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Wheelchair Athletes’ 1962 Tour of South Africa and Rhodesia

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Paraplegics Tour of South Africa Program
Paraplegics Tour of South Africa Program

Cailin Cullen is a student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and is currently completing a practicum at the Student Life and Culture Archives.

On June 11, 1962, a group of seventeen wheelchair athletes gathered at the University of Illinois for an orientation regarding their upcoming trip to Africa. For three full days, thirteen men and four women practiced their skills in track, field, basketball, archery, square dancing, cheer-leading, bowling, and chair handling skills. During this time, the group also met with Timothy Nugent, the University of Illinois Rehabilitation Center Director, and John Powell, an instructor in Physical Education and a former instructor at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

The idea for the trip was imagined by Tom C. Knowles, the manager of Tom Tit’s Travel Agency in Grahamstown, South Africa. Knowles suffered a service injury during his time in the Royal Air Force and utilized a wheelchair. He heard about the University of Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Education Services (DRES) Program from his friend, John Powell. In an effort to spark public interest in his country for greater opportunity for disabled individuals, Knowles organized a tour and raised the funds for it.[1] Continue reading “Wheelchair Athletes’ 1962 Tour of South Africa and Rhodesia” →

The Founding of Disability Resources at the U of I

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Written by Caitlin Stamm

This month commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which ensures and protects the civil rights of people with physical and mental disabilities. In honor of this important legislation, we are celebrating the work of Illinois’s Disabilities Rehabilition-Education Services (DRES). The records that the U of I Archives holds on DRES and its work was processed and selectively digitized in 2008-2009, thanks to funding from the University of Illinois President’s office and support from B. Joseph White.

Timothy Nugent with Robert Ebert in 1995. RS 16/6/20.
Timothy Nugent with Robert Ebert in 1995. RS 16/6/20.

DRES, a groundbreaking institution that provides resources, therapies, and advocacy for students with disabilities, was founded by Timothy Nugent, an internationally recognized professor, lecturer, and advocate for disability resources and scholarship.[1]

DRES transformed the community of Champaign-Urbana; the accommodations made and supported by DRES allowed students with disabilities to participate as full members of the University—in classes, student groups, and athletics—benefiting both the whole student body and the University. [2]

A student receiving physical therapy
A student receiving physical therapy

The journey to bring DRES to campus began in 1947, as many veterans with disabilities were returning from World War II. A deputy commander of the American Legion wrote to U of I President George Stoddard. DRES was founded at the University of Illinois Galesburg campus, which opened to support the influx of veterans coming to campus under the GI Bill. Previously a hospital, the facilities at Galesburg were suited to DRES’s needs. At the Galesburg campus, students’ therapies included bowling, swimming, and basketball. [3] Continue reading “The Founding of Disability Resources at the U of I” →