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by BERT WADE
LINCOLN- Marie Friedel was "being thrown out of court (Family Court)
and state institutions as long as 10 to 12 years ago for advocating
the rights of children now championed by such groups as the National
Council of Jewish Women, The Junior League, the Division of Family
and Youth Development, the Coalition for Children's Rights and the
Task Force for Children's Mental Health.
She denounced the use of drugs in treating children with hyper-
tensions before that became a popular cause and she "preached" the
advantages of "humanistic education" before that term became a part
of educator's jargon.
It was for these causes that she organized the National Founda-
tion for Gifted and Creative Children 14 years ago. She and her hus-
band. Jack, retired vice president of a steel company and a former
professor of metallurgy and physics at Roger Williams College, ran the
foundation from their small home on Diamond Hill Road in Warwick:
mortgaging the house several years ago when times were hard for the
foundation .
They have tested children and provided psychiatric counseling
for children and parents, charging only those who could afford to pay.
They tutored children, including their own son who is now a music
major at Barrington College, in the basement of their home when those
children could no longer function in regular school.
The Friedels are glad for the interest others are now showing in
what seemed for so long to be a "lonely crusade." In fact, the ex-
panding concern is helping them.
Mrs. Friedel recently was awarded a certificate of recognition
from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, an award
sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Office of Educa-
tion, The U.S. Commission for UNESCO and the International Reading
Association. It was given on behalf of the National Right To Read
Effort for her "contribution to the development of literacy in the
United States.
Jan LeFebvre, who is now associate director of the Foundation,
is one of the children "saved" by the Friedels. She has taken lead-
ership in organization of parents, whose first major goal was to es-
tablish a school.
The school, called Creative Growth Center, opened here this week
with 22 students in a renovated brick building at 260 Front Street
once used by the Lincoln School Administration.
The children who range in age from five to 15, are ones "who are
hurt and maladjusted because they have been misunderstood, miseducated,
and mishandled," said Mrs. Friedel.
No tuition is being charged, but the parents have agreed this year
to share the costs of rent and heat, $450 per month.
Michael Gianfrancesco is chairman of the building committee which
arranged for the facility. Austin Ferland, a contractor whose son,
Alan, 13, is looking excited about attending,the school has helped
supervise improvements necessary for the building to comply with safe-
ty codes.
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Mrs. Friedel, Mrs. Lefebvre and Leslie Scribbner, a professional
artist, are the volunteer counselor-tutors. Mrs. Friedel objects to
calling them teachers because, she said, "I don't believe in much teach-
ing."
In fact, she said, these children cannot be taught. "Their most
powerful need is mental health and "when they feel good about them-
selves, they will learn."
When a counselor-tutor identifies a learning interest in a child,
he or she will be provided with the resources needed to pursue that
interest, including a chance to talk with people who have expertise in
the area.
The parents are setting up a learning exchange, which is a regis-
ter of adults willing to share their special knowledge and skills in
tutoring sessions with children.
Friedel, who has been doing that for years, will continue as the
first member of the exchange. Others who have been approved are Dom-
enic Gianfrancesco, an architect who will work with children on pro-
ject design and model building, Sana Jassim of Cranston, an English
graduate student at Providence College, Lynn McLellan of Cumberland,
whose speciality is the psychology of learning, and Donna Vachon of
South Attleboro, who will work in several fields with small children.
These are gifted people, most of whom have encountered problems
themselves and understand the urgency of helping the children, said
Mrs. Friedel.
The center will be in session Monday through Thursday for the re-
mainder of this semester, but will probably be extended later to a
fifth day each week. If staff can be lined up, a summner program will
be planned.
The foundation will continue to operate the Saturday tutoring
program it has had for 14 years, and will continue to test children
and help find placement for them in appropriate programs in regular
or special schools, said Mrs, Friedel. Information about the foun-
dation and the new growth center may be obtained by calling 737-0180.
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