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Use
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Biographical Note
Scope and Content of Collection
Title: William Van Til papers
Date (inclusive): 1928-1997
Collection Number: 89015
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
59 manuscript boxes
(23.6 Linear Feet)
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.
Creator:
Van Til, William
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1989.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William Van Til papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Education -- United States
School integration -- United States
Teachers -- Training of -- United States