The historical origin of guidance and counselling

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The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Subject: Foundational of Guidance and Counseling
Assignment topic: Historical origin of guidance and counseling
Submitted to: Ma’am Hina Kainat
Submitted by: Group 05
Group Leader: Romana Liaqat
Group Members: Abu Zain, Hamadullah, Babar Ali, Nadeem
Shah, Saqib Javed, M. Shoaib, Hifza
Munawar, Dilbar Shah
Semester: BS - 5th
Department: Special Education
Date: _______________

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING .......................1
Introduction.......................................................................................................1
Historically Guidance and Counseling..............................................................1
Historically the development of guidance and counseling in ancient times. ....1
Guidance and Counseling in American Education...........................................3
Modern pioneering approach in Nigeria: .........................................................5
Guidance vs. Counseling ...................................................................................6
SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................9
REFERENCES:....................................................................................................9

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HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
Introduction
The genesis of Guidance and Counseling can be traced back to the origin of man in society. As man
evolved, he sought factors that can guide him in his existence. Historically, the first man had no
proof of seeking counsel from man. He sought the guidance of weird images which he regarded as
spirits or gods’ to have a feeling of being guided. This had led to man’s religious state in the world.
Adam reaped the consequences of eating the apple in the Garden of Eden. However within the
society, elders took guidance roles for the younger ones, guiding them in practices, behavior, and
decisions considered for their good in the form of:
(a) Parent-children relationship.
(b) Teacher-Students relationship.
(c) elder’s young relationship respectively.
Historically Guidance and Counseling
Historically, guidance and counseling have informally existed in almost any part of the world were
civilization existed. The counseling and guidance principles began in ancient Greece and Rome with
the philosophical teachings of Plato and Aristotle
Historically the development of guidance and counseling in ancient times.
It is not certain when guidance and counseling actually started as a field of human endeavor.
However, Gibson and Mitchell (1981) report that perhaps the earliest search by man for a counselor
was when Eve reaped the consequences of eating the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden. Since
then man has gone in search of assistance from beings adjusted to be ‘superior’ whenever confronted

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with the unknown. From the earliest civilizations, fortune tellers (palmistry, astrology, crystal
gazing, graphology, etc.) philosophers, priests, diviners and other representatives of the gods and
religions have flourished in their role of advising and counseling their adherents [1]. The historical
origins of guidance have also been identified in the thoughts and works of the great Greek
philosophy who advocate the development of the individual through education so that each could
fulfill role reflecting their greatest potential for themselves and their society. One of such early
counselors was Plato who is credited as one of the first to organize psychological insight into
systemic theory. In his book, Plato not only espoused such question as what makes a man virtuoso
–his inheritance, upbringing or his formal education (Memo); how can children be most effectively
taught’(Republic); and which techniques have been successfully used in persuading and influencing
people in their decision and beliefs (Gorgias) but most importantly employed the dramatic
methodology in dealing with this question. his dramatic method set the way for and is infect akin to
modern day counselling relationship in which the dynamic of human interaction (the characters are
as importance as what they say) come into play. Aristotle, one of Plato most distinguished student
also contribute significant to what has come to be known as psychology through his study of people
interesting with their environment and movement was Luis Vies who not only recognized the need
to guide each person according to his attitude and aptitude for useful carriers. Another major impetus
in the development of guidance between the 16th and 19th Centuries was the publication of many
books which attempted to provide comprehensive information on the professions and how to gain
entry into them. Among these were ‘The complete Book of trades’ (Edward Hazen, 1836), ‘A
general description of all Trades’ (Campbell, 1747), ‘The Universal plaza of all the professions of
the world’ published by the Italian Tomaso Garson and Tom of all trades’ by Powell.
The Swiss educator Johann Pestalozzi (1746- 1827) also contributed to the growth of guidance by
persistently advocating that society could be reformed only to the extent that the individual in that
society was helped to help himself developed.

