Special Collections

Guide to the Child Study Association of America Collection

Creator: Child Study Association of America
Title: Child Study Association of America Collection
MSS#: MC 2
Dates: 1913 [1935-1976] 1985
Quantity: 4 boxes (2.5 linear feet)

Abstract: The Child Study Association of America (CSAA) operated for nearly a century, beginning in 1888. The collection is focused on the subjects of child development and child welfare during the mid-twentieth century. Materials consist mainly of journals, bibliographies, books and pamphlets, and are supported by unpublished correspondence and speeches.

Language of Material: English
Location: Bank Street College Archives, New York, NY
Preferred Citation: Child Study Association of America Collection, Box #, Bank Street College Archives, New York, NY

Related Material: The official records of the CSAA reside in the Social Welfare History Archives of the University of Minnesota.

Administrative History

This collection was found in the backlog of Bank Street College Archives materials returned to Bank Street by Milbank Memorial Library in 2003. Many materials in the collection are labeled ‘Josette Frank’ and were likely compiled by Frank during her long career with the Child Study Association of American (CSAA). With the dissolution of the CSAA in 1977, the Children’s Book Committee became affiliated with Bank Street College. The collection was processed by Lindsey Wyckoff in 2012.

Historical Note

The Child Study Association of America (CSAA) was originally formed as the Society for the Study of Child Nature in 1888 and then renamed the Federation for Child Study in 1908. In 1924, the organization formally incorporated as the Child Study Association of America. The CSAA aimed to share a better understanding of child development, child rearing and family life with parents and professionals. They did so through a series of publications, symposia, conferences, study groups and other programming throughout the country. Psychiatry, psychology and sociology were incorporated into their programs and topics ranging from, adolescence, discipline, money, sex education and working mothers, were studied. The CSAA also established a series of committees on children’s art and literature, which produced educational and parenting resources, including an annual list of the best children’s books.

During the 1960s the focus of the CSAA adjusted and they also became a provider of professional development and consultation on child development and child welfare. Funding difficulties were encountered throughout the 1960s and 1970s and despite a merger with Wel-Met in 1973, in 1977 Wel-Met/CSAA ceased operations. On December 1, 1977, the Children’s Book Committee became affiliated with Bank Street College and remains so today.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of CSAA materials compiled by Josette Frank during her years working with the Children’s Book Committee. The collection includes: books, pamphlets and conference proceedings published by the CSAA along with translations of 2 titles; issues of the journal Child Study; and records of the Children’s Book Committee along with their annual lists of the best children’s books. Series D was previously processed and was kept in original order. The collection consists of the following series:

A – Books
B – Child Study
C – Pamphlets and Publications
D – Children’s Book Committee
E – Translations

  • Box 1 – Series A – Books

    SERIES A – Books

    Auerbach, Aline B. – Parents Learn Through Discussion: Principles and Practices of Parent Group Education, 1968
    Gruenberg, Sidonie Matsner – The Parents’ Guide to Everyday Problems of Boys and Girls, 1958
    Gruenberg, Sidonie, Matsner – The Wonderful Story of How You Were Born, 1970
    Staff of CSAA – Parents’ Questions and Helpful Answers: A Handbook by the Staff of The CSAA (second edition – signed on title page by all authors), 1947
    Staff of CSAA – A Reader for Parents: A Selection of Creative Literature About Childhood(with an introduction and comment by Anna W.M. Wolf, 1963
    Wolf, Anna W.M. – The Parents’ Manual: A Guide to the Emotional Development of Young Children, 1951

  • Box 1 – Series B – Child Study

    SERIES B – Child Study

    Child Study: A Quarterly Journal of Parent Education
    Folder 1 – Winter 1940-1941, Fall 1940, Summer 1940, Spring extra 1940, Spring 1940, Fall 1939
    Folder 2 – Fall 1943, Summer 1943, Spring 1942, Summer 1941, Spring extra 1941, Spring 1941
    Folder 3 – Winter 1944-1945, Fall 1945, Summer 1945, Spring 1945, Spring 1944, Winter 1943-1944
    Folder 4 – Summer 1960, Winter 1959-1960, Fall 1959, Summer 1959, Spring 1959, Spring 1957, Winter 1950-1951, Fall 1950

