WIXLIB

mpsiStewardshipGiving the Gift of Experienceusan Kesner and herbrother SeymourNayer attended MerrillPalmer’s preschool inthe ‘50s. Their parents were strongproponents of the program, and theschool experience had a lifelong impacton the entire family. When their motherCorinne Nayer passed away in 2013,nearly two dozen of her friends andfamily donated to MPSI in her memory.Today, Sue is a director at CopyrightClearance Center in Massachusetts, andSeymour is a partner with the law firmPlunkett Cooney in Bloomfield Hills,Michigan. They continue to give oftheir time and treasure to support ourInstitute.From Sue:SWhen my mother passed away twoand a half years ago, I knew immediately that I wanted to honor her memoryby contributing in some capacity toMerrill Palmer. My family has a longhistory with this special institution beginning in the ‘30s with my grandparents, andcontinuing to the present as my brotherSeymour (preschool class of ’59) serves onSue Kesner communes with horses, pigs and preschoolers during a day-long outing with the EarlyChildhood Center.the MPSI Board. In between, there werethree MP alumni (my uncle in one of thefirst classes, myself in the class of ’56 andmy brother). For my mother, Merrill Palmerrepresented the convergence of threethings she cared about deeply: Detroit,superior early childhood education, anda unique community.“A year ago, I met with the gift officerfor MPSI to discuss a donation thatwould have direct impact on the youngstudents of the Early Childhood Center.When she suggested funding the annualReal Life Camp and Farm field trip for90 preschoolers and their parents, I wasdelighted. When she invited me to comealong I jumped at the opportunity.“A few months later, on a beautifulMay day in Detroit, my brother and Ipacked our lunches and boarded thebuses with about 200 children, parentsand the wonderful MPSI staff. Fortyminutes later we rolled into the farmand the fun began – horseback riding,feeding baby animals and hay rides.The farm staff was kind, careful andexpert teachers. Seymour enjoyed theday, too. ‘What I liked most was seeingthe children interacting with their parents,both at the farm and on the bus ride,’ hesaid. ‘I noticed many dads were involved,Considering a donation? Call Marguerite Carlton at 313-664-26084See back page

The Freer HouseAn International Landmark . . . A World Class Lecture Series71 East Ferry, Detroit, Michigan 48202 313-664-2500Hecker Mansion Joins Freer House as Wayne State TreasureCol. Frank J. Hecker was president and Charles L. Freer vice president of the Michigan Peninsular Car Company,a railroad freight car manufacturer. Hecker and Freer built their remarkable homes next door to each other in 1890-92.Wayne State purchased the Hecker Mansion in April and will take occupancy this fall.A Collaboration of Artists and Friends: the Hecker TriptychThe Hecker triptych is a recent addition to the DIA’s Inside Out program, ondisplay between the Hecker and FreerHouses on E. Ferry, from April throughJuly 2015.The triptych commissioned in 1893 byCol. Frank J. Hecker (1846-1927) for hishome on Woodward Avenue was the result of Hecker’s close friendship with hisbusiness partner and next-door neighborCharles Lang Freer (1854-1919), and theartistic collaboration of painters ThomasW. Dewing and Dwight W. Tryon. Heckerdesired paintings similar to works beingcreated by Dewing and Tryon for Freer’shome. The result, Spring, Summer, Autumn (1893), originally graced the wallsof the Hecker’s music room and today isa highlight of the DIA’s American art collection.DIA INSIDE OUT Brings reproductions ofgreat treasures from the Detroit Instituteof Arts into your community.Discover them all around town.Standing next to the DIA’sInside Out of the HeckerTriptych are (left to right):Freer House Director WilliamColburn, Attorney and Heckerscholar J. Douglas Peters,Senior Project Administratorat Wayne State’s Office ofEconomic Development JeriStroupe, Freer House internBuddy Engelhart, Freer Houseresearch assistant MeghanUrisko, and Freer House internJames K. Miller.Faculty and staff of MPSI have their offices in the former home of Detroit industrialist and art collector, Charles Lang Freer. The22-room, Shingle-style home was built in 1892 and designed by architect Wilson Eyre, Jr. Freer displayed his large collection ofpaintings and porcelain in the light-filled rooms.