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Guidance and Counseling in American Education.
The introduction of modern-day guidance into the American educational system is often associated
with Frank Parsons who in 1908 founded the Boston Vocational, Bureau to advise young people
seeking jobs and to train teachers as career masters. In his book ‘Choosing a Vocation’ Published
in 1909, Persons developed a tripartite model of vocational choice which later came to be known as
the trait and factory theory. In his view, for an individual to make a wise vocational choice, he must
first undertake an extensive self-study to understand his abilities, aptitudes, interests, resources and
limitations. A second step is to gain an insight into the requirements and conditions of success
hazards, opportunities and prospects, salary and fringe benefits, among others in various lines of
work. A third and final step is true reasoning culminating in a wise choice based on the relations of
these two groups of facts. In addition to Frank Parsons, other notable early contributors to the growth
of guidance in American education were Jesse Davis, Eli Weaver and David Hill among others. In
1907, Jesse Davis as Principal of Grand Rapids, Michigan High School devoted a weekly period in
English Composition to vocational and moral guidance of youths and it was he who first used the
term counselling. His approach to vocational guidance was similar to that of Parsons, that is
occupational choice based on self-study of occupations. At about the same time, Eli Weaver
established, teacher guidance committees in every school in New York City to assist child laborers
leaving school in unfavorable conditions to rediscover harness their capabilities for gainful
employment. However, it was Stanley Hall who started the first psychological laboratory in USA
in 1883. The growth of the guidance movement was also aided in the first quarter of the 20th Century
by the development of standardized group intelligence tests and the mental measurement movement.
As early as 1890. James Cattel had published an article in which the article in which the term ‘mental
test’ was first used in the psychological literature and in 1896, the French psychologist- Alfred
Benet and his collaborator V. Henri wrote an article describing tests measuring complex mental
processes. In 1905 Alfred Benet and his associate, Theodore Simon published the first general

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intelligence scale which Lewis Term an and his colleagues in Stanford University revised and
standardized for American schools in 1916. During world war I, the need to psychology in the
screening classification of volunteers and recruits led to the development of the first group
intelligence scale, the Army Alpha and its equivalent form, the Army Beta. At the end of the war,
these tests were revised and turned over for civilian use. The possibility of group tests for pupil
assessment with its numerous advantages therefore gave vent to the widespread use of these tests in
education during the period following the War. The mental measurement movement gave impetus
to the ascendance of guidance because it emphasized that if one is to work with an individual,
information about that individual must be generated systematically and intelligently used. The
formation of the National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA) in 1913 and the subsequent
publication in 1915 of the first guidance Journal Vocational Guidance’ also aided the growth of the
increases membership of NVGA, the diversity of members interest and specialization and the
proliferation of personnel associations, the NVGA was merged with other similar associations to
form the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA) with a membership of about
thirty-six thousand spread into twelve specialized divisions. The association published a journal.
Today the American Psychological Association with its seventeen divisions and several
publications is a leader in propagating guidance and counselling. The 1960s and 70s marked the
period of ascendance for guidance in America. The major currents and influences that stimulated
this were: Federal Government’s financial support which impacted on numbers, practices and
preparation of counselors. Federal Government’s legislation (such as the National Defense
Education Act of 1958) which paved the way for stimulating the establishment and maintenance of
local guidance programmers, the establishment of guidance divisions within state departments of
education and acknowledged the linkages between national well-being, personnel needs and
education. Capitalist individualism with its inherent dehumanization and alienation from self and
society increased the demand for counsellor to assist people regenerate, rediscover and reintegrate