  • Box 1 – Series C – Pamphlets and Publications

    SERIES D – Pamphlets and Publications

    The Story of a Child Study Group – Jean Schick Grossman, 1935
    Will Your Child Be Ready for School?    , 1937
    That Dear Octopus Family     – David Mace, 1950
    Discipline Through Affection     – Aline B. Auerbach, 1951
    The Controversial Problem of Discipline     – Katherine M. Wolf, 1953, 1967
    As Your Child Grows: The First Eighteen Months     – Katherine M. Wolf and Aline B. Auerbach, 1955
    When Parents Get Together: How to Organize a Parent Education Program     – Gertrude Goller, 1955
    What Makes a Good Home?     – Anna W.M. Wolf and Margaret C. Dawson, 1958
    Aggressiveness in Children     – Edith Lesser Atkin, 1959
    The One-Parent Family     – Anna W.M. Wolf and Lucille Stern, 1959
    Pre-Adolescents- What Makes Them Tick?     – Fritz Redl PhD, 1959
    The Mother Who Works Outside the Home     – Violet Weingarten, 1961
    When Children Need Special Help with Emotional Problems     – Greta Mayer and Mary Hoover, 1961
    Children and the Threat of Nuclear War     – Sibylle Escalona, 1962
    Pregnancy and You     – Aline B. Auerbach and Helene S. Arnstein, 1962
    Helping Your Teenager Choose a College     – David Klein, 1963
    Annual Proceedings of Conference and Institute    , March 9-10, 1964
    Recruiting Low Income Families for Family Life Education Programs    , July 1965
    Hello and Goodbye     by Elizabeth Blake – a play for parents about learning to love and let go, 1965
    Learning to Love and Let Go: A Guide to Helping Children Become Independent     – Greta Mayer and Mary Hoover, 1965
    How Serious Are Your Problems?     – Greta Mayer and Mary Hoover, 1966
    Some Special Problems of Children Aged Two to Five Years     – Nina Ridenour PhD and Isabel Johnson, 1966
    Unmarried Parenthood – A Community Confrontation    , March 8, 1967
    The Content for Training in Project Enable, c1967
    And then there were two – a handbook for mothers and fathers of twins    , 1967
    Catalog of publications concerning child development, family life and mental health education    , 1967-1968
    Behavior: the unspoken language of children    , 1967, 1973
    Sex education and the new morality: a search for a meaningful social ethic – 1966 conference proceedings, 1967
    Recommended reading about children and family life    , 1969
    Sex education: recommended reading    , 1969
    1970 supplement to recommended reading about children and family life    , 1970
    Where we are: a hard look at family and society – 80th anniversary forum proceedings    , 1970
    You, your child and drugs    , 1971
    Family life and child development – a selective, annotated bibliography    , 1972
    Family life and child development – a selective, annotated bibliography    , 1973
    Helping your child to understand death     – Anna W. M. Wolf, 1973
    When a parent is mentally ill: what to say to your child     – Helene S. Arnstein, 1974
    When children ask about sex    , 1974
    The why and how of discipline     – Aline B. Auerbach, 1974
    The mother who works outside the home     – Sally Wendkos Olds, 1975
    Family life and child development – a selective, annotated bibliography through 1975    , 1976

  • Box 2 – Series D – Children's Book Committee

    SERIES D – Children’s Book Committee

    Publicity – Strauss Associates, 1977-1983
    Criteria, 1961-1981
    Annual Award and List Ceremony, 1984
    Correspondence re: translations of CSA publications, 1963
    Printed Material and Publicity, 1947-1968
    Talks and Articles by Josette Frank, 1935-1981
    Articles and Reprints, 1949-1972
    Books written by CBC members, History by Josette Frank, c1985
    History – including photographs and handbooks
    History – correspondence, reprints, drafts of speeches, 1925-1982

  • Box 3 – Series D Continued

    SERIES D Continued

    Book Lists, 1913, 1914, 1915
    Book Lists, 1916, 1917
    Book Lists, 1920, 1921, 1922
    Book Lists, 1925, 1925 (summer), 1930
    Book Lists, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938
    Book Lists, 1940-1949 (missing 1943)
    Book Lists, 1950-1959
    Book Lists, 1960-1967
    Book Lists, 1968-1969
    Book Lists, 1970-1974

  • Box 4 – Series D Continued

    SERIES D Continued

    Book Lists, 1975-1979
    Book Lists, 1980-1985
    Book Lists – Reading with Your Child to Age 5 (1970,1972, 1976, 1980), Books to Read Aloud to Children through Age 8 (1985), Paperback Books for Children (1983), 1970-1985
    The Children’s Bookshelf, 1962, 1965

  • Box 4 – Series E – Translations

    SERIES E – Translations

    Lies Mir Vor das Kinderbuch, 1949
    Castles and Dragons (published in Iran), 1958

Selected Book List Covers

Child Study Association of America Collection, Boxes #3-4

Controlled Access Headings

  • Corporate Name(s)
    • Bank Street College of Education
    • Child Study Association of America
    • Child Study Association of America. Children’s Book Committee
    • Child Study Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street
  • Genre(s)
    • Bibliographies
    • Periodicals
    • Publications
  • Geographic Name(s)
    • New York (N.Y.)
    • United States
  • Personal Name(s)
    • Auerbach, Aline Sophie Buchman
    • Frank, Josette, 1893-1989
    • Gruenberg, Sidonie Matsner, 1881-1974
    • Wolf, Anna W. M.
  • Subject(s)
    • Book selection
    • Child development – New York (State) – New York – Societies, etc.
    • Child development – United States – History – 20th century
    • Children’s books – Bibliography
    • Children’s books – Catalogs – Periodicals
    • Children’s books – United States – History
    • Children’s literature – Bibliography – Periodicals
    • Education
    • Educators
    • Teachers colleges – New York (State)