Beginnings

In 1852, when Elwyn was founded, the "mission" at Villanova University was only ten years old. John Wanamaker, the first department store in the United States, would not open for another 24 years. The American Red Cross was almost 30 years away from its founding. And most people in America had never heard of Abraham Lincoln. Yet it was then that Alfred L. Elwyn joined other forward-thinking individuals to change the way children with mental illness and mental retardation were cared for.

A physician from Delaware County, Alfred L. Elwyn, traveled to Boston in 1849 for a meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Science. On his way, Elwyn had promised to deliver a letter from Rachel Laird, a blind girl from Philadelphia, to Laura Bridgman, a famous blind deaf mute, who was studying at the South Boston Institute for the Blind. While at the Institute, Elwyn visited an experimental classroom for mentally retarded children taught by Dr. James Richards. When he returned to Philadelphia, Elwyn gathered a group of notable friends and professionals to discuss the state of care for children with special needs. It was common at that time for the mentally retarded and the mentally ill to be outcast from their families, to live on the street or to be jailed along with violent criminals. Elwyn thought that Pennsylvania could do better.

Later that year, Dr. Richards came to Philadelphia to speak to the group, telling them about his progress in Massachusetts. Three years later, in 1852, Dr. Elwyn opened a school in Germantown, with Dr. Richards as superintendent. In 1853, by special act of the Pennsylvania legislature, "The Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-Minded Children" was incorporated.

The first decade was difficult. With all the financial support coming from Elwyn's friends and periodic appropriations from the state, there was little money to spare. And the students started coming. Soon the school outgrew its original building on School Lane and moved to another space on Woodbine Avenue in Germantown. There were now 26 children at the school, 14 from Pennsylvania, two from New Jersey, one from Delaware, and nine from other states from North Carolina to Ohio. Each of these states and the City of Philadelphia made annual grants to The Training School for the provision of service to students.

Throughout the country, small schools were finally being funded to serve children with mental retardation. In New England, Dorothea L. Dix became a champion of the cause for the downtrodden. In 1857, at the invitation of the Trustees, Dix came to Germantown to see the work being done with the children. She then spoke before the Pennsylvania legislature and obtained a grant for the construction of a new, larger school. She traveled with trustees to select a new site for the school. A 60-acre farm near Media, Pennsylvania, was chosen and purchased for $10,000. In 1857, the cornerstone was laid and construction began on the new school building. Among the many considerable donations made toward construction of the school building was $1,000 donated by the people of Media.

The Move to Media, Pennsylvania

In 1859, the building was completed and on September 1, the entire school, 25 children, staff, and furniture were loaded onto two Conestoga wagons for the journey to the new school. A formal dedication ceremony for the new school and dormitory took place on November 2.

The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 marked the beginning of financial hardship for The Training School. The war itself caused a great economic strain on state governments, which were not likely to increase allotments; in addition, the "rebellious states" (as they were called in old Annual Reports) made no payments for 10 children being cared for by the school. The staff agreed to take a 50 percent pay cut until the Southern debt could be repaid. In 1863, "The Manse," the first building at Media exclusively for residence, was completed and occupied.

Dr. Parrish retired from his post in 1864 and Dr. Isaac N. Kerlin assumed the post of superintendent. Under his steady fiscal leadership, The Pennsylvania Training School made it through the Civil War. At the close of the war, Dr. Kerlin reported to the Trustees: "... the close of the Rebellion found us with an empty treasury, a loss by Southern debtors of $11,000, a debt on current expenses of almost $4,000..." In the years to come, the Pennsylvania legislature and the New Jersey legislature recognized the work of The Pennsylvania Training School with periodic grants, allowing several capital projects. This, coupled with the generous support of many longtime friends, allowed the Trustees to pay off the school's remaining debts.

After the Civil War

By 1868, not quite 10 years after the school opened, there were more than 150 children attending the school. Children who reached 18 and could not find useful employment in the community or could not return to their families were given jobs in laundry or farming and stayed on at the school to assist with younger children. In 1870, Dr. Elwyn, longtime supporter and board member, was elected president of the Training School. The nearby train station of the Philadelphia and West Chester Railroad, formerly known as "Greenwood," had become known popularly as "Elwyn Station." The nearby community on Middletown Road had also become known as "Elwyn," after the president of the board and founder of the school. In 1871, the term "institution" began to be used to describe the combination of educational and custodial services offered at the school.

