Fenton, Edwin

ENCAENIA, MAY, 1992
EDWIN FENTON
to be Doctor of Laws

Since 1966 when he published his innovative Teaching the New Social Studies in Secondary Schools, Edwin Fenton has been a recognized leader in the revolution which has occurred in the teaching of the social studies. With Jerome Bruner and other advocates of what has been called the discovery method, Fenton argued that every discipline has its own structure, and it is this structure which students must learn in order to become independent thinkers and learners. In a phrase, Fenton wanted students to experience the joy of learning by discovering things for themselves, and he called for new curricula and new methods of history and social studies instruction to ensure that the old cycle of factual teaching and rote learning was broken.

A quarter of a century later, we can see Fenton's influence in social studies and history teaching all over the world. From his home base at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, he has consulted with more than 100 American school systems, colleges, and universities, as well as with foreign governments and international agencies such as UNESCO. His ideas are found in high school and university curricula, in teacher training programs, and in class-room teaching, examples of which can be found right here at the University of New Brunswick.

Fenton's work became well known to us at UNB in the 1960s. Within three years of the publishing of his Teaching the New Social Studies, it became a standard reference text for students taking history methods courses. His films demonstrating class-room teaching strategies have been seen by dozens of history teachers now teaching in the New Brunswick school system. There are converts to his discovery method teaching in several schools throughout this province. And when the University sought a full-time specialist in the field of social studies teaching, it eagerly hired one of Edwin Fenton's bright students and disciples, Dr. Gerry Clarke, who is now our Dean of Education. When Fenton finally came to UNB in person in 1991, as guest animator at our annual Effective Teaching Institute, he was welcomed as the old friend and mentor that many here have long considered him.

It is a measure of the extent to which he has become a giant in his field that professionally he is known as Fenton - no Mr. or Dr. or Prof. attached, no artificial marks of respect required. But to his friends, he is Ted, and he insists upon it, even among those he has just met. Ted and his wife Barbara have a life away from the hard work that goes with teaching and the university. They spend their summers at Cape Cod where he loves to roam the shore in search of hidden treasures or to take to the sea with his trusty fishing rod in pursuit of his favourite Boston blues. He can tell you how to cook the fish, too, and not only delights in offering special recipes to friends, but has written a cookbook as well.

UNB is delighted that this remarkable teacher, scholar, and educational innovator so willingly accepted our invitation to come here today. For his generous advice and counsel to our teaching staff and the organizers of our teaching center, for his challenging ideas and theories which have helped revolutionize social studies teaching, for his practical suggestions on how to awaken in students the excitement of discovery, and for the warmth of his friendship so freely given, we offer UNB's highest honour.

From: Honoris Causa - UA Case 70, Box 3