

         PEGGY BLACK
   Director of Community Relations
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children
    2222 Welborn, Dallas, Texas  75219


    SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, a gentleman named Bill Carpenter paid a
visit to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.  Though a Mason
since 1947, the 69-year-old just became a Scottish Rite Mason in
August of 1989.  A well-known artist, illustrator and independent
motion picture producer for more than 45 years, Bill came to the
Hospital, at the urging of two of his Masonic Brethren, to involve
the patients with his paintings, of which he donated several to the
Hospital.

  The staff thought that Bill Carpenter's work would especially
appeal to children diagnosed with learning disabilities, primarily
dyslexia.  Instead of trying to explain the nature of the
disability and the treatment programs available at Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital, they showed Bill a film created by dyslexic
students entitled "Come Inside Our World."  Bill watched the film
through his tears.  After the production was over, Bill said,
"These children have told you what my life has been like.  I am
dyslexic."

  Bill went on to explain that on a recent trip to New York he had
stopped in the airport to look up a telephone number.  "I couldn't
read the phone book," he said.  A porter who was passing by saw
Bill was having trouble and stopped to ask if he needed help. It
was the porter who eventually helped Bill make his call.

  Bill has struggled with dyslexia all of his life, and the message
of these children sharing similar frustrations moved him deeply. He
has been a friend of the Hospital ever since.

  "Come Inside Our World" is a videotaped invitation extended by
sixteen gifted students who share a common learning disability,
dyslexia.  Through the medium of film, these young people discuss
openly their difficulty with the symbols of written language and
their frustrations at being treated differently in school.

  The project was begun in August 1988 when these youngsters were
invited to participate in Texas Scottish Rite Hospital's fourth
summer gifted program.  Each child selected had been evaluated in
the Child Development Division of the Hospital, and all had IQ's
above 130.  Ranging in age from 10 to 14, these students also had
been diagnosed as having dyslexia. Each had struggled with class-
work, memorization and daily lessons in an effort to keep up with
their peers.  A few of the students even had been held back a grade
in school to try to compensate for their disability.

 During the course of the threeweek summer program, the stu-
dents wrote a script, built sets, painted backdrops, created
special effects, made costumes, helped with lighting, acted on
camera and even helped film the behindthe-scenes preparations.
At the completion of the program, they had accumulated more than 40
hours of videotape.

 The project had two goals. First, it was hoped that the film would
promote greater understanding of dyslexia among the general
population.  The second objective was to bring dyslexic children
together to share both positive and negative experiences, to
discuss how they handled them, and how they would like to have
handled them.

 The completed 12-minute film premiered at Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital on July 13, 1989.  Available on both videotape and 16mm
film, the movie is in use throughout the state by the Hospital's
Speakers Bureau, schools, ParentTeacher Associations, churches
and service organizations.

  In the months since its premiere, many have accepted the
invitation of these talented young people.  They have "come inside"
the world of these students, have learned about dyslexia and gained
a greater sensitivity towards this often misunderstood disability
and those striving to overcome it.

  Response to the film from across the country has been over-
whelmingly positive.  Shannon Richardson, Gifted Programs Co-
ordinator at the Hospital, has received many letters of praise from
parents, teachers and professionals in the field of learning
disabilities.

  The Director of the Dyslexia Resource Center, Northern Michi-
gan, calls the film "superb."  Sharli Cartwright offers, "This is a
masterpiece that will impact the lives of children and the adults
who nurture them.  My own dyslexic eleven-year-old said, `Mom,
that's exactly how I feel!'"

  Donna Holmes, a counselor with the Cross Roads (Texas) In-
dependent School District, shows the tape to students throughout
the district to help "foster an atmosphere of tolerance and
understanding of all learning disabilities within the school."
The school nurses of Plano (Texas) Independent School District
assert that the tape "helps people understand the problems these
special kids face every day."

  A parent of one of the students featured in the film writes,
"Thanks for all the time, effort and hard work you have provided
for these children and especially for the good self-image that has
come about in Nicole.  She has really come so far and will go far
in her life."

  A grateful parent of a dyslexic child in San Angelo says, "The
film is excellent.  I will place it in the James Phillips Williams
Memorial Foundation Library."  She adds, "Our dyslexic daughter Amy
was finally placed in advanced classes and seems to be very happy."

  Many people have been and will continue to be touched by this
significant production conceived, written, and performed by
patients of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. The project was made
possible by funding from the Lest We Forget Club, TACA (an
organization for the support of the arts in Dallas), the Texas
Scottish Rite Hospital Auxiliary and, also, the County Seat Store
which donated clothing.

 


Peggy Black is Director of Community Relations at Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in Dallas, TX. She coordinates
the fundraising and other special events that benefit the
Hospital's young patients. Ms. Black also serves as a liaison
between the Hospital and the general public. It was carried out in
conjunction with the Children's Arts and Ideas Foundation, which
teaches various art and social skills programs throughout Dallas.
All costs associated with recording and producing the film were
absorbed by the Hospital.  The film was shot in the Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital television studio located on the Hospital campus.

  "Come Inside Our World" is available from the Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital's Child Development Division by calling 214/559-7525. The
cost is $6.50 which includes postage and handling. The film makes
an excellent focus for any lodge or Scottish Rite meeting and a
fine supplement to any explanation of our Childhood Language
Disorders Program.

    Happiness is an individual thing and made up of work,
interests, friendships, the pursuit of an ideal and health.
	unshine Magazine
