Mary Smith

Mary Smith (22 November 1909 – 25 November 1989) was an English-born Australian psychologist. Early life She was probably born at Liverpool in England, the daughter of storeman David Smith and Wilhelmina Fletcher, née McLean. The family moved to South Australia in 1911, settling in the suburbs of Birkenhead and Largs Bay North. She was educated at state schools and graduated from Adelaide High School in 1927 before studying at the University of Adelaide (Bachelor of Arts, 1930; Master of Arts, 1932), becoming a schoolteacher. Career As a teacher she became interested in "problem children", working as an honorary probation, officer with the Children's Court. In 1938 she was given a free passage to England to begin doctoral research in psychology at the Victoria University of Manchester on "the mental readjustment of the problem child". World War II disrupted Smith's career and she returned to Adelaide in 1940.