"Ruth Winified Howard"(March 25,1900-February 12,1997)

From Washington D.C.,after finishing Dunbar High School,she attended Simmons College in Boston receiving her degree in social work in 1921 and her Masters of Science degree six years later.Under a Laura Spelman Rockefeller Fellowship for Parent Education,she studied psychology at the University of Minnesota from 1930-1934.There she collaborated on research in child development and earned her Ph.D in psychology and child development,the first African American Woman to do so at the school.Ruth doctoral research "A study of the Development of Triplets,"was the first in print study of a sizable group of triplets of varying size from numerous ethnic groups.Ruth married psychologist Albert S.Beckman,moved to Chicago,performed clinical internship at the Illinois Institute for Juvenile Research and entered into clinical psychology practice.From 1940-1964,Ruth served the African American community in a number of capacities.She and her husband were co-directors for the Center for Psychological services.She was a psychologist for Chicago's Provident Hospital School of Nursing while consulting schools in Kansas & Jacksonville.Ruth continued in private practice as a consultant and worked with the children's program at Abraham Lincoln Centre.As a writer for field,her publications include Fantasy and the Play interview,intellectual and personality Traits of a Group Triplets,and Development History of a Group of Triplets.Her life continued professional affiliations with the Chicago Psychology Club,the American Psychological Association,the American Association for the Advancement of Science,and the International Reading Association.Ruth civically was a board member of the YWCA of Chicago,the women's International League for Peace and Freedom,the American Association of College Women,the American Association for the Advancement of Science,and the International Reading Association.Ruth was civically was a board member of the YWCA of Chicago,the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom,the American Association of College Women,the National Association of Art Institute of Chicago,and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.