LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the New York Institute for Special
Education upon the occasion of celebrating its 185th Anniversary

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the New York
Institute for Special Education upon the occasion of celebrating its
185th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, The New York Institute for the Blind was incorporated in 1831
by a group of social activists, including Samuel Wood, a Quaker philan-
thropist, Samuel Akerly, a physician and John Dennison Russ, a philan-
thropist and physician who determined to create opportunities for indi-
viduals who were blind; and
WHEREAS, A single row home in Lower Manhattan was the location of the
first class for children who were blind in the United States when it
opened its doors on March 15, 1832, 185 years ago; later, the school was
moved to the corner of 9th Avenue and 34th Street; and
WHEREAS, In 1924, renamed the New York Institute for the Education of
the Blind, the school was relocated to its present campus on Pelham
Parkway in the Bronx; and
WHEREAS, In 1986, the Institute reaffirmed its mission of service to
children by amending its charter to accept not only children with visual
impairments, but also children with emotional/learning needs and
preschool children with developmental disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Now known as the New York Institute for Special Education,
the school offers programs to children ages 3 to 21 from the five
boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Upstate New York
counties; and
WHEREAS, The school is situated on 17 acres of spacious, well cared
for grounds with buildings for classrooms, dormitories, a gymnasium with
a fitness room, indoor track and a swimming pool; there is also a bowl-
ing alley and other areas of both indoor and outdoor play; and
WHEREAS, The school supports four quality programs for 300 children
annually who are blind or visually disabled, emotionally and learning
disabled and preschoolers who are developmentally delayed; and
WHEREAS, Camp Wanaqua is one very unique program as the only summer
camp in New York City for children who are blind or visually impaired;
this is totally dependent on private support, providing children with
classes, field trips and activities that focus on the development of
critical life skills; and
WHEREAS, The Schermerhorn Program recognizes the schools commitment to
185 children who are blind or visually impaired; many of these children,
who range in age from 5 to 21 years, have a mild secondary disability
and need a specialized educational environment in order to be successful
in school; and
WHEREAS, These students are provided a varied and challenging curric-
ulum and placed in either the one day or five day residential program;
the goal is to provide through small classes a high quality individual-
ized experience to assist students in gaining independence; this is
accomplished through adapted physical education, regents classes and
exams, modern technology labs and instruction in the compensatory skills
that are needed by these children to face the challenges of the global
world; and
WHEREAS, The Van Cleve Program is a highly structured educational day
and residential component that includes specialized services such as
counseling for the students and their families; and
WHEREAS, These children have emotional or learning difficulties; the
goal is to reduce the behavioral and learning deficits of students by

providing academic and social skills necessary to enter less restrictive
programs; and
WHEREAS, The Readiness Program is a preschool that helps children who
are developmentally disabled from ages 3 to 5; they have disabilities
that include speech impairment, mild orthopedic impairment or a learning
or emotional disability; and
WHEREAS, By providing special instruction, intensive therapies and
early intervention, many are able to be mainstreamed or are placed in a
least restricted environment when they reach the age of five; and
WHEREAS, The New York Institute for Special Education is operated by
dedicated staff members and teachers led by the internationally recog-
nized, caring, competent and compassionate Executive Director, Dr.
Bernadette M. Kappen, Ph.D. and a Board of Trustees chaired by John
Rhodes; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize the
dedication of the teachers, staff, Executive Director and Board of Trus-
tees for their persistence, dreams and commitment to securing the
futures of the children served by the New York Institute for Special
Education; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the New York Institute for Special Education upon the occasion of
celebrating its 185th Anniversary; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Dr. Bernadette M. Kappen, Ph.D., Executive Director, The New
York Institute for Special Education.