Journals and Publications in 1954–55
The August 1955 issue of Marriage and Family Living was a special international issue focused on “Service to the Family.” It was published in several foreign countries, including Australia, Canada, Egypt, England, France, India, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Soviet Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Articles examined social services and family welfare in various countries, and there was also an article on the status of women throughout the world. Guest Editors were Eugene P. Link and Abraham Stone. Dale Womble published in the November 1955 issue of MFL, a Declaration of Rights issued by 165 high school students at […]
Affiliates in 1954–55
Lester Kirkendall, President of the Northwest Region Council, sponsored the annual conference in Oregon, which 600 attended. The theme of the conference was: “The New and Current in Family Life.” The Rocky Mountain Council met and proposed a bill sent to the state legislature to establish “A Family Court of Conciliation.” The bill made it to a vote but was narrowly defeated. The Northern California Council held its conference, with the theme of “Teenage Marriages,” which over 300 attended. The Utah, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Iowa Councils all held annual conferences that year. The Southeast Council, which now had 300 members, began its […]
Structure and Governance in 1954–55
Perhaps the most important long-term investment of NCFR during 1955 was the move of the national headquarters from Chicago to Minneapolis in the Fall. From Drexell Avenue, NCFR took up residence at 1219 University Ave. SE Minneapolis in the second floor of the University Baptist Church. It remained there for the next 27 years and has remained in Minneapolis up to the present time. Several reasons for the move were considered. First and foremost were the low rent, utility-free space, and the close proximity to the university, which was across the street. Dorothy Dyer was the chair of the Operating Committee while NCFR staffers settled […]
Leadership in 1954–55
NCFR President Gladys H. Groves headed the Groves Conference following the death of her husband, Ernest R. Groves, was Editor of Marriage and Family Living. Later, she became a family life specialist with the Extension service in Maine. She was also a published book author. Her Presidential Address included the following comments: Many specialists furnish information that is useful to the marriage educator and marriage counselor. Law, economics and biology suggest the breadth of background needed, but do not cover the field. Psychiatric insights are essential, anthropological orientation is an advantage, other approaches are desirable. Research in three directions is needed: […]
Journals and Publications in 1953–54
Meyer F. Nimkoff was elected Editor of Marriage and Family Living and took office on January 1, 1954. However, he completed the last 1953 issue as Gladys Groves retired. Here is an excerpt she wrote in welcome in the November 1953 issue: “The Journal is fortunate indeed to have secured the gracious acceptance of Dr. Meyer F. Nimkoff of the next term of editorship. All who have worked long in the field of marriage and the family know his high scholarship, clear thinking and originality, and value his human sympathies and integrity. Even newcomers in the study of marriage and the family […]
Membership in 1953–54
While Eleanor Smith Litwak was Executive Secretary, she conducted an analysis of the 1954 membership, which included a total of 2,535 members. She found a very diverse group. The highest professional representation was by home economists, social service agencies, Protestant ministers, and professionals in the fields of education and sociology. The next highest group comprised professionals from the fields of marriage and family living, child development postsecondary education, medicine/psychiatry, parent and adult education agencies, and governmental agencies. Litwak stated that the areas of law, recreation, and housing, which she considered important for family life, were underrepresented. Students made up only 3.4% of the members.
Structure and Governance in 1953–54
A new constitution changed the Board’s structure and redefined the advisory committees. Helen Hiltner resigned as Executive Secretary, leaving NCFR without any staff leadership for several months. Eleanor Smith Litwak was hired on a part-time basis in January 1954. By October of that year, Armond Willis was hired full time but was relieved of his duties less than a year later.
1954 Conference: Marriage and Family Living Today
The 1954 Annual Conference was held July 7–10 at Mills College in Oakland, CA. The theme was “Marriage and Family Living Today.” Judson T. Landis was program chair. On-campus room and board cost $6.50/day for adults and $3.25/day for children under 12.