A Quarter Century Labor of Love:Hecker Mansion Restorationby William Colburn, Director, The Freer Househouse. The buildingThe Freer House onwas then sold to theE. Ferry St. and the adSmiley Brothers Musicjacent Hecker House onCompany and funcWoodward Ave. have ationed as a splendidlong history in comshowroom for pianomon. The homes wereand organ retail sales.built between 1890-92In 1991, the Heckerby Charles Lang FreerHouse was purchasedand Col. Frank Heckerby Charfoos and Chriswho were close friends,tensen P.C. law firmbusiness partners andwhich invested considnext door neighbors.erable effort, under theFreer and Heckerdirection of principalbought their lots onattorney J. Douglasthe same day in 1888Peters, to beautifully(Hecker’s lot on WoodDoug Peters, former co-owner of therestore this magnifiward cost an astoundHecker House, above, and left at workhand-framing a giclee painting that nowcent structure. In lateing 30,000). Freerhangs in the Freer House.2014, WSU bought theassisted Hecker with theHecker House and willdesign of his home bymove staff into the building this fall.selecting the architect Louis Kamper, whoThe Freer House salutes Doug Peters forcreated a limestone mansion in the Frenchhis outstanding role, together with DavidChateauesque style. Freer began construcChristensen, in leading the exceptionaltion of his own house soon thereafter andrestoration of the historic Hecker House.had it designed in the simpler, yet sophisDoug has served for many years on the Freticated Shingle style, by architect Wilsoner House board and played a leading roleEyre, Jr. of Philadelphia.with many successful projects, including theThe Hecker and Freer houses were twoinstallation of 11 ‘giclee’ reproductions ofof the finest private residences in Michipaintings originally commissioned by Freergan. Following Freer’s death in 1919 andfor the interior of the house. Doug also hasHecker’s in 1927, the homes took differentbeen instrumental in guiding and advisingpaths. The Freer House was sold to themultiple maintenance and restoration projMerrill Palmer School in 1920/21 and conects at the Freer House. We are indebted totinues to be used for educational purposeshim for his extraordinary vision and supportas MPSI. The Freer House membership orand look forward to his continued participaganization of MPSI raises public awarenesstion as he retires from a distinguished lawof the significance of this historic buildingcareer and continues his second career asand works to support its maintenance andan accomplished painter and artist.restoration.In March, the Freer House commissionedThe Hecker family continued to ownrenowned architectural photographer, Alexthe Hecker House until 1947, engagingVertikoff, who previously photographeda young couple, the Andersons, to operthe Freer House, to document the interiorate the building as a high-end boardingof the Hecker House to record the superbrestoration work during Charfoos and Christensen’s 24 years of ownership. A selectionof these beautiful photos is shown here.

2015 Hecker Mansion photosby Alexander Vertikoff

71 East Ferry, Detroit, MI 48202 313-664-2500Visitors Connectwith Freer HousePast, Presentand FutureFreer House hosts hundreds of visitors ayear. Its 350 members account for many ofthe visits, often at the post-reception of aguest lecture at the Detroit Institute of Arts.But throughout the year, a few dozen otherinterested folks also drop by. These uniquevisitors include alums of the Merrill Palmernursery school, former Ferry Street neighbors curious about changes to the area,and community leaders interested in Freer’scontributions to Asian and Islamic art. A fewof our recent guests:1 Alan Fern is doubly connected to FreerHouse. He attended the Merrill Palmer Institute nursery school in the 1930s. “I even remember where I used to hang up my coat,”he said, “and sitting in window seats.” Helater became director of the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution,where the Peacock Room (formerly ownedby Charles Freer) is now housed. He andhis wife Lois flew from Maryland in June toattend a Detroit conference of art museumdirectors and spent an afternoon at FreerHouse. “When we visit the Freer Gallery atthe Smithsonian, Alan reminds me that hefinger-painted in the space that had housedthe Peacock Room,” his wife Lois said. Theyboth “loved” reminiscing and seeing howthe house is gradually being restored to acommunity treasure.2 The Freer House was honored with avisit in early June by Takashi Omitsu, president, IMRA America, Inc. and his administration coordinator and assistant, KazuoIshikawa. In his role as an executive advisorto the Japan Business Society of Detroit,Takashi was interested in seeing the FreerHouse and learning more about its significant historical connections to Freer, Detroit,and the art and culture of Japan. The tourwas aided by Freer House member andvolunteer, Hiroko Lancour, who has doneBelow: Alan Fern seated in Freer Housecourtyard where he played as apreschooler.Below L-R: William Colburn, Takashi Omitsu, Kazuo Ishikawa,Hiroko Lancour.123Above L-R: From the Historic Ford Estates: MarkHeppner, VP historic resources; Kathleen Mullins,president and CEO; Megan Wood, assoc. VPeducation and visitor experienceconsiderable research on Freer’s importantconnections to Japan.3 Executive staff members, includingPresident and CEO Kathleen Mullins, of theHistoric Ford Estates (Eleanor and EdselFord House and Henry Ford Fairlane Estate),recently toured the Freer and Heckerhouses to learn more about these importanthistoric landmarks in Detroit and to shareideas and resources for preservation andrestoration. The group saw archival photosand documentation of the significant roleof Eleanor Ford in the development of theMerrill-Palmer Institute during her 50 yearsof service and leadership on the board from1926 to 1976.4Above: Lydia Easley seated in Freer House drawingroom.4 Lydia Easley spent her first 12 years inthe Hecker House, the turreted mansionnext door to Freer House that was a boarding house run by her parents at the time.She was an only child but shared the housewith 65 boarders. She attended MPI’s nursery school, not just because it was convenient. “My mother knew it was very highlythought of,” Lydia said when she visitedfrom Washington in March. “The schoolwas involved with mother and daddy rightfrom when I was born.” Her developmentat MPI was immortalized as a case study in a1959 book chapter on General Principles ofDevelopment.The Freer House is home to Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute at Wayne State University

