINCOLN ARMY & WESTERN STORE 138 N. 11SL 1 fife mm fimgsOif till !! MM l, . 7 :.ii st''il . V''- THE DAILY NEBRASKA?. PAGE 3