Karl Augustus Menninger

Pioneer Psychiatrist, Author. He is one of the founders of the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, which is one of the world's most renowned psychiatric clinics. Born the son of a physician, his family had several physicians, including one of his younger brothers, who pioneered in the methods of psychiatric treatment in the 20th century. Since psychiatric medicine was not a specialty during this era, all were general practicians. He studied at Washburn College, Indiana University, and University of Wisconsin, before graduating cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1917. He spent two years working under Dr. Ernest Southard at Boston Psychopathic Hospital, who encouraged him to enter the field of mental health. After partnering with his father, they opened the Menninger Diagnostic Clinic in 1919 and by 1925 with 12 patients, opened the Menninger Sanitarium, a private facility, which served as an alternative to an admission to a state mental hospital. In 1927 his youngest brother, Will, joined the partnership. After World War II, he helped to established, with collaboration with Veterans Administration, the Winter VA Hospital, which became training facility for the medical students of psychiatry. This is one of the largest hospitals of this type in the world. This led to the creation of the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry. The clinic, sanitarium, and medical school became to be known as The Menninger Foundation, which was established in 1941 as a non-profit organization and offering a variety of mental health services and programs for both adults and children. As an author of medical books, he published "Human Mind" in 1930, selling 200,000 copies; "In the Crime of Punishment" in 1966; "Man Against Himself" in 1933; "Love Against Hate" in 1942; and "The Vital Balance" in 1967. He did detailed studies in the relationship between crime and mental health. In 1964, he founded the Villages, an organization that provides housing for children who have been abused, neglected and abandoned. He married twice and had a son and two daughters with his first wife and an adopted daughter with his second. He was very active member in over 50 professional organizations. Among the many honors he received were an honorary degree, D. Sc., from Washburn University in 1949 and the Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, from President Jimmy Carter.