In early 1876, "North Hall," a building for vocational instruction, was built and dedicated, and a nursery for young children was opened. Dr. Kerlin spoke before the Pennsylvania legislature of 1875-6 and told them of a new need that had emerged at the school: ongoing care for children who could be taught skills for living but were thought not to be able to survive independently. Students and residents were taught to make brooms, manila rope, and cornhusk mats which were sold at market. North Hall also had an area for shoe repair. Profits from these commercial endeavors paid for the room and board of adult residents. In 1876, the first meeting of the Association of Medical Officers of American Institutions for Idiotic and Feebleminded Persons was held at the Training School (the organization's name would later change to the American Association on Mental Deficiency, then later, the American Association on Mental Retardation).

An appropriation of $20,000 led to the beginning of construction of an "Asylum branch" in 1877. The addition of the Asylum department of the Training School launched a new facet of service that included residential and custodial care beyond school age. Construction also began on several other buildings, including a laundry and a schoolhouse, as well as "Keystone Hall," a multipurpose building that served as a dining hall, exercise room, and evening entertainment center. To accommodate the 288 children and adults being served by the Training School, the trustees purchased another 130 acres of farmland.

Thanks to another appropriation from the Pennsylvania legislature, construction began in 1881 on a series of residence halls known as the "Hillside" homes. Another 30 acres of adjoining farmland was purchased and the schoolhouse was completed. In 1883, the Hillside Homes were completed. Railroad tracks were laid by the Pennsylvania Rail Road Company from the main building to the Hillside Homes. Train cars were pulled by donkeys.

Dr. Elwyn, who was the current president, acknowledged founder of the Pennsylvania Training School, founder of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, co-founder of the Pennsylvania Institute for the Blind, and various other achievements, died on March 15, 1884. In 1891, the Training School began a "military school," training 200 boys in the Army Manual of Arms, discipline, and physical endurance.

Early 1900s

Dr. Kerlin, who served as superintendent for 29 years, died on October 25,1893, and Dr. Martin W. Barr, the medical director at The Training School, was selected as superintendent. In the same year, the "Domus Dei" hospital was opened; it provided medical and emergency care to residents and staff. In 1897, a print shop was added to the vocational programs. This print shop provided occupational training to students and also printed forms and documents for staff use. A power generating plant was also built and many buildings were electrified. On June 2, 1898, the first "Elwyn Day" was held.

In 1900, Dr. Barr began studying the causes of epilepsy in the training School’s newly constructed laboratory building. That year, construction also began on a new hospital. A flu epidemic was ravaging the country, so a farmhouse was renovated and used as an isolation hospital. One year later, a cottage was erected for the chief steward and his family.

By 1902 Elwyn's grounds encompassed 337 acres. A staff of 165 employees served a population of 1,041 students, three-fourths of whom were in training programs and one-fourth of whom were in custodial care. That same year there was an outbreak of measles.

Between 1900 and 1910, a series of underground tunnels was constructed to connect the main building with many outlying buildings. Covered walkways were constructed to reach other buildings. In 1912, Elwyn purchased adjoining land and built a summer camp and lodge known as "Skycrest." Months later, a new road, later known as "Old Baltimore Pike," was laid between Media and Wawa.

In 1905, the Training School held its first "Field Day." The students performed drills and calisthenics while their families watched.

The first 20 years of the new century were marked by unprecedented growth and building at Elwyn. By 1917, the Media Campus was now 400 acres; 15 residence buildings housed more than 1,000 children. There were also 15 cottages for employees. In 1918, more than 10 percent of the residents—127 children—died in the national epidemic of influenza. Five more died from tuberculosis.

The Elwyn Training School

In 1927, by court order of Judge John M. Broomall of the Court of the Common Pleas, the name of the Pennsylvania Training School was officially changed to "The Elwyn Training School."

In 1921, standardized testing, including the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, was used to assess all children admitted to the school. This scale was developed at The Training School at Vineland, which is now known as Elwyn New Jersey.

