Dec.12,1937 the Oklahoman, carried an article, "St. Joseph's to Try Novel Experiment", (pg.34) by building cabins on the land behind the gym and central building to house elderly people. The idea being children without families and the elderly could enrich each other's lives. An article from the source of June 17, 1923 (pg.4), notes that they were taking care of the elderly at that early date.
In 1926 there were plans to move the institution from orphanage status to a boarding school (Oklahoman, Aug. 13, 1926, pg.4).
Here, some remaining cabins are shown. They photographed here in mid renovation (in 2010) by the present owners, Southwestern Christian University. The original neat arts and crafts inspired bungalows contained two rooms with restroom/shower with a shared small entry hall. Additional cabins were thought to have been planned behind these and to the west. If they were ever built is unknown at present.
This innovative approach was an early recognition of the value of inter-generational relationships. Today numerous college campuses are making retirement communities part of their campus life following this same line of thought. Retired alums become stand in grandparents to youthful students. Students become substitute children for retired couples who may not have had children or whose families live far away. In Bethany, Oklahoma there had been that idea decades earlier.
No comments:
Post a Comment