Southern California, known as the entertainment capital of the world and also as a land of
great opportunities in business and industry. A community of diverse nationalities and opinions
with issues common to all. At work and play, Speak Out covers the problems of our population
and their solutions each week. Now in our 13th year, we present our moderator, Mary
George. Hello, thank you for joining us today. We're going to learn what we should do if
suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of an earthquake. Sort of frightening, isn't
it? We're also going to talk with Alice Morris, who heads more than a hundred volunteers helping
the handicapped. And James W. Newman, who has taught tens of thousands of people how
to develop themselves to the fullest in their struggle for success. But first, I want to
tell you a little story that I heard not too long ago. It was about Robert Louis Stevenson
when he was a boy. He had pressed a little circle on the window, tearing away the heavy
condensation of the living room. He was looking out into the street. And of course, these
were the times of gas lights along the street. His mother thought he might be up to some
mischief, so she called out to Robert Louis Stevenson and asked him what he was doing.
And without even turning his head, he said, I'm watching the lamplighter. He's poking
holes in the darkness. Well, today we have another kind of lamplighter, a very modern
one, a wonderful American who's bringing the light of education through the Thomas Jefferson
Research Center to school systems throughout America, to individuals everywhere. So good
to have you with us. Thank you very much. Thank you. You have worked with so many people.
I'm wondering how you go about getting them to, well, to get the most out of themselves.
Well, our primary purpose in the center's activities is to help through the schools,
help children to develop additional personal responsibilities. That's the core of our
activity. When did you start? The center started in the early 60s. And actually, when you say
when did I or when did we start, I'm really just a vice president and a member of the
board of trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Research Center. The key person is Frank Goble.
He founded the organization. And he was a very successful business executive who thought
that the country was in need of some help in terms of the vandalism and increase in
crime and problems in communities, and that it would be worthwhile to establish an organization
that might help America to move in the direction of greater responsibility and away from the
increased crime rate and so forth. Well, you're known as a very outstanding behavioral scientist,
and you must tour the country and tour the world with seminars and workshops. Yes, that's
true. I do that. Are big corporations quite interested in this subject? Yes, they are.
As a matter of fact, that's really how the program is funded, is primarily through corporate
contributions and assistance. When we go into a community, Chicago would be an example.
We started out with about 300 classrooms in 15 schools in the Chicago school system. And
as soon as the people in the school system expressed an interest in it, along with the
interest usually comes the phrase, but we can't afford it, to install the character
education program, which is one of our primary programs in the school system. How can we
possibly fund something like this? And so we pitch in and help them to find funding,
usually through local business organizations who clearly see it to their interest to help
the community in this way. In St. Louis, for example, right now, to finish the Chicago
loop, as soon as we did those 300 classrooms for a period of time in Chicago, it was so
successful. The vandalism rate diminished, the motivation of the children increased so
much that it is now throughout the Chicago school system. And we're doing that now in
St. Louis. Samford McDonald, who is chairman of McDonald Douglas, has taken a personal
interest in this in the St. Louis school system and has assisted us a lot in funding the program
there. So it's now throughout the entire system in St. Louis.
When you're mentioning vandalism, one of the horrible parts of vandalism is not only the
physical destruction, but also the graffiti. And I guess that's becoming even more widespread.
But with the motivation to keep things clean and pure and Americanism, it's changing.
It really is. And we're just so proud of our success stories. In Dade County, Florida,
for example, which is where Miami is, and Miami has its problems these days as the most
major metropolitan area, the character education program reduced the vandalism rate by 20 percent
in a very short period of time. And the school people there are very excited about that.
Congratulations. That's remarkable.
We're in the Los Angeles school system as well.
Of course.
We need to talk about other parts of the country. And it's being very successfully implemented
here.
Well, I heard about you to a good many people in Glendale. You're very prominent there.
Yes. And Glendale Federal Savings is one of the primary funding organizations there that
has helped us to implement it in the Glendale system. And it's very successful there.
Well, Mr. Newman, how did you personally get involved with the Thomas Jefferson Research
Center?
