Leta Hollingworth Important woman in psychology

Leta Hollingworth was not only an important figure in the history of psychology but she was also a feminist. Leta Stetter Hollingworth did exceptional work in a variety of areas in psychology but is primarily known for her work with gifted children and their education. She also made contributions in the areas of sex differences (Rutherford, 2003).

Leta Stetter Hollingworth was born on May 25th 1886, in Dawes county Nebraska near the town of Chadron to Margaret Elinor Danley and John G. Stetter (Silverman, 1992). Leta S. Hollingworth was the first of three daughters in her family; she never knew her mother as Margaret Danley died after the birth of her third child (Silverman, 1992). Leta and her sisters spent the next ten years of their life with their maternal grandparents; at age twelve Leta and her sisters went to Valentine to join their father and stepmother (Silverman, 1992).

English: I took this picture on August 11, 2006, w...

Leta Lindley

Hollingworth Lake, taken from the north shore

In 1902 at the age of 16 Leta Hollingworth graduated high school and entered the University of Nebraska as an undergraduate. It was here that Leta met her future husband, Henry Hollingworth. Leta and Henry became engaged while both attending the University of Nebraska; Hollingworth went to New York to complete his graduate degree while Stetter remained in Nebraska completing her undergraduate degree (Silverman, 1992). In 1906 Stetter Hollingworth received her Bachelor of Arts degree along with a State Teacher's Certificate, thus qualifying her to teach English Language and Literature at any Nebraska public high school (Silverman, 1992). Stetter taught for two and a half years in Nebraska before moving to New York to join Hollingworth. They were married on December 31, 1908 (Silverman, 1992).

Leta Hollingworth was unable to secure a teaching position in New York and after a few years began taking...