The
Centre for Applied Canine Behaviour
Phone:
(613) 591 - 3277
e-mail: carolark@igs.net
Carolark
600 Eagleson Road
Kanata, Ontario
K2M 1H4
Phone:
(613) 591-3277
Fax:
(613) 591-0419
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Dr. Marian Breland Bailey passed away peacefully on September 25, 2001, at St. Joseph's Hospital, with family at her bedside. Marian is survived by her husband, Bob Bailey, and her children, Bradley Breland, Dr. Frances Ralston, Elizabeth Breland, Bob Bailey Jr., Lynn Bailey, Rae Barriner, Kimmy Bailey Mauldin, and Ken Bailey. Five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren also survive her. Marian was a unique blend of loving wife and mother, businessperson, scientist, teacher, and humanitarian. Her family, friends and close associates affectionately called Marian "Mouse."
Marian was a legend in her own time to many psychologists and animal trainers around the world. She and her first husband, Keller Breland, founded the field of applied animal psychology in the 1940's. She and her second husband, Bob Bailey, extended the field of applied animal psychology to numerous commercial, governmental, and educational applications.
In 1938, Marian was a student of B. F. Skinner at the University of Minnesota. Marian was one of Skinner's "whiz kids" who worked on the secret WW2 military project training pigeons to guide bombs. Marian and Keller believed that B. F. Skinner's new behavioral technology, called "operant conditioning," was good enough to earn them a living. In 1943, they founded Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE) and began the study of many animal species. In 1946, they trained barnyard animals to advertise farm feed for General Mills. This was the world's first commercial application of the new behavioral technology. By this time, Marian and Keller recognized that it was the timely and precise application of what Skinner called the secondary reinforcer that made the new training method so powerful, and a leap ahead of any other training technology. It was Keller and Marian who coined the term "bridging stimulus," which was later shortened by trainers to the simple word "bridge."
The Brelands moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1950. Their business expanded, and they trained hundreds of animals for fairs and tourist attractions nationwide. Marian and Keller opened the I.Q. ZOO in 1954,and it soon became a popular tourist attraction. The Breland animals were featured in Time, Life, The Reader's Digest, the Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Many famous people, including such notables as Walt Disney and Marlin Perkins came to Hot Springs to learn from Marian.
By the late 1950's, Marian and Keller had an impressive set of firsts. To name a few: the first commercial enterprise (ABE) using operant conditioning ('43); first school for teaching applied operant conditioning, including the first instruction manual ('47-48); first dolphin and bird shows using operant conditioning ('55); first automated commercial animal training facility ('51); first automated (coin-operated) animal show ('53); longest running TV commercial (Buck Bunny, '54 - ran 20 yrs); and the list goes on. Their animals performed at virtually every large county and state fair in the nation. Many of their clients were the theme parks and tourist attractions across the country, and many international companies.
Marian did not neglect her call to community and humanitarian duty. She served on numerous civic boards and committees, including the Chamber of Commerce. Marian served as a Girl Scout Leader for nine years, and as President of the local PTA. She was instrumental in the founding of Abilities Unlimited, a group devoted to aiding the physically handicapped to independence. She was instrumental in starting and directing a number of mental health organizations. Marian wrote one of the earliest manuals for instructing institutional ward personnel on the teaching of the developmentally disabled. Marian served on many committees serving the needs of the retarded and autistic.
The Brelands trained domestic animals, such as chickens, rabbits, and ducks, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, and many others. They also trained wild animals, such as racoons, dolphins, whales, parrots, and many other kinds of birds and mammals. By the end of the 1950's, the Brelands probably had trained more animals and more kinds of animals than any other living animal trainers. It might be said, truthfully, that modern scientific animal training had its roots in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Psychologists, animal trainers, and behaviorists came to Hot Springs from all over the world to visit Marian and Keller. Keller and Marian trained many animal trainers who later moved on to other places, including Busch Gardens and Sea World. Marian participated in the spread of the newest methods of humane animal training.
Keller Breland passed away in 1965. Marian continued on as President of ABE and Bob Bailey joined the company and became General Manager. Bob and Marian were married in the '70's, bringing together her family of three children, and Bob's three sets of twins; as she often said, more kids than the Brady Bunch.
Marian was the chief scientist for ABE's government work, most of which is still classified. ABE technicians trained many kinds of animals, dogs, cats, dolphins, gulls, ravens, pigeons, and many more, to travel long distances and perform complex tasks. All of these government projects began in Hot Springs, and much of the preliminary training was conducted in the downtown area. The Hot Springs community was so accustomed to the strange behavior of ABE trainers that no one thought anything of it. Everyone assumed that the training was for the familiar I.Q. ZOO, not realizing that the I.Q. ZOO was actually a very small part of ABE. Advanced training of these animals took place in many locations, far from Hot Springs.
Marian had begun her doctorate program under Skinner in the late '30's. She dropped graduate school in 1943, lacking only her dissertation. In the late 1960's Marian returned to the university, this time at the University of Arkansas. In 1978, Marian received her Ph.D., about 40 years after she started in Minnesota. Marian and Keller, and, later, Marian and Bob, were participants in many scientific and academic seminars, colloquia, and conventions. They presented papers, and served as discussants. They served as consultants and advisors to many organizations around the world.
Marian was proud of her early friendship with Fred Skinner, and many others who become prominent behaviorists in the decades to come. Marian enjoyed meeting with Skinner at various psychology meetings. A prized possession of Marian's was the final galley proof of Skinner's monumental book, THE BEHAVIOR OF ORGANISMS, given to her and autographed by Skinner. Also, as a sign of his affection, and respect, for her, he invited Marian and Bob to his hotel room where he gave them a preview of his final "skit" for the Association for Behavior Analysis. Skinner died shortly after.
In addition to her careers as student, businessperson, and scientist, Marian was a teacher. She taught at Henderson State University, rising to the rank of full Professor. Marian taught primarily advanced classes on human and animal behavior. She sometimes demonstrated to the students the principles of operant conditioning by shaping the behavior of a chicken. She retired from Henderson in 1998, after almost 20 years in the classroom.
In 1996 Marian began a new teaching career. She became active on the Internet, offering advice on many of the active animal training lists. She and her husband, Bob, offered small classes in animal training, using common barnyard chickens as behavioral models. Beginning in 1997, Marian and Bob expanded their teaching and traveled coast-to-coast, and even to Canada, teaching mostly animal trainers. They pulled a small trailer loaded with their chickens and equipment. The trips were long and arduous, and they often traveled more than 6,000 miles and were on the road for two months or more. Their classes were an instant success. In recent years, the Baileys have reduced somewhat their cross-country travels and teach primarily in Hot Springs. However, Marian attracted hundreds of students to Hot Springs. Students came from all over the globe to attend Marian's lectures and to train the chickens. The Baileys were preparing for teaching engagements on the US West Coast and in Canada when Marian was hospitalized. Marian was active right up to the end.
It is the Bailey-Breland families' wish that those wanting to memorialize Marian donate to a charity, rather than send flowers. The families' preferred charity is the Arkansas Kidney Foundation.
Send Donations to:
Arkansas Kidney Foundation
#1 Lile Court
Suite 201
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
Please state on your check:
In Memoriam: Marian Bailey (you may use her nickname, Mouse, if you wish)Please include your name and address to receive an acknowledgement.
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