Well, my activity is primarily in the field of high performance behavior personally and
conducting seminars and so forth in that field. And it is so parallel that the founder of
the Thomas Jefferson Research Center, Frank Goebel, heard about what I was doing, attended
one of our seminars. We became friends. And then he and Dr. Fred Adler invited me to participate
and become a member of the board of trustees back in the mid-60s. And I've been very fascinated
with and involved in the organization ever since.
Well, I know some of our viewers might wonder how can they get their own school systems
involved? You've already answered who takes care of paying for the teacher training and
everything. But what about materials that are used? Can you help provide those too for
the school system?
Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. That's exactly what we do. And we have several programs. A primary
one is the Character Education Program, which is the grade school level. We also have a
program called How to be Successful in Ten Minutes a Day, which is really terrific.
What a challenge.
It is. But we spend just ten minutes, the teacher spends just ten minutes each day helping
young people understand what success is all about. And that's been such a void in the
school system for years and years. I mean, who talks about such things in the school
system? Well, they are now. And then we have an Achievement Skill Training Program, which
is in the junior high and high school level. So we really have developed programs that
are very helpful throughout the school curriculum now.
Well, I understand that your book, Release Your Breaks, could be almost a textbook, maybe
for higher education, maybe not for elementary school by any means. But that's very exciting
and motivating, isn't it? That's the whole purpose.
Yes. And of course, the book is really primarily intended for adults. But its principle is
that we drive through life with our breaks partly set. We have a lot more ability than
we're using to become successful. And of course, that same thread runs its way through
the Thomas Jefferson Research Center activities as well.
Well, are you convinced that every one of us have resources that we aren't using or
can set the world on fire if we just have enough?
Oh, I'm not sure about setting the world on fire, but we can all certainly do a lot more
than we are. Yes, indeed.
And we should be gold-oriented.
Exactly.
The land of opportunity, there's no reason why not. Do you have scholarships for some
young people who are struggling and like higher education?
Yes.
Where do you send them? Throughout the country to school?
Well, yes, it depends on the area. In answer to the question you asked earlier, the Thomas
Jefferson Research Center is located in Pasadena on Lake. And so if anyone's interested in
contacting us, we'd be delighted to talk to them about how we can help them get some things
going in there as local school systems.
Well, we get mail from Carlstad, New Mexico, and I got a letter the other day from Coral
Gables, Florida, places like this. So who knows who might be watching out there and
you're not in that school system as yet. It's a pretty big country. And now you've answered
some of our questions and all we have to do is get a hold of you or you're in the phone
book.
Yes, the Thomas Jefferson Research Center is listed and can be accessed through information
or whatever, but it is in Pasadena, not in Los Angeles.
Well, we're so pleased that you're here today. And you've been in the Los Angeles school
system for quite some while.
Yes, that's true.
Well, we thank you very much for coming and sharing a little bit about your work and your
book, especially about the Thomas Jefferson Research Center. We know Dr. Fred Adler. He's
a wonderful supporter of excellence in media. We consider you a friend now, too.
Thank you.
Thank you so much. Haven't you ever wondered what you would do if you were caught up in
an earthquake? Well, perhaps you've been through a few like the rest of us. I know I have,
but a very severe one with everything crashing around me. And earthquake scientists do tell
us that we may experience a fairly severe one sometime in the next few years. So here
is a short film that we all ought to sit up and take notice about. It's going to show
us what we should do to prepare for such a catastrophe.
The massive destruction of earthquakes. They strike without warning and leave us with no
completely safe place in which to seek shelter. Most Californians have experienced an earthquake,
if only a minor one. But according to the United States Geological Survey, there is
more than a 50 percent chance of a major catastrophic earthquake occurring in California during the
next 30 years. In the event of an earthquake, would you know what to do? The difference
between panic and preparedness is life. After experiencing his first earthquake, Joe Foraker
of Mission Viejo, California began looking for information on what to do in any future
earthquake. When he didn't find a useful source of information, Joe, a former editor for Time
Life Education, wrote this book, What You Should Know About Earthquakes. He hopes the
book will not only save lives, but will also make survival a little easier in the hours
and days immediately following a major quake that is still due to hit California. What
will happen to a major population in the event of a major earthquake? A population of a half
million, three-fourths of a million, or even more than a million people. The facts of life
tell us that the water facilities will be off, the sanitation facilities will be off,
there'll be no emergency power. All of these people will be on their own from three to
five days. Joe has made earthquake preparedness his personal crusade. In his lecture appearances
and in his book, he explains the history of earthquakes and what causes them. But more
importantly, he explains in easy terms how to prepare for a quake, what to do during
the quake, and what to do afterwards. According to Joe, our chances of surviving a major quake
depend to a large extent on the time of day and where we are when the quake strikes. I
think all of us should develop a plan that would be tailor-made to suit our own needs.
