Collection: Newspapers > Nevada County Nugget

About This Item:

Title: July 20, 1966 Collection Type: Newspapers Collection Name: Nevada County Nugget Published: July 20, 1966 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Physical Format: Newspaper # of Pages: 20 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Printed or handwritten: All printed text Date Scanned: 2023-04-13 08:08:14 Scanning Equipment: Professionally Scanned OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: JPGs First Created: 2025-03-17 04:12:38 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:12:38

Original Held At: Doris Foley Library Location: 211 North Pine Street, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 20  

8... .Nevada County Nugget. . July 20, 1966 The Sheltered Workshop Unusual Approach Is Producing (Continued from Page 1) with a cushion of $12,000. Also unlike most workshops, this shop started out from the beginning with a paying product. Because the contract was there, the retardates were immediately put to work to see what they could doto produce the product. To the surprise of everyone, it was quickly discovered that not only could the eight enrollees do the necessary and intricate work required to produce a line of pine cone wreaths, flowers and Christmas tree decorations, but that the job inspired some to create new designs and byproducts, These were quickly incorporated into the line. Most shops start with testing and a series of small chores to learn what skills the enrollees have and how far these can be developed. At the local shop, the process was started from the other end andthe enrollees were put right to work and simple skills developed from this work were cultivated and put to new and more intricate uses, FROM SIMPLE skills to intricate designs. Although this is an unorthodox approach it is a successful one, Many people have come to see the shop since it opened. According to Mrs, Kopp, one state official said it was “the best workshop situation I've ever seen," But the making of a product, while it brings in revenue is in itself a product. The real purpose of the workshop is to train the retarded so that they will be able to go out into the world and become producing and useful citizens in the community, Toachieve this goal Mrs. Kopp and co-director, Mrs. Mary Lou Steger, are continually devising new tests to challenge the workers and at the same time teach them basic skills and work habits they will need for any job outside the shop. Everyone knows that some of the eight retardates now enrolled will never leave the workshop environment, But some will, They will go out and earn a living doing jobs that others could not or would not do, Those who remain will continue to work there, being paid for their work and content that they belong, that they can work and that they can contribute, The workshop corporation beard of directors has now set up a screening committee of local and state officials to study records and determine in the future who will benefit most from the workshop experience. In the meantime, the workshop directors are looking for newproducts to be made at the shop, new challenges for the retarded andnew markets and outlets for the Nevada County produced line of cone decorations. The shop will open again Sept. 12 with the prospect of more enrollees, some state aid in finding more jobs and markets forthe products and more challenges for the people who always wanted to do something before, but never had the. chance until the shop opened. WHEN SUSIE came to the workshop she had difficulty in using her hands. sorting jobs and is becoming more adept each day. IN ADDITION TO giving the workshop trainees basic work skills, many of them for the first time have an opportunity to belong to a group, to share experiences and to work together toward a common goal. All of these things are important in training the retarded for jobs outside the workshop. Unusual Results # «” TRUMAN SPILLERS giues ana wires acorns to be used iater in pine cone wreath designs. Now she does WORKSHOP CO-DIRECTOR Mary Lou Steger lends a helping hand to the assembly line producing Christmas tree ornaments. STACKS OF WREATHS training. the endresult of the