Archives of the History of American Psychology

The Hyman “RogieRogosin Papers

 

RG 01/13 – Hyman “RogieRogosin (1908- )

 
 
 
PAPERS:  1938-1998

 

VOLUME:  1.5 linear feet 

 

ACCESSION DATE/NO.:  1977; 1990; 1995; 1996; 1998/1; 2003/1     

 

CLASSIFICATION NO.:  01/13

 

ACCESS: Unrestricted

 

PROCESSED BY: Lizette Royer and Dr. David Baker

 

DATE:  January 2005

 

Biography

 

Hyman ‘Rogie’ Rogosin was born in New York City on April 5, 1908.  He earned his A.B. from Washington Square College, New York University in 1930 where he was a member of the college debate team and its national honor society, Tau Kappa Alpha.  Rogosin earned his master’s degree from Columbia in 1932 under Otto Klineberg.  His master’s thesis, The Effect of Change of Environment on the Binet I.Q. Scores of Ten-year Old Southern-born Negro Boys, would go on to play an important role in the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education which declared segregation in schools illegal.        

 

Upon graduating Rogosin went on to teach at both the high school and junior college levels until the war. During WWII Rogosin served in the Army Psychological Research Unit in Santa Ana, California, Denver, Colorado, and Langley Field, Virginia performing psychological testing and evaluations.  He would remain in this position for three years (1943-1945), during which time he wrote Chess for G.I.’s.  The pamphlet was extremely popular among the enlisted men in Army hospitals and over 80,000 copies were distributed.  Rogosin’s volunteer effort was praised and he was awarded the Army’s Citation of Commendation.

 

Following WWII Rogosin did post graduate work at The University of Southern California from 1946 – 1948.  Rogosin’s career would go on to involve teaching and counseling and research in psychology at the Veteran’s Administration, The Jewish Employment and Counseling Service, Los Angeles City Schools, and the Los Angeles Unified and Community College Districts.  In 1973 Rogosin began working as a substitute teacher for the Los Angeles Community College system, a job he held for many years.

 

Rogosin was a life member and Fellow of The American Psychological Association, The Western Psychological Association, and The American Psychological Society.  He was also a life member of The California Psychological Association, The L.A. County Psychological Association, and The American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addiction he was a charter member of SPSSI.  He served as a board member for both the CPA and LACPA and was also Chair of the LACPA Community Relations Committee.   

 

During his career Rogosin wrote and published numerous journal articles and pamphlets.  He was invited by the Associated Press to cover both national and international chess tournaments and he contributed several essays on education to The New York Times.  As both a psychologist and a social activist Rogosin concerned himself with the integration of the Los Angeles School System and the plight of Los Angeles’ homeless community.  He would publish several pamphlets, The Homeless, Integration, and The Los Angeles Board of Education regarding these issues.  Later on in his life Rogosin would contribute countless opinion pieces that were printed in the ‘letter to the editor’ section of various newspapers and magazines.

 

Rogosin received many honors and awards during his career as a psychologist and social activist.      

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from LACPA in 1972, 1974, 1979, and 1984.  The LACPA also gave Rogosin their Community Relations Service Award in Appreciation in 1986.  In 1973 he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Los Angeles Unified School District and a Recognition of Distinguished Humanitarian Contribution from the CSPA.

 

 

Scope and Content

 

 

The Hyman ‘Rogie’ Rogosin Papers consists of a variety of materials. Throughout his career Rogosin remained committed to the issue of integration and the plight of the homeless.  Included in his papers are numerous testimonies presented before the Los Angeles County School Board and the City of Los Angeles concerning these issues.  Also within this series are materials Rogosin collected that dealt with the U.S. Supreme Court and its hearings on desegregation.  Of particular interest are original transcripts of records from three different cases, most notably the transcript of Brown v. Board of Education. There is no material related to Rogosin’s time as a graduate student at Columbia under Otto Klineberg. His famous master’s thesis The Effect of Change of Environment on the Binet I.Q. Scores of Ten-year Old Southern-born Negro Boys, which was later cited in Brown v. Board, is not included. 

 

Rogosin was known as one of the original and most outspoken critics of early research regarding parapsychology.  Included in his correspondence is a letter from E.G. Boring (as editor of Contemporary Psychology) in which he declines Rogosin’s desire to review a publication by Rhine and Pratt on the subject.  However, a later piece of correspondence from Boring welcomes Rogosin’s review of Gardner Murphy’s book, The Challenge of Psychical Research.  Although Rogosin is remembered as a prominent critic of parapsychology and ESP little else can be found in the collection regarding that subject matter.

