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Joseph McClair Hardman ’51

Joe earned a BA from Reed in political science and economics. His thesis on American schools of geopolitics was written with Prof. Frank Munk [political science 1939–65], who was an “all-star” gentleman, Joe said, as was Prof. Charles McKinley [political science 1918–60]. “Many Reed items and exposures were decades ahead of their time, such as ecology, environment pollution, and foreign policy (geopolitics).” Following graduation, Joe served in the Korean War and earned an LLB from Willamette University. Influenced by Prof. Munk, he entered the foreign service in Italy and Newfoundland, and then became chief of the college eligibility section for the U.S. Office of Education, in Washington, D.C. He retired in 1989, and was a volunteer for 21 years at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. For this work, he received three presidential citations and a lifetime award from the interior department. He was also a board member of the First Flight Society. Joe and Margaret Smith were married in 1954 and had three sons. His sons, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren survive him. Margaret died in March.

Appeared in Reed magazine: December 2015

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