Histories of the Writing Center

Today in class Karen and Michelle's group talked about the stigma of writing centers; that is, they talked about how often students view the writing center as a place for those who are not smart, which is something the authors of today's readings address. Particularly, Carino notes that the break from the classrom "fostered the view of the lab as a venue for the inferior student" (17). However, none of the readings for today talk in depth about how the writing lab or clinic was advertised to its students. I wonder how those who were apart of the earlier labs or clinics marketed them to the students. I wonder what these histories would look like juxtaposed with a history of how these labs and clinics were marketed. For instance, what would these histories say if the earlier clinics and labs did not make an overt attempt to encourage students of all abilities to participate?