Josiah Little Pickard
6th President of the University of Iowa
In office
1878 (1878)–1887 (1887)
Preceded byChristian W. Slagle (acting)
Succeeded byCharles Ashmead Schaeffer
3rd Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools
In office
June 1864 – June 1877
Preceded byWilliam H. Wells
Succeeded byDuane Doty
Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
In office
1860–1864
Preceded byLyman Draper
Succeeded byJohn G. McMynn
Personal details
Born17 March 1824
Died28 March 1914 (aged 90)
Political partyRepublican

Josiah Little Pickard (March 17, 1824 – March 28, 1914) was the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin, 1860–1864, and the sixth President of the University of Iowa, 1878–1887.

Born in Rowley, Massachusetts, Pickard grew up on a farm near Brunswick, Maine and went to Lewiston Falls Academy in Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1844. In 1845, he moved west and then moved to Wisconsin, in 1864, and was principal of Platteville Academy now University of Wisconsin–Platteville. From 1860 until 1864, Pickard was Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin. During that time he was on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.

In 1864, he resigned as Superintendent of Public Instruction and moved to Chicago, Illinois to be head of the public school system, a job he began in June of that year.[1] He served until resigning in June 1877 (he alleged that the school board had forced him out in order to appoint his assistant superintendent Duane Doty, which Doty denied).[1][2]

Finally, he went to the University of Iowa and served as President until his retirement in 1887. He also was President of the State Historical Society of Iowa. After 1889, he retired and from 1900, Pickard lived in retirement with his daughter in Cupertino, California.[3][4]

Pickard died at his daughter's home in Cupertino after falling from a streetcar and breaking his leg.[5][6][7] He was buried in Chicago.[5][7]

Notes

  1. ^ a b History of Chicago, Illinois. v.2. Chicago and New York City: Munsell & co. p. 89.
  2. ^ Tavardian, Arthur Norman (1992). "Battle Over the Chicago Schools: The Superintendency of William Mcandrew". Loyola University Chicago. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. ^ Josiah Little Pickard, University of Iowa
  4. ^ Josiah Little Pickard, Wisconsin Historical Society
  5. ^ a b "Educator of Note is Dead". Reno Gazette-Journal. March 30, 1914. p. 8. Retrieved October 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Dr. Josiah L. Pickard Dies; Former Head of Schools". Chicago Tribune. May 5, 1914. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ a b "To Bury Dr. Pickard in Chicago". The Daily Times. May 6, 1914. p. 12. Retrieved October 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
Academic offices Preceded byChristian W. Slagle (acting)George Thacher President of the University of Iowa 1878–1887 Succeeded byCharles Ashmead Schaeffer


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