Throwback: SLPs circa 1964 in honor of Better Speech and Hearing Month

Happy Better Speech and Hearing Month to my SLPeeps! 

In the spirit of BSHM, I just had to share a rare find (that only SLPs will enjoy) I stumbled upon while cleaning out my office. You see, I moved into my current office that came with my current job (as district coordinator of speech, language, hearing services and deaf education) in January of 2016, but I didn't completely purge it. I moved my stuff in and got to work! Now I'm trying to get more organized, and I'm cleaning like a mad woman.  I found this book (from a former SLP no doubt) and it stopped me dead in my tracks. 

Wow. Just wow. 

Here is it... Mending the Child's Speech by Edith Goldberg.  Mending. 

THAT's a word I've never heard in connection to our profession.  When I think of mending, I tend to think of sewing, but I can see how it "fits" here. 

It was originally published in 1959, but I guess there were so many advances in speech pathology over the following 5 years that it had to be revised in 1964. :) 

...........

Okay, so try not to cringe at this next pic. I'd bet you can't...

EEK!!  Speech Cripples!!  Did you cringe?  I know I did.  

"...the largest group of handicapped children in this country are speech cripples..."  

Well, there are 2 words you don't hear anymore.  Thankfully!!!

Oh my, how things have changed!

...........

It was interesting to me that even back then SLPs were collaborating with teachers....

except they weren't SLPs - they were speech correctionists and this handy dandy book advises them to have the teacher "inaugurate" a DIY speech program. 

{Insert facepalm here.} 

While all of this is very cringeworthy, it's really fascinating so see how our profession has evolved!
We've come a long way, baby. 

I'm so proud that we aren't using the word "defective" to described a child's speech anymore; however, when I think about it, it's not much different from the word "impaired" or "impairment" which we use regularly without a thought. 

Hmmm, maybe there will be a day when future SLPs are cringing over our terminology.

I wonder if our grad school text books will one day be the source of a future SLPs shock and dismay. 

Mending the child's speech wouldn't be complete without mentioning "sluggish tongues" in need of tongue exercises. Make it dance :)

While some of the techniques and terminology found in this oldie but goodie book made my roll my eyes or raise my eyebrows, I'm proud to be carrying on the work that those speech correctionists did.
I'm proud our profession is one that keeps growing, pushing boundaries and knocking down barriers.
I'm proud to be an speech language pathologist, a professional that changes lives in tremendous ways for all those clients/patients/students we touch.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this little book I found, and I'd really love for you to share YOUR
#SLPpride