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One evening in 1950, at the invitation of Pauline Stempien who had placed an advertisement in the local paper, a group of Joliet parents met together to form the Will County Parental Group for Mentally Retarded Children* and decided to establish a private school rather than place their youngsters in an institution. When this school was organized, there were only five other such schools in Illinois: four in Chicago and one in Rockford. At the time, no public schools in Illinois provided an education for children with I.Q.s of less than 59.

 

Pauline Stempien, now the president of the newly formed parents group, approached Dr. Hufford, Superintendent of the Joliet Schools, about using a vacant classroom in the Central School. The Joliet school board voted to give the organization a room to use that needed considerable repair. The fathers washed and painted walls and windows, and laid flooring where necessary. The mothers located desks, tables, and other equipment in the basement of the building. The parents absorbed the costs of operations including the salary of teachers. Mothers also transported their children to school.

 

Once the refurbished room was completed, the school officially opened on September 7, 1950. The organization hired Mrs. Oda Christensen, who had devoted 15 years to teaching children with developmental disabilities, to conduct the class of eight students.

 

Following the school's opening, the organization developed a plan to incorporate the parent group as a nonprofit entity and raise funds. Mrs. Stempien, an accomplished public speaker, spoke before clubs and other organizations. The group held bake sales and rummage sales, sold Christmas cards, and collected newspapers and rags.

 

On July 5, 1951, the Group filed Articles of Incorporation with the Office of the Secretary of State, as provided by the General Not-for-Profit Corporation Act of Illinois. This achieved the goal of making the school a nonprofit organization. That same year, the school acquired the name Trinity School, based on the mission of educating the whole person. The school adopted an emblem: a green three-leaf clover inset with the hand, heart, and head.

 

Forced to move out of their classroom in Central School the following year, Trinity acquired the vacant Babylon School in November 1951. The Kiwanis Club of Joliet agreed to paint the building with help from the parents. The Babylon School had no modern facilities but served its purpose until 1954 when the Trinity School moved to its new location on Gougar Road.

 

In addition to Mrs. Stempien, the original officers of the organization included Mrs. Edith Bengston, vice-president, Mrs. Edward Morris, treasurer, and Mrs. George Bradley, secretary.

 

*Note: In 1950, the public commonly referred to people with developmental disabilities as mentally retarded.