John Alpheus Hockett (1894-1988) began teaching in the Department of Education at UC Berkeley in 1928 before coming to UCLA in 1941 as director of elementary education. He worked to establish a democratic educational system in West Germany after World War II, served as a member of the California State Curriculum Commission, and with the State Commission on School Districts, established by the California legislature in 1945. The collection consists of some 185 items, including mimeographed reports, studies, and recommendations of the California State Commission on School Districts. Much of the collection is arranged by county.

Hockett was born in 1894 in Illinois; came to California, and taught high school mathematics in Manteca; received doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University; began teaching in the Department of Education at UC Berkeley in 1928; came to UCLA in 1941 as director of elementary education; worked to establish a democratic educational system in West Germany after World War II; served as a member of the California State Curriculum Commission; also served with the State Commission on School Districts, established by the California legislature in 1945; the Commission was directed to carry on a study of the state through local survey committees, working with regional commissions; it was charged to consider recommendations by local committees for reorganization and to direct the calling of local reorganization elections; from 1947-49 the Commission approved 58 recommendations for local reorganization; it sought to establish a strong, locally controlled school district structure; it issued its findings and recommendations in 1949; Hockett also published his own studies, including Modern practices in the elementary school (c1938); retired in 1960; he died on November 6, 1988 in San Diego.

7 boxes (3.5 linear ft.)

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