Mary Whiton Calkins (1863 - 1930)

Born 30 Mar 1863 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Died 27 Feb 1930 at age 66 in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Russell Butler [send private message]

Biography

Mary Calkins is Notable.

Mary Calkins was a part of the Women's Rights Movement.

An American philosopher and psychologist who was the first female president of both the American Philosophical Association and the Americian Psychological Association.

Mary Whiton Calkins was born on March 30, 1863, in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. She was the daughter of Phineas Calkins and Charlotte Whiton. In 1882, she entered Smith College as a sophomore and graduated with a degree in classics and philosophy. She obtained employment at Wellesley College first as a tutor and eventually as a teacher. A professor in the philosophy department noticed her excellent teaching and offered her a position to teach psychology, which was new to the philosophy department's curriculum.

She sought a doctorate degree at Harvard University, but Harvard did not allow women to study at their institution, but it allowed her to sit in on lectures. She attended classes at Harvard Annex (predecessor of Radcliffe College). Calkins was refused a Ph.D. by Harvard University because of her gender. She was the first woman to complete the requirements for a doctoral degree in psychology with the unanimous support of the Harvard University psychology faculty, although the university refused to bestow it on the grounds that Harvard did not accept women.

She is best known for her accomplishments within the field of psychology and her struggles to achieve. After being rejected for a degree from Harvard, she continued to work and strive for equality. She was an avid supporter of women's rights and a suffragist - active in the fight for women's right to vote. She indicated "in a democratic country, governed as this is by the suffrage of its citizens, and given over as this is to the principle and practice of educating women, a distinction based on the difference of sex is artificial and illogical"

Beginning in 1900, she began to publish a series of papers in which she described psychology as a "science of the self" – this would be a premise to the development of her system of self-psychology. In 1901, her first textbook, An Introduction to Psychology, was published. In 1903, she ranked twelfth in a listing of fifty top-ranked psychologists with the most merit, chosen by her peers.

She is a key figure in the history of women psychologists. At Wellesley College, Calkins established the first psychological laboratory for women. She became president of the American Psychological Association and the American Philosophical Association and was the first woman to be president of both associations. She taught psychology and philosophy at Wellesley College for four decades and conducted research there and at Harvard University for the majority of that time. In her career, she wrote four books and over a hundred papers that are evenly divided between the fields of psychology and philosophy

She died on 26 February 1930. ^[1] She was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States.^[2]

Census Information

• In the 1880 census Mary (age 17), At School, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkins in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.^[3]
• In the 1900 census Mary (age 37), Professor College, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkin in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[4]
• In the 1910 census Mary (age 46), Proprietor, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkins in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.^[5]
• In the 1920 census Ulary (age 55), Proprietor, was the single daughter of Uoleott Calkins in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Death: "Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980"
   Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Massachusetts Vital Records Index to Deaths [1916-1970]. Volumes 66–145. Facsimile edition. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts; Volume Number: 70; Page number: 518; Reference Number: F63.M363 v.81
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 3659 #3297307 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary Calkins W death 1930 in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.
2. ↑ Burial: "U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
   Find a Grave. Find a Grave®. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi; URL: Find A Grave: Memorial #6688166
   Ancestry Record 60525 #2509170 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary Whiton Calkins burial (died on 26 Feb 1930) in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America.
3. ↑ 1880 Census: "1880 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1880; Census Place: Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 546; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 473
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6742 #15422591 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkins (17), single daughter, At School, in the household of Wolcott Calkins (49) in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Born in Connecticut.
4. ↑ 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 664; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0892
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #48169763 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkin (37), single daughter, Professor College, in the household of Wolcott Calkin (67) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Born in Connecticut, USA.
5. ↑ 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1910; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_603; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0958; FHL microfilm: 1374616
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #111448940 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkins (46), single daughter, Proprietor, in the household of Wolcott Calkins (78) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Born in Connecticut.
6. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_716; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 358
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #71668742 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Ulary W Calkins (55), single daughter, Proprietor, in household of Uoleott Calkins (88) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Born in Connecticut.

See also:

• Wikipedia: Mary Whiton Calkins
• Wikidata: Item Q988129, en:Wikipedia