You should have a plan in the event that the earthquake occurs while you're at work. You
should have a plan in the event that it occurs while you're going to and from work, or also
one when you're home. The chances are three and five that an earthquake will occur while
we're at home, since we spend roughly 60 percent of our time there. So Joe has prepared an
earthquake awareness checklist that all families should be familiar with. All family members
ten years old and older should know how to turn off all utilities, gas, water, and electricity,
and at least one family member should be trained in advanced first aid. Keep a three to four
day supply of water stored in dated plastic bottles that can be reached from at least
two entrances. Each family member should keep a pair of shoes stored under their bed, and
it's a very good idea to keep a flashlight nearby. Check the batteries periodically to
assure that they're still charged. Send a list of personal emergency contacts to a friend
or relative living at least 100 miles away. The entire family should be familiar with
your earthquake emergency plan. Know how to operate an all-purpose fire extinguisher that
should be kept readily available. And have an emergency suitcase packed and ready for
use following a quake. It should include a blanket, first aid kit and manual, plastic
bags for human waste disposal, two flashlights with extra batteries, a portable radio, soap,
aspirin, a knife and some can openers, and a kit with scissors, tweezers, and a magnifier
for removing splinters and glass. There's no reason why we cannot always have some type
of plan, not an exact plan, but a tentative plan, one that can be, become definite in
a hurry is really what I'm looking for. It could mean your survival in terms of knowing
what to do. The potential for an earthquake exists in almost every part of the United
States, but for those of us living in California, the chances are the greatest. If you're caught
in a quake, where do you go and what do you do? One of the first things that you have
to do is get a firm grip on yourself and say, it's an earthquake, but I'm not going to
panic. There's nothing you can do to stop the earthquake, but you can perform in such
a manner that it could save your life. If I were in the house, I'd look for a heavy
piece of furniture that I could crawl under, or a hallway, or possibly a doorway, someplace
away from the potential of flying broken glass. But one of the worst things you can do is
panic. The second worst thing that you could do is if you're inside a building is to run
out of the building just as fast as you can, because chimneys can fall, other types of
debris can fall, things like that can happen to you. After a quake has struck, the danger
isn't over. Joe suggests you first check for injuries, then look for fire, broken gas
lines, and other types of potential danger that could follow immediately after the quake
itself, and use your portable radio for emergency instructions. Joe estimates that only one
out of every 1,000 families are prepared for an earthquake. His personal crusade is not
meant to scare us, but to simply make us aware of what potential dangers exist. The overwhelming
evidence, total unanimity on the part of seismologists is that we will have a major earthquake in
Southern California within the next three decades. So this is what we should do by way
of preparing for an earthquake. But do we do it? That's the question. I don't, and I don't
know any of my friends who do. From this day on, I'm going to go home and do something about
it, and I hope you will too, because it could save so many, many lives. Today we have with
us Alice Morris. She's one of those rare sacrificial persons who do both their lives to the care
of others. She was a mother and a model and actress first, and then she found herself
all of a sudden a single parent with a severely handicapped child. And she herself went through
all of the pain and stress of trying to find work and child care. But before we talk with
her and she's here in person, let's take a look at a short film about her. These handicapped
children and hundreds like them have been given a new lease on life by Alice Morris.
She is founder of the Jeffrey Foundation in Los Angeles, a multi-service center for severely
handicapped children and their families. Not only does the foundation offer therapeutic
learning, it provides counseling and recreational programs to enhance the lives of these often
forgotten children. Alice created the foundation to help her handicapped son Jeffrey and herself
through a most difficult life. Her story is one of remarkable drive and boundless love.
