Olive P. Lester

Olive Peckham Lester was born on December 19, 1903, in Lancaster, Erie County, New York{{sfn|Social Security Death Index|1996}} to Martha (née Zurbrick) and Levant D. Lester.{{sfn|The Buffalo Courier-Express|1970|p=10}}{{sfn|U. S. Census|1910|p=19A}} Her father was a lawyer and Lester had a younger sister, Ilma.{{sfn|U. S. Census|1910|p=19A}} The Peckham family were well established in Lancaster, having immigrated from Connecticut in 1808 and organizing the Lancaster Presbyterian Church. The family moved in to the property at 5454 Broadway in 1912, which would remain Lester's residence until her death. She was educated at Lancaster High School and went on to study psychology at the University of Buffalo (UB). After graduating in 1924, as the first person to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology at the school,{{sfn|Meacham|2006|p=3}} she began her graduate studies and worked as an assistant in the psychology lab.{{sfn|The Buffalo Evening News|1925|p=22}}

In 1925, while working on her master's degree, which she was awarded in 1926, Lester began working as an instructor at UB in the psychology department of the College of Arts and Sciences.{{sfn|The Buffalo Evening News|1925|p=22}}{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}{{sfn|The Buffalo Evening News|1926|p=22}} In 1932, she earned her PhD in philosophy through the University of Chicago, while carrying on her research and teaching full-time at UB.{{sfn|The Bee|1932|p=2}} She studied functionalism under the tutelage of Harvey A. Carr and Arthur Gilbert Bills, completing summer classes under Edward B. Titchener of Cornell University in structuralism.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|p=3}} Upon receipt of her PhD, in 1932, she was elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|p=3}}{{sfn|By-laws|1932|p=81}} During the day she taught in the psychology department and then taught adult education courses at Millard Fillmore College in the evenings until the war began. During the war, she taught a course in human relations at a local airplane facility.{{sfn|The Buffalo News|1996}} In 1939, Lester was promoted to Associate Professor and seven years later she earned a full professorship.{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}

Lester was involved in the study of social psychology.{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}} One of her early studies involved the impact of language skills upon the education process. Studying students who had to repeat grades, she determined that mental or physical age did not correlate to ability, but rather proficiency with English did. She argued that tests which placed students on the basis of their language ability, such as the Stanford-Binet test should be used to determine the entrance grade of immigrant students.{{sfn|Richardson|2011|pp=226–227}} In a 1940 study, she evaluated whether higher education impacted religious values.{{sfn|Hoge|1974|p=52}} The findings produced by Lester and her co-author Richard Bugelski mirrored similar findings at other universities that in the pre-war era beliefs liberalized, but as World War II proceeded there was a shift to conservatism.{{sfn|Hoge|1974|p=99}} She created the first curriculum in psychology for student nurses, teaching courses at Children's Hospital, Deaconess Hospital and the E. J. Meyer Memorial Hospital{{sfn|The Buffalo News|1996}} and received three honors from the Nursing School at UB in recognition of her teaching.{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}{{sfn|The Buffalo News|1996}}

In 1952, when Carlton Scofield took a leave of absence to work for the United States Department of the Army, the women professors at UB, including Lester's close friend Emily Webster, rallied to support Lester as acting chair. She served in that capacity between 1952 and 1956, and then permanently became the chair of the psychology department when Scofield officially resigned to accept an appointment in Karachi, Pakistan with the U. S. Information Agency.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|pp=2–3}} She was the first woman to serve as a chair of the College of Arts and Sciences at UB{{sfn|Fisch|1978|p=4}} and one of the first women in the country to lead a psychology department.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|p=3}} She served as chair of the department until 1966 and when she stepped down was succeeded by B. Richard Bugelski. She held the chair longer than any of the successors to the department.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|pp=2–3}} In 1971, she was recognized for her outstanding teaching contributions by the College of Arts and Sciences and in 1973, received the university's Distinguished Alumni Award, before retiring in 1974.{{sfn|Meacham|2006|p=3}}{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}

A frequent community lecturer on social perceptions, Lester spoke on many issues,{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}} such as during the war debunking the myth of innate racial superiority and confirming that racism was a learned behavior.{{sfn|The Times Herald|1944|p=1}} During the 1960s, she lectured on the changing role of women and how social norms, rather than their innate abilities, restricted women's lives{{sfn|The Niagara Falls Gazette|1960|p=5}} She was vocal about the discrimination she had experienced as a woman, like being paid less than her male colleagues and receiving promotions long after her male peers.{{sfn|Fisch|1978|p=4}} Lester was also involved in community affairs in Lancaster, serving as a trustee for the Lancaster Public Library for more than two decades and working on adult education projects with the Lancaster Public Schools.{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}

Lester died on October 10, 1996, in Amherst, New York, at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.{{sfn|Social Security Death Index|1996}}{{sfn|The Buffalo News|1996}} As part of the University at Buffalo's oral history project, she was the subject of an interview conducted in 1978.{{sfn|University at Buffalo|2010}}

