To: UNI Teacher Education Faculty and Staff From: Roger Kueter, Head, Department of Teaching
Mr. Walt Gohman, professor emeritus of the Department of Teaching, Malcolm Price Laboratory School, passed away. Services were held Saturday, October 30, 2000. Mr. Gohman was born on June 14, 1911, in Clear Lake, Minnesota. He earned his B. A. from Minnesota State College, St. Cloud, Minnesota. He did his M. A. and post M. A. work at the University of Minnesota. His area of emphasis was biology and physical science. Mr. Gohman's academic accomplishments were numerous; regular member of NCA evaluation committees; conducted Iowa TV School Time programs on WOI-TV; regular presenter at the AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers); National Science Teachers Association; extensive development of physics curriculum; director of publications for Iowa Junior Academy of Science; member of numerous professional organization. Mr. Gohman joined ISTC in 1951 as an instructor and retired as a professor in 1977.
In a document in his file, Dr. Dwight Curtis made the following comments about Mr. Gohman. "Mr. Walter Gohman has shown unusual ability as a teacher. He is creative, has a tremendous capacity for work and is able to stimulate pupil interest and tremendous growth in science. He is a strong leader in high school science teaching among the teachers of the State of Iowa and in the development of science clubs in the Iowa high schools. He has also contributed extensively to the development of the Science Fair idea in Iowa which brings high school students and science teachers in from all parts of the State of Iowa to exhibit the type of work that is being done in high school science programs."
Mr. Gohman taught hundreds of students at Malcolm Price Laboratory School in the areas of chemistry and physics. Many successful educators in Iowa and around the country owe their initiation into science to Mr. Gohman. One of his students, Dr. Mary Sue Coleman, President, University of Iowa, publicly recognized Mr. Gohman at a PLS event last week, as a distinguished teacher with a passion for chemistry and physics who motivated students to high levels of achievement.