October 6, 2016

Miller Child Development Laboratory School to host open house in celebration of 90th anniversary

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School at Purdue University is celebrating the center's 90th anniversary with an open house on Oct. 14.

The event will take place from 3-6 p.m. with remarks at 3:30 p.m. in Hanley Hall Commons. Visitors will be able to tour the children's classrooms in Bill and Sally Hanley Hall and Fowler Memorial House to learn more about the center's 90 years of early childhood education and developmental research. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees should register in advance with Janet Covington at 765-494-0240 or covingtj@purdue.edu.

"As an educational laboratory, Purdue researchers and faculty are able to implement research and engage in instructional opportunities with their students. We have opportunities to work with civil engineers and nursing students as well as early childhood pre-service teachers," said Elizabeth Schlesinger-Devlin, director of the Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School. "We collaborate with our early childhood faculty, which are individuals who are well-known for curriculum development and quality evaluations, including Professor Jim Elicker's work with Paths to QUALITY and Professor Doug Powell's partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense developing curriculum."

The Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School was established in 1926 as the first university-based nursery school in Indiana. It was formed so that senior students taking a course in child care and management could have real-world practice. During the first year of the nursery school, 16 children attended. Over the next several years, the Purdue Department of Home Administration expanded its child care program and the nursery school program grew, establishing a reputation for innovative programs. Today, the program is part of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, which is a part of the College of Health and Human Sciences.

The school teaches students from 6 weeks to 5 years old in seven different classes, enrolls nearly 100 students and maintains a waiting list. While the school teaches young children it also gives Purdue students experience in children's educational development. 

Writer: Kelsey Schnieders, kschnied@purdue.edu

Media contact: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu 

Source: Elizabeth Schlesinger-Devlin, esdevlin@purdue.edu

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