When Chadwick was first established in 1935, a key idea Margaret Chadwick wanted to emphasize was inclusivity. This idea has been promoted continuously from 1935 to now, and while Chadwick has been doing a good job overall, one area that could be improved is accessibility.
After breaking my leg during 9th grade orientation in 2024, I ended up being absent for the first two weeks of my freshman year, and when I did come back, I was stuck in a wheelchair for the entire first semester.
While in the wheelchair, I started noticing many things about our school that made it especially hard for me to get around that I never realized were issues when I could walk normally.
Firstly, there was no one at Chadwick to help push me around so I had to ask my dad for help. I would’ve done it myself but with the topography of Chadwick’s campus as well all the books I need to carry for my classes, I couldn’t do it alone.
This was especially difficult because it was a long and serious time commitment for him that he had to balance with his job.
Luckily, he was able to make things work, but it can be very difficult or not possible for families.
Chadwick, being built on a hill, already makes getting around tough; coupled with the lack of efficient, accessible pathways and the fact that all of my classes are spread all around campus, traveling to each class is often extremely tiring and long.
There were many times in freshman year that I ended up late to class because of how difficult it was to find a route.
Sometimes there were places I wanted to go but couldn’t because of my wheelchair.
For example, I was part of a tabletop gaming club last year that met weekly in the basement of Roessler.
It would’ve been a really fun way to hang out and play games with my friends; however, since there is no way for someone in a wheelchair to enter the basement of Roessler, I wasn’t able to go.
In order to make a school an inclusive place for all, everyone must be represented and supported equally and equitably.
For starters, Chadwick should have people assist students who need it. Not every family has a person who they call to take care of their student for most of the day at Chadwick, and a family shouldn’t have to have this responsibility to begin with.
Chadwick should always be able to take care of its students, no matter their situation.
Additionally, accessible pathways are needed throughout the campus.
While there are ramps to most locations across campus, there are some locations that still remain completely closed off, such as Roessler’s basement and the football field, and many of the ramps that Chadwick has are very steep and often require someone to go out of their way if they want to use it.
Key examples of this include the windy, long ramp that goes from the main lawn to Laverty. More accessible pathways should be across campus in places with more traffic so students can get to more places faster.
Chadwick’s website recognizes that although the school has made significant progress and accomplishments overall, there is still work to do. Lack of accessibility is a key issue that needs attention.
As Chadwick has been a school that has constantly continued to make life better in numerous ways for its students, I have faith that Chadwick will be able to fix this issue in the near future.
