Collection inventory

---

---

G. Orville Johnson Papers

An inventory of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Sponsor: The processing of this collection was made possible through the generosity of Marion W. Meyer G'55.

Finding aid created by: Mary Skaden
Date: 2013

Revision history:

Biography

George Orville Johnson taught at Syracuse University from 1953 to 1967 as a professor of special education. At a time when this field was underdeveloped but growing quickly, Johnson was one of the top professionals and a great asset for the School of Education.

Johnson, born in 1915, came to Syracuse from Denver University and the University of Illinois prior to that. He had received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin’s State Teachers College and was working in public schools when his career was interrupted by World War II. He served as a sergeant in the Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. He returned after the war and quickly earned his Master’s and Education Doctorate from the University of Illinois in 1949 and 1950 respectively. His studies had focused on the education of exceptional children, the precursor to special education.

Johnson’s arrival at Syracuse University in 1953 coincided with the early years of the School of Education’s Division of Special Education and Rehabilitation. The programs that Johnson and others worked to establish aimed at training special education teachers and understanding how students with special needs could succeed in the classroom, efforts that were not particularly popular or well-developed at the time. Although he was only at the University for fifteen years, Johnson contributed greatly to the department and its foundations for the field of special education.

Scope and Content Note

The G. Orville Johnson Papers contain various scholarly publications from the professor of special education during his time at Syracuse University: a research report, “Relationship between Perception and Learning in the Mentally Retarded,” from the Syracuse University Research Institution; a summary from a conference entitled "Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychological Diagnosis of the Handicapped;" an article on training programs for children needing special education; and his monograph, Education for Slow Learners.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

In addition to these papers, the Syracuse University Archives also holds a portrait file and a clipping file for G. Orville Johnson.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Johnson, G. Orville (George Orville), 1915-
Syracuse University.
Syracuse University. -- Research Institute.
Syracuse University. -- School of Education.

Subjects

Special education -- Study and teaching.
Teaching students with special needs.
College teachers.
Higher education.

Types of Material

Publications.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

G. Orville Johnson Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

There is no information pertaining to the Archives' acquisition of this collection.

Processing Information

Materials are housed in acid-free folders and an archival box.

Arrangement

The items are arranged in alphabetical order.

Table of Contents

Publications

Inventory