Media Items | Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium

Voices of Change Videos

The Story of Paul Dick, Accessible Transportation Advocate

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At just 14 years-old, Blair County native Paul Dick (1940 – 2010) was diagnosed with polio. He began to experience paralysis and use a wheelchair. He started treatments at Warm Springs, a polio treatment facility founded by President Franklin Roosevelt. As a teen who was receiving treatments and care away from home, then a professional who was faced with unreliable transportation to work, Paul saw firsthand that transportation was a major barrier for people with disabilities.

Paul, an ardent changemaker, was determined to eliminate this barrier. He helped create Allegheny County’s ACCESS Transportation System, one of the largest coordinated systems that stands as a model nationwide. His remarkable 55-year advocacy career focused on ensuring sustainable, accessible public transportation that operated as a collaboration between government and the citizens who use it.

The Life of Joe Benedum Trees (1931-2011)

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Joe Benedum Trees, born in Pittsburgh in 1931, was diagnosed with intellectual disability and autism. His childhood took place in a day and age when very few disability services were available. Joe’s parents – Edith Lahm and Joseph Clifton Trees – had the financial means to provide their son’s support needs throughout his lifetime. After their passing, Joe lived with caregivers at Treesdale Manor, until his death in 2011 at the age of 79.

This interview tells the story of Joe’s life through the eyes of three dedicated caregivers at Treesdale Manor, the family’s estate in the North Hills of Allegheny County — Jesse Meckler, custodian; Dick O’Rourke, superintendent; and Barbara Soltis, nurse. Today, the trust fund set up for Joe’s life-long care provides financial support to numerous Western Pennsylvania organizations that serve people with disabilities.

Download the transcript of The Life of Joe Benedum Trees video.

Kate Bayer, special education teacher, Polk State Center, early 1970s

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As a graduate student in special education at Pennsylvania’s Clarion University in the early 1970s, Kate Bayer spent nine months teaching school-age children at Polk State Center, an institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Venango County.

Her assignment to Polk Center followed the 1972 Pennsylvania judicial decree which guaranteed–for the first time–the “Right to Education” for children with disabilities.

At Polk, Kate witnessed treatment she considered inhumane. Committed to making sure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were treated with dignity and respect, Kate went on to work in a community-based disability services agency for 28 years. She began as a direct care professional and retired as Director of Development and Marketing.

Kate’s account of teaching at Polk State Center, her observations about the treatment of residents, and her life-long commitment to people with disabilities is part of Western Pennsylvania history. Kate, a long-time resident of the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, passed away in March 2021 at the age of 70.

Download the transcript of Kate Bayer, Special Education Teacher, Polk State Center, early 1970s, video.

Interview with sisters of Danny Flavin, who lived for 56 years at Polk State Center

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Danny Flavin (1946-2018) was one of seven children in a large Irish American family in a Pittsburgh suburb. He was born with a genetic condition that resulted in intellectual disabilities. His childhood took place in a time when few services were available for children with disabilities. Nevertheless, the Flavins raised their son at home amid a loving family.

When Danny was 16 years old, his parents became concerned about aggressive behaviors that had become a risk to his safety and the safety of others. No support services were available to help the family keep Danny at home. His parents made the difficult decision to move him to Polk State School and Hospital (now Polk Center), a large institution with about 3,000 residents at that time.

Danny’s transition to Polk Center was hard on the entire family, but was especially difficult for his father, Frank, who doted on his son and worked with him tirelessly. In this interview, Danny’s sisters, Virginia and Carol, speak about their strong connection with their brother, the care he received at Polk, and their support of state centers for people with significant disabilities. Polk Center, which remains open today with just over 100 residents, is moving toward closure.

Download the transcript of Interview with sisters of Danny Flavin video.