A little helping of history with your Friday Photos
What's the history connection with this turkey display?
I have a friend1 who sent me this photo of a seasonal decoration from his front porch. It looked like a fun image for the day after the US Thanksgiving celebrations, so I’m dropping it here.
Part of the fun, for me, is that the photograph is from Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr., an eminent scholar whose area of study was the history of psychology. About 10-15 years ago, Ludy retired to Charlottesville and we got to know each other. We’ve had delightful visits over lunch or even (briefly) when seeing each other at athletic events.
Ludy’s knowledge of the history of psychology seems encyclopedia to me. He regaled me with stories about how an exhibit at a World’s Fair in Chicago in the 1890s showed visitors the new “science of psychology.” I also learned about a museum at the University of Akron’s Center for the History of Psychology2 that—in association with the Smithsonian Institute—houses laboratory exhibits about important topics such as the development of guidance in ethical treatment of human subjects in experiments.3 I found out that a famous figure in the history of intellectual disability engaged in self-promotion; when vacationing around the US, this person would stop at local libraries, search their catalogs to see if they held a copy of his book, and (if his book was not among the library’s holding) recommend purchase of a copy of it.
Ludy tells me about history with a major dose of wisdom and lots of wit. It’s a vision sort of like the turkey in the photo of his front porch. Oh! And he’s a widely published scholar who is so respected in his field (as noted in the Wikipedia entry I cited earlier) that the history people named an annual lecture after him: The Benjamin Lecture. Here’s the only photo I have right now of Ludy, but I’m going to add one that I take the next time we have lunch together!
Footnotes
Some readers may be surprised to learn that I have a friend. I apologize for disappointing them, but I must be honest: I have no scientific evidence that I have any friends. Sigh.
The CHP was endowed by someone, Nicholas Cummings, who “spoke and wrote in support of sexual orientation” therapies, which he called “reorientation therapy” or “sexual orientation change.” The CHP published a statement that provided rejection of these ideas and disavowing any influence of them on the center’s efforts to document the history of psychology.
The term “human subjects” with ring some chimes for those researchers among us, but it also is relevant for those of us who are concerned about making sure that research does not put people with disabilities at risk of or cause actual harm to them.
John, Love the post.
Btw, I doubt that anyone would question that you have “a friend”. Beyond that, however, it’s probably wise that you suggest evidence to substantiate the point.