William Dunlop Tait (1880-1945) was the founder of the Department of Psychology at McGill University. He served as the Department Head from 1924 to his death in 1944.[1]
Originally from Nova Scotia, he earned his bachelor's degree at Dalhousie University, then went to the U.S. for graduate work, taking a PhD at Harvard University under the supervision of Hugo Münsterberg. He was appointed to a Lectureship in the Philosophy Department at McGill in 1909, and he founded McGill's first experimental psychology laboratory in 1910.[2] Tait was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1914, but clashed mightily with the Head of Philosophy, William Caldwell.
In April 1924, the university president, Arthur Currie, agreed to Tait's long demand that psychology be separated from Philosophy and given its own Department. Simultaneously, Tait was also promoted to Professor and made Head of Psychology.
On October 19, 1926, Tait invited Harry Houdini, who was then performing in Montréal, to lecture at the McGill Union (now the McCord Museum) on the frauds perpetrated by psychics and spiritualist mediums. Three days after this lecture, J. Gordon Whitehead, a McGill student who had been invited to Houdini's dressing room at the Princess Theatre in Montréal, asked Houdini if he could withstand punches to the stomach. Houdini causally answered that he could, whereupon Whitehead attacked him. The assault injured Houdini so severely that it is said by many to have led to his death in Detroit just nine days later, on October 31. (There remains, however, much controversy over the exact cause of Houdini's death.)[4]
Although Tait was responsible for bringing experimental psychology to McGill, his research was mostly applied in character, focusing especially on educational psychology.[5]
Referencesedit
^Bazar, J. L. & Green, C. D. (2021). How Canada's first psychology department arose at McGill University. Canadian Psychology, 63(1), 149–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000238
^Frost, Stanley Brice (1980). McGill University: For the Advancement of Learning, Volume II, 1895-1971. McGill-Queen's University Press.
^Smol, Robert (May 26, 2017). "THE MAJILLSES GO TO WAR: McGill University's 7th Siege Battery At Vimy". Esprit de Corps. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
^Bell, Don (2005). The Man Who Killed Houdini. Véhicule Press.
^Tait, William Dunlop. (1929). Science and education. The Scientific Monthly, 29(2), 132-136.
January 01, 1970
william, dunlop, tait, 1880, 1945, founder, department, psychology, mcgill, university, served, department, head, from, 1924, death, 1944, originally, from, nova, scotia, earned, bachelor, degree, dalhousie, university, then, went, graduate, work, taking, harv. William Dunlop Tait 1880 1945 was the founder of the Department of Psychology at McGill University He served as the Department Head from 1924 to his death in 1944 1 Originally from Nova Scotia he earned his bachelor s degree at Dalhousie University then went to the U S for graduate work taking a PhD at Harvard University under the supervision of Hugo Munsterberg He was appointed to a Lectureship in the Philosophy Department at McGill in 1909 and he founded McGill s first experimental psychology laboratory in 1910 2 Tait was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1914 but clashed mightily with the Head of Philosophy William Caldwell In World War I Tait commanded the 7th Canadian Siege Battery which fought at the Battles of Vimy Ridge Hill 70 and Passchendaele among others 3 In April 1924 the university president Arthur Currie agreed to Tait s long demand that psychology be separated from Philosophy and given its own Department Simultaneously Tait was also promoted to Professor and made Head of Psychology On October 19 1926 Tait invited Harry Houdini who was then performing in Montreal to lecture at the McGill Union now the McCord Museum on the frauds perpetrated by psychics and spiritualist mediums Three days after this lecture J Gordon Whitehead a McGill student who had been invited to Houdini s dressing room at the Princess Theatre in Montreal asked Houdini if he could withstand punches to the stomach Houdini causally answered that he could whereupon Whitehead attacked him The assault injured Houdini so severely that it is said by many to have led to his death in Detroit just nine days later on October 31 There remains however much controversy over the exact cause of Houdini s death 4 Although Tait was responsible for bringing experimental psychology to McGill his research was mostly applied in character focusing especially on educational psychology 5 References edit Bazar J L amp Green C D 2021 How Canada s first psychology department arose at McGill University Canadian Psychology 63 1 149 160 https doi org 10 1037 cap0000238 Frost Stanley Brice 1980 McGill University For the Advancement of Learning Volume II 1895 1971 McGill Queen s University Press Smol Robert May 26 2017 THE MAJILLSES GO TO WAR McGill University s 7th Siege Battery At Vimy Esprit de Corps Retrieved December 10 2020 Bell Don 2005 The Man Who Killed Houdini Vehicule Press Tait William Dunlop 1929 Science and education The Scientific Monthly 29 2 132 136 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Dunlop Tait amp oldid 1145480013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
