Davis, J. Bradford

Educator and community leader John Davis was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1921, the son of John Bradford and Edna (Maxfield) Davis; was educated in the Massachusetts public schools; received a B.A. degree from the University of New Hampshire; and received a doctoral degree from Harvard University. His educational career, beginning in 1944, included high school teaching in the Massachusetts public school system; various positions at Harvard and the University of New Hampshire; superintendent of schools in Lincoln, Massachusetts (1959-1963), Worcester, Massachusetts (1963-1966), and Minneapolis (1967-1975); president of Macalester College, St. Paul (1975-1985); and interim president of Mankato State University (1990). Davis returned to the Minneapolis Public Schools in March-July 1993 as interim superintendent following the suspension and subsequent resignation of Robert Ferrara.

Davis was active in many educational professional organizations, including the American Association of School Administrators, the New England Economic Education Council, and the New England School Development Council (executive director, 1950-1958). He also served on a number of committees within the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was a delegate to the White House Conference on Education (1955) and a member of the President's Task Force on Education (1969).

In Minneapolis Davis served on the subcommittee for education and programs of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (1972); was interim director of the Children's Theatre Company (1984-1985); was president of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (1990); and was interim director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (1993-1994).

Davis married Barbara Burns of Manchester, New Hampshire, in 1943. Additional biographical information is available in the collection (personal files).

From the guide to the John B. Davis papers., 1945-2000., (Minnesota Historical Society)