One of Belle Layton Wyatt Willard’s last wishes was that land from her estate be donated to build a school for special-needs children. That’s how the Belle Willard School, the first school constructed by Fairfax County Public Schools specifically for children receiving special education services, came to be more than 60 years ago.

In 1954, Belle Willard Roosevelt and her husband Kermit, a son of President Teddy Roosevelt, were in the process of settling a family estate called Layton Hall, located in the town of Fairfax. The Roosevelts offered to donate part of the Layton Hall property to the Fairfax County School Board. Belle Roosevelt specified that she wanted the land to be used as the site for a school for handicapped children in memory of her mother, who had recently died. In keeping with her wishes, the school was given the name Belle Willard in honor of Belle Layton Wyatt Willard.

Belle Willard School opened in 1957 with four classrooms, therapy and speech therapy rooms and special ramps for children using wheelchairs. It was in use into the 1970s, when it merged with Fairhill School. The rapidly growing school system then began building special education centers within neighborhood schools.

Today, NCS continues the mission of providing therapeutic recreation, Infant Toddler Connection, and other services that aid in the social, emotional and physical wellbeing for children with disabilities.

This story is part of NCS Stories - an initiative to preserve and share stories of the persons, places and events that shaped the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.