Women - Hunterdon County, New Jersey

DOROTHY MacNAMARA
The name of Dorothy MacNamara is synonymous with education of the mentally
disabled child in Hunterdon.
Mrs. MacNamara became an advocate for the disabled in 1960 when she
volunteered to assist Mrs. Corey, a teacher at the Happy Day Nursery. This interest
would last all her life.
Moving through the ranks of the fledgling Hunterdon County Association for
Retarded Children, Dorothy MacNamara worked at everything that would bring the
plight of the disabled youngster to the attention of educational powers. She believed
raising funds to improve and start programs and the dissemination of information were
the keys to helping the less fortunate child.
In the ranks of the ARC, Mrs. MacNamara served on the committee to set up
training for future employment, as recording secretary, several times president, and as
representative to the state council of ARC. Continuing to espouse the cause of the
disabled led her to visit the various training schools throughout New Jersey to compare
educational methods and add improvements where needed in the Hunterdon ARC
programs.
Tireless in her devotion to the cause of the disabled, she helped plan the Teen
Canteen, first held at North Hunterdon High School in 1961. She was progressive in her
methods, believing that children with disabilities should be afforded the same social
outlets as other youngsters.
Both she and Mrs. Corey spent many hours showing a film of the Happy Day
Nursery to P.T.A.'s and women's groups of all kinds, in the quest of informing the public
that there was help for the disabled child.
Continuing to bind the community leaders to her far reaching ideas, Mrs.
MacNamara met with Lloyd Wescott in 1962 and explained her idea for a sheltered
workshop. Years later, that idea would come to fruition in the program first called
Hunterdon Occupational Training Center, which is now known as the Center for
Educational Advancement.
As ARC programs became more visible, and law allowed, in 1963 the Hunterdon
County Board of Chosen Freeholders donated $1,000 to the Happy Day Nursery school.
Things were looking up as more and more of Hunterdon's prominent citizens were
becoming involved in ARC programs and fundraising. Dorothy MacNamara left no stone
unturned as she sought recognition and help for the benefit of Hunterdon's disabled
children.
From a small group of mothers and fathers of disabled youngsters who desired help
for their children to the large ARC unit of today, Dorothy MacNamara has been an
invaluable worker. Her selfless devotion to the cause was an uphill struggle. She did
everything – maintained an office in her home, taught “patterning,” and obtained grants
and free space for various programs for the disabled. Hers was a love, devotion, and
service never to be forgotten. Her legacy – educational opportunities for all children and
a strong, viable, community oriented ARC.
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