Story #66: PBHA Recognized by John F. Kennedy – Insights into the 1950s

The following historical insight has been extracted from “Babbling Brooks" — an undergraduate thesis written by former PBHA president Donald Henry Gips in 1982.

PBHA has long been a cornerstone of student-led community service at Harvard. Its history reflects the evolving relationship between activism and social responsibility, especially from the 1950s through the tumultuous 1960s.

The 1950s

In the 1950s, PBHA's focus was primarily on traditional forms of community service, such as tutoring and recreation programs. Volunteers aimed to support children and families in neighborhoods facing socio-economic challenges. For instance, the Roosevelt Towers Program, initiated in this period, served as a model for engagement, aiming to provide children with recreational opportunities and tutoring, thereby laying the groundwork for more ambitious initiatives. Additionally, with the Silent Generation’s presence, mental health became a prominent concern within the public service sphere—sparking the creation of the Mental Hospitals Committee in 1954. (p. 61)

National Recognition and JFK's Acknowledgment

A pivotal moment for PBHA came in the early 1960s when the association gained national recognition. This acknowledgment peaked when Terrence Murphy, head of the Mental Hospitals Committee (MHC), received an invitation to the White House from the Kennedy administration. The MHC focused on advocating for mental health reform, highlighting issues such as inadequate care in mental institutions. The invitation signified a "tangible recognition" of PBHA's contributions during a time when mental health was becoming increasingly important in public discourse, marking a significant endorsement of PBHA's efforts. (p.71)

Responding to the War on Poverty

As the decade unfolded, the urgency of addressing poverty and inequality became increasingly evident. Under the leadership of figures like Checker Finn, who demonstrated that PBHA could run efficient programs akin to established social agencies, PBHA sought to foster democratic values among children "deprived of them." (p.76)

The ethos of service evolved with the emergence of the War on Poverty, prompting PBHA to reassess its approach. Volunteers began questioning the effectiveness of existing programs, asking critical questions about their impact:

"Are too many of our programs or parts of them working too much on the surface and periphery of the problems they concern themselves with?"

The Watts riots of 1965, among others, highlighted the limitations of traditional service models and led to a more radical rethinking of PBHA's role.

A New Focus on Community Organizing

In this climate, PBHA shifted its focus to not only providing services but also addressing the root causes of poverty. Initiatives like Community Organization in Cambridge aimed to empower residents to advocate for their rights. This program recognized the basic need for popular participation, emphasizing that genuine improvement in the conditions of the disadvantaged required their active involvement.

Transformation and Lasting Legacy

This period of introspection and change led to a significant transformation within PBHA. Students realized that true equality of opportunity could not be achieved through surface-level solutions; deeper systemic issues required active engagement in political processes. As articulated in a Cabinet meeting from February 1966, there was a commitment to seek out various forms of social action, indicating a shift toward tackling the causes of poverty rather than merely addressing its symptoms.

By the late 1960s, PBHA had transitioned from a volunteer-driven service organization to a more advocacy engaged entity, reflecting the broader societal shifts occurring during this tumultuous era. The acknowledgment from the Kennedy administration served as a catalyst, propelling PBHA into a significant role in advocating for social justice and mental health reform.

Although this summary is a simplification of the events which took place during the 1950s-60s, it provides context that PBHA continues to learn and grow from as the political landscape of the world changes.