Biographical Note

Clarence Henry Graham was born in Worcester, MA on January 6, 1906. He received his BA in 1927, his MA in 1928, and his PhD in 1930, all from Clark University. He also received an honorary MA in 1943 and PhD in 1958 from Brown University. After receiving his doctorate from Clark, Graham found it difficult to secure a job because of the Depression. He worked as a psychology instructor at Temple University from 1930-31, but declined the offer to stay another year instead choosing to work at the Johnson Foundation for Medical Physics at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1932 Graham accepted a position at Clark University. Four years later he moved to Brown University, teaching there from 1936-45 before relocating to his final position at Columbia University. Graham was very active in the Office of Naval Research and from 1952-53 he took leave as a science liaison officer in London. He participated in numerous government services and was a member of the Applied Psychology Panel of National Defense Research Committee, the Office of Naval Research’s Physiological Psychology Panel, the International Union of Biological Sciences’ vice president section of Experimental Psychology and Animal Behavior, and the Armed Forces NRC Vision Committee. Graham was a recipient of the Howard Crosby Warren Medal, the Tillyer Medal of the Optical Society of America and the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of the American Psychological Association.

A psychophysiologist, Graham devoted a large portion of his time and research to vision and visual perception. His areas of interest included area-intensity-duration relations, associated neural interaction processes, problems with color vision and space perception, and electrical responses in the eyes of animals. One of his most well known studies was conducted with Yun Hsia on the issue of color blindness. The study involved a woman who had normal color vision in one eye and dichromatic vision in the other. This was the first documented case of this phenomenon and led to many more studies by Graham and other researchers.

Aside from research pertaining to vision, Graham was also involved in research for the military during World War II. A large portion of this research focused on the visual aspects of fire control, but additional areas of focus were the selection process for specialized military personnel and the screening of recruits for emotional instability. Graham was awarded the President’s Certificate of Merit for his research and help in these areas.

Graham’s students remember him as a generous and considerate teacher who took a genuine interest in his students. And although he was a perfectionist with a tendency to edit and sometimes completely rewrite his students’ papers, most of his students consider themselves better researchers because of him. Graham died on July 25, 1971 after struggling to overcome a series of illnesses, including a heart attack, pneumonia and a broken hip that befell him during the last 4 years of his life.

* Information compiled from Graham’s vitae, an autobiographical paper written by Graham and a paper of tribute written by Lorrin Riggs, all of which are found within the collection.

Scope and Content

The papers of Clarence Graham document his academic career as a teacher and researcher. A small amount of personal and biographical information is present in the collection.

The collection includes manuscripts written by Graham and his students throughout his academic career. There are drafts of papers presented by Graham at professional meetings, as well as programs from the symposiums he attended. There is an extensive amount of material relating to the book, Vision and Visual Perception, of which he was the editor as well as one of the authors. Course work and lecture notes from classes taught by Graham are included as well as notes taken by his wife, Elaine Hammer, while she was a student. There is considerable material regarding his stay in Japan while attending a seminar that educated the Japanese on the research being conducted in the United States, including the Kyoto Seminars in American Studies. Some of the correspondence and newspaper articles are in Japanese. Extensive reprints of Graham publications are present in this collection, including two bound volumes of reprints from 1929 through 1962.

Provenance

The papers of Clarence Graham consist of 13 boxes of materials transferred from the Columbia Archives and 11 boxes of materials donated by Elaine Graham.

Description of Series

Series 1: Biographical File

This series contains information regarding Graham’s personal and professional life, including several biographical papers, an autobiography, Graham’s curriculum vitae, correspondence documenting milestones in Graham’s career, and information about various positions held by Graham.

Series 2: Awards, 1945-1968

This series consists of certificates and awards received by Graham, as well as correspondence and other materials relating to these awards.

Series 3: Correspondence, [personal and professional], 1950-1967

This series comprises personal correspondence and general professional correspondence; includes correspondence about speaking engagements, career promotions and grievances, and research updates.

