Eastern Illinois State Teacher's College built two ranch-style homes to serve as practice houses for the school's home economics department students in 1950. Under the direction of Dr. Ruth Schmalhausen, the buildings housed a rotation of female students and a stream of babies given up by unwed or poor mothers to private charitable organizations. These 'practice babies' were given the surname 'North' or 'South,' depending on which of the two houses they lived in.
Dr. Roman Haremski, Superintendent of Illinois State Child Welfare Division, heard about the program and feared for the long-term well-being of the practice children. He ordered Child Welfare Services to investigate the practice.Despite Dr. Harmeski's concerns, the state found that, because the school had obtained the babies through private arrangements with individual mothers, the issue was not under their jurisdiction. The 'practice baby' tradition continued on at Eastern Illinois State through at least 1960.
An excellent, complete write-up of the controversy can be found here.
PRIMARY SOURCE EXCERPTS
College Gets its Third Baby as Model for 'Mother Course'. Youngstown Vindicator. Charleston, Ill, Oct 2, 1954.
"Eastern Illinois State College has a new baby and everyone from the president
to its make-believe mothers are 'pleased as pumpkins.'
'She's our third baby, and just a wonderful child,' said Dr. Robert G. Buzzard, president and father of four.
'Amy weighed 5 lbs 4 oz. when we got her and in eight days she weighed 6 lbs
1 oz. She's just as happy and healthy as she can be,' reported Betty Moore, one of four 20-year-old coeds taking care of the child as part of a home economics course.The 16-month-old baby- given the name Amy North- is used as a live model in the course. The girls, all juniors, feed her, bathe her, change diapers, wash her clothes, and handle all details of making her life a thriving one.
This arrangement drew some objection from state welfare officials last January. Dr. Roman L. Haremski, superintendent of the departmet of child welfare services division, said then that the practice was objectionable because 'there is no father person in the picture' and it also deprives the baby of normal attachment to any one person, such as its mother. Amy's predecessor in the course was David North, and before David there was Margaret Ann. The mothers of the first two infants were unwed when they loaned the babies to the school, Dr. Buzzard said."
College, Illinois Clash Over Baby. The Palm Beach Post. Jan 14, 1954.
“The State and Eastern Illinois College couldn’t see eye to eye today on whether too many coed ‘mothers’ will spoil the six-month old baby they are rearing in a home management course.
State welfare officials looked askance at the use of a real, live baby in the course, stoutly defended the practice and said a full investigation will be made.
But Dr. Ruth Schmaulhausen, supervisor of the course, stoutly defended the practice and said it was followed by a number of other colleges.
If anything, she said, coed care of the baby would result in less of the ‘psychological upheaval’ thank in a typical family.
The baby, a gurgling little boy, not only is used in the course but is housed in the home management building on the campus."
Interview with Norma Winkleblack, EIU staffer, about the controversy: