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Title: William Van Til papers
Dates: 1928-1997
Collection Number: 89015
Creator: Van Til, William.
Collection Size:
59 manuscript boxes
(23.6 linear feet)
Repository:
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Abstract: The William Van Til papers document the career of an important figure in the history of American education in the twentieth
century. Identified with the progressive movement of John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick, Van Til was an early supporter
of racial integration in American schools and a proponent of the use of a multicultural curriculum in the classroom. The
bulk of the Van Til papers consist of his speeches and writings, along with correspondence between Van Til and his publishers.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives
Languages: In
English
Collection is open for research.
The Hoover Institution Archives only allows access to
copies of audiovisual items. To listen to sound recordings or to view videos or films during your visit, please contact the Archives
at least two working days before your arrival. We will then advise you of the accessibility of the material you wish to see
or hear. Please note that not all audiovisual material is immediately accessible.
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.
[Identification of item], William Van Til papers, [Box number], Hoover Institution Archives.
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 1989.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find
the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at
http://searchworks.stanford.edu/ . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the online catalog is larger than the number
of boxes listed in this finding aid.
| 1911 | Born, Corona, New York |
| 1933 | Awarded B.A. degree, Columbia College |
| 1934-1943 | Instructor and assistant professor, College of Education, Ohio State University |
| 1935 | Awarded M. A. degree, Columbia University |
| 1946 | Receives doctorate, Ohio State University |
| 1947-1951 | Professor, University of Illinois |
| 1951-1957 | Professor, George Peabody College |
| 1957-1967 | Professor and administrator, New York University |
| 1961-1962 | President, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development |
| 1964-1966 | President, John Dewey Society |
| 1967-1968 | President, National Society of College Teachers of Education |
| 1967-1977 | Professor, School of Education, Indiana State University |
| 2006 | Died |
Scope and Content of Collection
The William Van Til papers document the career of an important figure in the history of American education in the twentieth
century. Identified with the progressive movement of John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick, Van Til was an early supporter
of racial integration in American schools and a proponent of the use of a multicultural curriculum in the classroom. The
bulk of the Van Til papers consist of his speeches and writings, along with correspondence between Van Til and his publishers.
A prolific author, William Van Til outlined his views on education and society in numerous articles written for academic journals
and magazines. Many of these articles are concerned with the response of the American educational system to the challenge
of rapid social change, and of how schools address questions of diversity and inclusiveness. An advocate of a holistic approach
to education, Van Til thought that the mission of schools included the transmission of democratic values and the preparation
of students to participate as citizens in wider society. Van Til's books include ones devoted to secondary education and to
the modernization of curriculum in American schools. Another of his books is addressed to writers and offers them advice
on how to develop their skills in order to have their work published. Van Til also wrote an extensive autobiography, and
drafts of the two editions of this work are part of the collection. Additionally, the papers contain a number of unpublished
stories that Van Til wrote in his youth.
The papers also include materials relating to a number of professional organizations that Van Til belonged to, as well as
to writing workshops that he conducted. There are also some studies that Van Til collaborated on, including surveys of school
systems in Iran, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Education--United States.
School integration--United States.
Teachers--Training of--United States.