See Handicap As Challenge

One of my earliest memories is of hiding under the kitchen table while a family tempest ensued above. The chief participants were my father and older sister, who stuttered badly. My sister and I shared a double bed. Perhaps, at that tender young age of 5, I began to stutter as a means of sharing her pain.

By age 12, with the help of family and teachers, I found nonverbal areas to excel in. I became a tennis champ, found expression as an art student and enjoyed swimming and dancing with my many friends. My high school years included World War II and the big band era. You can’t be too unhappy being a teenager while jitterbugging to Glenn Miller. So despite frequent stuttering episodes, I graduated and entered the University of Oregon. Marriage to a young law student and three children followed.

When I was about 28, a friend invited me to share a workshop he was sponsoring as part of his doctoral degree in speech pathology. Jim stuttered severely. We met once a week and were guided in a variety of therapy methods. One involved visiting exclusive clothing stores and engaging the clerks in conversation in which we were to exaggerate our speech impediments to a great extent.

The workshop was a major turning point in my life as I was amazed to discover how kind and patient many people can be. I realized I could contribute to making stuttering more understandable on several levels, by being open about my speech challenge without apology and by allowing others to share my experience. Once this freedom to speak without fear grew, there was no stopping my desire to achieve other goals. I became an art teacher, eventually teaching students at every possible age and ability level.

I now help organize a support group for stutterers of all ages. We meet at one another’s homes, share treats and have discussions. We would very much like to encourage parents of stutterers, teen and adult stutterers to participate in our group. Anyone who is interested please call Carolyn at 328-9941 or Greg at 235-8050.

Here’s some advice if you know a person who stutters: Give him complete eye contact and never finish his words or thoughts for him.

A former high-school dancing partner of mine lost both legs in an accident. He says it is the best thing to have happened. He has become a published mystery writer and playwright. So the lesson here is that what first appears as a handicap may just be the spur for greater deeds.

MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.