Dr. Barr emphasized manual training for students and introduced classes in printing, weaving, and basketry. A 34-acre farm was purchased and farming became an important "training area." Dr. Barr served Elwyn for 37 years and retired in 1930. Dr. E. Arthur Whitney succeeded Dr. Barr. Whitney was a staunch proponent of eugenics and argued repeatedly for the control of mental retardation through selective sterilization. In 1939, 28 states had statutes legalizing the sterilization of "mentally defective people."

In February 1952, in the middle of the night, there was a disastrous fire at "The Manse" residential building. All 144 boys were evacuated in 10 minutes, but one of the housemothers was killed in the fire. Ten percent of the building was salvaged and became part of a new building called “Centennial,” dedicated for Elwyn's 100th anniversary. Reflecting the Social Darwinism culture of the day, Elwyn under Dr. Whitney became known for training, discipline, and isolation of the disabled from the larger community. Restrictive programming and limited lifestyle options were the norm.

The 1960s

Dr. Gerald R. Clark succeeded Dr. Whitney, who retired as superintendent in 1960 after 30 years of service. With new funding available for vocational training, Elwyn developed courses in the trades, including food preparation, bakery assistant, dental assistant, hospital aide, laundry worker, printing, and tailor's assistant. Building trades like carpentry and brick laying were added in following years, and a Work-Study program was introduced in 1964. Work Study — the precursor of the current Work Services Program — allowed older students to practice their vocational training at jobs in the local community.

In 1965, Elwyn merged with the Orphan Society of Philadelphia (Quaker House of Refuge), acquiring the orphanage in Wallingford. In 1966, the name officially changed from the Elwyn Training School to "Elwyn Institute," and the Contract Workshop program changed its name to "Elwyn Industries."

Construction began on a new rehabilitation center that featured diagnostics, therapeutic service suites, and vocational training. In 1967, the school program was renamed the Douglas T. Davidson School, after the director of research and diagnostic services. Research was also conducted at Elwyn on a new area of study: genetic history, a study of abnormal development and its relationship to chromosomes.

Community Living

Elwyn's residential services peaked in 1972, with almost 1,100 children and adults living on campus. However, the 1970s and 1980s saw a dramatic change in governmental and public attitudes toward the care and education of people with mental retardation. This was the beginning of a period of transition for Elwyn, away from campus-based, institutional services, toward community-based services. Governmental payers wanted residential services provided in the surrounding community, rather than at large, congregate programs. To keep pace with these changes, Elwyn began to purchase homes in communities in Delaware County, and Community Residential Services was born.

Dr. Clark had the bars removed from windows on campus, allowed community involvement, and also allowed residents to visit their families on weekends, holidays, and during the summer. He also marshaled the development of Elwyn's community-based services by expanding programs —including residential services — into the community. This included the creation of satellite programs in Philadelphia, Delaware, and California.

In 1974, Elwyn California was founded in Fountain Valley, California, and Elwyn Delaware was founded with a workshop and rehabilitation facility on 4th Street in Wilmington. In 1977, diagnostic services, audiology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy were consolidated to form the Southeastern Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Center—SEPRC. Outpatient services were provided to non-residents for the first time in Elwyn's 125 years.

Outreach and Expansion

Elwyn hired its first full-time psychologist, Marvin S. Kivitz, Ph.D., in 1961. Dr. Kivitz was appointed executive director of Elwyn in 1978. The change of title from "superintendent" to "executive director" reflected the diversification into Elwyn's newest services —Elwyn was no longer a "training school."

In 1979, an ambitious program of automating educational plans was implemented using "microcomputers" (or PCs as we now know them). That same year, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Elwyn Industries its first contract for producing bandages for the military. In 1980, Dr. Kivitz spearheaded a five-year renovation and beautification program on the Media campus. He reorganized the executive staff and was named "president" by Elwyn's Board of Directors.

In 1981, Elwyn broke ground for the National Center for Rehabilitation and Independent Living in West Philadelphia. This building at 4040 Market Street would become the home for Elwyn Philadelphia. “Elwyn Delaware” began construction for a comprehensive rehabilitation center in Wilmington, Delaware. Elwyn assumed management of the financially-troubled American Institute for Mental Studies (AIMS) in Vineland, New Jersey. The first "Friends of Elwyn Ball" of modern times was held on April 4, 1981.

