In 1944 Dr. Louise M. Thompson became "the first woman to be appointed to the faculty" when she was made acting head of the joint Department of Education and Philosophy, succeeding Dr. W.C. Keirstead. Previous to this, she was hired as Dr. Keirstead's assistant "and gave splendid satisfaction during the three years in which she filled that office." She entered UNB as the holder of a Beaverbrook Entrance Scholarship, graduating in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and winning the Alumni Gold Medal for the best Latin translation. Dr. Thompson continued her education the following year at the University of Edinburgh, receiving a Masters of Education, and while on a leave of absence from UNB in 1944, she also obtained a Ph.D in Educational Psychology from Yale. Dr. Thompson left UNB in 1950 to assume a position at Dalhousie University as Clinical Psychology Professor.
Source(s):
- UNB Scrapbooks (UA RG 100), 28 July 1944.
- UNB Scrapbooks (UA RG 100), 28 April 1950.
- [UNB Class Composite & Group Photographs Database]