yesterday's tennessee

Frank Welch

By Lillye Younger

Family Problems Eyed

Decatur County has supplied many professional workers in science, religion and medicine throughout the United States. One such worker who has achieved success is Frank Welch, 27-year-old Decaturville native.

Frank comes from a family of educators. His father, P. A. Welch, is principal of Decaturville Elementary School: his sister, Mrs. Doris Ivey, is a senior at the University of Tennessee Martin Branch; his brother, Dickey, is a senior at Georgia Tech; and his mother does substitute teaching.

In September Welch became director of a new project located at Lambuth College known as Sociological Services. Fifteen other institutions of learning are conducting similar programs in Tennessee, but Lambuth is the only family-centered program in the state.

"The effort's initial goal is to survey local agencies to determine services available for persons and families who have problems," Welch noted.

The survey will catalog local services in home management, child care, family finance, marriage counseling and recreation for youth.

Should the need arise, the office will suggest plans for establishing a family service bureau for the purpose of coordinating assistance for families.

Welch said eventually the college plans to offer non-credit courses in child development, home making, marital harmony and nursery school teaching. These courses will be open to all interested persons.

"I hope to establish a consulting group made up of professionally trained volunteers," he said. "The group will be comprised of social workers, home economists, teachers, attorneys and physicians who would agree to advise families in stress.

Why is a college involved in such a program? Welch says the answer lies in the widely-publicized trend toward urbanization.

"One hundred years ago the agricultural colleges served our agrarian economy through research and teaching. Today our colleges and universities must assist with the opportunities and problems which result from the growth of cities."

"The program thus far has been successful," Welch said. "I have a lot of demands for my services. We have had one large group meeting for the Jackson area and are planning to conduct several such meetings throughout the year."

The young professor also teaches sociology at Lambuth. He has taught in schools in Georgia and Florida.

Welch finished high school at Decaturville and holds a B.A. degree from Lambuth College, B.D. degree from Emory University in Atlanta, a M.S. degree from Florida State and is preparing to receive his Ph.D. degree from Florida State.

He is married to the former Miss Cynthia Seed of Lake Wales, Fla., and they have three sons, Frankie, 6; John, 4; and Timothy, four months. They reside at 25 Sunset Drive in Jackson.