By Sister Elise Mary Saydah, SSND
(Originally published in The Notre Dame Sister, Baltimore Province, Winter 1961 edition)
“With the opening of the Remedial Reading Clinic in 1957, the Catholic School System in the Archdiocese of Baltimore was able to offer Special Services to Children for the first time,” stated Sister Mary Rachel, administrator of the Clinic. “The fact that over 4,000 children and their parents have been helped over a five-year period proves the need for and achievements of the Clinic.”
Starting on a small scale in September 1957, under the direction of Monsignor Leo J. McCormick, Sister Mary Rachel, assisted by a Franciscan Sister, organized the Remedial Reading Clinic in rooms on the second floor of Saint Paul School. In preparation for this work, Sister Rachel had intensive preparation in psychology, psychiatry, and social work. Sister also traveled to various clinics in the Mid-West. Here she studied procedures in reading and child guidance and returned well prepared to assist in setting up the Baltimore Clinic.
In its first year of operation, the clinic offered Special Services to 150 children. Because of the necessity to expand its services, the clinic moved in 1960 to 233 Homeland Avenue, the former Saint Mary Parish Rectory. The building was remodeled, and a group of interested ladies provided the furnishings.
The clinic is now under the supervision of the Reverend James Donohue, Ph.D., Superintendent of Catholic Education. Sister Rachel has continued in the administrative post. Gradually other staff members have been added, and the group now includes another School Sister of Notre Dame, Sister George Marie, head of the reading department. Other faculty members include a neurologist, two psychiatrists, three psychologists, two speech therapists, and six remedial reading clinicians.
After the pupil has been referred to the clinic, an interview with his parents is arranged; and together with a trained counselor, they review the child’s physical and emotional history. Various psychological, intelligence, and projective technique tests are then given to the child. Staff psychiatrists make recommendations to the parents and counsel them on the procedures they should use with the child.
The clinic is perhaps best known for its special remedial reading and speech therapy classes. A recent gift from the International Catholic Deaf Association of an auditor’s training unit aims to benefit children who have hearing loss and defective speech.
With the addition of new staff members, the present Educational and Child Guidance Clinic has been able to give increased Special Services to many. But there is always a long waiting list of parents who are anxious to get help – a tribute to the administrative ability and foresight of Sister Mary Rachel, who has given great assistance in establishing and organizing the Clinic.
