▁up ▁to ▁age ▁ 1 2 . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁accepted ▁and ▁that ▁work ▁began . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁ag ency ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Children ' s ▁Study ▁Home ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁di agnostic ▁and ▁treatment ▁work ▁we ▁pione ered ▁for ▁children ▁with ▁emot ional ▁and ▁behavior al ▁problems . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁it ▁became ▁necessary ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁Home ' s ▁mission ▁and ▁future ▁direction ▁due ▁to ▁decl ine ▁in ▁adm issions . ▁ ▁The ▁board ▁voted ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁to ▁accept ▁recommend ations ▁for ▁a ▁treatment ▁orient ed ▁institution ▁for ▁em otion ally ▁dist urbed ▁boys ▁and ▁girls ▁ages ▁ 6 ▁to ▁ 1 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁recommendation ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁fost er ▁home ▁program ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁home ▁arrangement ▁for ▁children ▁ready ▁to ▁re - enter ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁Kath le en ▁Thor nt on ▁School , ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁ag ency ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 – 1 9 6 0 ▁opened ▁as ▁a ▁school ▁to ▁educ ate ▁young sters ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁function ▁in ▁public ▁school . ▁ ▁The ▁ag ency ▁was ▁again ▁expanded ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁to ▁include ▁treatment ▁of ▁te en agers ▁facing ▁emot ional ▁challeng es . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁a ▁campus ▁in ▁the ▁Six teen ▁Ac res ▁section ▁of ▁Spring field ▁was