Historical Background
Our department has recently been befriended by Ms. Emily S. Baumann, who is a retired
music therapist living in Augusta. She practiced Music Therapy at the Cleckley Building
in the 1960s at University Hospital.
History of Dr. Cleckley:
Dr. Hervey M. Cleckley (1903-1984) graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in
1929 and later became the founding first Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry
and Health Behavior in 1955. Additionally, Dr. Cleckley was a psychiatric consultant
for the Veterans Administration Hospital and the U.S. Army Hospital (now known as
Eisenhower Hospital).
Dr. Cleckley is famous for his work on multiple personality disorders; once termed
as "mask of sanity". His work included a case study published in 1956 as a book and
later turned in to a movie, "The Three Faces of Eve" in 1957. Articles regarding Dr.
Cleckley and his partner in private practice, Dr. Corbett Thigpen have been displayed
in the Augusta Chronicle, Time Magazine (1957, February 18), and the Daytona Beach
Morning Journal (1979, June 12).
More recently, it has been announced, Dr. Cleckley will be inducted to the Georgia
Sports Hall of Fame in May 2021. Dr. Cleckley was a student at the local Academy
of Richmond County in the 1920s - here he broke several of the school's track and
field records. Graduating in 1921 from ARC, Dr. Cleckley was advanced as a college
sophomore to Princeton University based on his academic performance, then transferred
to the University of Georgia in 1922 becoming the star varsity football halfback and
captain of the track team. Cleckley furthered his athletic career with the "Oxford
Blue" honor from England's University of Oxford, the European intercollegiate heavyweight
boxing title, and a championship badminton player. See the full article in the Augusta
Chronicle from April 28, 2021 here.
For information regarding the Cleckley Building (University Hospital, Augusta, Georgia)
and music therapy conducted at the Cleckley Building see the articles below, donated
by Emily Baumann, music therapist employed at the Cleckley Building.
Cleckley Building Article
The article above is from the Augusta Chronicle, circa 1962
Music therapy at Cleckley Building
The article above is from September, 1962 regarding music therapy at the Cleckley
building. The Department of Psychiatry’s present outpatient practice is housed in
the Stoney Building, which was previously the Lamar School of Nursing.