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Directors’ Office files

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Creator:

Unknown

Date Range:

1950-2000

Call Number:

AG45

Abstract:

This is a set of files from the offices of Perkins School for the Blind directors: Edward J. Waterhouse (Director from 1951-1971), Benjamin F. Smith (Director from 1971-1977), Charles C. Woodcock (Director from 1977-1984), and Kevin J. Lessard (Director from 1985-2002). The files are primary documents related to their activities as director and include administration policy, events and conferences, and school programs such as the international program and the deafblind program. Other materials include manuscripts, pamphlets, photographs, journal articles, and staff records. Many of the files contain documents that overlap directors. Lessard’s collection contains general files as well as separate categorizations for conferences, trustees, International Council for Education of the Visually Handicapped (I.C.E.V.H.) Educator journal materials, and a group that is possibly pertaining to Lessard’s time as Assistant Director of Perkins. 

Extent:

41.25 linear feet

Language:

English

Processed by:

Roving archivist Rachel Onuf, Molly Stothert-Maurer and Jen Hale, 2014 ; Biographies and scope/contents by Susanna Coit, 2022.

Processing Note:

This collection was processed thanks to a Roving Archivist grant provided by the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB).

Biographical/Historical Notes:

Edward J. Waterhouse

Edward J. Waterhouse (1902-1999) was born in Hale, England and graduated from Queen’s College Cambridge University in 1930. He immigrated to the United States in 1933 and began teaching mathematics at Perkins School for the Blind, where he was also a housemaster in one of the school’s residences. From 1935 to 1938 he represented Perkins in the planning and directing of WPA projects, which made educational models and embossed maps for the blind. In 1948 he was appointed manager of Perkins’ Howe Press and while in that position he did much to introduce to the world the newly designed Perkins Brailler. He also helped to establish new programs and services in the United States and worldwide for individuals with deafblindness. In addition, he worked to expand the Perkins Teacher Training Program for professionals around the world.

In 1951, Dr. Waterhouse became the fifth director of the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind (now Perkins School for the Blind). He resigned as director in 1971, but continued to work as a consultant for Perkins for a number of years. He also served as a trustee of the National Braille Press (Boston) and as an overseer of the John Milton Society for the Blind (New York). He was chairman of the North American Committee on Service for the Blind and Deaf from 1970-1974. He was involved with ICEVI (formerly ICEBY, or the International Conference of Education of Blind Youth) from its very conception and its first conference in 1952, and later served as president of the conference from 1962-1967.  He died in Bath, ME, on September 17, 1999.

Benjamin F. Smith

Benjamin F. Smith (circa 1913-2008) was a teacher at Perkins for 38 years and later became the first visually impaired man to hold the director’s office position (1971-1977). He served as a teacher in both Lower and Upper Schools, as Dean, Principal, Assistant Director, and finally Director. Smith helped develop a career training program and a community residence plan (the first of its kind). Under Smith’s administration a number of important program changes were pioneered in order to meet the needs of a changing pupil population and to comply with the new special education legislation. The school began serving a large number of multi-impaired students and clients while maintaining its academic program for high school students. In the 1940s Smith did a great deal of original work on teaching arithmetic on the braille writer, and these innovations affected the design of the Perkins Brailler.

Charles C. Woodcock

Charles C. Woodcock was the director from 1977 to 1984. Woodcock founded the preschool program, as well as creating employment, vocational training, and other programs and making the campus more accessible to mobility needs.

Kevin J. Lessard

Kevin J. Lessard was the director from 1985 to 2002. Lessard oversaw the Hilton grant, the largest grant the school has ever received, creating the Hilton/Perkins program, now Perkins International. This dramatically improved services for children who are deafblind or have multiple disabilities around the world.

Restrictions:

This collection contains items that are restricted.

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Perkins School for the Blind, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Credit line/Citation:

AG45 Perkins’ Directors’ Office Files. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Scope/Contents:

This collection includes primary documents related to the activities of Perkins directors: Edward J. Waterhouse (Director from 1951-1971), Benjamin F. Smith (Director from 1971-1977), Charles C. Woodcock (Director from 1977-1984), and Kevin J. Lessard (Director from 1985-2002). Topics include administration, policy, events, conferences, and school programs, such as the international program and deafblind program. There are also manuscripts, pamphlets, photographs, journal articles, and staff records.

Arrangement:

4 Series, 33 boxes

  • Boxes 1-6: Edward J. Waterhouse and Benjamin F. Smith, circa 1950-1976, bulk 1960-1976
  • Boxes 7-13: Charles C. Woodcock, circa 1970-1984
  • Boxes 14-33: Kevin J. Lessard, circa 1976-2000, bulk 1980-2000

Container List:

Detailed Box list available upon request

  • Box 1-2: Smith-Waterhouse correspondence by state, 1961-1976
  • Box 2-3: Smith-Waterhouse international correspondence, 1961-1976
  • Box 3: Ferrell-Waterhouse international correspondence, 1928, 1957, 1958
  • Box 4: Smith-Waterhouse correspondence by organization, 1961-1976
  • Box 5: Smith-Waterhouse correspondence, clippings, manuscripts, and documents, 1961-1976 
  • Box 6: Smith-Waterhouse correspondence, 1961-1976
  • Box 7: Woodcock, undated, 1982-1984
  • Box 8-9: Woodcock, undated, 1983-1984
  • Box 10-9: Woodcock, undated, 1979-1984
  • Box 11: Woodcock, undated, 1978-1984
  • Box 12: Woodcock, undated, [1978-1982]
  • Box 13: Woodcock, undated, [1978-1983]
  • Box 14: Lessard, undated, 1985-1999
  • Box 15: Lessard, 1993-2000
  • Box 16: Lessard, 1992-1997
  • Box 17: Lessard, undated, 1986-1997
  • Box 18: Lessard, undated, 1992-1989
  • Box 19-20: Lessard, undated, 1989-1991
  • Box 21: Lessard, undated, 1992-1997, Conference Files
  • Box 22: Lessard, undated, 1986-1988, Conference Files
  • Box 23: Lessard, undated, 1986-1988, Conference Files
  • Box 24: Lessard, undated, 1987-1999, Trustees Files
  • Box 25: Lessard, 1989-1997, Trustees Files by Name
  • Box 26: Lessard, undated, 1983-1987, Trustees Files by Name
  • Box 27: Lessard, undated, 1987-1994, The ICEVH Educator journal Files
  • Box 28-29: Lessard, undated, 1981-1985, Possibly Kevin Lessard Files during role as Assistant Director, bulk 1981-1985
  • Box 30-31: Lessard, undated, 1980-1985, Possibly Kevin Lessard Files during role as Assistant Director, bulk 1981-1985
  • Box 32: Lessard, undated, 1959-1986, Possibly Kevin Lessard Files during role as Assistant Director, bulk 1981-1985
  • Box 33: Lessard, undated, 1978-1985, Possibly Kevin Lessard Files during role as Assistant Director, bulk 1981-1985

Provenance:

This is a set of files from the offices of Perkins School for the Blind directors: Edward J. Waterhouse (Director from 1951-1971), Benjamin F. Smith (Director from 1971-1977), Charles C. Woodcock (Director from 1977-1984), and Kevin J. Lessard (Director from 1985-2002).

Subject headings:

  • Waterhouse, Edward J., 1902-1999
  • Perkins School for the Blind–History
  • Perkins School for the Blind

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