The Arc's 75th Anniversary - Remembering Where it all Began

October 21, 2010 was a day of celebration.  Around 70 peoplegathered at the King County Superior Court House to commemorate The Arc's 75th year as an organization that advocates for the rights of children and adults with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work and play in the community.  The location and spirit of this celebration is of historical significance to The Arc, as it is the same place and date that people came together 75 years ago, with the intent to improve the quality of life for children with developmental disabilities who were living at the institutional State Custodial School at Medical Lake. 

The gathering on October 21, 1935 was organized by James Oakley, who wanted to provide the children living at the school, where his own son resided, with books, toys, and other things that were not provided by the state.  After securing the school superintendent's approval, Oakley and his wife Annie began their endeavor by reaching out to the parents of children who were living at the custodial school.  At this meeting a commitment was made to continue to work on behalf of the institutionalized children.  This group adopted the name Children's Benevolent League, which eventually became The Arc.

The Children's Benevolent League (CBL) started to flourish within other communities throughout Washington State.  Fifty delegates from towns throughout the state gathered at the first annual convention, therefore qualifying the CBL as a statewide organization.  At the convention, delegates were greeted with a performance by the state custodial school marching band.  The band was dressed in blue and white uniforms, the same colors used in The Arc's logo today.  In 1936 the CBL became an official organization, representing the beginning of The Arc.

During the 1940's the CBL established its vision and goals.  The organization expanded its mission to not only provide for the children of the custodial schools, but to also advocate on their behalf.  In 1945, the CBL sent a letter to the Governor of Washington State advocating for construction of new buildings at state institutions in order to alleviate overcrowding.  This was an early precedent for organized advocacy at The Arc.  

The 1950's represented a decade of achievements.  The CBL established a trust fund to subsidize medical research for developmental disabilities.  In 1952, the CBL  changed its name to The Arc.  In 1957, The Arc was featured in a television program titled, "Where to Turn" which was aired on the public television station KCTS.  In 1958, the King County chapter established Camp Waskowitz, a summer camp, which was one of the earliest recreational programs for individuals with developmental disabilities in the state.  

The 1960's saw further expansion.  The interest in Camp Waskowitz continued to grow, as did its sources of funding, which expanded to include contributions from parents, corporations and other organizations.  During the 1970's and 1980's, The Arc concentrated on advocacy.  The key issues were advocating for the civil rights of individuals with developmental disabilities; the public school education system, including pre-school programs; and the closure of state institutions.  The 1990's and 2000's saw an expansion of self-advocacy on issues affecting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

From a vision of improving the lives of children with developmental disabilities who were living in state run institutions, The Arc's mission expanded to include advocating for the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.  On the foundation of 75 years of tireless effort by individuals from the past, those involved in The Arc's community build on this spirit today.  The Arc's 75th Anniversary is a celebration of our past, our present, and our future.

Visit The Arc of King County's photo gallery to see the photos of The Arc's 75th Anniversary celebration!  All photos by Kristin Atkinson Photography.

To read more about the history of The Arc, please see Larry A. Jones' book "The Arc of Washington State 75th Anniversary - Pictorial Supplement to Doing Disability Justice 75 Years of Family Advocacy"