John F. Keough was born August 4, 1906 in Providence, Rhode Island. He died on July 14, 1979. He was the eldest child of John F. and Katherine Keough and brother to Joseph Keough, Margaret Keough (Mrs. Herbert Smith) and Mark Keough. Mr. Keough was married to Mary E. (Murphy) Keough, an elementary school teacher in the Pawtucket and Cumberland, Rhode Island school systems. They had 2 children, John F. and David A. Keough. Mr. Keough's elementary education years were spent at Holy Trinity School in Central Falls from 1912-1921. Upon leaving he won a competitive high school scholarship an attended LaSalle Academy, graduating in 1925. Mr. Keough then went on to earn a B.A. in Classics from Providence College in 1929. He completed coursework for a Master's Degree from Brown University in 1930. In the late 1950's he attended the NSF Mathematical Sciences Institutes and then received a Master's in Education from Rhode Island College in 1962. He was employed by Quonset Shipyard from 1942-1945 and the U.S. Postal Service from circa 1950-1954. Teaching credentials include: Central Falls High School, 1958; Mount Pleasant High School, 1958-1959; Hope High School, 1959-1969; Rhode Island College, 1960; Providence College, and Attleboro High School (Massachusetts), 1969-1971. Mr. Keogh's professional affliations included the Rhode Island Teachers Institute (RI EA-NEA) from the late 1940's to early 1950's in which he was part of the Association's leadership which obtained legislation for a minimum salary scale and state funding of education. From circa 1955-1956 he was President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England.
From the guide to the John F. Keough papers, Keough (John F.) Papers, circa 1930-1979, (John Hay Library Special Collections)
