Parents' wisdom brought changes

THERE were always parents who doubted the wisdom of separating individuals with disabilities from their families and communities. But it was not until the late 1950s that the voices of those who questioned institutions like Faribault State Hospital were listened to in the state legislatures and meeting rooms of professional societies.

ARC was one of those voices. Originally, Association for Retarded Children, this group brought together parents and others who wanted services for children with disabilities provided in communities. Finally, in the 1960s, Minnesota and otherstates began changing their policies to encourage community-based programs. In addition, state hospitals started sending residents back to their communities.

Bill Sackter was sent back "home" to Mineapolis in 1964. In theory, that was a good idea. But Bill hadn't lived in Mineapolis in nearly half a century, and had neither family nor friends in the city. Resettling in the city was a struggle for Bill. (You can find some of the stories of this struggle in "The Unlikely Celebrity," a biography of Bill by Tom Walz.)

Eventually, Bill settled into a job at the Minikahda Country Club on the edge of Minneapolis. That's where he met Barry and Bev Morrow. You may know the story from there, particularly if you have seen the movie "Bill."

Bill and the Morrows became friends and eventually ended up in Iowa City, where Barry had been offered a job at the University of Iowa. The coffeeshop opened as a job for Bill.

But it quickly became much more. There was something about the spirit of Bill
which filled the coffeeshop.

That same spirit still fills the coffeeshop, even though Bill died more than 20 years ago. But that's another story.