The National Foundation is an organization whose purpose is to protect gifted and creative children. Because society has ignored this special population, many of these youngsters are having severe emotional, academic and family problems.

We have a group of parents, at this time, who are becoming more and more aware of their responsibilities in having exceptional children. A program is started; the purpose of the program is to help parents to become experts themselves. They must learn all they possibly can in order that they may protect gifted children. No agency has the right to deny these children an education that will assist them in developing their potential. It is crucial that our school personnel recognize the relationship between sound mental health and creativity.

A group of our parents has recently met with the Commissioner of Education. It was agreed that, if gifted and creative children are to be given an equal educational opportunity, people must be trained in the area of the psychology of gifted children.

We are urging parents to remove their children from a system that is ignorant of their special needs. Since the schools belong to the people and are existing to assist our children to become happy, educated Americans, we insist that individual differences must be recognized and developed. To continue to support systems that cater to conformity and mediocrity is to encourage delinquency.

Jefferson stated in the Declaration of Independence:

...that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute a new government.

A school system that identifies and nurtures its gifted children and encourages creative responses improves the opportunity for each child to develop his or her potential. An educational philosophy that respects individual differences is the essence of democracy. All citizens must work together toward this worthwhile goal and entire communities must become involved.

Marie Friedel
Executive Director