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Up for sale a RARE! "Lincoln Center Institute" Francis Keppel Hand Signed 3X5 Card.
ES-2120
Francis Keppel (April
16, 1916 – February 19, 1990) was an American educator. As U.S. Commissioner of
Education (1962–1965) he was instrumental in Secondary Education Act of 1965 and in overseeing
enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in
the schools. In 1966, he became head of the General Learning Corporation. Keppel later served on the New
York City Board of Higher Education (1967–1971) and on Harvard’s Board of
Overseers (1967–73). In 1974 he became founding chairman of the Lincoln Center
Institute and director of the education policy program at the Aspen Institute. Keppel was born in New York City and attended the Groton School in Massachusetts. He entered Harvard University in
1934 where he received a bachelor's degree in English literature. While
studying at Harvard, Keppel dabbled in sculpture. After graduation, he pursued art studies at
the American Academy in Rome.
He returned to the States after a year and was named assistant dean of freshmen
at Harvard University. During World War II, Keppel was secretary of the Joint Army-Navy Committee on
Welfare and Recreation in Washington, D.C. He later entered the U.S. Army’s
Information and Education Division. Following the war, Keppel returned to
Harvard as assistant to the provost. James Bryant Conant, then
president of Harvard, was so impressed with Keppel’s enthusiasm and character
attributes that he named Keppel the dean of the Harvard
Graduate School of Education in 1948. During his fourteen years
as dean, the School of Education more than quadrupled in size, applications
increased tenfold, and the endowment swelled to
over $9 million. Keppel focused on improving the quality of teaching, testing
reform ideas, and suggesting innovations for practice. He revitalized the
Master of Arts in Teaching and introduced a Master of Arts for Elementary
Teachers. He also created Harvard’s School and University Program for Research
and Development. He promoted experimentation in team teaching, programmed
learning, curricular reform, and the use and development of educational
television. These practices set Harvard apart from other educational schools.
Keppel was widely respected as a national leader and served on numerous
committees, task forces, and councils during his tenure. He also is credited
with influencing the passage of the Higher Education Facilities Act, the Manpower
Development and Training Act, and the Library Services Act. When
President Lyndon B. Johnson elevated
the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to a
cabinet-level office in 1965, Keppel became the assistant secretary of education.
After serving the federal government, Keppel became chief executive officer of
the General Learning Corporation, a joint venture between General Electric and Time Inc.. He later served as vice chair of the New York City
Board of Higher Education and director of the Aspen Institute. He was a member
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1977, Keppel returned to
Harvard University as a senior lecturer where he continued teaching until his
death. The Keppel award for the timely and accurate reporting of public library
data to the Institute of
Museum and Library Services was named in his honor.
Keppel
was featured on the cover of TIME magazine on October 15, 1965.
