HISTORY OF MAPS

by Norma Lou McAbee
December, 2001

The Adler-Dreikurs Institute of Human Relations was formally dedicated in May 1975. The first students in the program were enrolled in the early '70's, around 1973. They became a cohesive group early in the program and informally shared out-of-class time. It soon became apparent that a more formal type of experience would be beneficial in their training.

During the late '70's, weekend workshop were instituted with the educators coming to the campus from Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, California, and Israel. Kurt and Alexandra Adler, Bill and Mim Pew, Harold Mosak, Tee Dreikurs, Leo Gold, Bob Powers, and Achi Yotam were some of the first professors to come to the campus. Several returned frequently to augment and enhance the program.

On these credit-earning weekends, classes began at 5 p.m. on Friday evening and would continue all day Saturday and Sunday. Evening sessions concluded with students spending social time and discussing the workshops. As a result, the group decided to create a professional association with goals and regular meeting times providing the opportunity of continuing education programs when the M.A. degree had been completed.

It was decided to call this new organization the Maryland Adlerian Psychology Society and the constitution was adopted November 14, 1981. Meetings were held monthly, convening at either Bowie State University (then College) or in member's homes. The name was changed to McAbee Adlerian Psychology Society to honor Dr. Hal McAbee who was deceased in 1993. He had developed the Adlerian Master's Degree program at Bowie State and provided the name for and structure of the Adler-Dreikurs Institute of Human Relations.

Hal McAbee announcing the formation of MAPS at the NASAP conference in New York, 1975. (Photo courtesy of Norma Lou McAbee)