Robert Squier - Who Is Temple Grandin?

Weirdo.

Oddball.

Once again, the kids were tossing insults at Temple Grandin in the hallway of junior high school.

They picked on Temple because she didnt act like everybody else. She spoke in a loud, flat voice. She repeated sentences over and over, word for word. She clapped her hands over her ears at the sound of the school bell. She acted lost and afraid in the crowded school hall.

Kids couldnt understand what made Temple tick. And Temple couldnt understand them, either. That was because Temples brain worked differently from theirs. She had been born with a developmental disorder known as autism (say: AW-tiz-im). It showed up when she was a baby, making her behave in odd ways.

On this day, Temples temper boiled over at the bullying. She hurled a book at a kid. Hours later, the principal expelled her from school. Probably no one was too surprised. Temple was flunking nearly all her subjects. They just didnt interest her.

Everyone back in 1961 would have been amazed to know that Temple would grow up to become a world-famous animal scientist. All through her career she has worked to improve the treatment of cows and other animals that are raised for food.

Every year, millions and millions of cattle are killed for beef. Until Temple came along, people thought of cattle as products to turn into hamburgers and steaks. But Temple paid attention to the fear and pain cattle felt at large meat plants.

As an autistic person, Temple often felt like a scared animal herself. Loud noises, unfamiliar objects, sudden movementsany of those might frighten her at any minute. Her fears helped Temple tune in to the way animals feel.

Autism is a disorder that affects the way a person behaves. The disorder affects people in a wide range of ways. On one end are children who never learn to speak and are locked inside their own world. At the other end are children who have some quirks but grow up to lead successful, independent lives.

Many children with autism

• have a hard time understanding other peoples feelings

• have trouble with speech

• often repeat words and certain actions again and again

• are highly sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, and rough fabrics

• are very good at some things and very poor at others

• tend to space out and block out the outside world

• become obsessed with certain interests and projects (for example, trains or computers)

• dislike change to their routine

Little by little, she changed the meat industry. Thanks to Temple, people began to realize that cattle are creatures with feelings that deserve a good life to the end.

Does autism make Temple more aware of animals feelings? Temple thinks so. It makes her accept herself just the way she is. She has said many times, If I could snap my fingers and be non-autistic, I would not. Autism is part of who I am.

CHAPTER 1

An Unusual Child

Mary Temple Grandin was born in Boston in 1947. Her family called her by her middle name, Temple. To this day, thats how everyone knows her.

Her parents, Eustacia and Richard, were educated and well-to-do. Nothing unusual set the Grandins apart from other couples. But their firstborn child wasnt at all like other children.

Other babies cuddled up to their mothers. But when Eustacia hugged Temple, her child clawed at her like a wild animal. Other babies smiled and cooed and laughed. Not Temple. Later, when Temple did laugh, her mother said, It erupts out of her in uncontrollable spasms, along with spitting.

Youngsters usually start talking around age two. Temple never spoke a word. Instead she screamed, hummed, and made peeping sounds while flapping her hands.

And she was destructive. Temple broke her toys and ripped wallpaper off the wall. She chewed puzzle pieces and spat out the mush. In wild temper tantrums, she yanked off her shoes and threw themhard.

Of course other toddlers threw tantrums, too. But Temples were longer, louder, and more furious. There were days when Temple seemed fine. Then suddenly, shed throw herself on the floor, kicking and screaming.

Eustacia was only nineteen when Temple was born. She worried that she was doing something wrong with her daughter. She wasnt. A second daughter, Jean, born when Temple was almost two, behaved just fine. In all, the Grandins had four childrenthree daughters and a son. None of the other children acted like Temple.