On May 9, 1911, the American Psychoanalytic Association was founded at the Stafford Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Ernest Jones sent out letters from Toronto proposing the organization. He stated that dues would be $2 yearly including a subscription to the Psycho-analytisches Korrespondenzblatt. By 1914 the dues, had risen to $5 and included a subscription to the Zeitschrift fur Ărztliche Psychoanalyse. In 1919 the balance in the Association treasury was $10.61.
From 1918 to 1919 the Association was headed by two psychologists: G. Stanley Hall was President, and L. E. Emerson was Secretary-Treasurer. Their successors in 1919 were physicians: A. A. Brill as President, and William A. White as Secretary-Treasurer.
On March 12, 1920, Brill wrote to White advising him to strike the name of Louise Brink, a woman, from the membership list. Brill reminded White that S. E. Jelliffe had erred in proposing her for membership since in 1918 it had been specifically noted that the Constitution of the Association did not permit woman members.
A new Constitution was adopted in June, 1923, limiting membership to Doctors of Medicine. Personal analysis was not required to become a candidate for membership. This was already a requirement for membership in the New York Psychoanalytic Society. In June, 1926, Lucile Dooley of Washington became the first woman member of the Association. She was followed by Clara Thompson, then in Baltimore, in 1927; and Mary K. Isham of Cincinnati in 1928.
On June 14, 1927, C. P. Oberndorf, as Secretary, wrote the following to William A. White, as President: “In a general way, there is nothing which the president of the American Psychoanalytic Association has to do other than help arrange for the two meetings of the society. However, from time to time, matters come to me as secretary concerning which I need the advice of the president and shall certainly communicate with you most freely.”
Arcangelo D'Amore, M.D., Chairman
Committee on History and Archives