Dozens of buses and vans from school districts across the state line up outside the Eden School each weekday morning. Teachers greet smiling students who are eager to head into their classroom.
Fifty years ago, mornings at Eden looked much different. There was no line of buses surrounding a state-of-the-art school building. Instead, 14 families drove their children to Trinity Church in downtown Princeton to attend classes held in the rented basement.
Unable to find appropriate services and supports for their child elsewhere, these pioneering parents were determined to create a better world for their children. So, they created the Eden Institute (now known as Eden Autism Services).
In 1975, there were no roadmaps to success for an organization like Eden. But everyone involved was willing to try new things, push the boundaries, and challenge the established notions of what treating autism could look like.
The Founding Families raised $13,000 to pay for initial supplies and the first round of salaries. Staff held classes in various spaces in the church’s basement. Occupational therapy was held in the boiler room and speech therapy in a bathroom vestibule. Teachers discussed what worked for their students and then created written teaching programs, eventually developing the Eden Curriculum.
“It was obvious early on how we were impacting families and students,” said Lead Teacher Ken Dorfman. Ken joined Eden in 1981 when Eden had relocated to the Nassau Christian Center. “We had to take the room apart on Friday for church services over the weekend, move it all to the corner, and then set everything back up Monday morning. It was just what we did. We were determined to do what we could for the students and families.”
This determination led to significant improvements in students’ behaviors and communication skills. “You really felt a sense of accomplishment,” said Ken. “All the hard work, it was worth it because you’re impacting lives. It’s not a job where you go home, and it doesn’t matter. You’re impacting a real person, and they are grateful, and their families are grateful.”
Inspired by students’ progress, staff continued to find new ways to help students and their families beyond the classroom by working with them in their homes and creating community engagement opportunities. “We felt good that we were making a difference. We wanted to keep going,” said Ken.
While much has changed over the last 50 years, the staff’s commitment to do whatever it takes to help individuals with autism still lies at the very heart of Eden’s mission.
“There is nothing greater than positively impacting someone’s life,” said Ken.
