Herrick, Virgil

Virgil Herrick's (1906–1963) importance to the history of curriculum studies rests largely upon his role as a transitional figure in the field's mid-20th century reconceptualization from one in which scholars' main responsibility was curriculum development to one in which scholars strove to understand curriculum through multiple strands of curriculum theorizing. The most visible demonstrations of his role as a key figure in this transformation of the field are his sponsorship, with Ralph Tyler, of the 1947 University of Chicago Curriculum Theory Conference and his mentorship of James Macdonald and Dwayne Huebner, two major scholars who, among others, are credited with inspiring the reconceptualization.

Some curriculum historians proclaim the 1947 conference as the very birthplace of curriculum theorizing. Others disagree, based in part on Herrick and Tyler's ...