In her memories of Anna Freud, her teacher and mentor for more than forty years, the author recalls her first introduction to psychoanalysis in The Hampstead War Nurseries and the compelling learning experience it provided in the context of direct and intensive contact with the needs and conflicts of some eighty infants and young children. To illustrate some of the innovative practices Anna Freud introduced to help the children adapt to residential care, the author describes the initial difficulties followed by great spurts in development when small family groups were introduced to meet the children's attachment needs. It is difficult to remember that these were indeed new ideas fifty-four years ago.