Dr. Leta Stetter Hollingworth highlighted in Graves Lecture

He paid particular attention to Dr. Leta Stetter Hollingworth, who was born in 1886 near Chadron and lived for several years in a dugout along White River. Her mother, father, one sister, and one set of grandparents are buried in the cemetery just west of Chadron.

The accomplishments and contributions of four other noted Nebraska psychologists – Edwin Ray Guthrie, J.P Guilford, J. McVicker Hunt and Hollingworth’s husband, Harry Levi Hollingworth – were also included in Roweton’s program.

Hollingworth wrote more than once of her love for the prairie life of northern Nebraska which helped her develop a strong work ethic and “all the benefits to be derived from mastering farm animals, blizzards, sand storms and cacti.”

From these unassuming beginnings, she went on to earn advanced degrees and establish an experimental program for gifted children in New York City.

She created the first college course about gifted children at Columbia University and wrote two books about gifted children, one published in 1926 and one in 1942. She was one of the country's first clinical psychologists and helped establish standards for clinical practice.

“Linking Leta’s childhood with her professional years is not simple,” Roweton said.

Her upbringing was tumultuous. Her mother died in childbirth when Hollingworth was 3 years old and since her father, an amateur entertainer, saloon owner and heavy drinker, was considered irresponsible, she and her sisters lived with various relatives in Chadron and Valentine, Roweton said.

“I decided to grow up then and there, solemnly renouncing the rest of my childhood,” Hollingworth said when she was about 10 years old.

Her father's second wife traumatized Hollingworth and her siblings for three years in their home in Valentine. The Valentine High School superintendent helped to salvage what remained of Hollingworth's self-worth in the classroom for two years supporting her intellectual creativity, Roweton said.

Hollingworth later wrote her memories of this pivotal time in her life.

“That good, good man, my old high school superintendent, who by the spirit in his faith, kept alive in me faith in high things,” she said.

“Dr. Hollingworth had a pioneer’s courage, a homesteader’s persistence and a traveler’s taste for adventure. She championed unpopular social agendas for women and developed new programs in spite of scare resources,” Roweton said.

The finals Graves Lecture of the semester will feature Dr. Pat Beu Tuesday, March 31 in the Reta King Library at 7 p.m. His presentation will be, “Preparing Today’s Kids for Tomorrow’s College: Thoughts on Academic and Social Changes.”

—Tena L. Cook, Marketing Coordinator