1960 International Conference on the Family: Personal Maturity and Family Security

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 In lieu of the regular Annual Conference, NCFR cosponsored, with the International Union of Family Organizations (IUFO, based in Paris, France), the 1960 International Conference on the Family. It was held at Teachers College, Columbia University, August 23–26, 1960. The theme was “Personal Maturity and Family Security.” Over 800 attended, including approximately 200 delegates from 31 countries. Many of the NCFR committees had special assignments, for example, pre-conference translations of papers into French, German, Spanish, and English (simultaneous translation was not yet available), post-conferences for foreign delegates, and efforts to raise money for the conference. As a matter of policy, the conference steered clear of all controversial issues. Harold Christenson was chairman of this conference.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 Read the March 1960 letter from NCFR President Aaron Rutledge to members describing the work of preparing for this conference.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 Read the International Union of Family Organizations membership pamphlet

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 IUFO officers were as follows: Xavier Byckmann, President; Jean Delaporte, Secretary-General; Robert Boudet, Director.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 Sections and chairs at the time of this conference (which were replaced at the NCFR annual conference) were the following:

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0
Counseling, chaired by Paul Vahanian
Education in Colleges, chaired by Lawrence S. Beek
Education in Schools, chaired by Elizabeth S. Force
Family Life Education in the Community, chaired by Dorothy Westby Gibson
Religion, chaired by John J. Egan
Research, chaired by Robert O. Blood, Jr.
Nursery Schools, chaired by Elba Crumm
Parent Education, chaired by John Chantiny

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 It was predicted that over $19,000 would have to be raised to pay of the conference expenses.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 An outgrowth of this conference was the NCFR International Liaison Committee, which was established to recognize an emerging world movement toward strengthening family life, to explore ways for NCFR to cooperate in the movement, and to build relations with the IUFO. Evelyn Millis Duvall was the first chair. Through this committee a number of foreign colleagues were sponsored as NCFR members by U.S. members.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 Forty-four of the papers delivered at this conference were as follows:

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0
“Strengthening the Parent–Teacher Partnership”—James C. Parker, President of the U.S. National Congress of Parents and Teachers
“Our National Search for Maturity”—Katherine Brownell Oettinger, Chief of the U.S. Children’s Bureau
“The Washington, D.C., Story”—Juanita Winn, Washington, DC, Public Schools
“Cooperation Between Parents and Educators and the Preparing of Young People for the Future”—Lucien Guibourge, UNESCO, Geneva, Switzerland
“Developing Personal Maturity and Family Security in Multi-Racial and Multi-Cultural Neighborhoods”—Flo Gould and Richard Kerckhoff, Merrill–Palmer Institute, Detroit, MI
“The Relationship Between Religion and Family Systems”—John L. Thomas, SJ, St. Louis University, MO
“Education for Marriage and Parenthood (Physician’s Role)”—Lena Levine, MD
“Sexual Differentiation in Premarital Education”—Rev. M. O’Leary, Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, England and Wales
“Changing Patterns of Family Life as a Consequence of Developments in Suburban Retailing”—Lois Pratt, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, Hackensack, NJ
“Special Responsibilities of the Family”—Adolfo Gelsi Bidart, Christian Family Movement, Uruguay
“Responsibilities Assumed by Families in the Netherlands”—R. Schippers, Amsterdam
“The Affective and Characteristical Maturity”—Georges Mauco, Claude Bernard Psycho-Pedagogical Center, Paris, France
“Personal Maturity and Family Security for the Young Child”—Katharine Whiteside Taylor, Supervisory of Parent Education, Baltimore (MD) Public Schools
“Psychosexual Development in Childhood in Relation to Adult Sexual Maladjustments”—Daniel G. Brown, U.S. Air Force
“Services for Children and Youth in Ceylon”—L. J. de S. Seneviratne, Ceylon, India
“The Highland Park Story”—Marjorie Cosgrove, Highland Park, MI
“Formation for Integral Family Life”—Mother M. Bernice Rice, OSU, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY
“Freedom and Discipline as a Means Toward Self-Discipline”—Karl S. Bernhardt
“The Interrelations of Causal Orientation and Personal Maturity”—Ralph H. Ojemann, State University of Iowa
“The Family Discussion Bureau—A British Experiment in Marriage Counseling in a Social Case Work Setting”—Tonia Jauch, Family Welfare Association of London, England
“The United States Friend and Family System (Report on a Study of 130,000 American Families)”—Carle C. Zimmerman, Harvard University, and Lucius F. Cervantes, St. Louis University, MO
“Economic Aspects of Family Security”—Pierre de Bie, President of the Belgian Council Superior of the Family, Belgium
“Temperamental Differences of Infants Noted by Boarding Mothers”—Dorothy F. Berezin, Riverdale Children’s Association, Henry Street Settlement–Mental Hygiene Clinic, New York
“TV and the Pre-School Child”—Clara T. Appell, Brooklyn College, NY
“Mother and Teacher as Socializing Agents of the Young Child”—Sarah T. Curwood, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH
“Personal Maturation & Parents’ Education Resume”—Audre Isambert, President, School for Parents and Educators of Paris, France
“Parent Education in Finland”—Mr. Heikki von Hertzen, Minister of Education, Finland
“Families and Economic Problems in France”—Roland Leble, Director, National Union of any Family Allowance Funds, France
“Problems of Family Security in Western Germany”—Franz Umstaetter, Germany
“Life-Cycle, Career Pattern, and the Decision to Move”—Gerald Leslie, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, and Arthur H. Richardson, University of Rhode Island
“Family Roles and Psychological Maturity”—William A. Westley and Nathan B. Epstein, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
“The Development of the Husband–Wife Relationship”—Harold Feldman, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
“The Role of a Married-In, Adopted Son in the Patrilineal Family in Japan”—Yuzuru Okada, Tokyo Kyoiku University, Japan
“Human Love and Religious Faith: From Dream to Reality”—Rev. S. de Lestapie, SJ, Catholic Institute of Paris, France
“The Family and the Individual: 20th Century Needs”—Rabbi Henry Enoch Kagan, Sinai Temple, Mt. Vernon, NY
“A Rational Approach to Premarital Counseling”—Albert Ellis
“A Client-Centered Approach to Pastoral Premarital Counseling”—George Hagmaier, CSP (USA)
“Patterns of Economic Aid to Families in Belgium”—Pierre de Bie, Louvain, Belgium
“The Family in France—Its Methods and Principles”—Georges Desmottes, Paris
“Family Allocations and Other Measures for the Swiss Family”—M. A. Saxer, Director, Federal Bureau of Social Insurance, Switzerland
“Family Security and Personal Immaturity in a Japanese Sample”—Ezra Vogel, USA
Social Integration of the Aged in Finland”—Anitra Karsten, Finland
“Toward a World Perspective“—David R. Mace, North Carolina
“Introductory Reflections on the Problem of Education for Family Life in the Workers’ Milieux”—Michel Victor, President, Group on Popular Milieux, France

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 Because this conference took the place of NCFR’s Annual Conference, the business meeting was held at this conference. The financial report on the cost of this prestigious conference was reported as follows:

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0
Net Receipts: $9,716
Net Expenses: $6,613
Net Profit: $3,103

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 Aaron Rutledge spearheaded a fundraising campaign that brought in approximately $5,516. Many NCFR members gave generously, as did several U.S. organizations and church groups.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 Read the telegram from President Dwight D. Eisenhower welcoming conference attendees

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 0 Read the conference program