CWU Remembers Frank Carlson

October 27, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Dr. Franklin D. "Frank" Carlson, professor emeritus of curriculum and supervision at Central Washington University, passed away Friday, Oct. 17, at his home in Ellensburg.

A native of Gowrie, Iowa, Carlson, 70, earned his bachelor and master of arts degrees in education at Iowa State Teachers College, (now the University of Northern Iowa), and his doctorate in education from Washington State University.

Following his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1953, Carlson devoted his life to education, first as a junior high and high school teacher - including jobs in Sunnyside and Salem, Ore. -- then as a college professor.

Carlson was hired at Central in 1967. As part of his phased retirement, which began in 1999, he continued working for the university and was teaching a class this quarter.

Reflecting upon his long, distinguished career at CWU, Carlson once said he viewed - and took part in - a shift in teacher education, in which professors became "less the founts of knowledge," as he put it.

"When I came, we were expected to be folks who told information to students," Carlson said. "Now, we have become people who are expected to help students assemble their own knowledge."

At CWU, Carlson's name became synonymous with university and public service. He chaired the Central faculty senate, served as a member or chair of several department, college, and university committees, and worked as coordinator of the South Seattle Center (now CWU-SeaTac), summer session director and director of certification and field studies.

Off-campus, Carlson served on a statewide professional educational advisory committee for the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction, presided over the State Council for the Social Studies and regional Association for Higher Education, and served with the National Education Association and Washington Education Association.

In addition, he was a member of American Legion Post 8 in Ellensburg, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Korean War Veterans Association and the Phi Delta Kappa Educators honor society. He was active in local Democratic Party politics, serving at various times as a precinct committeeman and campaign volunteer. At the time of his death, Carlson also was a Kittitas Hospital District commissioner.

Despite his varied experiences, Carlson was on record as stating that being in the classroom and advising students were his greatest joys.

He received the 1998 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Washington State University College of Education Alumni Association. The citation is presented annually to a WSU education alumnus who has made an outstanding contribution in the state of Washington and beyond.

Services for Carlson will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29, at noon, at IOOF Cemetery, 1900 Brick Road, with a reception following at the American Legion hall. In addition, a viewing is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Steward and Williams, 301 East 3rd.

Memorials may be sent to Hospice Friends in Ellensburg, or the Union Gospel Mission in Yakima.