History of PWCA

In the fall of 1957 Melvin Wester, Longview High School counselor, felt the need to connect with other counselors in the area.

The first counselor meeting was held in the fall of 1957 in Longview, Texas. Six counselors attended. They were Dean Hinton, Mildred Sitton, Elsie Bundy, Lollie Gunn, Frances and Melvin Wester. Melvin served as host and Frances, his wife, made cookies to serve the newly formed group. For the first few years, the group was a loosely knit group with no officers. The counselor who served as host, served as chairperson.

The group began to grow as counselors continued to invite other counselors. Longview, Nacogdoches, Marshall, Gladewater, Kilgore, Hawkins, Henderson, Hallsville, White Oak, and Mt. Pleasant were among the first schools to be represented. The group met twice per semester to share their concerns and experiences.

Members of this informal group met from 1957 to 1966. They decided to form an official organization of counselors. A committee was appointed to work toward this goal. On February 14, 1967, thirty-two counselors from the East Texas area met in the Administration Building of the Longview Public Schools. This group was welcomed by Wyatt McDowell, Longview High School counselor, who served as host. Miss Louise Jeter, Kilgore High School counselor presented a tentative constitution.

The organization's name has been changed at least three times to be in compliance with the state organization. In November 1973, the Piney Woods Area Counselor Association became the Piney Woods Personnel and Guidance Association. In the spring of 1984, PWPGA changed its name to Piney Woods Association for Counseling and Development (PWACD).

October 12, 2005 - Funeral services for Miss Louise Jeter, 92, were held today. She was a classroom teacher and then a counselor at Kilgore High School. She became a counselor at Kilgore College in 1967 where she retired as Director of the Guidance and Counseling Center in 1986. She served as the second president of PWCA in 1968.

Information About Past Meetings Including Date, Day of Week, Place, Presenter, Topic, # Present

12/4/07, Tuesday, Kilgore College, Kilgore, TX, Dr. Arlis Wood, "The Role of Recovery and Support Groups in the Counseling Process" 73

9/19/07, Wednesday, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX, Dr. Bob Choate, "Ethics for Counselors" 75

10/23/06, Monday, LeTourneau University, Mr. Jerry Rhodes, "Who Packed This Parachute?" 56

9/19/06, Tuesday, Stephen F. Austin State University, Dr. Robert Choate, Ethics for Counselors, 86

3/7/06, Tuesday, Tyler Junior College, Dr. Elaine Beason, Authentic Happiness

12/7/05, Wednesday, UTT, Muntz Library, Suzanne Schmidt, Storytelling as a Therapeutic Tool, 71

9/27/05, Tuesday SFA, University Center, Dr. Robert Choate, Ethics, 62

3/2/05, Wednesday, LeTourneau University, Dr. Susan Adams, Grief, 91

12/1/04, Wednesday, Kilgore College, Dr. John Hipple, Brief Counseling: One Shot Interventions with Kids in Crisis, 107

9/28/04, Tuesday, SFA, University Center, Dr. Curt Willis, Ethics, 84

3/23/04, Tuesday, LeTourneau University Scott Ray Making a Difference 70

12/2/03, Tuesday UTT, Cowan Center Lobby, Dr. Jane Holland, Dr. John Shirley, 96

9/23/03, Tuesday SFA, University Center, Dr. Israel Najera, Ethics, 87

3/5/03, Wednesday, UTT, Muntz Library, Detective Jerry Rhodes, Current Trends in Drug Use, 80

12/11/02, Wednesday, TJC, Apache Rooms, Deb Knickerbocker, LPC, NCC, Working with Survivors of Trauma, 72

9/25/02, Wednesday, SFA, University Center, Barton F. Bernstein, JD, MSW, Ethics of Counseling and the Movies, 83

3/6/02, Wednesday, TJC, Apache Rooms, Sharon Scott,94

12/05/01, Wednesday, UTT, Cowan Center, Jill Reithmeyer, LPC, Inside the Heart of a Teenage Killer, 64

9/01, Wednesday, Kilgore College, Student Center, Dr. Denny Engels, Ethics, 108

3/7/01,Wednesday, TJC, Apache Rooms, Molly Behannon, LPC, Keeping Us Whole: Making the Connection

12/6/00, Wednesday, LeTourneau University, Campus Center, Gay McAlister, LPC, Alternatives to Anger and Aggression

9/12/00, Tuesday, SFA, University Center, Dr. Jane Holland, Ethics

3/7/00, Tuesday, TJC, Apache Rms, Dr. Suzanne Schmidt, Developing Health for Helpers

12/7/99, Tuesday, Kilgore College, Student Center, Dr. Carolyn Greer

9/21/99, Tuesday, SFA

3/2/99, Tuesday, TJC, Apache Rooms, Toody Bird

9/22/98, Tuesday, SFA, University Center, Stacy Ferguson, JD, Legal and Ethical Issues for Counselors Working with Children

4/21/98, Tuesday, Panola College, Therold I. Farmer, JD, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

12/9/97, Tuesday, Angelina College, Demetress Harrell, Stress Management in the Workplace

9/23/97, Tuesday, TJC, Apache Rms, Thomas Hartsell, Jr., JD, Ethics for the Professional Counselor, 106

2/18/97, Tuesday, TJC, Apache Rms, Ann Casstevens and Dr. Charles Johnson, Day Late-Dollar Short: A Survival Plan for the "90's" and Other Ways to Win

2/27/96, Tuesday, TJC, Apache Rms, Dr. Martha Oates, Grief Counseling

9/17/96, Tuesday, SFA, Dr. Jane Holland, Ethics, 90

12/10/96, Tuesday, Panola College, Liza Ely, Wellness