The Iowa Child Welfare Research Station attached to the University of Iowa conducted pioneering research into child development and child psychology during the 20th century. German-American psychologist Kurt Zadek Lewin worked there and Robert Richardson Sears directed the station for much of the 1940s. Many other eminent psychologists, physiologists, and researchers were associated with the station and its work.
In 1963 the station was renamed the Institute of Child Behavior and Development due to negative association amongst the public with the phrase "Child Welfare".[2] In 1974 the Institute was closed as a research establishment.[3]
The station was founded in 1917. A leader of the Iowa Congress of Mothers (a chapter of the National Congress of Mothers, which later became the Parent-Teacher Association) named Cora Bussey Hillis arranged for the station to be sited at the University of Iowa and procured funding from the state legislature and the Women's Christian Temperance Union.[1] Hillis worked with Carl Emil Seashore, then the head of the psychology department at the University of Iowa, to establish the station. Seashore helped author the following law, which was eventually signed into law in 1917:[4]
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:
Section 1. That the state board of education is hereby authorized to establish and maintain at Iowa City as an integral part of the State University, the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station, having as its objects the investigation of the best scientific methods of conserving and developing the normal child, the dissemination of the information acquired by such investigation, and the training of students for work in such fields.
Section 2. That the management and control of such station shall be vested in a director appointed by the said board of education, and an advisory board of seven members to be appointed by the president of the university from the faculty of the graduate college of said university.
Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated out of the money in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars annually hereafter, for the maintenance of such a station and the furtherance of the objects, to be expended under the direction of said board of education.
With the exception of a stint of military service during World War I Dr. Bird Thomas Baldwin served as the first director of the station until his death on May 11, 1928.[2][5]
Paid, full time—4 nurses, 1 social worker, 3 clerical or other helpers.
Paid, part time—1 physician, 1 nurse, 1 social worker, 3 clerical or other helpers.
Volunteer, part time—4 physicians.
Researchedit
The Station was the first institution in the world devoted to the study of the "normal child."[7] Among its contributions to this field of knowledge, the Station conducted studies in the normal physical growth rates of children, studies in intellectual development in children and its relation to environment, studies in classroom management techniques that support positive outcomes, and developed collections of data regarding speech development and therapy for children with cerebral palsy. The Station also helped establish research standards for conducting research into child development.[8]
1931 article in Popular Science describing some research conducted at the Station.
^Cravens, Hamilton. "Baldwin, Bird Thomas". The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
^McKay, Florence Lucinda; Griffith, Alice Eleanor; United States Children's Bureau (1922), Directory of Local Child-Health Agencies in the United States: Bureau Publication № 108, 1922, Washington, D.C.: G. P. O., p. 105, OCLC 13983638 LCCN 22026916
^Smuts, Alice; Smuts, Robert W. (2006). Science in the Service of Children, 1893-1935. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 3. ISBN9780300128475. OCLC 123082081.
^"The U of I's Institute of Child Behavior Celebrates the First Fifty Years". Iowa Alumni Review. 20 (5): 16–18. August 1967. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
External linksedit
Pictures from the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station in the Iowa Digital Library, University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa Child Welfare Research Station at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, archived at WebCite at
"Forces Behind Food Habits and Methods of Change" by Kurt Zadek Lewin, an account of research performed at the Station. From the book The Problem of Changing Food Habits Report of the Committee on Food Habits 1941-1943.
