DuBard School Director, Dr. Maureen K. Martin retires

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - USM's DuBard School for Language Disorders Director, Dr. Maureen K. Martin is retiring after serving the school for 41 years.

"It was a difficult decision to decide to retire, but it was time to let others step up and manage the day-to-day operations, and have a little less intense schedule," said Martin.

Martin worked under the guidance of late Dr. Etoile DuBard who founded the school 55 years ago.

"When I started in the field, it was a very young field. And there really weren't any therapy materials. If you had therapy materials you made them. There really weren't tests. Dr. DuBard had us figure out how to make tests so we can access children's understanding and use of language," said Martin.

The school now serves 80 full-time students who not only have speech problems, but oral language problems, dyslexia, hearing loss, etc.

"I hope that they would remember that I loved the children and their families, and had great appreciation for my colleagues within the DuBard School and throughout the university," said Martin.

Martin said she hopes every child who needs help are able to receive the services they need.

Martin also said she will be spending more time with family and hopes to be of service to the school if needed.

Michele Schraeder has been appointed interim director.