By 1897, Theodore Hammond Smith’s parents were radical innovators in the field of treating people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Theodore followed their lead by becoming a medical professional. In 1935 he purchased a large estate in Ben Lomond, the old Musgrove mansion. He renamed it the Blake Hammond Manor. Under Theodore’s stewardship, the Manor would transform into a school for disabled children. Then, disabled people were often excluded from society or treated with invasive attempts to “fix” the mind and body, such as lobotomies or shock therapies. Theodore’s approach was to create a dignified home-like space where disabled children would be holistically educated. These scholars would learn traditional subjects, productive skills, how to live with their disabilities, and how to live with others in a communal setting to support their rightful place in the larger social structure. Theodore operated the school in Ben Lomond until he became gravely ill in 1968 and the property had to be sold.
The Right to Live
Smith Family Archive
Theodore Hammond Smith (pictured) was a medical professional, served in the United States Navy Medical Corps, was a world traveler, and beloved father.
The Right to Live
Smith Family Archive
The school was designed and arranged to resemble typical classrooms. Theodore’s dedication to treating people with dignity and equity is evidenced in the design and composition of classrooms. This extends to the larger layout of buildings and halls, which grouped the students according to need and ability. Many students lived with a degree of independence.
The Right to Live
Smith Family Archive
The Blake Hammond Manor Booklet documents Theodore’s philosophy of equity and compassionate guidance in treating disabled people. Though unacceptable now, it uses terms seen as progressive in their moment to describe difference. Theodore’s progressive structure of education was about capability and human dignity. It was a project of liberation. His philosophy of habilitation and education considered the whole person, strove toward social integration, and appreciated the beneficial effects of the natural environment. He chose Ben Lomond and the Santa Cruz Mountains for a reason! The beauty of the forest and landscape was a part of Theodore’s ideas about treatment.
