John William Heston records

Record Group

Identifier: RG5

Staff Only

Abstract

Files from the Office of the President during Heston's presidency at Madison State Normal School.

Dates

1905 - 1918

Creator

Heston, John William (1854-1920) (Person)

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Biographical / Historical

John William Heston was born in Bellefonte, PA, on February 1, 1854, the son of Elisha B. and Catherine Heston. He studied in Pennsylvania at Center Hall Normal and Penn. State College. Heston received his scholastic degrees A.B., M.A., PhD., and LL.D.

Heston married Mary Ellen Calder at Harrisburg, PA, on August 16, 1881. She was the daughter of Rev. James Calder, President of Penn. State for 12 yrs. They had two sons, Charles Ellis and Edward. Mary Heston died in 1915. In 1917, Heston married Eliza Small, Mary's niece.

Heston taught for 3 years in Pennsylvania county schools, and then at Penn State Industrial University where he was elected Principal of the Department for 6 years. He was then elected professor of the Science and Art of Teaching in Penn State. During that time, Heston studied history with specialization in constitutional and institutional law at John Hopkins University and was admitted to the Penn Bar in 1890.

Heston left Pennsylvania to practice law in Seattle, WA, but would later re-enter teaching, spending 3 years as principal of Seattle High School. He organized the Washington Agricultural College after his work as president of the State Agricultural College at Pluman, WA in 1892. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1894 from the University of Seattle in recognition of his work as an educator. Heston was president of the State Agricultural College in Brookings, SD, from 1896-1903.

In 1905, Heston became the President of Madison State Normal School. His interest in industrial education in relation to teacher education moved him to build the Science Hall (now called the Technology Classroom Building) in 1910. It housed the chemistry and physics programs, as well as the agricultural department.

One of Heston's biggest achievement was building the Campus Training School in 1916. He had envisioned the development of a laboratory school where teachers in training could be supervised as they taught. The Campus Training School would burn down in 1963.

Dr. Heston died in Madison on February 1, 1920.

In 1971, the State of South Dakota purchased the Madison Community Hospital and renovated it into an administration building. It was named Heston Hall after President Heston.