By 1963, Alice Morris was already a highly successful model living in Chicago. Her life
held many joys and benefits, except one. She and her husband wanted a family. So in May
of 1963, they adopted a one week old boy, Jeffrey. He was one week old when we brought
him home. And at two, when he wasn't walking or talking, I took him to another specialist
because a regular family doctor just couldn't imagine what was wrong. And the specialist
found it muster dystrophy right away. I'll never forget driving home on the outer drive
in Chicago. I didn't even realize that I was driving. I was just like in a total state
of shock. I got home and there's this darling little two year old. I had to get him out
of his infant seat, take him out of the car, take him upstairs to the apartment, put him
in his high chair and start to feed him and think, oh my God, he's just, the doctor just
told me this child has a terminal illness. And it was a terrible realization. It really
was. I just wanted to love him more. I wanted to help him. And that was my, my greatest
concern. The difficulties in raising a handicapped child proved disastrous to Alice's marriage.
Alone yet fiercely determined, she decided to move to California and dedicate her full
attention to helping her handicapped son. It was out of her need to reach out to others
in order to help herself and her son that the Jeffrey Foundation was founded. I just
thought he deserved a chance. I was going to give him everything I could, but I was
so miserable myself that that is why I decided that there had to be a Jeffrey Foundation
to help make children like this happier and make it easier for people like me, their parents.
So on March 14th, 1972, the Jeffrey Foundation was chartered. It offers a variety of programs
and recreational activities for handicapped youngsters, including field trips to such
favorite playgrounds as Disneyland. There are two group homes in which the teenagers
learn a productive way of life. Every year there's a picnic with music, food, and an
award ceremony honoring those who have helped the Foundation. Alice created a happy and
positive environment for Jeffrey and the other handicapped youngsters. But for all the hard
work there was one thing she couldn't change. Muscular dystrophy is a terminal illness,
and once again Alice had to call upon the strength within herself. I went right back
to the office the day he died. I had work to do. I had other children to take care of.
Today Jeffrey's memory lives on through the work of the Jeffrey Foundation. It's testament
to the courage and determination of Alice Morris that she turned a personal tragedy
into a story with a happy ending. Before Jeffrey died at age 16, that kid had been everywhere
in California and then some more. And I think the secret to living with terminally ill children
is to give them as full a life as possible. And while you're doing that, you're helping
that parent too. So you know, it's a happy story. It's not a sad story. If he had to
go with a killer disease that they still have not found a cure for, at least the Jeffrey
Foundation was a way for him to have a happy life. And that's what we're all about. Put
it a little closer over there. It'll look better. Aw, your mama's gonna love this. Somewhere
deep in my heart there was a face that God knows what his plan is for you if you can
just find out what it is. And I thought, you know, maybe he had a reason for me to get
this little boy. Maybe his own mother wouldn't have loved him like I did.
Because of that love, hundreds of handicapped children are leading happy and productive
lives. They've made new friends, learned new skills, and found self-esteem. Not only
children with muscular dystrophy, but victims of cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and
Down syndrome. These children and their families have a place to go where they can receive
the guidance they so need and deserve, all because of the dedicated work of one remarkable
woman, Alice Morris. And the founder of the Jeffrey Foundation, Alice Morris, that remarkable
woman is sitting right here in our studio today. Alice, we know how busy you are, but
to think that you would come and tell us more about the Foundation, because to many people
a Foundation, just that word, means something cold and impersonal. But we see from the movie
that we just witnessed how exciting your work is and how you really care for others.
Well, thank you for inviting me today. It's really a pleasure to be here with you, Mary.
Now, you have worked how many years, all told?
Well, the Foundation will be fifteen years old in March of 87. However, it took me about
a year to organize it, and I guess so that's sixteen years.
Someone said that you've been invited to go national. This would be like a pilot organization.
Yes, definitely. We're now considered like a pilot organization. We just received a grant
from the City of Los Angeles to do a video on what programs are available for youngsters
here in Los Angeles, handicapped youngsters. And we expect that video to be used to help
to do a manual on how to do these programs. And now I'm being asked by many other cities
to come and speak and to help to start other programs there.
