Albert Sidney Beckham
Encyclopedia
Albert Sidney Beckham founded the Psychological Laboratory at Howard University.
to Elizabeth and Albert Beckham. Beckham’s early educational experiences took place at a Presbyterian School of Camden and from private tutoring.
located in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree. He received a second Bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in 1916. He received his Masters degree in Psychology in 1917. In 1930 he received his PhD in psychology from New York University
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in Ohio until 1920. After that, Beckham moved to New York. In New York he was the editor of the New York City Dispatch
. Preceding that, he left that job to become a Jay Gould Fellow in Psychology at New York University. In 1924 he became a professor at Howard University
. At this University he was assistant professor of psychology from 1925 to 1928. He founded the Psychological laboratory at Howard University. A quite bit of his life was spent as a school psychologist a DuSable High School
where he created parent counseling groups and a psychology clinic. In 1960 until 1963 he was a psychological consultant at Ada S. McKinley Community House in Chicago. Here, he studied mentally challenged population through vocational training. Beckham’s Wife, Dr. Ruth W. Howard and he created a practice in clinical psychology which was known as The Center for Psychological Service.
institutions for training the mentally challenged populations.
Early life
Albert Sidney Beckham was born on September 21, 1897 in Camden, South CarolinaCamden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
to Elizabeth and Albert Beckham. Beckham’s early educational experiences took place at a Presbyterian School of Camden and from private tutoring.
Undergraduate and Graduate years
In 1915, he graduated from Lincoln UniversityLincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
located in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree. He received a second Bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in 1916. He received his Masters degree in Psychology in 1917. In 1930 he received his PhD in psychology from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Careers
Beckham was a member of the Air Corps during World War II. The was denied training in the Air Corps, but contributed to the war by teaching psychology at a college. Resulting from this, he was moved to the Sergeant’s Army Training Corps in 1917 to 1918 and the a war psychology professor at Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
in Ohio until 1920. After that, Beckham moved to New York. In New York he was the editor of the New York City Dispatch
New York Dispatch
The New York Dispatch also called the New York Weekly Dispatch and the Weekly Dispatch, was a newspaper published in New York City....
. Preceding that, he left that job to become a Jay Gould Fellow in Psychology at New York University. In 1924 he became a professor at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
. At this University he was assistant professor of psychology from 1925 to 1928. He founded the Psychological laboratory at Howard University. A quite bit of his life was spent as a school psychologist a DuSable High School
DuSable High School
DuSable High School was a public high school in Chicago opened in the Bronzeville neighborhood in 1934. It was named after Chicago's first permanent non-native settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. DuSable was built to accommodate the growing Phillips High School in the 1930s. The campus was...
where he created parent counseling groups and a psychology clinic. In 1960 until 1963 he was a psychological consultant at Ada S. McKinley Community House in Chicago. Here, he studied mentally challenged population through vocational training. Beckham’s Wife, Dr. Ruth W. Howard and he created a practice in clinical psychology which was known as The Center for Psychological Service.
Membership
Beckham was a member of the National Committee for Mental Hygiene at the Illinois Institution for Juvenile Research in 1929 to 1930. He was also senior assistant psychologist there from 1931 to 1935. He was member of the Chicago’s Board of Education and the Bureau of Child Study. Beckham Affiliated with the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Chicago Psychology Club, American Psychology Association, Illinois Psychological Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Chicago Friends of the Mentally Ill.Publications
Beckham did research and created the “Minimum Levels of Intelligence for Certain Occupations” which end up becoming the guide for stateinstitutions for training the mentally challenged populations.