 

 

 

 

Series Descriptions

 

 

Series I.  Biographical Files, 1973-1998 (> 0.1 linear feet)

 

Series contains several articles written about Rogosin and his work as a psychologist within the Los Angeles County School System and the Community Colleges.  Also enclosed is a list comprised by Rogosin of the various awards he has received and a brief vita.  Rogosin’s 1996 APA Fellow certificate is also enclosed.  

 

Series II.  Correspondence Files, 1944-1998 (0.2 linear feet)

 

Series consists of both personal and professional correspondence.  The earliest material is of particular interest as they are letters from E.G. Boring regarding a manuscript that Rogosin sent to him.  Other materials from Boring pertain to Rogosin’s review of a manuscript by Gardner Murphy for Contemporary Psychology.  Also of interest here is Rogosin’s correspondence with Stuart Cook during the 1980’s concerning desegregation and the Los Angeles Board of Education.  Later materials within this series are numerous ‘letters to the editors’ of various newspapers and magazines.  Throughout the series Rogosin corresponds with Otto Klineberg, John Popplestone, SPSSI, and The American Psychological Association among others.     

 

Series III.  Writings Files, 1930-1997 (0.7 linear feet)

 

Series contains two sub-series; the first includes all written materials by Rogosin, both published and unpublished.  The second sub-series includes written materials by other authors.  Contained here are papers and testimonies presented by Rogosin at various venues, several published articles, and  numerous ‘letters to the editors’ printed in a number of different newspapers.  Of particular interest here are materials collected by Rogosin that deal with the U.S. Supreme Court and its hearings on desegregation.  A pamphlet entitled Appendix to Appellants’ Briefs - The Effects of Segregation and the Consequences of Desegregation: A Social Science Statement is an interesting piece that concerns Supreme Court cases No. 8, No. 101, and No. 191.  Also of interest are the actual transcripts of records for the 1952 (No. 101) case of Harry Briggs, Jr., Et Al., Appellants VS. R.W. Elliott, Chairman, J.D. Carson, et al., Members of Board of Trustees of School District No. 22, Claredon County, S.C., et al. and the 1952 (No. 191) case of Dorothy E. Davis, Bertha M. Davis, and Inez D. Davis, et al., Appellants VS. County School Board of prince Edward County, Virginia, et al.  In addition, a text of the May 17, 1954 Supreme Court decision concerning cases No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, and No. 10 is included.  Works by Otto Klineberg, Stuart Cook, Elizabeth Decker Tanke, Tony J. Tanke, and Donald N. Bersoff can also be found here.

 

Series IV. Presentations Files, 1960-1994 (0.3 linear feet)

 

Series includes papers and testimonies presented by Rogosin at various venues.  The majority of papers contained herein were delivered at California State Psychological Association Conventions and the Los Angeles Board of Education.  The majority of papers pertain to the homeless, integration and issues regarding education.  One paper within this series is by another author, Luther P. Jackson, but all other materials are written by Rogosin.            

 

Series V.  Notes Files, 1944-1998   (>0.1 linear feet)

 

Series contains clippings from various sources, mainly The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Newsweek, and The Orange County Register: Leisure World News.  Numerous clippings pertain to desegregation within schools and the effects of the decision of Brown vs. Board of Education.  Information relating to Rogosin’s retirement community is also included here.

 

Series VI. Organizational Files, 1960–1997 (>0.1 linear feet)

 

Series consists of newsletters, pamphlets, and programs for various organizations.  Included herein are materials related to The American Statistical Association, Los Angeles Metropolitan College, The National Vocational Guidance Association, The Los Angeles Board of Education, The California State Psychological Association, and The Los Angeles Psychological Association among others.     

 

Provenance

 

 

Hyman Rogosin deposited his papers with the archives on 8/16/1977, 4/3/1990, 4/23/1990, 5/22/1990, 5/31/1990, 3/15/1995, 4/18/1996, and 6/11/1998.  Hyman Rogosin’s son, Donn Rogosin, deposited a final box on 11/27/2003.

 

 

Related Materials

 

Dunlap Papers                                      Shakow Papers                                    SPSSI Archives

Krech Papers                                       M.B. Smith Papers                               Tyler Papers

 

 

Inventory

 
Box 1

 

Series I.  Biographical Files, 1973–1998

 

            Various articles written about Rogosin’s work, lists of awards, and his vita.

 

Series II.  Correspondence Files, 1944–1998

 

            All correspondence, both personal and professional.

 

Series III.  Writings Files, 1930–1997

           

            All writings by Rogosin and other authors both published and unpublished.

 

Box 2

 

            continuation of Series III.

 

Box 3

 

Series IV.  Presentations Files, 1960-1994

 

            Papers presented by Rogosin and other authors at various venues.

 

Series IV. Notes Files, 1944–1998

 

            Various newspaper and magazine clippings.

 

Series V.  Organizational Files

           

            All files related to different organizations