Grant Stanley Hall (1844-1924)
Granville Stanley Hall was born in 1844 in Ashfield, Massachusetts. He received his A.B. in 1867 from Williams College and A.M. in 1870. Following his graduation Hall wanted to study abroad but needed to earn money, so he spent a year at Union Theological Seminary (1867-1869) and then studied aboard for one year in Germany. From 1872-1876 Hall attended Antioch College followed by Harvard University from 1876-1878. He received his Ph.D. in psychology under William James mentoring at Harvard; this was the first Ph.D. in psychology awarded in America. Following his graduation he went to study with Wundt for a year in Germany.
He returned home to teach at Harvard. He then received a grant to teach at John Hopkins University in 1882 and opened up the first psychological laboratory in the United States used for research, not just demonstrations (like James’s lab). Hall was a professor of Psychology and Pedagogics at John Hopkins University until 1888. In 1887 Hall founded the American Journal of Psychology and served as the first president of APA in 1892. In 1888 Hall accepted the appointment of president at a new college, Clark University. While at Clark University, Hall established several other journals including Journal of Genetic Psychology and Journal of Applied Psychology.
Hall’s research interest included child development and evolutionary theory. His interests lead him to educational issues, where he ended up becoming a major reformer. One of his greatest contributions to the field of psychology was his organization of the field. In addition, he mentored 30 of the first 54 psychologist in America by 1898 including Gesell, Terman, Cattell and Dewey. Hall was named President Emeritus in 1920 at Clark University.
Outside of work, Hall enjoyed music and literature and spent some time philosophizing. Hall died in 1924.