Dr Elsie Harwood, a pioneer in the field of the psychology of ageing, was closely associated with The University of Queensland for most of her distinguished 94 years.
Dr Harwood died on December 31, 2005 and on January 10, 2006, Brisbane radio personality John Miller broadcast an interview with relative Barbara Harwood.
The interview about this “remarkable woman” includes discussion of Dr Harwood’s career as a respected UQ teacher and researcher, her contributions to the understanding of ageing and the psychology of returned service personnel, and her enduring love of Latin and Greek scholarship.
You can listen to the entertaining interview, provided courtesy of 4BC Brisbane by clicking here.
Below is an obituary by one of Dr Harwood’s nephews, Paul Harwood.
Obituary
Dr Elsie Harwood AM, MA, PhD, DSc(hc), FAPsS, AFBPsS
Psychologist
Born London 22 May, 1911
Died Brisbane 31 December, 2005
In an active, creative and giving life of teaching and research stretching from the 1930s, Dr Elsie Harwood was a central player in the development of psychology, as taught in Queensland, from a comparatively minor subject to a major discipline, and was a pioneer in the field of geropsychology. She demonstrated, academically and practically, the importance of an active life as we age. Historically, she was among the then small band of academic staff of the University of Queensland that, soon after World War II, made its war delayed journey from the city to a new home at St. Lucia.
Elsie Harwood was born in Croydon London. She was the youngest of four children of Social Worker, Thomas and Mary Harwood. Her family came to Australia when she was three, and lived in the Wynnum area where her father operated a grocery business.
She attended the Brisbane Girls Grammar School and in 1930 matriculated with an Open Scholarship (one of only twenty in the state) which allowed her to attend the University of Queensland. She chose to take the Classics Honours course studying Latin, Greek, and Ancient History. After a BA degree with first class honours in 1935, she was awarded, in 1937, the Classics MA degree for her thesis on the Island of Rhodes from 411 B.C. to 167 B.C.
After three years teaching both Classics and Psychology at the University as a Junior Lecturer, she was appointed Senior Mistress in Classics at St. Margaret’s Anglican School in Clayfield. After a further three years, she accepted an assistant lectureship in Psychology at the University
During the war in 1941, Elsie became a member of the Volunteer Emergency Psychological Service (VEPS) and visited the Australian Camp Hospital two days a week on a voluntary basis. She assessed soldiers being returned from active service in the Middle East and advised about treatment. She also assisted in the assessment of those recruits experiencing training difficulties.
From 1955 the Department of Psychology was established and she worked as Senior Lecturer and later Reader in Psychology until her retirement in 1976 when she was appointed Honorary Research Consultant (Gerontology Research).
In 1957 she completed one of the first PhDs from the University for her thesis “Mental and social Development of Australian Adolescents”. This work was the first higher degree in this area.
In 1970 Elsie was invited to join the Neurosurgical Case Conference at the Mater. This appointment as Honorary Medical Psychologist continued until 1997.
As part of her academic life, she visited centres in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States holding discussions with many leading researchers and presenting scientific papers at international conferences.
In 1966 Dr George Naylor and Dr Elsie Harwood commenced their 10 year project popularly known as “Operation Retirement”. After the death of Dr Naylor, she continued this project with Lex Irvine for a further 10 years. It was this work that provided a guide to elderly people about what was possible during retirement – especially new learning and re-learning. This research is probably the most important longitudinal study of ageing in Australia and had implications worldwide. Elsie was involved in many areas of psychology, including teaching the first courses in clinical psychology in Queensland. For many years she was the only lecturer in that specialty. However it is her work on geropsychology for which she will be best remembered internationally.
Throughout life, Elsie was always very proud of her many students and when they made it to the top everyone knew they were one of Elsie’s students. The nice part was they liked to acknowledge her also.
In 1985, Elsie’s contribution to the University was rewarded by the conferral of an Honorary Doctorate of Science. To quote Elsie,” To receive such an award from my own University was an honour of the highest order, especially as the conferring Chancellor was Sir Walter Campbell, Chief Justice in the Supreme Court in Queensland and shortly thereafter to become the Governor of the State.” … and of course, one of her past students.
In 1985 Elsie was also made a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to research into ageing.
In 1988 Elsie was honoured by the Australian Association of Gerontology, which awarded her the first David Wallace address and medal together with life membership of the Association.
In 1992, the Australian Psychological Society, of which she was a foundation member and Fellow, instituted the Elsie Harwood Award to be given for high academic standard to a final year psychology honours thesis.
Other honours conferred on Elsie in her later years were Honorary Life Membership of Friends of Antiquity and of the Alumni Association of the University of Queensland.
Elsie never married but had a large family of students and colleagues who saw her as one of the most potent influences in their lives. Dr Harwood is survived by seven nephews and nieces and their families.
Her immense contribution to virtually all practising psychologists in Queensland and indeed many other health professionals until the last few years, is very deeply appreciated by those who knew her. She believed in the traditional values of the University which was her life for over 70 years. More recently she returned to her academic roots. She became a member of a group which met regularly in the classics department and struggled with Homer and other classical texts. She gained great enjoyment from this group which met under the patronage of Professor Bob Milns (now Emeritus).
She was never fashionable but always fun. She influenced and shaped the lives of many. Truly this is the end of an era of uncompromising service and dedication to learning and teaching.
And speaking of teaching, during the research programme, a lady at Bethesda said she would never be able to learn German. Elsie replied, “Babies in Germany learn it.”
Paul Harwood
