William John Cooper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Commissioner of Education | |
| In office February 11, 1929 – July 10, 1933 | |
| President | Calvin Coolidge Herbert Hoover Franklin Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | John Tigert |
| Succeeded by | Fred Zook |
| 20th California State Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
| In office January 20, 1927 – February 11, 1929 | |
| Governor | C.C. Young |
| Preceded by | Will C. Wood |
| Succeeded by | Vierling C. Kersey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 24, 1882 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 19, 1935 (aged 52) Kearney, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA, MA) |
William John Cooper (November 24, 1882 – September 19, 1935) was an American educator who served as US Commissioner of Education from February 1929 to July 1933.
According to the New York Times: "His fundamental theory of education, which he often repeated, was that the ultimate goal of teaching should be, not how to make a living, but how to live. Nevertheless, he believed that the education system in this country should break away from the older traditions of Europe and seek to express the cultural developments of the New World. In one of his last public addresses, Dr. Cooper urged a complete reorganization of the education system in this country to bring the schools into closer harmony with modern conditions."[1]
- ^ "WILLIAM J. COOPER, EDUCATOR, IS DEAD--Former U.S. Commissioner, 52, Suffered a Stroke on Way to California.--SOUGHT MODERN SCHOOLS--Advocated Break With Methods of Europe So as to Express New World Culture." New York Times, September 20, 1935, p. 21