TrainingmpsiResilience in Urban Children: A New Way to TrainMPSI recently received a grant fromWSU’s Graduate School to enhance graduate level training for careers that promotecompetence and resilience in urbanchildren. The award provides stipends andtuition for four graduate research assistantsto receive mentorship and guidance froma team of federally funded researchers whorepresent multiple disciplines including psychiatry, pediatrics, social work, psychologyand infant mental health. MPSI was the onlysocial sciences program chosen.MPSI’s current training program complements work in students’ home departmentswith individualized training plans in developmental science to strengthen their pro-fessional skills so they can make meaningfulcontributions to research on children inchallenging environments. “The new grantsharpens the training focus by combiningMPSI’s interest in promoting positive youthand family development with models of riskfor a more holistic approach,” said ValerieSimon, Ph.D., program leader for the grantand jointly appointed faculty in MPSI andPsychology. The students chosen will createan individualized training plan with theirmentoring team that includes didactics,community engagement, cross-disciplineresearch, and core thematic content.“Competence and Resilience amongUrban Infants, Children, and Adolescents“More people from more disciplineswill be talking and working together.-Dr. Simonduring Critical Developmental Transitions”is the core theme. Training topics includebio-behavioral stress, adverse childhoodexperiences, core developmental competencies, developmental research methods,and the role of socio-cultural factors indevelopmental experiences. For years,MPSI’s pre-doctoral training has preparedemerging professionals from multiple disciplines for careers that use developmentalscience to promote the well-being of urbanchildren and families. So MPSI was wellequipped to take this perspective on theimpact of adverse childhood experiences ondevelopment and use it to foster resilienceand developmental competencies in urbanchildren.As students and faculty mentors engagefrom a range of disciplines, benefits to bothgroups emerge. “A trainee might use datasets from their home field, such as psychology that focuses on individual differences,to collaborate on a paper with a facultymentor from social work to consider howSee back pageOnline registration mid JulympsiFor more information call Bev Weathington at 313-664-2526Who Will BenefitLocationRegistration Cost IncludesNurses, social workers, andother professionals workingwith infants and familiesWSU Oakland Center33773 W. Twelve Mile Rd.Farmington Hills, Mi, 48331continental breakfast and CEs. Lunch not includedHosted By - The MPSI Healthier Urban Families Outreach Program & Infant Mental Health Program atWayne State University, and the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.9

