Earnestine Barton:  

Life My madien name was Irwin. I was born in Greenup, Kentucky. My 3rd grade teacher was Mrs. Jesse Stewart. Her husband whom became a famous author, came to our room with a tree to decorate for christmas one year. It was a time I will never forget. Barton is my married name. Yes I married Herman. My parents moved from Ky. to Ohio when I was around 11 and I lived there untill I graduated from Hasrding High School. During my senior year I worked at the Marion Court House in the payroll departement the Palace Theater, Bargin City Department Store. Moved to California after graduation. Herman came out to California shortly after and we were married there in Nov. of 1967. Then back to Marion, Ohio in 1969 with our 3 month old son Richard. Named after Hermans' best friend Richard Ganson some of you may remember him. When the Erie railroad closed Herman found a good job in Texas with US Steel until they closed the doors on the plant. I worked at San Jacinto Mall in Baytown, Texas for a while. Then I became a fultime care giver to our son diagnosed with Infantile Autism at the age of 18 month's. After that it was next to impossible to fined a sitter to care for him with knowledge of Autism. Next move was to Florida where Autism was not even recognized as a disability. So! I and a few friend's lobbied for 5 years and finaly Autism was recognized and services provided for persons with Autism in the state of Florida. He is now 35 (2004) and still has to have full time supervision as he never developed verbal language or the concept of danger. I have had a long road lobbying for services and rights of the disabled in every state we have lived in and now in Georgia as well. When disabled person's leave our public school system they are looked at as if they should no longer exist when it comes to receiving services. I attended Florida Community College at Jackso...Expand for more