(DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools, continued) Mr. Hadley decided to assist other blind people in to their struggle gain independence in spite of a handicap. With the help of his neighbor, ophthalmologist Dr. E.V.L. Brown, Mr. Hadley created the concept of teaching braille through correspondence. He opened a school in 1920 and enrolled his first student, a housewife from the Midwest. The woman, like Mr. Hadley, was desperate to continue reading after she lost her vision. This woman was taught by Mr. Hadley himself, and she became the first of hundreds of thousands of visually-impaired students to benefit from The Hadley School for the Blind. Mr. Hadley spent years expanding and developing the school, which boasted 800 students by the time of his death in 1941. Since then, more than 200,000 students have benefited from Hadley’s wide array of courses. The school offers over ninety course options, including braille instruction, technical subjects, recreational courses, independent living, and high school diploma programs. The school also offers services to family members, since blindness often affects the individual’s entire family. The Hadley School for the Blind is located near Chicago in Winnetka, Illinois. In Mr. Hadley’s time, this location was prime because Chicago was a railroad hub, which meant faster distribution of correspondence courses. The Hadley School was no doubt a pioneer in blind education – services for visually impaired adults were few at the time, and it is remarkable that Mr. Hadley was able to teach and provide braille materials through 30
DETC NEWS • SPRING
2004
the mail. Even today, The Hadley School for the Blind operates as a unique institution for the blind. In the school’s early days, braille publications were produced one page at a time. The school trained braille transcribers who volunteered their time to produce each page for every course. Even when multiple volumes were needed, the volunteers produced the books one at a time. When teachers were first added to the school, they too were volunteers. The Hadley School for the Blind wasn’t able to pay employees until much later. Hadley gained DETC accreditation in 1958, and has remained a committed member to quality distance education methods. Hadley has an average annual enrollment of 8,000 students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries. Students are free to study their tuition-free courses at their own paces in the comfort of their homes. Today, Hadley’s courses are taught using braille, large print, audiocassettes, and even the Internet. The students are a mix of those who have been born blind and individuals who lost sight later in life. In 2003, Hadley served 8,500 students, including sighted family members and blindness professionals or service providers. All of Hadley’s ninety-plus courses are offered tuition free, and the staff welcomes any adult affected by blindness. In fact, last year Hadley served more than 330 seniors over the age of eighty-one! The Hadley School for the Blind accepts donations to continue its mission to lend support to the visually impaired. Hadley must spend approximately $5.5 million dollars every year to maintain the staff, courses, and services. Hadley also happily (continued on page 36)