George Hall McCune was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 8, 1903. He received his B.A. degree from Grove City College [PA], and his M.A. degree in American History from the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated with his Ph.D. in History from the University of Minnesota in 1942. From 1943 to 1945, McCune worked as a historian for the War Department, Office of Chief Engineers. After his discharge he returned to the University of Minnesota to teach.
McCune devoted his entire professional career to college teaching and the training of college teachers. At the University of Minnesota, he taught at University High School and supervised social studies practice teachers from the College of Education. He later joined the faculty of the General College and offered graduate courses in materials and methods in teaching the social studies. In 1965, the University of Minnesota Student Association gave McCune a faculty award "...for outstanding contributions to the education of students". In 1967, McCune was the winner of a Standard Oil Foundation--Horace T. Morse award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education.
McCune had a long-standing interest in the history of science, technology and economics of American life. For his M.A. thesis, McCune's topic was the National Institute for the Advancement of Science (1840-1855), forerunner of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1967, he again took up this subject intending to write a book on the history of the National Institute.
George Hall McCune died on March 14, 1988, fourteen days after heart surgery at the age of 84.
From the guide to the George Hall McCune Papers, 1835-1967, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc])
