Successes in the Camden Campaign for Children's Literacy

Book Drive

Angela Connor-Morris, Program Coordinator, is delighted to report that over 300 "gently used children's books" have been donated to the Camden Campaign for Children's Literacy through its book drive. The Center for Children and Childhood Studies conducted this drive as a part of National Children's Book Week, November 13 to 19. The collected books have been distributed to the two newest children's reading sites established by the Camden Campaign - River Primary Care Center and Rutgers Broadway Professional Clinic.

The drive is over, but the need continues. Please drop off any gently used children's books at the Center for Children and Childhood Studies.

Additional volunteer readers are also welcome.
For more information, please contact Angela Connor-Morris at 856-225-6741 or
email: ibconnor@camden.rutgers.edu.

Children's Readings

The Camden Campaign for Children's Literacy conducted two special children's reading events in cooperation with the Camden City Free Library on Federal Street: Monday, December 11 - The Giving Tree and Rainbow Fish, and Saturday, December 16 - Circus and Dream Snow with a special reading and craft project by members of PSI-CHI, the Psychology Honor Society. Every child received a copy of the book to take home. A special thanks goes to Kim Leicester, Rutgers student and member of the Rutgers Camden branch of PSI-CHI for her enormous help in organizing this project.

---

Mark your calendars for our next

Center Associates' Seminar

Stuart Charmé: "Emerging Jewish Identities of Childhood & Adolescence"

Thursday December 14th from 12:20 - 1:20
Large Conference Room - Dean's Office, Armitage Hall

---

CCCS Research Support Program Awards

The following is a report from one of the Center Associates who has received funding from the Center for Children and Childhood Studies to assist in the development of research projects. With funds from the Rutgers University SROA Program the Center has awarded 9 small grants to center associates.

Cultural History of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Study
Janet Golden, Professor of History

A packed seminar room greeted Janet Golden's informal presentation on the "Cultural History of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome" (Nov. 16) at Rutgers - Camden. Over 20 participating scholars and interested parties connected to the Center for Children and Childhood Studies heard Dr. Golden's fascinating observations on the changing public perceptions of pregnant women and alcohol.

"Fetal Alcohol Syndrome" is closely tied to a series of medical, social and cultural milestones in the last third of the 20th century. Until the feminist movement, virtually all studies - and public programs - on alcohol and substance abuse were concentrated on men.

The Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision on abortion had secondary effects of encouraging doctors to focus on health issues affecting pregnancy, alcoholism included. Later the increased incidences of hard drug use by expectant mothers, and public reaction to it - 'crack babies' - also heightened concerns for all forms of substance abuse by pregnant women.

Despite the growing public perception of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, scientists and clinicians were at loggerheads on the issues. Since the level of individual tolerance for alcohol varied significantly, scientists tended to recommend complete abstinence during pregnancy. Clinicians generally considered moderate alcohol use during pregnancy acceptable.

Passage of the 1989 Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act marked the beginning of a new era. Distillers welcomed the legislation because it seemed to promise limited liability for use of their products by pregnant women. Evidence suggested that despite the warning labels, the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome was climbing.

Recognition of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was highly contested. America's post-Prohibition attitude that alcohol problems resided in the drinker, not the drink. A growing public climate in which personal responsibility was emphasized also made the diagnosis suspect, especially when used as a legal defense.

Residential treatment programs for women with fetal alcohol syndrome are neither readily available nor serviceable. Expectant mothers who enter such programs are generally forced to place their other children in foster care and they face serious obstacles when they try to get them back. The cultural history of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a mirror for the social and cultural forces of the recent decades. Email: jgolden@camden.rutgers.edu

---

Funding News

The Science Preparation Alliance of Rutgers and Camden program received a $5,000 continuation grant from North East States Consortium for Air Use Management to support a second year of the Air CURRENTS program. This program teaches high school students in Camden how to monitor the quality of the air we breathe and relate air quality to issues of health and wellness. Students from all Camden high schools will design and carry out projects that they then will report on at an Air CURRENTS Congress next spring in Newark.
Email: Bill Whitlow

---

New Collaborations

The Center for Children and Childhood Studies has jointed CAMConnect as a Founding Member, participating as a Data User stakeholder. This initiative, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is designed to bring together resources, expertise, interests, and data from a broad spectrum of groups interested in helping the families and communities of Camden become empowered.

---

Community Outreach

On January 10, the Science Preparation Alliance of Rutgers and Camden program will host its annual Allied Health Sciences Expo, which gives students interested in pursuing careers in the allied health field the chance to see demonstrations, obtain information and meet representatives from hospitals, research institutions, and other agencies that focus on health. Approximately 25 organizations, including Coriell Institute for Medical Research, the Monell Chemical Senses Center, UMDNJ, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Wellness Center, Virtua Health, and Kennedy Health System, among others, will take part in the day's events. Email: Bill Whitlow

---

Rutgers University Press

Myra Bluebond-Langner, Director of the Center, has agreed to be the editor for the Rutgers University Press Book Series in Childhood Studies. This is the first interdisciplinary book series in Childhood Studies. It provides a major opportunity for the Center and University to shape this new field. (Click here for attached flyer.)

---

Upcoming Events.

January 26th- Guided Tour of "Kids! 200 Years of Childhood" Exhibit at Winterthur Museum

February 8th - Center Associate Seminar - John Wall: "Animals and Innocents: An Analysis of Western Theological Perspectives on the Meaning and Purpose of Child Rearing"

February 15th - Center Associate Seminar - Carol Singley: "Adoption in American Literature and Culture"

---

Open House

On December 6, over 60 people stopped in to visit the Center for Children and Childhood Studies. Faculty, staff, representatives from local service organizations, business executives, and members of the Camden community took time to learn about the Center's research projects and outreach programs. They were able to view our Photo Exhibit, check out the website (http://children.camden.rutgers.edu), and meet the Center staff. Center Associates were also on hand to discuss their various research and service and outreach projects.

---

In the News

Check out the November 17th, 2000 Chronicle of Higher Education article "Seeing Children and Hearing Them, Too" - it highlights the Rutgers University Center for Children and Childhood Studies and Myra Bluebond-Langner. (http://chronicle.com/weekly/v47/i12/12a0201.htm ... To access this article online, you need to be a Chronicle of Higher Education subscriber)

---

Spring 2001 Courses
Dealing with Children & Childhood

Criminal Justice

50:202:454 Child and Criminal Justice

Education

50:300:416 Service Learning/America Reads

50:300:434 Social and Cultural Foundations in Education

50:300:408 Instructional Strategies

English

50:350:246 Literature of Childhood

Psychology

50:830:383 Educational Psychology

Religion

50:840:393 Religion, Ethics and the Family

Social Work

50:910:352 Groups at Risk

Sociology

50:920:306 Sociology of the Family

For further information about registering for these courses, please contact the registrar's office at 856-225-6053.