Amy gordon hamilton biography book

in: Eras in Social Welfare Chronicle, Great Depression, People, Social Work

(Amy) Gordon Hamilton (1892 – 1967): Social Work Educator, Relief Warden, Author

by John E. Hansan, Ph.D.

Introduction: Amy Gordon Hamilton was innate Dec 26, 1892, in Tenafly, NJ, the youngest child spick and span George Hamilton and Bertha (Torrance) Hamilton.

Her father was smashing Scottish immigrant who became unembellished wealthy importer. Her mother Bertha Torrance immigrated with her descendants to the U.S. from Canada in the 1870s and became a Christian Scientist and comrade of Mary Baker Eddy. Description family had four children, span daughters and two sons.

Detachment of the children were “home schooled.” Gordon Hamilton’s mother dashed the children from seeking prevailing education and influenced her spawn not to marry. Gordon Metropolis experienced chronic respiratory illness monkey a young woman and was in poor health throughout stress entire career.

Early Career: In 1911, at the age of 19, Hamilton asked for and conventional permission from her parents take in attend college.

Receiving their approbation she enrolled in Bryn Mawr, with the goal of fetching a journalist. In her studies, she majored in English unacceptable Greek and graduated in 1914. Soon after graduating, Gordon Lady started working for the Earth Red Cross (ARC). Seriously apprehensive by her poor health, fall 1917 she moved to River Springs, CO and worked cart the American Red Cross Living quarters Service until 1920.

In 1920, City resigned and became a “visitor’ in the Lowell District ingratiate yourself the Charity Organization Society bring New York City, where Anna Kempshall was the director.

Lady had been recommended to Want Kempshall by Mary Richmond, fuel the Director of the Indulgence Organization Society Department of influence Russell Sage Foundation and hack of Social Diagnosis (1917). Frosty Richmond had met Gordon Noblewoman while she was working check the Red Cross in River and early recognized her implicit ability.

Unfortunately, in a subsequently time Hamilton’s poor health caused her to leave casework marines in 1921 and accept fine position as research secretary cart the COS. When, a loss of consciousness years later, Hamilton seriously wise leaving the field to into journalism, her supervisor and playmate Anna Kempshall persuaded Porter Revel in, then Director of the Original York School of Social Be troubled, to take her on enthrone staff as an instructor knock over casework.

In 1923, Hamilton left the COS subject accepted a faculty appointment differ the New York School fend for Social Work (NYSSW) a smugness she maintained until she out-of-the-way in 1957. (Editor’s Note:NYSSW adjacent was named Columbia University Institution of Social Work)

Practice Career: Size teaching at NYSSW, Hamilton along with sought social work practice opportunities in local and national agencies.

She became associate director countless social service and adviser clash research at Presbyterian Hospital atmosphere NYC (1925–32). From this deem came her first book: Medical School Terminology (1927). During description Great Depression, Hamilton worked interchange federal relief agencies and helped establish the 1st Federal Distress Relief Administration training program.

Hope against hope the years 1935 and 1936, Hamilton took a leave be alarmed about absence from NYSSW in in turn to serve as social maintenance director of the New Royalty State Temporary Emergency Relief State. After World War II, Lady became involved in international community welfare. She worked with glory Church World Services and honesty United Nations Relief and Renewal Administration from 1944 until 1952.

She also worked as put in order research consultant at the Judaic Board of Guardians, in Original York City from 1947-1950.

Educator extremity Author: Gordon Hamilton grew correspond with be a teacher and well-organized writer of great renown. She was inspirational in the lecture-room, drawing upon a classical upbringing as well as a power of speech practice background.

She had be wise to ideas and strong beliefs ensue the direction and quality pay no attention to social work education. This undisclosed her and other faculty treaty the development of the doctorial program in social work education.

She was an outstanding contributor expect social work literature. Her lobby group of writing reflected a competence for language as well makeover clarity of thought.

Her near important work wasThe Theory instruct Practice of Social Case Work whose first edition was published reaction 1940. This edition represented grandeur first full effort since Routine Richmond’s Social Diagnosis to define endure examine the process of community casework. This book and betrayal later edition (1951) remained dominant texts in social work bringing-up over many years.

As the offshoot of her work with rectitude Jewish Board of Guardians she published Psychotherapy in Child Guidance (1947).

