The University of Toledo

Disability History

ABILITY CENTER OF GREATER TOLEDO RECORDS, 1920-2000. [PDF]
Originally started by a small group of Toledo Rotarians as the Toledo Society for Crippled Children, through the years the organization has served as a convalescent home for children with disabilities, a polio and tuberculosis center, a school, and a social service agency.  The collection includes photographs, board minutes and administrative materials, fund raising material, programming material, publications, newspaper clippings, and awards.  MSS-190, 10 linear feet.  
See also: entry under Social Welfare

ASSISTANCE DOGS OF AMERICA, INC., 1986-2002. [PDF]
Organization founded for the purpose of providing trained dogs and special equipment to enable handicapped persons to be more independent.  Also provided community services designed to educate and sensitize the public.  The collection includes administrative and financial records, photographs and videotape, printed material, and correspondence documenting the day-to-day work of the organization.  MSS-175, 5 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Social Welfare

DOUGLAS V. AUSTIN VIDEOTAPE. [PDF]
University of Toledo Faculty, Economics and Finance Department.
Collection consists of one VHS videotape of Dr. Austin delivering the keynote address at the Helen Keller Lecture Series, Troy State University, April 15, 2003, MSS-197, 1 item.

AUTISM SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST OHIO RECORDS, 1978-2009. [PDF]
Oldest and largest autism-related grassroots organization in the country founded by parents of children with autism to provide support, education, and advocacy (1968-present)
This collection contains administrative files, advocacy files, publications, audio-visual material, and artifacts. MSS-240, 3 linear feet. 

BITTERSWEET FARMS, 1974-2004. [PDF]
Supported living farm dedicated to the individual development of persons with autism
Included in this collection are administrative, funding, research, correspondence, and historical materials, as well as photographs and videotapes.  MSS-195, 9 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Social Welfare

DAVID'S HOUSE COMPASSION, 1987-2004. [PDF]
Service organization that provided education and counseling programs, as well as other assistance, to HIV/AIDS victims
Contains administrative files, funding and financial records, material on planning and development, printed material, audiovisual material, and ephemera.  MSS-188, 12 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Social Welfare

HUGH GREGORY GALLAGHER PAPERS, 1880-2002. [PDF]
Disability Rights Activist (1932-2004)
Paralyzed by polio contracted at the age of 19, Gallagher was known as the "father of the disability rights movement."  He was the author of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, and wrote several books and articles.  Gallagher was also a respected Franklin D. Roosevelt scholar.  Perhaps his best-known book is FDR's Splendid Deception, which explored the former president's disability and how he hid it from the public.  This collection contains correspondence, biographical and family files, Mr. Gallagher's writings, research files, senate files, photographic material, awards, and artifacts.  MSS-185, 13 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Medicine and Health, Politics and Government, and Social Welfare

LEE LAWRENCE PAPERS, 1923-2002. [PDF]
Disability Rights Activist (1923-2002)
After a catastrophic fall ended her theatre and television career, Lee Lawrence spent the rest of her life advocating for the disabled and educating the public.  This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, material on programs, agencies, organizations, laws, illnesses, diseases, and accessibility.  It also contains printed material and proceedings of the White House Conferences on Handicapped Individuals and the White House Conference on Aging.  MSS-174, 9 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Social Welfare

JOSINA JONES LOTT PAPERS, 1949-2000. [PDF]
Educator (d. 1972)
Founder of the Lott Day School, the first of several schools for developmentally disabled children.  Also founded the Lott Sheltered Workshop (later known as Lott Industries) to provide her students with job skills.  
This collection consists of administrative records, biographical and historical materials, printed material, audiovisual material, and ephemera. MSS-186, 4.5 linear feet. 
See also: entries under Education and Schools and Social Welfare

LUCAS COUNTY HOME/INFIRMARY HISTORICAL RECORDS. [PDF]
In January 1838, the Lucas County commissioners located and acquired a site for a county poor farm at the corner of Detroit and Arlington.  It later became known as the Lucas County Home and Infirmary. This collection contains register books of employees of the Home and Infirmary covering the period from 1913-1939.  MSS-250, 8 linear feet.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, TOLEDO CHAPTER, RECORDS, 1980's-2002. [PDF]
Organization formed to improve the lives of persons with mental illness
The collection contains administrative and financial records, photographs, and material about the organization's education programs.  MSS-178, 3.25 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Social Welfare

QUOTA CLUB, 6th DISTRICT OHIO RECORDS, 1922-1997. [PDF]
Ohio section of a classified community service club of executive, professional, and business women
The bulk of the collection is a group of fourteen scrapbooks that highlight Quota events and achievements. The rest of the collection consists of printed materials, administrative materials, photographs, and other visual materials. MSS-122, 8 linear feet. 
See also: entries under Civic Interests and Philanthropy

SIGHT CENTER OF TOLEDO RECORDS, 1920-2004. [PDF]
Founded in 1923 as the Toledo Society for the Blind, this organization strove to improve the lives of persons with visual impairments by teaching vocational and life skills and hosting social events.  The collection includes photographs, administrative records, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks.  MSS-179, 12.25 linear feet.
See also: entries under Education and Schools and Social welfare

CARLTON E. SPITZER PAPERS, 1957-2009. [PDF]
Writer, playwright, and aviator (b. 1925)
This collection contains the correspondence, personal and biographical material, publications, play files, photographs, and radio interview of Carlton E. Spitzer, who later developed interest in disability issues.  MSS-230, 1.5 linear feet.

KAREN GOTTLIEB STONE, 1983-1999. [PDF]
Photographer and writer
This collection contains copies of a column Ms. Stone wrote for the Albuquerque Journal about living with disability.  It also includes a copy of her book Awakening to Disability:  Nothing About Us Without Us.  MSS-193, .25 linear foot.

TOLEDO STATE HOSPITAL, LUCAS COUNTY INFIRMARY, & MAUMEE VALLEY HOSPITAL ARCHITECTURAL AND SURVEY DRAWINGS. [PDF]
Insane Asylum (1888-1973)
Collection includes schematic maps from the Toledo Insane Asylum, which was designed by Edward O. Fallis and operated by Dr. Henry A. Tobey.  The schematic drawings are from the original plans for the asylum. MSS-221, 50 linear feet.
See also: entries under Architecture, Medicine and Health, and Social Welfare.

TOLEDO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER CLIPPINGS.  [PDF]
Collection consists of photocopies of newspaper clippings about the Toledo Mental Health Center. MSS-198, .25 linear foot.
See also: entry under Medicine and Health

TOLEDO ROTARY CLUB RECORDS, 1912-1998. [PDF]
Service organization of professional businessmen
Originally formed to encourage ethical business practices, the club eventually developed a focus on helping disabled children.  This collection includes administrative and committee files, correspondence, membership records, scrapbooks, and project files.  MSS-145, 13.5 linear feet.
See also: entries under Business and Commerce, Civic Interests, Philanthropy, and  Social Welfare

ZEIGLER HABILITATION HOMES, 1960's-2005. [PDF]
Intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness, founded in 1979 by Charlotte Zeigler
Contains photographs of the Zeigler family, the homes and their residents, Mrs. Zeigler's obituary, and sympathy cards.  MSS-208, .75 linear feet.
See also: entries under Africans-Ammericans, Social Welfare, and Women.

Visit the Disability Studies Program at The University of Toledo for more information on the program.   For more information on the Disability Archives, including photographs, visit the Program's archives website.