mpsiEducationStudent Volunteers Learn as They GiveWhat has 134 opensubjects, scoring selfarms, enviable brainreport measures andpower, 67 compasother skills.” Studentssionate hearts, andbuild strong mentoran infinite supply ofing relationships withgenerosity?faculty; graduateThe young menstudents can also menand women who filltor younger volunteersMPSI’s research labs asand learn leadershipvolunteers on an arrayskills. Faculty membersof important projectsget high quality helpto improve the wellon a tight researchbeing of children andbudget. VolunteersFateimah photofamilies.bring fresh perspecThese special 67,tives, too, that canFatimah Alismail, a volunteer in Dr. Stack’s lab, explains her research at the May Michiganmost of them underimprove processes andAssociation for Infant Mental Health conference. Fatimah is a doctoral student in schoolgraduates or recentproblem-solving.psychology and an “honorary” student in the Infant Mental Health dual-title program. Shehas completed all the classes and is writing a dissertation related to infant mental health.graduates of Wayne“We are flatteredState, are the unthat so many studentspaid army that keeps MPSI’s researchvolunteer to be a part of the MPSItions.moving forward. They hail from suchexperience,” Dr. Lichtenberg, MPSI“Volunteering is mutually beneficial,” saiddisciplines as neuroscience, psychology,director, said. “Our faculty works hardMPSI Infant Mental Health Director Annsocial work and medicine. They collectto immerse them in work that is meanStacks whose lab is home to 10 volunteers.and analyze data, recruit subjects,ingful and educational. We accomplish“Students get experience in all aspects ofpresent research posters, win academicmuch more by teaming with talentedresearch and get to practice what they learnawards, and even co-author publicavolunteers.”in class: interviewing, protection of humanTo learn more about our labs visit: http://mpsi.wayne.edu/research/research labs.phpwww.mpsi.wayne.edu10

ReseachHappiest from page 1Interventions by the BookDr. Bocknek’s team, in partnership withDr. Deepak Kamat, vice chief for medicaleducation at the Detroit Children’s Hospital,created a project to test the effectiveness ofthe Five Ss. New parents would receive acopy of the book, a CD of calming soundswhite noise, a swaddling blanket, a bookmark of the Five Ss, and a brief training.They would complete a pre- and postsurvey and receive personalized texts asreminders and support. When the infant isabout four months old, parents would takeone more survey.Positive, simple interventions to strengthen the bond between parent and child arean overarching goal of Dr. Bocknek and herresearch. She hopes her career course willmake a meaningful contribution to improving clinical practice with children and theirfamilies. “All of my work has been focusedon vulnerable children, children living inpoverty or with social issues that causea separation or impairment in the earlyparent-child relationship, like incarceration.” She has always cared about the childwho is “double traumatized” by povertyand violence. “These vulnerable childrenneed close relationships with nurturingadult caregivers the most.”Her appointment at MPSI provides a collegial team of supportive faculty members.“They have enriched the way I think aboutresearch problems,” Dr. Bocknek said. TheHappiest Baby research project uses textmessaging to communicate with parents after the initial training, something she wouldnot have tried if not for MPSI’s Dr. StevenOndersma. “For years, Steve has been usingtechnology in his interventions with greatsuccess,” Dr. Bocknek said. He convincedher that a text or other technological adaptation can be less intrusive and more effective than traditional parenting interventionslike group psychoeducation, especially tothe parent of an infant. “That’s a greatexample of interdisciplinary collaboration. A“Parents really lovethat book. It’s becomethe classic of ourgeneration.Erika Bocknektechnique that I could not have imagined ayear ago is now one of my best opportunities for improving clinical interventions withparents.”What Builds Resilience?Dr. Bocknek’s team is researchingresilience in another project called TEDY,for Toddlers’ Emotional Development inYoung Families, a partnership with the ArabAmerican Chaldean Council WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program forWomen, Infants, and Children). Levels ofwww.mpsi.wayne.edu11mpsicommunity violence can be high in urbancommunities, and Dr. Bocknek is demonstrating in her research that many adults inyoung Detroit families suffer from posttraumatic stress syndrome. Some -- but notall -- children exposed to violence have poorsocial-emotional development and schooloutcomes. What of the children whodevelop normally despite the violence, theresilient group? Dr. Bocknek wants to know“what else is going on in those families?Are family processes like daily routines andmeaningful rituals protecting the childrenfrom the chaos outside the home?”The TEDY team observes and interviewsthe 2-year-olds and their families, and monitors heart rate and oxytocin levels to betterunderstand the keys to resilience. Fif

his lastest book, Happiest Toddler on the Block, at a professional training for the Woodward Early Childhood Consortium of preschools and daycares. as they spoke, a research project took form. they both wanted to empirically validate the soothing steps in the Happiest Baby