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themselves into society. The suspicion that the Soviet Union was ahead in space technology by its
launching of the first earth satellite Sputnik I in 1957 led to a need for the identification of gifted
children whose special talents could be nurtured and harnessed for the jet age.
Modern pioneering approach in Nigeria:
The history of guidance and counselling in Nigeria can be traced back to the 1960s. The first
expansion of these two terms began in the primary and secondary schools shortly after
independence. According to Adediran, the organized formula for guidance and counselling in
Nigeria started at St. Theresa College in 1959. The origin of modern guidance and counselling in
Nigeria dated back to 1959 when a group of catholic Sisters at Saint Theresa's College Ibadan
invited some outsiders to address the final year’s girls in December, the religious sisters assisted by
Mr. Oruwariye were aware of the need for proper guidance and counselling in job selection and
placement for their school certificate leavers. Hence, emphasis of the talk was on vocational
information, awareness of the world of work, Location of employment and reduction of examination
anxiety Prior to the time, Nigeria had the characteristics structure of the American society of the
late nineteenth century with the rapid pace of industrialization, urbanization, growth of uneven
distribution of wealth. Some part of the country hence the need for a western type of guidance and
counselling was obvious. Fortunately, all the girls from St. Theresa's College who applied for job
after seminar were offered. In subsequent year, lectures, symposia and guidance workshops were
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 589 181 originated for
all the final year students. The success of this service attracted other schools in Ibadan, Lagos,
Enugu, Kaduna and Kano to start similar exercises. This lead to the formation of the Ibadan Careers
Council in 1952 and others career councils in the other cities. These councils were transformed into
Nigeria Career Councils in 1967. When counselling activities expanded, especially at the end of the

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civil war in 1970 and the need to form a larger association to embrace not only career master buy
also counsellors in varying fields; the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CAN) was launched on
11th December 1976. A year later, it was resolved that CAN be affiliated with APGA to draw
Inspiration, gain strength support. First seminar in guidance and counselling and Testing in
September 1964. The history and development of guidance in Nigeria cannot be complete without
a mention of the pioneering effort in 1964 of a Harvard USAID staff at introducing formalized
guidance practices at compressive nigh school, Aye Toro, now Ogun state training Nigeria teachers
to undertake vocational guidance. The development of guidance in Nigeria has also been helped by
a visit in 1962 of sixteen Nigeria Educator and Ministry officials to Sweden, France and united
states of America under USAID / Nigerian joint project to among other things examine the
educational practices and system of these countries and look for features which if adapted to our
local needs and conditions would improve our education. A relevant observation which gave
credence to guidance was that since the basic function of a compressive school is to channel pupils
into courses of study Suitable to their individual abilities and interests and counselling is of
Paramount importance. The group therefore recommended that since each compressive school must
have at least one guidance officer, it is vital to train a sufficient number of Nigerian teachers in
vocational guidance.
Guidance vs. Counseling
Guidance Counseling AIM IS TO help people 3, TIMELINE 4, , SCHOOL COUNSELING.
Profession Vocational guidance movement (beginning of the 20th century)
Beginning of the 20th century- 1940s • 1907 - Jesse B. Davis is thought to be the first to
implement a systematic guidance system in public schools. (Schmidt, 2003) • 1908 – Bureau of
Vocational Guidance was established by Frank Parsons •1920s to the 1930s – grew and declined

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Beginning of the 20th century – 1940s • Grew: there was a rise of progressive education in schools
• Declined: many schools reacted to this movement as ANTI-EDUCATIONAL (said that the
fundamentals of education shouldbe the only thing taught) + GREAT DEPRESSION•1940s.
History and Development of School Counseling (Allyn & Bacon 2004) • Frank Parsons the
“Father of Guidance.” Stressed the scientific approach to selecting a career.Inselectingavocation:One
must have a clear self-understanding of one’s aptitudes, abilities, interests, resources, and
limitations. Knowledge of the requirements, advantages, and disadvantages of different
employment. An understanding ofhowthesetwoarerelated.
History and Development of School Counseling (Allyn & Bacon2004)•GREATDEPRESSION•The
great depression was a severe worldwide economic depression inthe decade preceding World War
II.ThetimingoftheGreatDepressionvaried across nations, but in most countries, it started in 1930
and lasted until the late 1930s or middle 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest
depression of the20th
century.1950s to the 1970s • 1950s – Guidance and Personnel Service Section
inthe Divisionof State andLocalSchoolSystems•1957–NationalDefenseEducationalAct
1950s to the 1970s • 1960s to the1970s – the profession continued togrow – Funds – New
legislation – New professional developments From vocational/career dev’t purpose, it’s focus
shifted on STUDENT’S PERSONAL AND SOCIALISSUES.
1950s to the 1970s • Late 60s tothe early 70s – research work by Norm Gysbers showed that
theremust be a more strategic and systematic goal of having comprehensive dev’t school counseling
programs for every student. 1980s and 1990s • 1980s to the early1990s–USwasn’taplayerinthe
educational reform efforts – Campbell and Dahir, 1997 American School Counseling Association
(ASCA) National Standards for School Counseling 3 core domains - academic - career -
personal/social.
1980s and 1990s • Late 1990s – Educational Trust’s project (Pat Martin): School Counseling
WILL help close achievement gaps hindering the life successes of children and adolescents,

