User:Wsilve/sandbox

Samuel A. Kirk became interested in teaching illiterate farmhands to read, advancing to be the recognized leader in Special Education. He started pioneering work as founding director of the Institute for Research on Exceptional Children at the University of Illinois, served as director of the Federal Office of Education's Division of Handicapped Children in 1963-1964, then returning to University of Illinois directorship. Dr. Kirk started his career counseling mentally teen-age delinquents in a Chicago institution in 1929, after graduating from the University of Chicago.. He took the same position at a training school near Ann Arbor, attaining his doctorate in 1935 at the University of Michigan.Dr. Kirk found many failing students were not retarded but suffered neurological disorders which needed special training. The next 60 years Kirk wrote many articles on mental retardation and learning disorders leading to improved diagnosis, training and social policies. William C.Healey referred to him as "the last of the great generalists" in this field.During an educational conference he coined the term "learning disabilities". The speech unified many in his field with social policy. Dr. Kirk earned an award from the Kennedy family foundation and named to a Federal post by John K. Kennedy, who had a mentally retarded sister. The most notable contribution occurred in 1964 persuading the Administration and Congress to finance training teachers to give expert help these children need. Dr. Kirk ended his career in Arizona as the acclaimed leader of special education. He died July 21,1996 at his Tuson, Arizona home. Robert McG Thomas Jr., New York Times, July 28, 1996