• {{cite journal|last1=Lester|first1=Olive Peckham|title=Mental set in relation to retroactive inhibition|journal=Journal of Experimental Psychology|date=1932|volume=XV|issue=6|page=299|issn=0096-3445}}{{sfn|Leroy|1974|p=462}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Bugelski|first1=Richard|last2=Lester|first2=Olive P.|title=Changes in Attitudes in a Group of College Students During Their College Course and After Graduation|journal=The Journal of Social Psychology|date=1940|volume=12|issue=2|pages=319–332|doi=10.1080/00224545.1940.9921476|issn=0022-4545}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Troup|first1=Evelyn|last2=Lester|first2=Olive P.|title=The Social Competence of Identical Twins|journal=The Journal of Genetic Psychology|date=1942|volume=60|pages=167–175|url=https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.230813/2015.230813.Journal-Of#page/n172/mode/1up|access-date=15 March 2018|issn=0022-1325}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

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• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Buffalo Courier-Express|1970}}|author=|title=Deaths: Lester|url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%25201970%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%25201970%2520-%25202971.pdf%23xml%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3D249d2d1%26DocId%3D8764925%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D3%26hits%3Dde8%2Bde9%2Bdea%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&uri=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%25201970%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Courier%2520Express%25201970%2520-%25202971.pdf&xml=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3D249d2d1%26DocId%3D8764925%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D3%26hits%3Dde8%2Bde9%2Bdea%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=Buffalo Courier-Express|date=February 12, 1970|location=Buffalo, New York|page=10}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Buffalo Evening News|1926}}|author=|title=Larkin Will Gives $100,000 to U. of B.|url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201926%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201926%2520-%25207814.pdf%23xml%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffffd3be5c76%26DocId%3D8093032%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D2%26hits%3D1943%2B1944%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&uri=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201926%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201926%2520-%25207814.pdf&xml=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffffd3be5c76%26DocId%3D8093032%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D2%26hits%3D1943%2B1944%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=The Buffalo Evening News|date=February 23, 1926 |location=Buffalo, New York|page=20}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Buffalo Evening News|1925}}|author=|title=New U. B. Instructors|url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201925%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201925%2520d%2520-%25200130.pdf%23xml%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffffa55b662a%26DocId%3D7874808%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D4%26hits%3D23b%2B23c%2B241%2B242%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&uri=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201925%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201925%2520d%2520-%25200130.pdf&xml=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffffa55b662a%26DocId%3D7874808%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cIndex%2520I%252dE%252dV%26HitCount%3D4%26hits%3D23b%2B23c%2B241%2B242%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=The Buffalo Evening News|date=September 21, 1925|location=Buffalo, New York|page=22}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Bee|1932}}|author=|title=Now Doctor Lester|url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/np00130002/1932-01-08/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=01%2F01%2F1725&city=&date2=12%2F31%2F2016&searchType=advanced&SearchType=prox5&sequence=0&lccn=&index=18&words=Lester+LESTER+Olive&proxdistance=5&county=&to_year=2016&rows=20&ortext=&from_year=1725&proxtext=olive+lester&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=range&page=1|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=The Bee|date=January 8, 1932|location=Buffalo, New York|page=2}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|University at Buffalo|2010}}|author=|title=Olive Lester (1903–1996)|url=https://library.buffalo.edu/archives/womens_work/bios/lester.htm|website=University at Buffalo Libraries|publisher=University at Buffalo|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627073251/http://library.buffalo.edu/archives/womens_work/bios/lester.htm|archive-date=27 June 2010|location=Buffalo, New York|date=2010}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Buffalo News|1996}}|author=|title=Olive P. Lester, 92, Dies; Made History as Head of UB Psychology Department|url=http://buffalonews.com/1996/11/04/olive-p-lester-92-dies-made-history-as-head-of-ub-psychology-department/|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=The Buffalo News|date=November 4, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315211341/http://buffalonews.com/1996/11/04/olive-p-lester-92-dies-made-history-as-head-of-ub-psychology-department/|archive-date=15 March 2018|location=Buffalo, New York}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Times Herald|1944}}|author=|title=Superior Race Declared Myth|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18300553/superior_race_declared_myth_thetimes/|access-date=15 March 2018|publisher=The Times Herald|date=March 27, 1944|location=Olean, New York|page=1|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Social Security Death Index|1996}}|author=|title=U. S. Social Security Death Index: Olive P Lester|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JTYB-JZ8|website=FamilySearch|publisher=U.S. Social Security Administration, National Technical Information Service|access-date=15 March 2018|location=Alexandria, Virginia|date=October 10, 1996}}
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Category:1903 births

Category:1996 deaths

Category:People from Lancaster, New York

Category:University at Buffalo alumni

Category:University of Chicago alumni

Category:American social psychologists

Category:American women's rights activists

Category:20th-century American women writers

Category:University at Buffalo faculty

Category:American women academics

Category:20th-century American psychologists