iowa, child, welfare, research, station, attached, university, iowa, conducted, pioneering, research, into, child, development, child, psychology, during, 20th, century, german, american, psychologist, kurt, zadek, lewin, worked, there, robert, richardson, sea. The Iowa Child Welfare Research Station attached to the University of Iowa conducted pioneering research into child development and child psychology during the 20th century German American psychologist Kurt Zadek Lewin worked there and Robert Richardson Sears directed the station for much of the 1940s Many other eminent psychologists physiologists and researchers were associated with the station and its work Iowa Child Welfare Research StationEstablished1917 1 Research typeChild development Developmental psychology PediatricsLocationIowa City IowaAffiliationsUniversity of IowaIn 1963 the station was renamed the Institute of Child Behavior and Development due to negative association amongst the public with the phrase Child Welfare 2 In 1974 the Institute was closed as a research establishment 3 Contents 1 History 2 Research 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe station was founded in 1917 A leader of the Iowa Congress of Mothers a chapter of the National Congress of Mothers which later became the Parent Teacher Association named Cora Bussey Hillis arranged for the station to be sited at the University of Iowa and procured funding from the state legislature and the Women s Christian Temperance Union 1 Hillis worked with Carl Emil Seashore then the head of the psychology department at the University of Iowa to establish the station Seashore helped author the following law which was eventually signed into law in 1917 4 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa Section 1 That the state board of education is hereby authorized to establish and maintain at Iowa City as an integral part of the State University the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station having as its objects the investigation of the best scientific methods of conserving and developing the normal child the dissemination of the information acquired by such investigation and the training of students for work in such fields Section 2 That the management and control of such station shall be vested in a director appointed by the said board of education and an advisory board of seven members to be appointed by the president of the university from the faculty of the graduate college of said university Section 3 That there is hereby appropriated out of the money in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of twenty five thousand dollars annually hereafter for the maintenance of such a station and the furtherance of the objects to be expended under the direction of said board of education Child placing in Families 4 With the exception of a stint of military service during World War I Dr Bird Thomas Baldwin served as the first director of the station until his death on May 11 1928 2 5 In 1922 the station listed these employees 6 Director Baldwin Paid full time 4 nurses 1 social worker 3 clerical or other helpers Paid part time 1 physician 1 nurse 1 social worker 3 clerical or other helpers Volunteer part time 4 physicians Research editThe Station was the first institution in the world devoted to the study of the normal child 7 Among its contributions to this field of knowledge the Station conducted studies in the normal physical growth rates of children studies in intellectual development in children and its relation to environment studies in classroom management techniques that support positive outcomes and developed collections of data regarding speech development and therapy for children with cerebral palsy The Station also helped establish research standards for conducting research into child development 8 nbsp 1931 article in Popular Science describing some research conducted at the Station References edit a b Lagemann Ellen Condliffe 2000 An Elusive Science The Troubling History Of Education Research Chicago University of Chicago Press p 134 ISBN 978 0 226 46773 3 OCLC 43095768 a b Cantor Joan H 1991 Psychology At Iowa Centennial Essays Hillsdale New Jersey L Erlbaum Associates p 42 ISBN 978 0 8058 0761 5 OCLC 23144652 Cravens Hamilton Cravens 1993 Before Head Start The Iowa Station and America s Children Chapel Hill North Carolina University of North Carolina Press p 250 ISBN 978 0 8078 2092 6 OCLC 27265602 a b Slingerland William Henry 1919 Child placing in Families New York Russell Sage Foundation p 156 ISBN 0 405 05982 5 OCLC 2947627 Cravens Hamilton Baldwin Bird Thomas The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa Retrieved August 20 2023 McKay Florence Lucinda Griffith Alice Eleanor United States Children s Bureau 1922 Directory of Local Child Health Agencies in the United States Bureau Publication 108 1922 Washington D C G P O p 105 OCLC 13983638 LCCN 22026916 Smuts Alice Smuts Robert W 2006 Science in the Service of Children 1893 1935 New Haven CT Yale University Press p 3 ISBN 9780300128475 OCLC 123082081 The U of I s Institute of Child Behavior Celebrates the First Fifty Years Iowa Alumni Review 20 5 16 18 August 1967 Retrieved April 21 2022 External links editPictures from the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station in the Iowa Digital Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa Child Welfare Research Station at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics archived at WebCite at https web archive org web 20090103234828 http www uihealthcare com depts medmuseum galleryexhibits womeninhealth icwrs anthro html Forces Behind Food Habits and Methods of Change by Kurt Zadek Lewin an account of research performed at the Station From the book The Problem of Changing Food Habits Report of the Committee on Food Habits 1941 1943 Publications of the Station at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Iowa Child Welfare Research Station amp oldid 1171356305, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
