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Sleeping Beauty to Aid, Will You?


Salt Lake Tribune, 26 May 1959, page 17
The shortage of qualified teachers to instruct the handicapped was termed a "very serious situation" Monday by Arthur E. Arnesen, administrative assistant to the superintendent of Salt Lake City Board of Education.

"BUT," HE ADDED, "if we can get the specially trained teachers necessary, we can finance the classes."

The Salt Lake Tribune and Salt Lake Valley Kiwanis clubs are attempting to help alleviate the teacher shortage by establishing a scholarship fund to be administered by the Salt Lake Exceptional Child Parent-Teacher Assn.

MONEY FOR THE fund will be gained through a benefit premiere performance of Walt Disney's big, new animated spectacular, "Sleeping Beauty."  The premiere will be presented in the Villa Theatre June 3, starting at 8:30 p.m.

Mr. Arnesen said city schools now have 18 classes for handicapped children, physically handicapped or retarded.  "But," he emphasized, "I am sure that if we were actually providing special teaching facilities to all the youngsters who would benefit from such teaching, we could use double that number."

"THE BOTTLENECK is the shortage of trained teachers.  Although we have budgeted for four more classes next year, we may be indulging in wishful thinking, since at least three teachers, now instructing handicapped, have notified us they will not be available next year."

Cost of the special training is keeping many teachers out of the field, he noted, and a scholarship fund would be of great aid.  "We are constantly forced to turn down requests for handicapped children to attend public school," Mr. Arnesen said.

TICKETS FOR THE benefit premiere may be purchased from members of Bonneville, Salt Lake an Sugar House Kiwanis clubs; at the special box office in the Uptown Theatre daily from noon to 5 p.m., and at the Villa Theatre each evening.