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A history of psychology in autobiography volume III.Harvey A. Carr.

A history of psychology in autobiography volume III.: Harvey A. Carr. At 18 I entered the preparatory school of DePauw University. This was a three-year course. At the beginning of the third year I was stricken with a serious illness, and the rest of the year was devoted to recovery and recuperation. The next year was spent in hard labor on the farm in order to regain my physical vitality. At this time the farming community was afflicted with a period of hard times, and I decided to teach in a country school for a couple of years in order to complete my college education. At the end of the first year, I came across a copy of McMurray's Method of the Recitation which made a profound impression and convinced me that teaching is a process that is deserving of serious study. The period is of interest chiefly in the fact that it was primarily responsible for my later specialization in psychology and for the educational slant to my psychological interests. I was averse to returning to DePauw. Through the influence of a friend, I entered the University of Colorado in 1899 at the age of 26, and remained the third year to take a Master's degree. A few days before the opening of the University I had chanced to meet the Professor of Psychology and Education. My previous teaching experience furnished a background for an extended conversation. I was impressed with his ability, his geniality, and his cordial interest in the mental perplexities of a mere student. I turned to him for advice and, as a result of his interest and encouragement, I decided to turn Psychologist, although I knew practically nothing about the nature of the subject. Much has happened during my connection with psychology, and it has been extremely interesting. In retrospect, I have been impressed with the unpredictable character of much of this development and the minimal amount of my influence upon it. Likewise I have often wondered how much of this development may be termed progress. What will be the course of future development? Who is so rash as to predict its nature, and why this unpredictability? Is it because we have no commonly accepted system of scientific values and objectives, and hence live a life of simple faith and take the value of our science for granted? Is not this faith often expressed in our tendency to capitalize such terms as Truth and Science? I sometimes wish that I might be vouchsafed a glimpse of the Psychology--or Psychologies--of 1990, but perhaps it is just as well, for I might be woefully disappointed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A history of psychology in autobiography volume III.Harvey A. Carr.

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Publisher
Clark University Press
Copyright
Copyright © 1936 American Psychological Association
Pages
69 –82
DOI
10.1037/11247-004
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

At 18 I entered the preparatory school of DePauw University. This was a three-year course. At the beginning of the third year I was stricken with a serious illness, and the rest of the year was devoted to recovery and recuperation. The next year was spent in hard labor on the farm in order to regain my physical vitality. At this time the farming community was afflicted with a period of hard times, and I decided to teach in a country school for a couple of years in order to complete my college education. At the end of the first year, I came across a copy of McMurray's Method of the Recitation which made a profound impression and convinced me that teaching is a process that is deserving of serious study. The period is of interest chiefly in the fact that it was primarily responsible for my later specialization in psychology and for the educational slant to my psychological interests. I was averse to returning to DePauw. Through the influence of a friend, I entered the University of Colorado in 1899 at the age of 26, and remained the third year to take a Master's degree. A few days before the opening of the University I had chanced to meet the Professor of Psychology and Education. My previous teaching experience furnished a background for an extended conversation. I was impressed with his ability, his geniality, and his cordial interest in the mental perplexities of a mere student. I turned to him for advice and, as a result of his interest and encouragement, I decided to turn Psychologist, although I knew practically nothing about the nature of the subject. Much has happened during my connection with psychology, and it has been extremely interesting. In retrospect, I have been impressed with the unpredictable character of much of this development and the minimal amount of my influence upon it. Likewise I have often wondered how much of this development may be termed progress. What will be the course of future development? Who is so rash as to predict its nature, and why this unpredictability? Is it because we have no commonly accepted system of scientific values and objectives, and hence live a life of simple faith and take the value of our science for granted? Is not this faith often expressed in our tendency to capitalize such terms as Truth and Science? I sometimes wish that I might be vouchsafed a glimpse of the Psychology--or Psychologies--of 1990, but perhaps it is just as well, for I might be woefully disappointed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Published: Dec 11, 2006

Keywords: Harvey A. Carr; psychology; autobiography; history

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