Paul Robert Hanna

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Paul Robert Hanna (1902 – 1988)

Paul R. Hanna was a Professor of Education, author of books and journals, in the educational field, and leader in elementary education. He also held titles such as an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy, husband, father, grandfather throughout his lifespan.

Paul Robert Hanna was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on June 21, 1902, to George Archibald and Regula Figi Hanna. Hanna spent most of his youth in Minnesota. He graduated high school in 1920 and married Jean Shuman in 1926. Paul and Jean Hanna had two sons and a daughter, John (born 1930), Emily (born 1932), and Robert (born 1934)and lived in the Hanna-Honeycomb House. The Hanna’s were also blessed with eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Throughout his school and college years, Hanna belonged to many organizations such as the Kappa Delta Rho, Student Council, and the Extemporaneous Team. He attended college from 1924 to 1929 to earn his Ph.D. degree which led him to become a teacher in Washington State University and in 1935 became an associate professor at Stanford University (Nelson). He had studied and taught elementary education, social studies, and he had improved the education of spelling as well as had his say in the international development of education. Additionally he consulted public schools and revised their curriculum. Paul R. Hanna had also a strong community relationship with his students and kept in contact with them long after they had graduated.

As an associate professor Hanna taught and developed a wide variety of courses. He advised on doctorial dissertations, founded the Stanford International Development Education Center (SIDEC), served on the Board of Trustees of Castilleja from 1957–1981, and worked as a senior researcher in the Hoover Institution in his last years to generate the Hanna Collection. Hanna wrote over eighty educational essays, sixteen books and several yearbooks before he died at age 85, on April 8, 1988.