The Group

In 1936 the National Association for the Study of Group Work (NAGSW) was founded as a focus for organizing the development of group work, according to Ramey (1979). Ramey (1979) in his analysis of the group work literature of this time period indicates that in 1939 NAGSW published the first issue of an eight page newsletter titled "The group in education, recreation and social work". From this modest beginning, Ramey adds, there developed in the next sixteen years a small but significant literature printed in this publication.

NAGSW became the American Association for the Study of Group Work in 1947. At this time the publication was renamed, The Group, with the subtitle "Official Publication of the American Association of Group Workers" and adopted a 24 page format. One article from the journal that is noteworthy both for historic value and contemporary significance is an article entitled "Social Action or Reaction" written by Nathan E. Cohen published in October 1947. (Reference: Ramey, J. (December, 1979). Reviving our lost literature: The group and other literature of the American Association of Group Workers, Unpublished paper presented at the First Annual Symposium of the Committee for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups, Cleveland, Ohio.)