The first meeting of the Indiana Council of Administrators of Special Education (ICASE) was held in late October, 1961 in Indianapolis. Later that year the logo was designed, and in 1962 the first Constitution was written. In 1992 ICASE became affiliated with the national Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). For more than forty years ICASE has served the professional needs of its members, and will continue to provide leadership into the 21st century.
Prior to the first official meeting of ICASE, there were two meetings in 1960. The first meeting was held in the office of Nelson Mosher, director of special education at South Bend Community Schools. The second meeting was held in the Murat Shrine building at Indianapolis. The organizational meeting of the Indiana Council of Administrators of Special Education was held in late October 1961 at the Hollyhock Hill Restaurant, 8110 North College Avenue, in Indianapolis. Nelson Mosher is credited with organizing this first meeting. The following directors were in attendance as charter members at the organizational meeting: Nelson Mosher (South Bend), Vernon Black (Wabash/MSD Pike), Paul Lane (Lafayette), Ben Morgan (Indianapolis), Rowena Piety (Hammond), Donald Rice (MSD Washington), and Harold Wallace (Muncie). Others who may have been present were Agnes Mahoney and Jeanette Riker. A year later Mosher became the first ICASE President. Other early members were Charles Nipple (Anderson/Kokomo), Lloyd Way (Fort Wayne), and Joe Lowe (LaPorte). The organization’s logo was designed by Vern Black (MSD Pike) in 1961. John Reifsnider (East Allen) later added the shape of Indiana and the two stars. The first ICASE Constitution was written in 1962 by Vern Black (MSD Pike), Don Rice (MSD Washington), and Ben Morgan (Indianapolis).
Chapter 396 of the Acts of 1969 embodied the concept of mandatory education for handicapped children and was to be effective July 1, 1973. One provision of Chapter 396 required the appointment of a State Advisory Council on Education of the Handicapped. Members of the first State Council were: Vincent Haviza, Muriel Lee, Rowena Piety (Hammond), Rutherford Porter (ISU), Maurice Schankerman, Lawrence Wade, and Shannon White (Elkhart County).