George D. Stoddard

George Dinsmore Stoddard (October 8, 1897 – December 28, 1981)[1][2] was the president of University of Illinois and the University of the State of New York. He was also the chancellor of New York University and Long Island University.[3]

This article is about the educator. For the real estate financier, see George Stoddard.
George D. Stoddard
BornOctober 8, 1897
Carbondale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 1981
Alma materPennsylvania State University
University of Iowa
OccupationAcademic administrator

Early life

Stoddard was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania where he would be class valedictorian when he graduated from high school in 1915. He grew up Methodist but would become a Unitarian later in life.[4]

After graduating high school he worked at a bank before enrolling at Pennsylvania State University where he was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. He left college to serve in World War I as a second lieutenant of infantry in the U.S. Army. After the war he returned to Penn State and received his A.B. degree in 1921.[5] He then returned to Europe to study child psychology at the University of Paris where he studied under Theodore Simon and received a diploma. He went on to receive his doctorate at the University of Iowa in 1925.[3]

Career

University of Iowa

His teaching career began at the University of Iowa where he became a professor of psychology after graduation. He would go on to be the department chair and dean of the graduate school.[3]

In 1929 he was appointed director of the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station.[5] While director of the station he would debate with Dr. Lewis Terman of Stanford University on the nature of intelligence and the usefulness of intelligence testing. Stoddard defended the view that environment and intelligence influenced each other. Terman advocated that intelligence was unchanging and based almost entirely on heredity.[4]

University of the State of New York

Stoddard was named president of the University of the State of New York and Commissioner of Education in September 1942. As commissioner he was vocally against letting 14 year olds drop out of school to work because they could potentially be exploited.[3]

Japan

In 1946, he was assigned to General Douglas MacArthur to advise on establishing a new Japanese educational system. He was also asked by Emperor Hirohito to find a tutor for Prince Akihito. He was then assigned to the U.S. delegation for UNESCO at their first meeting in Paris.[3]

University of Illinois

Later in 1946, Stoddard was named president of the University of Illinois. While at Illinois, he oversaw postwar expansion which included doubling the faculty and opening branch campuses in Chicago and Galesburg. His tenure was marred by left-wing student activism and disputes over academic philosophies in the economics department which led to clashes with the state's legislature.[6]

He had a falling out with the Board of Trustees over university-supported research on Krebiozon, a drug claimed to be a cancer cure. When he ordered an end to funding for the research in 1953, he lost a “no confidence” vote with the trustees and resigned.[3]

New York University

After leaving Illinois, Stoddard was hired by NYU to chair a self-study of the university's role in the urban community. The study led to the reorganization of the School of Education's curriculum and administration.[7]

Stoddard became dean of the department of education in 1956. In 1960 he was named chancellor and executive vice president of the university. In 1962 he opened the first center for Hebrew studies at a public university. He retired in 1964 but remained a distinguished professor of education for three years.[3]

Long Island University

In 1967 he came out of retirement to serve as vice chancellor of LIU. His main focus was starting the university's Brooklyn center. He was promoted to chancellor and eventually retired again in 1969.[3]

Educational views

Stoddard's first love was always elementary education. He championed departmentalized elementary education and educational technology. He also advocated the social value of play where he said, On the playing fields of America, our youth each day can learn to accept and understand racial and religious differences.[3]

Outside of Academia

Stoddard was active in many groups outside of education. He was a member of the board of the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. He also completed a report for the Carnegie Corporation on operations and programming for the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences.[8]

Personal life and death

Stoddard married Margaret Trautwein on December 26, 1925.[9] They had three sons, Phillip, Arthur, and Alfred, and two daughters, Caroline and Eleanor.[3][10]

Stoddard died on December 28, 1981.[3] He is interred on Hart Island in New York City.[11]

Works
  • “Krebiozen,” The Great Cancer Mystery (Boston: Beacon Press, 1955)
  • Paranoids Versus the People (Kalamazoo, 1953).
  • The Pursuit of Education: An Autobiography (New York: Vantage Press, 1981).

References
  1. "United States Passport Applications, 1795–1925". National Archives and Records Administration.
  2. Bruneau, W.; Savage, D.C. (2002). Counting Out The Scholars: The Case Against Performance Indicators in Higher Education. A CAUT series title. James Lorimer Limited, Publishers. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-55028-711-0. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  3. "GEORGE STODDARD DIES AT 84 – EDUCATOR LED 4 UNIVERSITIES – NYTimes.com". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  4. McNutt, Steve (Winter 2013). "A Dangerous Man: Lewis Terman and George Stoddard, their Debates on Intelligence Testing, and the Legacy of the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station". The Annals of Iowa. Vol. 72 no. 1. pp. 1–30.
  5. "Theta Alumnus is Advanced" (PDF). The Emerald of Sigma Pi. Vol. 23 no. 1. May 1936. p. 22.
  6. "Projects: Cold War Guide: The Rise and Fall of President George D. Stoddard". archives.library.illinois.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  7. "History of the Deans – Snapshots of Steinhardt – NYU Steinhardt". steinhardt.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  8. "Alumni News From Everywhere" (PDF). The Emerald of Sigma Pi. Vol. 56 no. 2. Summer 1969. p. 70.
  9. "Miss Margaret Trautwein and George D Stoddard Wedding Announcement". Scranton (PA) Republican. 29 December 1925. p. 4. Retrieved 10 July 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Alfred Stoddard Obituary". Iowa City (IA) Press-Citizen. 19 December 1974. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "George Stoddard". www.hartisland.net. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
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