Mollie Woods Hare (1881-1956)
Langhorne, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
She played a significant role in the development and advancement of theory and practice of educating children with intellectual disabilities. Founded by Hare in 1913, the Woods Schools evolved into a nationally recognized center emphasizing the integration of research, education, and rehabilitation for people with special needs throughout Pa. and the US. Her pioneering programs received widespread recognition for excellence.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In an era when children with intellectual disabilities were too often hidden away or written off, Mollie Woods Hare devoted her life to teaching them. In 1913 she founded the Woods Schools, which grew into a nationally recognized center blending research, education, and rehabilitation for people with special needs. Her pioneering methods drew wide acclaim and helped advance the very theory of how such children could be taught.
Why it matters
Hare stands among the American reformers who insisted that people with disabilities deserved education and dignity, laying groundwork for the special-education and disability-rights movements that followed.
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