Arthur W. Calhoun

Arthur Wallace Calhoun(1885–1979) was a scholar, author, and professor at a wide variety of American colleges. He is well known for his published works and his teachings in worker's education.

Calhoun was born January 29, 1885, inDayton, Pennsylvania,the son of Noah Franklin Calhoun and Sarah Nancy (White) Calhoun.His father was a physician. Calhoun began his education at theUniversity of Pittsburghwhere he received his B.A. in 1906.Calhoun later married Mildred Tourtellot in 1916, with whom he fathered two sons. His first son was born in 1917 and later became Dr. Donald Wallace Calhoun, asociologist.In 1921, Calhoun had his second son, Dr. Robert Allan Calhoun, a statistician and Director of Vital Statistics, Indiana State Board of Health 1955-1990.

Calhoun died in 1978 at the age of 93.

Calhoun was a well-educated man and highly regarded for his teachings in workers education.Following his graduation from the University of Pittsburgh, Calhoun began studying at theReformed Presbyterian Theological Seminaryin 1909, but he dropped out due to ill health.He received his MA from theUniversity of Wisconsinin 1913 and his PhD fromClark Universityin 1916. Calhoun then completed additional graduate work atColumbia University.

Calhoun taught at many American colleges over his career as a professor. He began as the professor of English and Philosophy atNew Windsor CollegeinNew Windsor, Maryland,from 1906 to 1907. Calhoun then taughtLatinand History atSt. Petersburg High SchoolinSt. Petersburg, Florida,from 1907 to 1909;Germanand History atFlorida State College for Women(now Florida State University) from 1910 to 1911;Social ScienceatLenox CollegeinHopkinton, Iowa,from 1912 to 1913 and atMaryville CollegeinMaryville, Tennessee,from 1913 to 1915.

Calhoun then returned to Clark University to become a Fellow in Sociology and received his doctorate and became Assistant Professor of Economics from 1916 to 1918.Calhoun held socially radical opinions and very rarely held a position for long. Therefore, he moved from place to place including, Assistant Professor of Sociology at theUniversity of Kentuckyfrom 1918 to 1919; Teacher of Cooperative at theRand School of Social Sciencein New York City from 1920 to 1921; Professor of Economics atGrove City CollegeinGrove City, Pennsylvania,from 1921 to 1922; Teacher of Latin and Spanish, Orlando, Fl., Jr. High School, 1922–23; Teacher of Social Science atBrookwood Labor CollegeinKatonah, New York,1923–29; Professor of History atLimestone CollegeinGaffney, South Carolina,from 1929 to 1932; Professor of German andGreek,Erskine CollegeinDue West, South Carolina,1933–36, Dean ofSterling College,1936–55; Professor of Sociology atIllinois CollegeinJacksonville, Illinois,from 1957 to 58; and Professor of Social Science,Claflin UniversityinOrangeburg, South Carolina,in 1958.Calhoun is most famous for his years in workers education at Brookwood Labor College in N.Y. where he taught many about American Labor Issues.

Calhoun was also the author of many published books. His most famous works included:Social History of the American Family,three volumes, 1916-1919;The Worker Looks at Government,1927;The Social Universe,1932;Social Regeneration,1945; andThe Cultural Concept of Christianity.He also wrote many short books and contributed to others such asAmerican Labor Dynamics,1928;The New Generation,1930;Behold America,1931; andThe Early American Family,1932.

Along with his books, Calhoun wrote many articles and short published works that can be found in the Arthur. W. Calhoun Collection of theWalter P. ReutherLibrary atWayne State University.

Calhoun wasbaptized as an infantin a Dayton-area congregation of theReformed Presbyterian Church;he remained in the denomination until 1916, when he joined the People's Church. In the same year, he married the former Mildred Alice Tourtellot inAustinville, Iowa.He held many positions in his life as an author and professor of multiple fields. Hispacifistbeliefs and socially radical opinions caused for much scrutiny but also allowed him to educate a wide variety of students.