Leadership in 1953-54
The following is an excerpt from Dorothy T. Dyer‘s Presidential Address: There is no single approach, no one answer to the complexity of problems in our lives today. To think so, or to act on such an assumption is to distort the real picture. The very interprofessional nature of the NCFR offers the opportunity for cooperative creative work. It is my hope that we may grasp this opportunity more firmly, communicate more clearly, and combine our efforts more effectively so that the tremendous power and potential as yet untried may be used increasingly for helping families all over the world […]
Recent Comments in this Document
June 7, 2016 at 3:19 pm
Sure, no problem
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June 7, 2016 at 2:45 pm
I wondered if I could use this for a project in my Chicano Studies class at ASU. The project will be put up in an exhibit display and possibly travel around to schools. Please let me know.
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November 12, 2013 at 10:20 am
Also worth a mention: John Gottman gave a Research Update for Practitioners on his marital research, which was well attended.
By the way, the name is “Celine Le Bourdais.”
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August 21, 2013 at 11:47 am
Dennis,
Enjoyed the story. And, what a lucky break for me that you did make this decision. Hope all is well.
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August 15, 2013 at 9:19 am
The 1980 Portland Conference was 12 days after Mt. St. Helen had erupted. There was lots of ash around all over, and I still have a bottle of that ash. That was the year we had an afternoon trip to near Mt. St. Helen’s planned, and still took the trip. On the way up the bus stopped at Crown Point which was typically one of the windiest spots around. The wind was so strong that it blew the name badges out of the plastic holders. It also blew Ruth Jewson, Helen Hartness, and me on top of each other (which was scary for us with Ruth, but she wasn’t hurt). The bus also stopped at Multnomah Falls which was stunning. That evening I played for Bert Adams to sing songs from some musicals. He did a magnificent job.
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August 13, 2013 at 1:24 pm
One of my first NCFR conferences was in Portland and I was still a doctoral student then, and a member of the Executive Committee of NCFR as the student rep. It was at that meeting that I was really thinking about my career and where I should go with it. I was a student in family sociology and my chair was Lee Axelson, then the President of NCFR. He wanted me to take a sociology position. But others suggested that my interests would be better served in Child and Family Development (then in Home Ec) where relationship issues would be easier to study. I did not know which way to go.
At that meeting we took a bus trip to the coast of Oregon for a “salmon bake” on the beach. I sat on the bus between Eleanor Luckey and Ruth Jewson. All the way over and back we talked about career directions and those two people who I respected so much listened to me, and gave me their counsel, experience, and wisdom. Eleanor noted that she had been trained in psychology but chose to go into child and family development since there were more peers there who could help her frame her ideas and help them mature. Ruth saw the emerging scholarship in CFD and the quality of research coming out. The result of that was my turning down sociology jobs and taking the CFD position at UNC-Greensboro, where John Scanzoni and others later joined me a a great department. And my first students there were Jay Mancini and Gary Bowen, who have become successful scholars in their own right.
So the memories of that NCFR in Portland so many years ago remind me of how important it is to continue to foster opportunities for young student scholars to meet with senior people who can give them other ideas, and perhaps bring perspectives that their own programs may not be able to offer. Keep mixing us all up, and recognize the key role you play in the stirring of the creative pots in this vital area of family research and practice.
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July 12, 2013 at 3:49 pm
These changes have been incorporated. Thanks for your feedback.
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July 11, 2013 at 8:52 am
Edits–
1. Please add that he was a professor for nearly 30 years
2. Also change “:marriage and family therapist” to “marriage and family researcher and therapist”
3. Prepare and Enrich should be all CAPS—PREPARE ENRICH
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July 8, 2013 at 4:16 pm
That terminology has been corrected. Thanks Marilyn.
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July 8, 2013 at 4:13 pm
In 1988-89, I was Association of Councils president-elect. In 1989-90, I was president. There was no vice president. Other officers were program chair, secretary/treasurer, and past president. Both the president elect and the president served on the NCFR Board.
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