Series 4: Reprints/Publications, [by Graham], 1932-1970

Included in this series are bibliographies and publications appearing in professional journals. Also included are reprints of Graham articles and research.

Series 5: Manuscripts and Research Papers, 1952-1970 [and some undated material]

This series contains research papers and manuscripts written for presentations in which Graham was a scheduled speaker.

Series 6: Coursework and Lecture Notes

Included here are lecture and meeting notes, as well as syllabi from courses taught by Graham throughout his career. Notes taken by Graham’s future wife, Elaine Hammer, are also included in this series. Courses represented are Abnormal Psychology and Advanced Experimental Psychology. Course outlines, assignments, and final exams are represented as well.

Series 7: Research and Data

Projects developed and researched by Graham and colleagues are present in this series. Graphs and research notebooks comprise most of the data compiled during the life of these projects.

Series 8: Committees and Organizations

This series consists of committees on which Graham served and organizations that Graham was involved with during his professional career. Psychological associations, fundraising committees, various societies, and international organizations are represented.

Series 9: Memorials

This series includes remarks written by Graham for various memorial ceremonies for colleagues.

Series 10: Subject Files

This series documents Graham’s traveling destinations and experiences while visiting various national and international cities during his career. Also included in this series are miscellaneous subject files relating to Graham’s visit to Japan in which he attended a seminar about American research in the field of experimental psychology.

Series 11: Vision and Visual Perception

This extensive series includes materials concerning Graham’s publication entitled, “Vision and Visual Perception,” which was published in 1965. The series is strong in the inclusion of pre-publication materials including correspondence, transcripts, illustrations and page proofs.

Series 12: Colleagues

This series consists of information collected by Graham about particular colleagues including correspondence, articles, and research produced by these individuals.

Series 13: Recommendations

This series consists of requests for recommendations as well as recommendations given by Graham for graduate students and professionals. Series is restricted due to personal information included in the files.

Inventory

Series 1: Biographical File

Box 1, [M3255]

Biography by Lorrin Riggs

Autobiographical paper

Bibliographies

Curriculum vitae

Memorabilia items

Series 2: Awards

Box 1, [M3255]

APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions

Applied Psychology Panel Certificate of Merit

Tillyer Medal

Miscellaneous Certificates and Awards

Box 1.1, [M3255.1], Oversized Materials

APA Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, 1966

American Philosophical Society Membership Certificate, 1956

National Academy of Sciences Membership Diploma, 1946

Series 3: Correspondence, 1936-1971 (and some undated)

Box 2, [M3256]

Professional, 1936-1955

Box 3, [M3257]

Professional, 1956-1972

Box 4, [M3258]

Personal, 1944-1971

Series 4: Reprints/Publications [arranged in alphabetical order by title]

Box 5, [M3259]

By Graham

“Analysis of Photopic and Scotopic Function in an Incomplete Achromat,” 1966

“Areal Effects in Foveal Brightness Discrimination,” 1951

“Behavior and the Psychophysical Methods: An Analysis of Some Recent Experiments,” 1952

“Behavior, Perception and the Psychophysical Methods,” 1950

“Color Blindness and Color Theory,” 1958

“Color Defect and Color Theory,” 1958

“Color Theory,” 1959

“Depth and Movement,” 1968

“The Determination of Some Visual Functions of Unilaterally Color-Blind Subject: Methods and

Results,” 1961

“The Discriminations of a Normal and a Color-Blind Eye in the Same Person,” 1958

“Effect of Rectangle Length on Velocity Thresholds for Real Movement,” 1970

“Effect of Wavelength on Foveal Grating Activity,” 1968

“Experimental Psychology in America,” 1954

“Factors that Influence the Resolution of Visual Detail during Dark Adaptation,” 1953

“From Perception and Sensory Processes,” 1957

“The Influence of Size of Test-Field Surround on Visual Intensity Discrimination,” 1950

“Instrumentation & Techniques: Two Apparatus Assemblies for the Study of Real Movement,” 1968

“Intensity and Number of Cones in Foveal Stimulation,” 1932

“Luminance Thresholds for the Resolution of Visual Detail during Dark Adaptation,” 1953