In 1982, the new rehabilitation center in West Philadelphia was dedicated. Months later, Davidson School established a campus at this location. The Semi-Independent Living Arrangement (SLA) program began, which provided support services to clients living in independent apartment-style living. Vocational training programs expanded to include fast food service, janitorial services, and grounds maintenance. In 1983, the Israeli government asked Elwyn to establish a rehabilitation facility in Jerusalem to serve Jewish, Christian, and Moslem adults with mental retardation.

In 1985, a new federal funding stream for residential services set new standards for buildings. As a result, six buildings on campus were renovated and seven new buildings were built. In 1986, another new component of Elwyn’s vocational training program, supported employment, was started. This service provided ongoing support for clients who were employed in competitive employment in the community. In 1988, AIMS became a subsidiary of Elwyn and its historic name “The Training School at Vineland” was restored.

A New Era

In 1991, the Kivitz Therapeutic Center at Media Campus, with its indoor swimming pool and other therapeutic programs, was dedicated. Dr. Kivitz retired after more than 30 years of service, 14 as president of Elwyn. His administration is most well known for the continued expansion of services into the community, while transitioning and creating services at Media Campus to keep it a vibrant, active place in the community.

Sandra S. Cornelius, Ph.D., became president of Elwyn in July, 1991. Dr. Cornelius began her tenure at Elwyn by restoring the organization’s financial stability. In previous years, Elwyn had been losing a small amount of its endowment each year, supporting programs that were not cost effective. Programs were redesigned, scaled down, or eliminated, effectively stopping deficit spending for the organization. In the following years, programs were developed to provide services for emerging populations where need was identified. This growth led to the creation of new lines of service, specifically Child Welfare Services, Comprehensive Case Management Services, Mental Health Services, and Early Childhood Services.

These new or enhanced services expanded the specialized services that Elwyn had always provided to children and adults into community centers and homes. Elwyn’s programs evolved to provide services to families in need or in crisis. Not necessarily life-long, the services alleviated the stresses associated with having a family member with special needs. Elwyn’s answer was to provide individuals the services to meet their needs while offering families ongoing support.

Psychology, a traditional service at Elwyn, took on new aspects of service in 1994, as a new mental health day program, “Welcome House,” opened in Upper Darby. This clubhouse model offered a unique day program to adults with mental illness.

During Dr. Cornelius’ administration, Elwyn also acquired or partnered with service organizations that enhanced Elwyn’s ability to grow. In 1994, HandiSoft, a vocational training program started by the University of Pennsylvania, became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elwyn. HandiSoft changed its name to AbiliTech, an agency that specializes in computer training and assistive technology for those with physical and vision impairments.

Also reflecting the changing needs of diverse populations, three new programs opened in 1995 at the Media campus. One was a Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) program that offers a short-term residential therapeutic program for youth with dual diagnoses. Another, Center Hall, now known as Leaman Center, provides a long-term residential program for children with mental retardation, physical challenges, and/or behavioral challenges. The third, the Family Training Center, is a place where families can stay for a weekend to learn how to deal with the complications of having a family member with a disability. This is the only therapeutic center of its type in the Philadelphia area. All these services are designed to provide short-term therapeutic services that will allow the family unit to return to “normalcy.”

In 1995, a major shift toward the development of day programs led Miller Memorial Cottage to be renamed Miller Senior Center. Day programs offered at Miller, Centennial, and Beatty allow more people to live at home with their families while keeping active during the daytime. As part of its Child Welfare initiatives, Elwyn launched the Parents and Children Together (PACT) program, a parenting skills program for at-risk children and their families. PACT is offered at two sites in Delaware County.

As many school districts chose to keep children with developmental disabilities in their home school districts, enrollment in Davidson’s education programs continued to decline. In response, a major education initiative took form in 1995, the Alternatives Middle School.  The Alternatives Middle School program is a short-term therapeutic school program for children from Delaware and Philadelphia counties who have behavioral challenges. These children attend Alternatives and receive counseling and education until their behavior allows them to return to the referring school district.

Elwyn accomplished a major transition in 1995-6 when the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities requested that the Training School’s residents be moved into homes in the community. In less than two years, nearly 200 residents were relocated into 40 community homes in four counties in Southern New Jersey. Buildings on the Vineland campus were converted to day program usage.