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includingchildren and adolescents of color, poor and working-class children and adolescents,
bilingual children and adolescents and children andadolescentswithdisabilities.
1980s and 1990s • Late 1990s – National Center form TransformingSchool Counseling (House
and Martin,2003.
Recent • 2002 – ASCA released ASCA National Model Framework (Dr. Trish Hatch and Dr.
Judy Bowers)–Counselingcomponents:the work of Norm Gysbers, Curly &Sharon Johnson, Robert
Myrick, Dahir & Campbell's ASCA National Standards + skill-based focus: Educational Trust (Pat
Martin and ReeseHouse).
Recent • 2002 – RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Programs • 2003 – Center for School
Counseling Outcome Research was developed (Jay Carey) • 2004 – ASCA Code of Ethicswasrevised
–NationalOfficefor School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA)(House&Lee).
Recent • 2006 (January 1) – US congress officially declared Feb 6-10 as National School
CounselingWeek • 2008 – first NOSCA study wasreleasedbyJayCarey –ASCAreleased School
Counseling Competencies – Standards Blending(Dr.RitaSchellenberg)• SCOPE.SCORE
Recent•2008–StandardsBlending(Dr.Rita Schulenburg) • SCOPE (School Counseling
Operational PlanforEffectiveness)•SCORE (School Counseling OperationalReportofEffectiveness)
Recent • 2012 – most recent versionof ASCA National Model was published.
GOAL!!! • increase student academic, career, college, and personal/social competencies
including reduced achievementand opportunity gaps for all students.
OTHER COUNTRIES (including the Philippines) • A balanced, comprehensive school
counseling program provides services to promote student success. It involves school counselors
workingin conjunction with parents, teachers,andotherschool personnel and community agencies.
Many developmental concepts that must be covered through a comprehensive programcan be
incorporated into other classroom studies, giving the school counselor more opportunities for direct
counseling,prevention, and remediation functions. It is important that a comprehensive school

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counseling program provide a range of services in order to address the needs of all students.
Counselors should strive to balance their time among all these services, based onthe unique needs
of their school community. By developing and implementingacomprehensive school counseling
plan, school counselors can establish services and activities that allow them to spend most of their
time providingdirectservicestochildren.
SUMMARY
In the United States, the school counseling profession began as a vocational guidance
movement at the beginning of the 20th century (Schmidt, 2003, p. 6). In 1907, Jesse
B. Davis became the principal at the Center High School in Detroit, Michigan and encouraged the
school English teachers to use compositions and lessons to relate careerinterests,developcharacter,
and avoid behavioral problems. Fromthatgrewsystematic guidance programs which later evolved
into comprehensive school counseling programs that address three basic domains: academic
development, career development,and personal/social development.
REFERENCES:
o Alfred Bennet (1905) General intelligent scale united State of America. Aye Toro
Compressive High school Introducing Formalized Guidance Services. Aristotle Journal on
philosophy on Guidance.
o Berepiki C.I (1961) An approach to vocational Guidance, Abeokuta Federal of Education.
o Campbell (1947) A general description of all Trade.
o Edward Hazen (1836) The complete book of the trade Eli weaver teacher guidance
committee in New York 5 Frank Parson (1908) Boston vocation Bureau choosing a
vocation (1909).
o Gibson and Mitchel (1981) Introduction guidance and counselling.
o James Cartel (1890) Article Mental test in psychological literature.
o Jesse Davis (1914) vocation and moral guidance.