In the mid-1950's the Department of Psychology received a $250,000 NIH grant (to cover five years) for the purpose of establishing a Ph.D. program in School Psychology. Dr. Doug Smith assumed a leadership role in the preparation of the proposal. The establishment of the program was one of the first such programs in the country. By 1959 there were five NIMH student traineeships and funds for a faculty position; for a program director plus enough for a secretary and some travel. Dr. Smith left the University in the Summer of 1959 and I took over the directorship of the School Program.

The chance of success of the School Psychology Program was significantly enhanced with the cooperation of a number of the departments in the College of Education, especially those in Educational Research and Testing, Guidance and the FSU University School.

From its inception, the School Psychology Program emphasized it as a discipline of science. In keeping with this motif the graduate curriculum was designed to assure the graduates of the program were competent researchers. Toward this end, the first two years of the curriculum were essentially the same for all students regardless of the program in which they were enrolled.

Students, of course, served their internships in schools. The Gadsden County School System was in the best position to utilize the interns; the FSU University School and the Leon County School System also sometimes served as internship sites. I supervised these internships.

In an effort to increase the understanding of and the appreciation for the role of other specialists who were likely to be involved in school systems, I instituted an interdisciplinary seminar. The seminar apparently served a useful purpose inasmuch as it was continued after I left the program.

When the time came to request a renewal of the NIMH grant the number of traineeships had increased to fifteen in 1966.

When I left the program in 1966, the supervision was assumed by Dr. Don Driggs and the new Department Head, Dr. Joe Grosslight. They initiated an annual meeting of distinguished School Psychologists to evaluate the FSU program and make suggestions for future changes. Dr. Charles Madsen subsequently served as director of the School Psychology Program for a number of years.