Michigan School Health Association Celebrates Golden Anniversary

Wanda H. Jubb, Maria T. Valone

ABSTRACT The Michigan School Health Association celebrated its Golden Anniversary

Nov. 10, 1983. As a group dedicated to the promotion of comprehensive school health programs, MSHA has provided members with publications and con- ferences, and it has encouraged American School Health Association member- ship. Its members are health educators, college professors, school nurses, af- filiated organizations, and voluntary health agency representatives. With 50 years of experience, the Michigan School Health Association is continuing in its leadership role of promoting comprehensive school health programs.

INTRODUCTION The Michigan School Health Association (MSHA) cele-

brated its Golden Anniversary Nov. 9-11, 1983 during the annual conference held at Traverse City, Michigan. Organized in 1933 as the Michigan State Association of School Physi- cians, the Association was the first constituent member of the American School Health Association (ASHA). The original goals upon which the group of physicians organized were to create a deeper interest among school physicians in medical inspections and to cultivate a closer relationship and better cooperation among all physicians for health promotion. The current purposes of the Michigan School Health Association are: 1) to promote comprehensive and constructive school health programs for Michigan’s school children that include, health education (instruction), health services, and a healthful environment for living; 2) to develop and maintain a body of concerned professionals and other citizens devoted to mutual cooperation among school personnel, education agencies, health personnel, and others seeking to improve the social, physical, and emotional health of children, youth, and families; and 3) to provide for Michigan citizens a constituent of the American School Health Association.

EARLY YEARS The National Survey of Secondary Education, completed

in 1932, considered all areas of education including Health Education. The Children’s Charter developed during the Third White House Conference noted the importance of school health education, school health services, and healthful school living. The Association was born into this period in 1933 re- flecting concerns for children’s health. There were 45 members in the original Association with annual dues set at 50 cents.

Several membership services were offered during the early years. A monthly bulletin was written to unite members, and the first annual meeting was held in Lansing in 1934. Topics for the convention were “Tuberculin Testing in the School,” “The School Physician as a Career,” and “School Health Program from the Viewpoint of the Health Educator.”’

In 1936, the Michigan Association of School Physicians officially changed its name to the Michigan School Health Association. The Association saw an increase in educational efforts in 1936 when it cooperated with the University of Michigan to develop a school health education institute to solve current problems of school health workers in Michigan. Membership increased during 1937 to 131. Michigan’s Dr. John Sundwall served as a President of the American School Health Association from 1936 to 1938. During this period, membership increased to 239 members with representation from doctors, dentists, nurses, health educators, dental hygienists, and a superintendent of schools.

Emphasis in 1940 included a survey to evaluate a school’s program in correcting physical defects. In 1941, two mid-year school health institutes were conducted. The themes of the institutes were “mental hygiene,” and “bottle necks” in the school health program. The Association featured Dr. Delbert

Oberteuffer as its guest speaker for the annual meeting. Dr. Oberteuffer spoke on putting health into the school program.

War times were reflected in the Association’s 1942-1943 minutes and conference themes. Present and future health problems and wartime programs for secondary schools were on the conference agendas. A newsletter replaced the bulletin in 1945 as the Association continued to seek methods to serve its members. Evaluation themes occupied the Association’s agenda from 1945 to 1947. A committee led by Dr. Robert Hall was formed to evaluate school health services. It recom- mended the study of school handbooks and policy manuals and produced a manuscript entitled “Guide for Development of School Health Handbooks and Policy Manuals.”2

Because of a board policy change in 1951, the Fall annual meeting was changed to Spring. An early spring meeting held jointly with the Michigan Public Health Association reflected a cooperative effort as the two organizations chose “Working Together” as their overall conference theme. Cooperative endeavors continued into 1952 as the Board of Directors voted to “affiliate with the Michigan Health Council.”’

In 1953, the Association began a program for developing regional activity. The five regions identified were: 1) North- west area of the Lower Peninsula; 2) Grand Rapids area; 3) Southeast area; 4) Saginaw area; and 5) Upper Peninsula. Community and agency cooperation was highlighted in the Association’s 1953 Annual Program, “The Total Contribu- tion of the Community to the Child’s Health.”z Community and leadership themes continued to dominate the Associa- tion’s goals through the 1960s. The Michigan School Health Association and the Michigan Department of Education participated in a joint conference on leadership in 1955.

AFTER 25 YEARS On May 15, 1959, the Association celebrated its 25th An-

niversary in Grand Rapids. Daniel Nesbill spoke on “Trends in Curriculum Development Influencing Health Teaching,” and a panel presented “The Future of School Health from My Viewpoint.”‘

Minutes of the 1960s reflect continued promotion of leadership programs and workshops in health education. In Fall 1966, the Association offered three suggestions to members regarding future areas of concentration: 1) pro- moting health through education; 2) developing a comprehen- sive athletic examination; and 3) promoting statewide support for additional health education staff in the State Department of Education.

A highlight of the 1970s was a two-day conference in which the Guidelines for the Development of a Health Education Course in Michigan Secondary Schools was written. The document, published in 1977 by the Association, reflected the leadership of Dr. Wanda Jubb, Health Education Specialist with the Michigan Department of Education, with cooperation from the community health organizations and health profes- sionals. Organizations and agencies involved with the develop- ment of the document included county health departments, voluntary health agencies, school nurses, teachers, and Michigan college and university health education professors.

