Josiah Little Pickard (1824–1914) was an American educator and administrator, best known as Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction (1860–64) and President of the University of Iowa (1878–87.)
Born in Rowley, Massachusetts, he grew up on a farm near Brunswick, Maine, attending Lewiston Falls Academy before graduating from Bowdoin College (1844.) In 1845, he moved west, becoming principal of Platteville Academy (now the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.)
As Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, he helped develop the state’s education system and served on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. In 1864, he resigned to become Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools (1864–77.)
Appointed University of Iowa President (1878,) he expanded academic programs and faculty standards. He later served as President of the State Historical Society of Iowa (1881–1900.) His notable publication, Experiences of a Wisconsin Educator (1900,) reflects on his career in education and administration.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Josiah Little Pickard
No more fatal error can be cherished than that any character can be complete without the religious element. The essential factors in character building are religion, morality, and knowledge.
—Josiah Little Pickard
Topics: Character
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