“Luminosity Curves for Normal and Dichromatic Subjects,” 1954

“Luminosity Losses in Dichromats,” 1957

“Maintaining an Absolute Hue in the Presence of Different Background Colors,” 1964

“Maintaining an Absolute Test Hue in the Presence of Different Background Colors and Luminance

Ratios,” 1966

“Notes on some Interrelations of Sensory Psychology, Perception, and Behavior,” 1962

Obituary: Yun Hsia, [written by Graham, 1968]

“Occurrence of Theoretically Correct Responses During Rotation of the Ames Window,” 1970

“On Some Aspects of Real and Apparent Visual Movement,” 1963

“Psychology in Japan,” 1954

“Psychophysics and Behavior,” 1934

“Robert Sessions Woodworth, 1869-1962,” [biographical memoir by Graham, 1967]

“Saturation and the Foveal Achromatic Interval,” 1969

“Sensation and Perception in an Objective Psychology,” 1958

“Simple Discriminatory Functions: Review, Summary, and Discussion,” 1963

“Some Factors that Limit Vision,” 1951

“Some Observations on Psychology in Japan,” 1953

“Some Visual Functions of a Unilaterally Color-Blind Person,” 1958

“The Spectral Luminosity Curves for a Dichromatic Eye and a Normal Eye in the Same Person,” 1958

“Spectral Luminosity Curves for Protanopic, Deuteranopic, and Normal Subjects,” 1957

“Spectral Sensitivity of the Cones in the Dark Adapted Human Eye,” 1952

“Studies of Color Blindness: A Unilaterally Dichromatic Subject,” 1959

“Transformations of Trichromatic Coordinates in Colorimetry,” 1957

“Two Apparatus Arrangements for the Study of Real Movement,” 1967

“Visual Discriminations of a Subject with Acquired Unilateral Tritanopia,” 1963

“Visual Discriminations of a Subject with Acquired Unilateral Tritanopia,” 1967

“Visual Intensity Discrimination,” 1950

“Visual Perception,” 1951

“Visual Space Perception,” 1943

“Walter Samuel Hunter, 1889-1954,” [biographical memoir by Graham, 1958]

“The Wavelength Discrimination of some Color-Blind Persons,” 1962

“Who Makes the Measurements – The Subject or the Experimenter?” 1966

Bibliographies of Graham Publications

Lists of publications from 1929-1966

Professional Journals/Newsletters

The Newsletter of The Division of The History of Psychology: American Psychological Association,

vol. I, no. II, Fall 1968, [from Archives of the History of American Psychology]

The Journal of General Psychology, vol. III, no. 4, October 1930

Science, vol. 103, no. 2684, June 7, 1946

Perception & Psychophysics, vol. 2, no. 8, August 1967, [C. H. Graham, editorial board]

Reviews

Review of E.G. Boring’s “A History of Experimental Psychology,” 1951

Review of Luneburg’s “Mathematical Analysis of Binocular Vision,” 1952

Review of “Current Trends in British Psychology,” 1953

Review of G. G. Heath’s “Luminosity Losses in Deuteranopes,” 1960

Box 6, [M3260]

Two bound volumes of Graham reprints, 1929-1962

Series 5: Manuscripts and Research Papers

Box 7, [M3261]

By Graham

American Association for the Advancement of Science, [Introduction to Symposium]

“Color Vision Research and the Trichromatic Theory: A Historical Review”

“Comment on MacRae and Power”

“Comments on the Effect of Length of Stimulus Line on Movement Threshold”

Dedication address given for Hunter Lab at Brown University

“Depth and Movement”

“The Discriminations of a Normal and a Color-Blind Eye in the Same Person, [manuscript

draft written for the American Philosophical Society]

“The Effect of Rectangular Length on Velocity for Real Movement”

“Experimental Psychology in America”

Keio University draft

Kwansei Gakuin University

“Luminosity Losses in Dichromats”

Measurement in Learning

“Movement and Depth”

