A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATION OF SAVANNAH

By Dr.  Boo Hornstein, PhD, LCSW

The Clinical Social Work Association of Savannah was an outgrowth of an effort made in 1985 to establish a satellite organization of the Atlanta based Clinical Social Work Society.  A representative of that organization met with Cathy McRae and myself at Johnny Harris’ to propose this to Savannah area social workers.  It appeared to both Cathy and me that distance and other factors would preclude much success, and besides, there is too much pride in being Savannahians to be a satellite of anything!

However, the idea lingered and CSWA-S grew out of a discussion between Louisa Laird and me to create our own professional organization.  A few shakers and movers (Louisa, Carolyn Neely, Mary-Jane Stinson and I) met at my office in March of 1985 and created the organization. It was a significant day because I recalled it snowed in Savannah that day – an omen of some sort, I presume.

In the early days of the organization, we sort of dined around Savannah at several august gastronomical palaces where the food was decent and the price low including The Red Lobster, Chen’s, and the Fairmont.  Initially we “passed the hat” for expenses and always featured a quality presenter for a program.  Lo and behold, and against the expectations of some, the organization persisted and it was decided to charge a yearly $15 dues and incorporate.  Attorney Steven Harris helped us (gratis) and remains our attorney to this day.

In 1986 we bit a hard bullet and held our first conference which featured Dr. Earl Loomis from the Medical College of Georgia who spoke on the development of ethical values in children.  We were at the Sheraton Inn on Wilmington Island.  The conference was a success and we even turned a modest profit.  (Dr. Loomis generously refused an honorarium and suggested that we send a donation to a retirement home for psychoanalysts in Switzerland.)

Really, CSWA-S was successful from the start.  The reasons (I think) being (1) the decision to include other members of the helping professions as members, (2) the granting of CEUs, (3) a good newsletter Clinical Perspectives that continues to this day, and (4) consistent follow-through by a working board membership.  Especially wonderful were the oyster roasts and workshops held at the Hancock home on the May River in Bluffton.  We watched, among others, Julie and Sean Dane-Kellogg, Evan Laird-Etheridge and Erin Barnes grow up at these events and grow into fine and accomplished young people who are presently in college or finishing high school.  And who can forget “Col. Frederick Nadelman” (of the Virginia Nadelman clan) admonishing us to buy another piece of treasure or schlock at the annual CSWA-S/NASW-SEG auction.  “It’s for the Chapter, folks.”  Unforgettable.

As the years moved on, the quality of the organization continued to flourish though we experienced the loss of members such as Mary-Jane, Corinne Miltiades, and Beverly Greenspan.    Corinne, in particular, had a great love for things clinical and was always there for us when we needed something.  Her Christmas parties and workshops at Thunderbolt were especially terrific.  The 10^th CSWA-S anniversary professional conference was special.  We held it at the new auditorium at Memorial Hospital and had a great luncheon aboard Johnny Baker’s cruise ship along the Wilmington River.

The organization remains in very capable hands through innovative leaders such as Larry Dane-Kellogg who introduced a very handy website to keep us abreast of what’s happening in area social work.  Projects such as donations to the Tisha Abolt Fund and the Jim Parham Professorship at the University of Georgia and the Mary-Jane Stinson Grant which is awarded annually to a deserving student at Savannah State University are but small examples of the very noticeable impact this organization continues to have in community and state mental health.  Today’s leadership under Jan McWilliams and the involvement of members such as Mary Hill ensure that CSWA-S will have a bright future.

When we were first started, before our name was generally known, it got to be called “Boo’s Group” by some in view of my association with it.  Well, it’s great to know that “Boo’s Group” survives and shows even greater promise for the future. 

 Dr. Julius Hornstein, PhD, LCSW, is Founding President of the Clinical Social Work Association of Savannah.