One the most important first-generation American psychologists, Mary Whiton Calkins, an exceptional woman best known for two things: becoming the first woman president of the American Psychological Association (APA), and although earning her PhD at Harvard under William James, being denied her doctorate degree. Nevertheless, those only make up a minor percentage of what she had achieved in her life. Calkins’ entire life became devoted to her work, she was responsible for the creating a method of memorization called the right associates method. Also she founded the psychology department at Wellesley College, and ultimately was the not only the first female president of APA in 1905, but also of the American Philosophical Association in 1918.
…show more content…
The unfortunate death of her sister Maude caused Calkins to decide to study Greek at home the following year. However Calkins returned back to Smith as a senior and graduated in 1885 with a double major in the classics and philosophy. In 1886 the Calkins’ family went to Europe for sixteen months. After studying languages on the trip in institutions such as the University in Leipzig, located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, Mary decided that she would return to tutor students in the Greek language. Once returning to Massachusetts her father organized an interview with the President of Wellesley College, a liberal arts college for women, which conveniently was located a few miles from their home. Calkins was offered a position there as a tutor in Greek and began teaching in the fall of 1887, and remained in the Greek Department for three years. Calkins had only been a part of the department for a year when the school began talking about expanding their philosophy department. Although Calkins had no training in psychology, she was considered for the new position because of her interest in the subject and her success at Wellesley as a professor. In 1890 Wellesley offered Calkins the position, with the requirement that she study in the psychology field for a
The unfortunate death of her sister Maude caused Calkins to decide to study Greek at home the following year. However Calkins returned back to Smith as a senior and graduated in 1885 with a double major in the classics and philosophy. In 1886 the Calkins’ family went to Europe for sixteen months. After studying languages on the trip in institutions such as the University in Leipzig, located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, Mary decided that she would return to tutor students in the Greek language. Once returning to Massachusetts her father organized an interview with the President of Wellesley College, a liberal arts college for women, which conveniently was located a few miles from their home. Calkins was offered a position there as a tutor in Greek and began teaching in the fall of 1887, and remained in the Greek Department for three years. Calkins had only been a part of the department for a year when the school began talking about expanding their philosophy department. Although Calkins had no training in psychology, she was considered for the new position because of her interest in the subject and her success at Wellesley as a professor. In 1890 Wellesley offered Calkins the position, with the requirement that she study in the psychology field for a