Augusta F. Bronner
Augusta Fox Bronner (1881-1966) was an American psychologist, best known for her work in juvenile psychology. She co-directed the first child guidance clinic, and her research shaped psychological theories about the causes behind child delinquency, emphasizing the need to focus on social and environmental factors over inherited traits. Bronner was born July 22, 1881, in Louisville, Kentucky to Gustave Bronner and Hanna Fox Bronner. The family was Jewish, and Augusta Fox Bronner's grandparents on both sides of the family were originally from Germany. She had two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister. After living in Cincinnati for several years, Bronner's family returned to Louisville, where Bronner graduated with her high school diploma in 1898. Bronner's mother and grandmother both encouraged her to study and build a career. Bronner had aspired to be a teacher since youth, and after high school she pursued an educator's certification at the Louisville Normal School. She dropped out briefly, due to eye problems, and spent a year travelling in Europe with her aunt before returning to the Normal School and graduating in 1901. After enrolling in the Columbia University Teachers College, Bronner completed her bachelor's degree (B.S. ) in 1906, soon followed by her master's degree (A.M. ) in 1909. During her studies, she worked part-time grading papers for psychologist Edward L. Thorndike. She returned to Louisville briefly, teaching at the local Louisville Girls' High School - her old school - until her father's death in 1911. Bonner then began her doctoral studies at the Teachers' College, working with Thorndike. In 1914, Bronner completed her doctoral degree and published her dissertation, entitled A Comparative Study of the Intelligence of Delinquent Girls. Bronner's research showed that there was no correlation between delinquency and mental disability, undermining the common notion of the time that criminal behaviour was passed down through biological factors. Bronner died in Clearwater on December 11, 1966.
