A Spirit of Collaboration: Articles from the First Issues
Although the term was not explicitly used, collaboration was a guiding principle throughout the Bulletin’ s first decade, with terms like teamwork and interprofessional cooperation appearing often. Articles frequently referenced the multiple participants responsible for advancing early childhood education.
For example, in the Bulletin’ s second issue( December 1945), Frances R. Horwich highlighted the diverse roles held by members of the National Association for Nursery Education( NANE). In“ Who’ s Who in the NANE?”, she wrote:
Do you know that the composition of our membership is one of the most heterogeneous and therefore most challenging of all professional organizations? To know and thereby be reassured that school administrators, principals, college presidents, state education personnel, high school teachers, elementary school teachers, college professors, county superintendents, supervisors, pediatricians, obstetricians, psychiatrists, public health nurses, parents, book publishers, toy manufacturers, mental hygiene personnel, day nursery personnel, police department personnel, and hundreds of nursery school teachers have joined hands for the purpose of exchanging ideas and planning for the guidance and development of the nursery school child in this and other countries is most encouraging.( 2)
The Bulletin continued to emphasize collaboration across disciplines during its first decade. Contributors came from a variety of fields, including psychiatry, pediatric medicine, higher education, and early childhood education. Articles, reports, and news updates kept readers apprised of quality practices as well as what was happening in early learning programs locally, nationally, and internationally. This cross-discipline collaboration was evidenced in December 1947 when Hymes( by then NANE’ s president) recapped that year’ s association conference:
The Conference was noteworthy for the wide variety of professions represented: An anthropologist, a psychiatrist, and a nutritionist were the speakers at the three largest general sessions. Many nurses and public health workers were in the audience and on the panels. Pediatricians played a prominent role. The program itself was a reminder— perhaps one we very much need— that nursery education is a cooperative effort, drawing its basic approaches from many professions and needing the services of many professions if young children are to be well served.( 1)
Throughout the decade we examined, writers emphasized the value of diverse professional perspectives, particularly in the Bulletin’ s On the Personal Side column( also called On the State Side and On the Personal and State Side in early issues). In addition to highlighting opportunities, successes, and initiatives occurring across the country, this regular feature underscored the importance of professionals working together to educate all children.
For example, in Winter 1954, Rosalie Blau described the establishment of a lecture series in honor of Barbara Greenwood, who started California’ s first nursery school and served on NANE’ s executive committee. The annual lectureship was intended to bring together a range of professionals in a common undertaking:
Through this cooperative effort, the specialists and representatives of community groups will strengthen capacities to achieve common goals; will develop richer understandings of various points of view; will be challenged to higher purpose as they listen to national leaders who recognize that what happens
72 Young Children
Spring 2026