In 1965, the U.S. Office of Economic Development under President Lyndon B. Johnson launched Project Head Start, a child development program that would help meet the need of disadvantaged preschool children. This past Tuesday, 2,400 children plus parents, teachers, and supporters of the Head Start program of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) gathered on Boston Common to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program.

John Drew, President and CEO of ABCD, discussed his own history with Head Start, as well as what he views as the significance of the anniversary.

“I had my children in Head start out of Charlestown in 1967-1968 when I was out of work,” said Drew. “I know this program works. We’re celebrating these children, and we are celebrating what the city will look like in 2030. I believe strongly that this program, throughout the country, has changed this country in a major way in 50 years, as it has brought so many populations into the mainstream.”

Drew, 77, elaborated on the expansions that Head Start has undergone over the past 50 years. “

“This year we are putting 1,000 of our kids into the public school systems, and we’re still expanding. Instead of just 4-year-olds, we are down to 6 weeks to 3 plus 4 to 5-year-olds, since there is more and more of need to have children in early childhood,” said Drew.

Also attending the event was Catherine Moran, who is the Program Director of the Gertrude E. Townsend Dorchester Head Start on Geneva Avenue. Like Drew, Moran, 58, was also a Head Start parent before becoming more deeply involved with Head Start.

“My children went to Head Start in Greenfield, in Franklin County. Both my kids were in Head Start, and I started out as a parent but then I moved up to a teacher. I’ve been with Head Start since 1985, and I’ve never really left,” Moran said.

For Moran, the importance of the celebration revolved around promoting awareness of Head Start’s presence and successes. Her program in Dorchester is the largest of ABCD’s Head Start programs.

“It’s important that people still know that Head Start is still around and that Head Start works. Head Start doesn’t just help the children, it helps the families too. It especially helps women to grow and get the education that we need to know that we are good mothers, that we know what we are doing. The most important part of our children’s education is, at first, the mothers,” she said.

Moran credits Head Start with her educational and vocational success.
“In being a Head Start parent as well as working for Head start, my experience is that I don’t think I would be where I am educationally or job-wise. I’m at the top, I’m running a center, and I never would have thought I’d be doing that back in ‘85 when my kids were little and I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do and how I was going to do it. It’s Head Start that gave me that,” she said.