[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Page 32005]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING SALLY L. SMITH

 Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, on December 1, America lost a great 
and innovative educator and a wonderfully decent human being when Sally 
Smith passed away this week at the age of 78. Sally was the founder and 
director of one of America's most important teaching institutions, the 
Lab School in Washington, DC.
  Sally was a New York City native, and longtime resident of the 
District. She graduated in 1950 from Bennington College, and received a 
master's degree in education from New York University in 1955. In 1967, 
inspired by her own son's difficulties in learning, she founded the Lab 
School.
  Beginning with just her son and three other students, the Lab School 
has now grown into an internationally renowned school for students with 
learning disabilities. Sally's fundamental belief was that all 
children, no matter what the disability, have the potential, ability 
and ingenuity to learn. Sally created a unique and innovative learning 
environment where students are given the tools and encouragement needed 
to fulfill their goals. She also provided through the Lab School the 
resources needed for others to teach students with disabilities.
  In 1976, Sally became a professor at the School of Education at 
American University, where she ran the master's degree program 
specializing in learning disabilities. The Lab School serves as the 
primary training site for most graduate students in the program. Sally 
is the author of 10 books on education. Her teaching techniques have 
been showcased in a four film series on PBS.
  My wife Lilibet and I are privileged to have been actively involved 
with the Lab School over the last 11 years, and we came to know and 
admire Sally. She was an American original and represented the best of 
our society.
  Like all of Sally's many friends, Lilibet and I offer our prayers to 
the Smith family. She leaves the world a better place than she found 
it. She will be missed by that world.
  Sally is survived by her sons, Randall, Nick and Gary Smith; a 
sister; and 1 granddaughter.

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