[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 40 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NAOMI FRANK

                                 ______


                         HON. ROBERT S. WALKER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 20, 1996

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to bring to your 
attention a special constituent of mine, Naomi Frank, of West Chester, 
PA. Born in Sharpsville, PA, on April 29, 1915, Naomi Frank moved to 
Farrell, PA, when she was 3\1/2\ years old. From an early age, Naomi 
had learning impediments that would prevent her from keeping up with 
her classmates. After many starts in the public schools, her parents 
realized the problems and had Naomi enrolled in the Woods School in 
Langhorne, PA. Naomi then worked with Dr. Frederick Martin and 
participated in a speech seminar at Ithaca College in New York. While 
on her way home to Farrell, in August 1934, she was involved in a 
serious car accident.
  After much rehabilitation, Naomi enrolled in 1938 to attend the 
Devereaux School where she would learn to be independent. As part of 
her education, Naomi learned to play the baritone D-flat horn and 
participated in the school band. The Devereaux School had a camp for 
its students on Emden Lake in the State of Maine. In 1942, 1943, 1944, 
and 1946, Naomi was selected as one of the young women to spend her 
summer in Maine. Naomi stayed at the Devereaux School working and 
learning until 1983, when she was forced to leave school because she 
could not earn enough to pay the tuition herself.
  Upon leaving the Deveraux School, Naomi moved to Coatesville, then 
Brandamore, PA, and in 1990 she moved to the Wentworth Home in West 
Chester, PA--located in my congressional district. She took a job at 
the West Chester library, while also volunteering her time at the 
Chester County Hospital. In 1993, Naomi received her 500-hour volunteer 
pin and in 1995 her 1,000-hour volunteer pin.
  In October 1987, Naomi Frank began to prepare for her bat mitzvah. 
She was encouraged to do that by Rabbi Charny, and on October 27, 1988 
was bat mitzvahed. Currently, she has just completed her autobiography 
entitled ``Book of My Life''.
  Naomi Frank, throughout her life, has shown that a strong will and 
hard work can improve not only one's own life, but the lives of others. 
Naomi Frank has overcome many obstacles in her life and in doing so has 
touched the lives of countless others. I rise today to salute Naomi 
Frank for her perseverance and determination for I believe she has been 
an example of self-reliance to many people.

                          ____________________