Well, now you have like daycare for them, but what about homes? Do some of them live
in homes?
Yes. We have two residential group homes. One is for boys and one is for girls. We have
twelve children all together that live there, six boys and six girls. And that's in the
West Los Angeles area, right in a really nice residential area. The purpose of the group
homes is to help the youngsters who cannot live at home for some reason or another. And
then of course we do have the after school programs for those who are still living at
home. Parents are trying to work and probably trying to keep their marriage together because
we find there's a lot of stress connected with having a handicapped child.
Would you tell us about some of the cases that you have taken care of?
Yes. You know, in my fifteen years I have heard and seen so much sadness and grief.
See it all, I'm sure.
Yes. And every day I'm still seeing this. And you know, so many people think that the
state or the government takes care totally of these youngsters, but really there's only
so much they can do too that the private sector like ourselves needs to help. We had the woman
who threw herself out the window when she found her child was handicapped. We had the
woman who shot herself. We had five youngsters with muscular dystrophy. We tried to serve
the boys as best we could until they were sent to different homes and things. And from
the sadness of hearing these things, I decided to open a group home in my own home when Jeffrey
was still living.
That's how it started.
Yes. And my husband and I have remarried, of course. Opened a group home in our own home
so that Jeffrey didn't have to go to some cold hospital because we knew he wasn't going
to be with us too long. But from that beginning we now have these twelve youngsters that live
in our group homes and the entire program has just grown. Some of the more desperate
cases are the little boy whose mother is never home when our bus comes to drop them off from
the after school program. And we know that mom is drinking and we're trying to get counseling
for her. The newest for us is to try to really have a very good counseling program for these
parents.
Well that's so very important. And some of them you know will be terminal cases if they
have muscular dystrophy, don't you?
Yes. And we have to teach them how to live with it and also their parents to live with
it. You know, I think the best thing that we can do is live one day at a time. That's
one of the secrets I learned so many years ago. And also our faith in God helps us through
this whole process. You just can't feel alone. If you do that you just give up.
No wonder you're an inspiration to people. Our friend Connie Stevens and other celebrities
say they're very interested in what you're doing. You do have quite a volunteer outreach
to take care of those what, over two or three hundred children that come and go throughout
the year?
Over two or three hundred children. Really three hundred and fifty children now when I looked just today.
And then we're spreading out to outreach in the home for handicapped youngsters and adults.
We've just opened an adult program that's a day program for those who don't go to school
anymore. After twenty-two when they can't go to school there's nothing to do. So we
just opened that program. And the next thing that will be the counseling project. We really
need to do that.
And of course weekends you're busy, aren't you, taking them to Disneyland or having field
trips or picnics somewhere?
Yes, we're going to be riding in a parade soon out in Glendale. And we invite you to
come with us Mary.
That's a lot of fun, yes.
And waves to everyone.
Oh yes. And then sometimes we have Steve Allen and friends like that, our celebrity friends.
He's our national chairman this year. And we do things with the children and with the
celebrities. Everybody has a wonderful time.
Well it's important that they have fun in life because you're only a child once and
you're physically handicapped. So often you're shunned by others and you give them just pure
love.
Exactly. And we need other people to help us with that too. We need volunteers.
Well thank you so much for being here today Alice Morris. We certainly admire everything
that you've done and all of your coworkers and your volunteers, what they're doing.
Next week we're going to be back here with you. We're going to be talking with Marvin
Westmore, the famous Westmore family of makeup artists. He has made out to great stars as
Don Johnson, Robert Redford. It's a long, long list. More than 200 movies and TV shows.
Also Barbara Kammerer will be here. She's the founder of a program for Burt and Children
that's become the model for the entire USA.
Margaret Birch will be here. She's an author and she's one of the founders of the Roundtable.
It's made up of all those famous authors who come for her Roundtable series. And Stephanie
Culp, the author, will be here to discuss her book, How to Get Organized When You Don't
Have the Time. Now that's for me. I never seem to have the time to get organized but
we'll find out from her how to do it. Be with us next week. Goodbye.