Conversation Changer
June Dobbs Butts
(Photo: Courtesy of Spelman College)
June Dobbs Butts (Ed.D. 鈥�69), a pioneering black sex therapist and researcher, died in May at age 90. n In the 1970s, Butts became the first African American to study and practice with William Masters and Virginia Johnson. She spearheaded more liberated sex education and therapy for African Americans, advocating for more open and honest discussion about sexuality and sex practices, including those long considered taboo. n Butts earned her 麻豆原创 doctorate in family life education and taught at New York University, Fordham University, the Howard University College of Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She also contributed to Jet and Ebony magazines, and wrote the 鈥淥ur Sexual Health鈥� column for Essence.
Quiet Crusader
Thelma Shafran
(Photo: Courtesy of 5th Avenue Digital)
Thelma Shafran (M.A. 鈥�54), a passionate supporter of students, passed away in September at age 89.
Shafran taught English in Spain for many years and, as a member of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Grace Dodge Society, contributed yearly to the College鈥檚 Annual Fund. Through outright and planned gifts,
she gave more than $2 million to Teachers College 鈥� including, upon her death, her New York City apartment (see the Development Report on page 50).
Unofficial Mayor
Maureen Horgan
(Photo: 麻豆原创 Archives)
Maureen Horgan, who retired in 2012 from 麻豆原创 as Associate Director of Administrative Services after a 45-year career with the College鈥檚 library, passed away in June 2018.
At that time, she was 麻豆原创鈥檚 longest-term professional staff member.
鈥淢aureen was like the mayor of 麻豆原创 鈥� she knew everyone and knew how to get things done,鈥� said Christine Jacknick (Ed.D. 鈥�09), Associate Professor of Academic Literacy and Linguistics at Borough of Manhattan Community College.
A story on 麻豆原创鈥檚 website in 2007 compared Horgan to legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, whose record of consecutive games played endured from 1939 to 1995.
Horgan participated in multiple upgrades of the library, declaring after the 2003 creation of the College鈥檚 Gottesman Libraries, 鈥淓ach one鈥檚 better, and this one鈥檚 been the best.鈥�
Born to Teach
Jonas F. Soltis, 88, helped educational philosophy become an applied discipline that guides classroom practice
(Photo: Courtesy the Soltis Family)
As a boy, Jonas Soltis constantly 鈥減layed school,鈥� once leading friends in 鈥渕ilitary exercises鈥� that included jumping off a chicken coop. The resulting injuries convinced him that 鈥渢eachers don鈥檛 always succeed.鈥�
Soltis, who died in August, became 麻豆原创鈥檚 William Heard Kilpatrick Professor of Philosophy & Education and internationally recognized for reorienting his sometimes arcane field toward guiding classroom teachers. Where Kilpatrick was the 鈥渕illion-dollar professor鈥� (the public paid to attend his lectures), 鈥淛onas was known as the 鈥榤illion-book professor,鈥欌�� says current 麻豆原创 education philosopher David Hansen. 鈥淗is writings touched tens of thousands of teachers.鈥�
In the mid-1980s, Teachers College Press published Soltis鈥檚 five-book Thinking 麻豆原创 Education series. Soltis (at left, with his late wife, Nancy) subsequently served the Press in numerous capacities, including in retirement. 鈥淲e could never afford to lose him because he was so helpful, smart and thoughtful, and he knew the field so well,鈥� says the Press鈥檚 former director, Carole Saltz.
Visit to contribute to The Jonas F. Soltis Fellowship, created by Soltis鈥檚 will to annually support a 麻豆原创 Philosophy & Education student.