National Academy of Sciences, [Introduction to Symposium]

“Notes on some Interrelations of Sensory Psychology, Perception, and Behavior”

“On Some Aspects of Real and Apparent Movement”

“Psychology in America”

“Rational Accounts of Intensity of Sensation”

“Research on Subliminal Advertising,” [research proposal]

“Sensory Psychology: Psychophysics, Measurement and Behavior”

Box 8, [M3262]

“Some Considerations Concerning the Measurement of Intensity of Sensation”

“Studies of Color Blindness: A Unilaterally Dichromatic Subject,” [NAS paper, April 1928]

“Summary of Symposium on Color”

Untitled, annotated manuscript concerning color mixture

“Visual Discriminations of a Subject with Acquired Unilateral Tritanopia”

“Who Makes the Measurements – The Subject or the Experimenter?”

Series 6: Coursework & Lecture Notes

Box 9, [M3263]

Lecture Notes

Abnormal Psychology

Advanced Experimental Psychology

Advanced Psychology, [notes taken by Elaine Hammer]

Receptive Processes

Reflective Activity

Seminar notes, [taken by Elaine Hammer]

Spring term psychology notes

Tests and laboratory exercises, [completed by Elaine Hammer]

Vision lecture notes

Vision and Perception lecture notes

Box 10, [M3264]

Course Handouts

Psychology 1

Psychology 119

Psychology 213

Psychology 216

Psychology 243

Psychology 244

Psychology G6003x

Psychology G6019x

Psychology 8005x

Psychology 8005y

Psychology G8006y

Psychology G9043y

Meeting Notes

Unknown meeting, [notes are labeled from meetings 1-9]

Series 7: Research & Data

Box 11, [M3265]

Averaged L · t data

Graphs, unidentified [possibly L · t research]

National Science Foundation research proposal

Editorial comment on Graham formulation concerning trapezoid window

Granit-Hartline research and data

Graham and Riggs data, [rats and light research]

Kemp, Riggs, Graham data, [pigeon reaction to different light]

Brightness Discrimination data, Parts I and II

Brown, Graham, Smith data, [Flash vs. Long Exposure]

Graham, Brown and Mote data, [Area and Intensity]

P & S data, [sensitivity]

Ames Window

Mates and Graham data, [Velocity Thresholds]

J. W. Gebhard article concerning electrical excitation of the human eye

Series 8: Committees & Organizations

Box 12, [M3266]

American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Philosophical Society

Clark University Seventh Decade Fundraiser

Committee on International Relations

Eastern Psychological Association

International Commission on Optics

International Congress of Psychology, [1954, 1957, 1966]

National Academy of Science – NRC

Office of Naval Research

Symposium abstracts

Vision symposium

Seminar Reports, 1937

Society of Experimental Psychologists

Series 9: Memorials

Box 13, [M3267]

Hunter, Walter S.

Woodworth, Robert S.

Memoir and acceptance letter

Correspondence

Rough drafts

Bibliography

Series 10: Subject Files

Box 14, [M3268]

International Rorschach Association Meeting, 1956

IUBS – Section of Experimental Psychology and Animal Behavior

Office of Naval Research

Box 15, [M3269]

Japan

Correspondence [1952-1968]

Kyoto Seminar, 1952

Research, [from researchers at Kyoto University]

Miscellaneous files

Japan travel

Speeches

Asahi newspaper

Survey of psychological laboratories in Japan

Business contacts

Series 11: Vision and Visual Perception

Boxes 16-29, [M3271-M3281]

Correspondence

Drafts of transcripts

Illustrations

Printer’s copy of manuscript

Page proofs

Galley proofs

Series 12: Colleagues

Box 30, [M3282]

Bailar, John

Brown, J. L.

Granit, Ragnar

Hsia, Yum

Koch, Sigmund

Murchison, Carl

Shockley, William

Skinner, B. F.

Series 13: Recommendations

Box 30, [M3282]

This series consists of requests for recommendations as well as recommendations given by Graham for graduate students and professionals. These files are restricted due to personal information.