What Do You Know About Your Profession’s History

Historical Overview of Speech-Language Pathology in America

• First Speech Clinicians: Early practitioners were not certified clinicians; they were educators and professionals helping individuals with speech problems.

• Characteristics of Early Practitioners:

  • Some were deemed "quacks" with dubious claims of cures.

  • Others, like Samuel Potter, were from established professions such as medicine and education.

Contributions to Speech-Language Pathology

• Elijah Corlet: A Boston schoolmaster who provided advice on stuttering, influencing Cotton Mather's speech techniques.

• Alexander Melville Bell: Innovated "Visible Speech," a method visually representing speech production, alongside his son Alexander Graham Bell.

• European Influence: American clinicians trained or apprenticed with renowned European physicians focusing on communication disorders.

  • Notable European clinicians: Hermann Klenke, Hermann Gutzmann, Raphael Coen, Emil Froeschels.

Development of Professional Journals

• The Voice: Edited by Edgar Werner from 1879 - 1892, noted as potentially the first professional journal emphasizing speech disorders, particularly stuttering.

Formation of Speech Correction Groups

• Early 1900s: Formation of groups among self-proclaimed speech correctionists.

  • National Society for the Study and Correction of Speech Disorders (1918-1939): Led by Walter Babcock Swift, included schoolteachers.

  • American Academy of Speech Correction (AASC): Founded in 1925 by physicians and scholars, focusing on maintaining high education standards and a selective membership.

  • Charter members included professionals from various fields such as psychiatry, speech communication, and public education.

AASC's Mission and Historical Context

• Purpose: To promote scientific and organized efforts in speech correction.

• Challenges: Lack of texts and standardized tools emphasized the need for developing diagnostic tools and methodologies in speech pathology.

Reflection on History

• Understanding historical practices can illuminate modern methodologies in speech-language pathology.

• Promotes deeper questions: Why were methods acceptable in the past? How have practices evolved regarding evidence-based approaches?

• Encourages celebration of the profession's anniversary through historical exploration for better comprehension of current practices.