Background
Backes, Ruth Emerson was born on August 25, 1918 in Mount Vernon, New York, United States. Daughter of Robert Stewart and Harriett Elizabeth (Crofut) Emerson.
Backes, Ruth Emerson was born on August 25, 1918 in Mount Vernon, New York, United States. Daughter of Robert Stewart and Harriett Elizabeth (Crofut) Emerson.
Bachelor of Science, New York University, 1939. Master of Education, University Massachusetts, 1978. Doctor of Education, University Massachusetts, 1985.
Assistant director health education, Young Women’s Christian Association, Baltimore, 1939-1941;
assistant director health education, Young Women’s Christian Association, New Haven, 1941-1944;
program director, United Service Organizations, Newfoundland, 1944-1946;
women's director, Young Men’s Christian Association, Wallingford, Connecticut, 1947-1949;
coordinator, volunteer, Mental Health Center, Meriden, Connecticut, 1964-1966;
coordinator education and information, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, 1966-1974;
private practice, Amherst, Massachusetts, since 1980. Faculty Antioch Graduate School, Keene, N.H., 1976-1981. Visiting research scholar Center for Research on Women, Wellesley (Massachusetts) College, 1991-1993.
Research associate Five College Women's Studies Research Center, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, 1993-1994.
Board directors Amherst Club, 1987-1990, Hampshire Choral Society, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1984-1987, Helen Mitchell House for Homeless Women and Children, Amherst, 1987-1990. Representative Town Meeting, Amherst, 1986-1993, 2005-2008. Trustee 1st Congressional Church, Amherst, 1992-1995, chairman board trustees, 1993-1995.
Member Amherst Democratic Town Committee, since 2008, board member ACTV Amherst Community television Inc., since 2008. Member We. Massachusetts Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology, National Association Indiana Scholars, Group for Psychoanalytic Studies.
Married Frederick Tregonning Backes (divorced 1968, deceased 1981). Children: Peter Frederick, Jill, Kim.