In 1996, funded by a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Elwyn provided leadership and technical consultation to non-government human service agencies in Belarus and Ukraine. At Elwyn California, the South Bay Clubhouse opened to provide adults with brain injuries vocational training, employment, and social activities. At Elwyn Delaware, another new service, the Senior Adult Day program opened, providing New Castle County residents with a safe, comfortable day program for elderly family members.

As part of Pennsylvania’s depopulation of Haverford State Hospital, two Personal Care Homes, “Friendship” and “Rainbow House,” opened in the nearby community. The development of these services was a huge expansion of Elwyn’s Psychology department, leading to the development of Elwyn Mental Health Services. In addition to the traditional psychological counseling available Elwyn also established a residential program. Residents of these programs have severe and persistent mental health challenges and need structured, supportive living. Elwyn’s program has taken these clients from a restrictive institutional program to supervised group home living, complete with employment opportunities, ongoing therapeutic supports, medication management, and community activities. By 2001, Elwyn had eight mental health personal care homes in Delaware County and two in Philadelphia.

In the late 1990s, new programs were opened at Elwyn Delaware, The Training School at Vineland, and at the Media campus to serve the specific needs of an aging population. In 1998, the Pennsylvania Department of Education selected Elwyn as contract administrator for its “Philadelphia Preschool Early Intervention” program. As administrator, Elwyn provides ongoing training, administration, and coordination of the 16 early intervention agencies providing service in the city. In 1998, Elwyn enhanced its Child Welfare programs by adding the Treatment Foster Care program, a foster care program for children with developmental and/or behavioral challenges.

Elwyn also initiated services to troubled teens through its Juvenile Justice Services. This new service line took over management of the financially ailing Sleighton School, a residential high school for teens who have been declared dependent or adjudicated by the courts.

In 1999, Dr. Cornelius reorganized Elwyn’s services—which had been traditionally divided into “Children’s” and “Adult”—into eight lines of service. These services are separated by the service they provide and their funding, instead of the disability of the people they serve. Both Delaware and California celebrated their 25th anniversary of service to the community.

A managed care organization awarded Elwyn’s Comprehensive Case Management program its first contract to provide case management services to health plan members who have children with complicated medical conditions. These services allow families to balance the responsibilities of having a medically-fragile child with the normal routine of family life. In keeping with Elwyn’s commitment to expanding opportunities to work in the community, the Occupational Training Center (OTC) vocational training program and workshop moved to the Bridgewater facility in Aston. Community Residential Services administrative offices and Elwyn Industries also moved to this new site.

Elwyn’s Child Welfare Services assumed management of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia outpatient mental health clinic in Philadelphia and was approved for a traditional foster care program, providing children who had been served by the Treatment Foster Care program to “step down” to a more appropriate level of treatment. In 2001, Elwyn closed the Sleighton School; three programs—Fair Place, the Mother Baby program, and “Home for Now”—were successfully transitioned into the community and become the core of Elwyn’s Juvenile Justice Services.

The Future

These new continuums of care and enhanced services have expanded Elwyn’s role as a community-based provider. Recognized nationally and internationally as experts in the education and care of people with mental retardation, Elwyn also assists families and individuals with special challenges and disadvantages. These changes in services and programs offered enabled Elwyn to grow by approximately nine percent each year from 1991 until 2001.

From this refocusing on Elwyn’s professional competencies on serving the most complex and challenging families and individuals came a reemergence of the passion, commitment, and excellence that has always been stewarded here.

Today, Elwyn serves over 12,000 people each year, from the original Media Campus and at satellite locations throughout New Jersey, Delaware, and California. We have more than 80 group homes serving people with mental retardation, and 10 homes for people with mental illness. We have more than 3,500 full and part-time employees and provide an employment experience to over 2,500 people each year in 10 workshops. We provide early intervention services to more than 2,000 children each year and offer special education to more than 4,000 children. We are assured by Elwyn’s history, challenged by the changing world each day brings, and eagerly look toward tomorrow.

And Elwyn’s future looks bright. Our recipe for success has three ingredients: We have earned and continue to earn the public’s trust and support for our services. Our services are dynamic and continue to change to meet the needs of our consumers and the public. And we continue to attract a very dedicated, creative, and caring staff. After reading our history, one can’t help but be amazed at the changes that have occurred at Elwyn. But amazing as those changes are, our core mission — to support individuals with diverse challenges in shaping distinctive, meaningful lives — has not changed

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