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Birth
- Born in Philadelphia, PA -Parents: Harvey and Rebecca (Haines) Bancroft, immigrated to USA from Garthgannon, Wales -Father started a succesful mercantile business -Raised Quaker -Grew up in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with four siblngs
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Period: to
Margaret Bancroft
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Graduation
-Studied and graduated from the Normal School
-Taught 5th grade in Philadelphia
-Took specific interest in students having trouble studying & began to classify the reasong for their academic problems -
The Beginning
-Dr. W.W. Keen; a surgeon & professor of surgery, took an interest in Margaret
-Answered all of her medical questions
-Helped her classify & understand the medical reasoning behind "mentally dificient" students -
Founded Institution
-Founded the Haddonfield Bancroft Training School for the miltiply disabled
-Hoped herself, and other educators may develop innovative ways of teaching developmentally disabled children
-Believed disabled children needed special schools, adapted material, and well trained teachers
-Fought and spoke out against institutionalization and the use of derogatory terminology
-Dr. W.W. Keen referred the first pupil's to the institution -
Differences
-Staff hired for Handdonfield Bancroft Training School were teachers of physical culture and gymnastics, manual training, speech, and kindergarten skills
-Created a specialized program for the physical, mental, and spiritual growth of each particular student
-Valued the importance of proper nutrition, personal hygiene, exercise, daily prayers, sensory and artistic development, and lessons suited to mental age -
Women's Club
-Helped organize the women's club named the Haddon Fortnightly
-Meant to promote the education, literary, and social interests of it's members
-Members consisted of women outside the home
-Women's Club is still active today -
School extension
-Before Bancroft's school, most developmentally ill children were either institutionalized or at best given custodial care
-Social stigma ws that families would hide such deficiencies
-Bancroft's institution protected her familie's residents by not using family surnames
-Bought an old hotel in Owl Hill, Maine to use as a summer school so her pupils could continue their education year round -
Dr. Ernest A Farrington
-Admirers of her skill came to train with her and later became leaders in the field of special education
-Hired Dr. Ernest A Farrington as a residential physician and psychologist
-He later became her trusted co administrator -
Death
-Died at the age of 57 of cerebral thrombosis
-Provisions in her will ensured that the school would ramain valuable after her death
-Under Margaret's influence the medical profession began to awaken their responsibility to help correct defects and disabilities in children -
Currently
-The Bancroft Training School now serves as a non-profit institution with residential care and daycare; year round evaluation and treatment center; and has been relocated completely to Owl's Hill, Maine
-Institution is now called Bancroft NeuroHealth
-Provides a wide range of services to those with autism, brain injuries, and developmental, and intellectual disabilties https://jerseygirlgreats.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/margaret-bancroft-founded-school-for-the-disabled/
