Park, Joe

Farm machinery researcher with an emphasis on steam traction engines; author of Bertrand Russell on education, (1963).

Joe Park was born on January 15, 1913 in Scott Township, Indiana, the son of Joseph and Florence (Whitehead) Park. In 1944 he joined the faculty of Northwestern University and became Director of the Curriculum Laboratory. Parks major research interests centered on values and education and the philosophy of education.

Park graduated from the Grimwood Elementary School and Central High School in Evansville and entered Evansville College in September, 1931. By the end of his junior year there, Park was forced to drop out of college for financial reasons. He then taught for a year at the one room Oak Dam School (Scott Township) before returning to Evansville to teach social studies at Baker Elementary School and attend Evansville College at night. He completed his B.S. degree at Evansville in June, 1937 majoring in history and afterwards began graduate studies at the University of Michigan. Park took an M.A. degree in education from Michigan in the spring of 1939. In 1940 Michigan named him a William H. Payne Scholar.

In June 1942 Park was appointed assistant professor of education at Evansville College. By June 1944 he had attained the rank of full professor and received his doctorate from Michigan.

In September 1944 Park accepted an appointment as assistant professor of education and director of the Curriculum Laboratory at Northwestern University. Northwestern promoted Park to associate professor in 1948 and to professor in 1953. Also in 1953 he was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study philosophy of education and to investigate programs of general education at several universities.

Although Park's research interests were varied, his major contributions to his field centered on values and education and the philosophy of education. In 1953, he and Professor Douglas Morgan of Northwestern's Philosophy Department designed the University's joint doctoral program in philosophy and education.

In addition to his teaching duties at Northwestern, Park held summer appointments at the Johns Hopkins University (1959) and the University of Colorado (1964 and 1966). Park retired from Northwestern on August 31, 1978 and was named emeritus professor of education.

Park was a member of several honorary and professional societies including Phi Delta Kappa (University of Michigan chapter president. 1941-1942), the John Dewey Society (Executive Board, 1971-1974), and the Philosophy of Education Society (numerous offices held between 1961 and 1972). He authored several books and numerous articles on the history, theory, and philosophy of education.

Park married Bertha Florence Born on May 4, 1935. They had two children: Joe Charles Park, born May 13, 1938 and Diane Born Park (Mrs. Diane Hammond), born February 21, 1940.

Joe Park died on October 31, 1993.