James Kenneth Little
1906 - 2000 (93 years)
Generation: 1
1. James Kenneth Little was born on 1 Sep 1906 in Alden, Rice County, Kansas; died on 12 Mar 2000 in Davis, Yolo County, California; was buried in Oakmont Memorial Park, Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California. Notes:
Little, James Kenneth
Madison/Walnut Creek, California/Davis, California.
Dr. James Kenneth Little, age 93, passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2000, at his home in Davis, California, after a short illness. He was born in Alden, Kansas, on September 1, 1906. Dr. Little’s professional career was devoted to teaching, research, and public service in education. Beginning as a high school teacher in Pawnee Rock, Kansas, he rose to become a professor and vice president of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he spent 37 years before retiring to California in 1971. Dr. Little was a man of varied achievements. He received an A.B. degree from Sterling College (Kansas) in 1928, a M.S. degree from Emporia State University (Kansas) in 1931, and a Ph.D. degree from Ohio State University in 1934. In 1950, Sterling College awarded him an honorary LL.D. degree. In 1954-55, while on leave from University duties, Dr. Little served as U.S. Deputy Commissioner of Education, under the then Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He returned in 1960-61, to direct a research project on federal programs in high education that had been authorized by the U.S. Congress as part of the National Education Defense Act. Dr. Little also was appointed to task forces named by the U.S. Department of Defense to review and make recommendation on their education-related programs. These assignments took him to stations in Europe, Ethiopia, and South Vietnam. In Wisconsin, his activities included: appointments by the Governor to the staffs of the Coordination Council on Higher Education, and the Governor’s Commission on Education; the Community Welfare Council of the City of Madison, and chairman of its committee on Needs and Priorities. He was the faculty representative of the University of Wisconsin to the Big Ten Athletic Conference, and participated in the arrangements for the Rose Bowl Pact with the Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC-10). He was president of the University of Wisconsin YMCA board of directors, and was co-director of the Center for Studies in Vocational Education. Immediately before his retirement, he was senior fellow at the American College Testing Program, Iowa City, Iowa. Dr. Little was a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Association of Educational Research, and the American Association of High Education, of which he was president 1951-52. Dr. Little is survived by his wife, Faye, to whom he was married for 69 years; a son, Philip (Colleen), of DeForest; a daughter, Connie (Roger) Sebek, Vancouver, Washington; six grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Ken (Elaine), of Auburn, California. Memorial contributions to the University of Wisconsin Foundation are suggested. Interment will occur at Lafayette, California. There is no memorial service planned.
Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin. Tuesday, 14 March 2000.
Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147557073/j-kenneth-littleFamily/Spouse: Faye Abigail Nelson. Faye (daughter of James Calvin Nelson and Emma Rosetta Dugan) was born on 1 Nov 1906 in Liberty, Gage County, Nebraska; died on 26 Sep 2007 in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington; was buried in Oakmont Memorial Park, Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:- James Kenneth Little was born on 19 Mar 1931 in Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas; died on 21 Feb 1995 in Auburn, Placer County, California; was buried in New Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, Placer County, California.