The Meyer Center for Special Children began with the belief that limitations were rarely absolute. Dr. Leslie Meyer, one of South Carolina’s first orthopedic physicians, began his practice in Greenville in 1951.  During his residency at Shriners Hospital, Dr. Meyer concluded that every child, regardless of his or her medical challenges, could benefit from education and therapy services.  In Dr. Meyer's eyes, every child held real potential. He was convinced that intervention at the earliest possible age would give each child the best chance to make progress.  

In a time when children with disabilities were not permitted to attend public school, Dr. Meyer, a true visionary, led the way for the founding of the Meyer Center in 1954.  The school was begun under the auspices of United Cerebral Palsy.  Dr. Meyer served as the Center's medical director at no charge for many years.

For more than 50 years, the Meyer Center has provided high-quality, affordable developmental education, therapy and family support services, providing children with disabilities the opportunity to reach their potential and become productive citizens in our community.  Meyer Center graduates have pursued careers in many fields and among our graduates are individuals holding advanced degrees.

In 1983, the Center was renamed The Meyer Center for Special Children, acknowledging Dr. Meyer's contribution as founder and medical director.  Today, as a DSS-licensed childcare provider, Medicaid rehabilitation facility and a S.C. Charter School, accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Center is the realization of Dr. Meyer’s vision, with more than 160 special-needs preschool children receiving services annually.