The Association made great strides toward serving its mem- bership during 1976-1977. The membership committee developed a membership certificate, card by-laws, a statement of MSHA purpose, and a MSHA roster for all current members. In 1978, the Association sponsored a spring con- ference in cooperation with the Flint, Michigan, Board of

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Education and Mott Children’s Health Center. The theme of the conference, “A School Community Approach to Today’s Health Issues,” reflected Michigan’s cooperative effort for health programs in schools.J In 1979-1980, the Michigan School Health Association and the Michigan Department of Education worked cooperatively to publish the results of sample statewide school health education testing that was ad- ministered by the Michigan Department of Education to a sample of fourth, seventh, and 10th graders. The interpretive report was published by MSHA for use by local schools to plan curriculum and inservice programs for teachers.

In 1980, the Association asserted itself in the school health program affairs of Michigan. The activities of the Association during the early 1980s included:

revising the Michigan Education Assessment Program health instruments and encouraging local school district use of assessment and evaluation;

analyzing the 1979-1980 tests and publishing the results through the interpretive report;

correlating the Michigan Life Role Competencies to health education content;

providing leadership in the development of school health resource materials;

updating university faculty and agency staffs on avail- able school health program resources;

surveying the status of comprehensive school health pro- grams in Michigan;

promoting and making schools aware of the Michigan Comprehensive School Health Plan, which was developed by the Michigan Department of Public Health in cooperation with the Michigan Department o f Education;

providing inservice in the validated comprehensive school health education models; and

encouraging coordination of health promotion efforts among schools, local health departments, and the private sector. The efforts of the 1980s were advanced when the Michigan School Health Association and the Michigan Health Council received a WK Kellogg Foundation Grant. Through the leader- ship of Dr. Martha DuShaw, director of Project SHERC (School Health Education Resources Coordination Project), four goals were identified, implemented, and remain as on- going statewide activities. The four goals were: 1) to promote comprehensive school health programs; 2) to identify and co- ordinate existing resources; 3) to develop a categorization format; and 4) to incorporate “wellness” as a key component in comprehensive health programming. Since 1981, the Associ- ation has been involved with the “Michigan K-12 Program Standards of Quality,” a self-assessment document that assists educators in assessing classroom and health education content at the local level. Through another venture with the Michigan Department of Education, the Association developed the Procedures for Establishing a Senior High Health Education Program in 1982-1983.

The Michigan School Health Association has published the following documents since 1980:

Descriptive Summary of Comprehensive School Health Education Models;

Michigan Education Assessment Program: Health Education Interpretive Report;

MSHA Recognition Standards for Identification of Comprehensive School Health Education Models;

MSHA Recognition Standards for Identification of Model Components of a Comprehensive School Health Education Program;

Statewide Survey of School Health Education Programs in Michigan, Executive Summary; and

Results of Survey: Current Status of School Health Education Programs in Michigan.6

TODAY AND TOMORROW The Michigan School Health Association entered with re-

newed enthusiasm its Golden Anniversary year (1983). Dr. Loren Bensley, past President of ASHA and current MSHA President, charged the Board of Directors to increase services to members and the members to increase implementation of comprehensive school health programs. A major project of the Association under development is the “State of the Art of Health Education in Michigan” The document has a tentative publication date of spring 1984. Another activity occurring in the State is the health education review and test item develop- ment for the Michigan Department of Education. A statewide sample assessment will be conducted in fall 1984. Currently, a cooperative effort is under way in Michigan to develop the “Michigan Model for Comprehensive School Health Educa- tion.” In a five-agency cooperative effort, involving the Michigan Department of Public Health, the Michigan Depart- ment of Mental Health, the Michigan Department of Educa- tion, and Offices of Substance Abuse Services and Highway Safety Planning, a plan is being developed to implement a single state model for comprehensive school health education. Implementation of this model will begin in fall 1984.

CONCLUSION The definition of health has gone from the mere absence of

disease or informity to the optimum physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of the individual. A significant trend is the research of health education behaviors and attitudes in addition to knowledge. Health Education is now viewed as a lifetime process concerned primarily with helping individuals to intelligently direct their own health behavior. The Michigan School Health Association is an association committed to pro- moting comprehensive school health programs. It has main- tained a membership devoted to mutual cooperation among school health professions, agencies, and persons seeking to improve the health of children, youth, and families; and it has provided leadership for the American School Health Associa- tion. All citizens are invited to join the Michigan School Health Association as it celebrates 50 years of achievement and prepares for success in promoting school health programs in the future.

References 1 . Volk VK: Report of the Secretary of the Michigan Association

of School Physicians, 1934. 2. Seeley DA: The Organization and Development of the

Michigan School Health Association, 1933-1968. Thesis, Central Michigan University, 1969, p 42.

3. MSHA Board of Directors: Minutes, November 1952. Lansing, MI.

4. MSHA Annual Meeting: Minutes, 1959. Grand Rapids, MI. 5 . Elliott-Karaska PA: The Organization and Development of the

Michigan School Health Association, 1969-1983. Thesis, Wayne State University, 1983, p 19.

6. Hatton P: Document Briefs for Comprehensive School Health in Michigan School Health Education Resources Coordination, 1982. Wanda H. Jubb, EdD, Health Education Specialist, Michigan Dept. of Education, Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909. Maria T. Valone, SS, RN, MA, Director, Health Education, Manistee Area Public Schools, 550 Maple St., Manistee, MI 49660.

Acknowledgments Recognition goes to Dennis A . Seeley and Patricia A . Elliott- Karaska for their theseron the development of the Michigan School Health Association. Recognition also goes to Drs. Mabel Rugen, Robert Bowman, and E. J. McCIendon for their excellent memories and perserverance in valuing historical documentation.

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