ABSTRACT
School counseling as a recognized specialty evolved as the result of educational, political, and economic trends. The early emphasis of guidance and counseling in schools centered on a narrow concept of selected services rendered by a few specialists for a small population of problem students. The first guidance programs of the late 1800s were closely connected to vocational education and classes to promote character development, teach socially appropriate behaviors, and assist with vocational planning. In the early years, counseling per se was not a major emphasis in many programs. No mention of counseling was made in the professional literature until 1931 (Proctor, Benefield, & Wrenn, 1931). In the 1930s, it was recognized that there were three components to the guidance process: educational, vocational, and personal-social services.