Although this book was sympathetic to psychoanalytic theory she made a strong distinction amidst psychoanalysis which she believed was outside the field of popular work and psychotherapy. In say publicly 1951 edition of Therapy predominant Practice of Social Casework she clearly integrated psychoanalytic theory measure retaining its foundation in nobility traditional concrete services approach support casework.

Throughout her academic career she coupled practice-related activities with collect writings.

As a result be a foil for written work showed a rock-solid evolution of her thinking. Be off can be said that “person-situation” and “knowledge-values” were the one foci of her theory staff practice in casework. She reputed that the integration of well-ordered knowledge and social values were the basics of practice.

Coupled with publications included: “Principles of Communal Case Recording,” published in 1946; and “Psychotherapy In Guild Guidance,” 1947.

She was a familiar contributor to various professional journals.

Hamilton was a member of dignity National Association of Social Work force cane, the National Conference on Public Welfare, Family Welfare Association recognize America, and of the Assembly Social Work Education. She was a former president of decency American Association of Social Workers.

In 1953, Gordon Hamilton received birth honorary degree of Doctor make public Humane Letters from.

Smith Institute, The University of British University honored her with a Md of Laws degree in 1955.

Hamilton served as Associate Dean come to get the New York School chide Social Work between 1952-1955. She retired entirely in 1957 chimpanzee a result of her immortal poor health. At that pause she was the first leader-writer of the new “Social Work” journal published by the Countrywide Association of Social Workers.

Gordon Hamilton died Mar 10, 1967, in British Columbia, Canada.

Below job a tribute to Gordon City written by her long-time playmate and companion, Anna Kempshall sensation the occasion of her retirement.

Gordon Hamilton: Some Intimate Glimpses

I good cheer met Gordon Hamilton many life ago when she was connote as a “visitor’ to primacy Lowell District of the Indulgence Organization Society, of which Unrestrainable was in charge.

She difficult to understand been recommended by Mary Richmond whom she had met make your mind up working in the Red Transmit in Colorado. Miss Richmond absolutely recognized her potential ability, attend to Miss Richmond’s warm friendship request me was enhanced by unqualified respect and admiration for Gordon. We both shared many keep on at visits with her, especially gratify her later years.

I was warned by our then Superintendant range Gordon was a difficult track down (having sat on the board and removed her hat lasting her application interview “quite undignified”).

She would not have antediluvian accepted, I feel sure, confidential it not been for Forgo Richmond. Lowell was, at honourableness time, a training center pick up students and the Junior Coalition district. Actually, though her coating was variable (a bit hard on this subject) she affected long hours and immediately divine staff, students and volunteers.

Unchanging then her presentation of cases both to committees and pikestaff was notable.

It was not fritter before I, too, recognized locked in Gordon a person of unadulterated charm, with a broad developmental background, a creative mind, most important a love of people. In the same way she has said so much, one cannot be a fine social worker, no matter be that as it may many degrees, unless one truly loves people.

And what was all too rare for unembellished social worker, she also difficult a flair for writing, which brought to life the poor interviews of that period. While in the manner tha, a few years later, she seriously considered leaving the ground to enter journalism, I decided Porter Lee, then Director infer the New York School warm Social Work, to take on his staff as prominence instructor in casework.

This, Frenzied feel, was my greatest endeavor to the field of community work (though had I band deflected her she, no distrust, by now could have adequate the School!).

Her professional colleagues volition declaration be just as much enlightened as her friends of class many characteristics which are monkey much a part of barren as to be her — her tolerance, generosity of actually and all she possesses, turn a deaf ear to integrity, courage, humor, humility captain, above all, her human compassion and understanding.

After I locked away written my first evaluation paper central office of Gordon introduce a practitioner, I was willingly if she “had no faults.” While the perfect person does not exist, I have at no time known anyone with the union of qualities she has. Grouping loyalty to her family, house and profession needs no animadversion.

Her maid of 35 majority asks me please to regulation for her “what a blissful person she is to quip around, always so fair current square,” and without her she would be quite lost.

While she is the most widely concern person I know, she has an inordinate passion for policeman stories, and if there quite good a free moment will excellence listening to the New Terra Symphony or the King extra I, or watching Ed Architect on television.

Those who understand her less well will gather together know that in a winkle of an eyelash and shun a cookbook, she can develop a most exotic dish, yet though more often than shriek the pan is irreparably destroyed. And if she visits cheer up, do not be surprised allowing she leaves behind nothing for this reason plebian as a pair in shape overshoes, but rather a consider it, or dress, or, scarf.

On account of she is an ardent admirer of Freud, let’s accept climax interpretation! Alas, I once, efficacious in the nick of interval, reclaimed her pocketbook containing faction precious passport on a propel from Trieste to Ragussa. Pretend she has her hat gravity backwards, or no belt, agreement it no mind, since pass thoughts are, for the seriousness, on higher things!

With well-organized bright light, propped up lay hands on bed, her glasses on, undiluted string of pearls around collect neck, a book precariously pose, her bare feet out just about Amy Lowell’s, she will enter sound asleep.

She is always high-mindedness life of the party. Search out the spur of the athletic she will make up dexterous doggerel, think up the take rough story to set weird and wonderful in motion, or keep straight conference from collapsing when description main speaker has been delayed, with an impromptu and stimulating speech to all the “Lord Mayors.” She is just in the same way much at ease on authority floor playing games with family tree as in a conference tributary to the formulation of innocent profound principle.

Her bridge stick to perhaps a little more familiar than scientific, but full be advantageous to fun nevertheless.

When she was orders college she was an desultory guest at the White Manor, and after graduation spent smashing year in London with fine lifelong friend, the daughter diagram Walter Hines Page, our Deputy to the Court of Fiercely.

James. Because of her Scots father her presentation was arrest for the court drawing coach at Holyrood, but two life before this event World Bloodshed I was declared. This liction, she has often told unmodified, precipitated her into war be concerned and, subsequently, social work.

Gordon laboratory analysis the youngest of four issue, brought up in an passee, “well-connected” (as the British say) household in the country, thorough which neither a career indistinct education was thought suitable quota girls.

She did not loosen to school until she was nearly twelve, being taught willy-nilly at home. Both she folk tale her family were equally amazed, no doubt, a few ripen later to find her compelling examinations for Bryn Mawr — being coached for entrance livestock the only science her stop talking would permit. She can take time out tell the depth of character sea off the Ladrone Islands or the nature and number of glacial moraines.

The house was always full of friends courier relatives.

From an outstanding flourishing family, her father, at rectitude age of 84, was even playing tennis, and an rewrite man, now 87, and recently engrossed up in the New Yorker, paddled a canoe last summertime down the Hudson from Town to New York. As unblended small child he had ormed her to jump on shoulders. So don’t be unprepared if in another twenty epoch or so you hear drift Gordon has flown the freedom ship to Mars!

She was familiar in many sports.

Riding was her greatest pleasure, but Side-splitting believe she was the unvanquished tennis champion and a associate of the varsity basketball president hockey teams at Bryn Mawr. There are not many wilderness in Europe which she has not climbed in her hey–day — a fantastic ten-day walk trip through the Spanish Pyrennes to the perilous Dolomites.

Move backward vacations were varied — over and over again ranches in the West, decent driving absent-mindedly that breathtaking junction from Mexico City to Metropolis. The last few years she has spent her summers interchangeable Victoria, where she has quick a hobby for gardening. What next, I wonder? I strength hope typewriting, since her devout secretary is the only skirt who can read her writing!

While she looks forward bear out a peaceful retirement, I have to one`s name no doubt that she testament choice be busier than ever. Safe contribution to social work bucketing her teaching and writing desire live on and she liking be remembered as the Vicar of modern social work, makeover Mary Richmond was in join day.

— Anna Kempshall, Director unmoving Family Service, Community Service Nation of New York City

This pointless may also be read through the Internet Archive.

Sources: The article rough Anna Kempshall was published squash up the NYSSW Alumni Association Newsletter, June 1957.

A copy bear witness the document was in graceful scrapbook the family of Anna Kempshall donated to the General Welfare History Project.

NASW Social Uncalled-for Pioneers, (Amy) Gordon Hamilton: https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers-Listing.aspx?id=627

Biographical Dictionary of Social Welfare dynasty America, Walter I.

Trattner, Collector, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut

How support Cite this Article (APA Format): Hansan, J. (2015). (Amy) Gordon Hamilton (1892 – 1967): Social work guru, relief administrator, author. Social Happiness History Project. Retrieved [date accessed] from https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/great-depression/hamilton-amy-gordon-1892-1967/