Harlan Hanson
Encyclopedia
Harlan Philip Hanson also known as "Harpo" Hanson, was an American educator and the Director of the Advanced Placement Program from 1965 to 1989.
in 1925, Hanson attended Harvard University
in the early 1940s but his education at Harvard was interrupted in 1943 when he was drafted into service with the U.S. Army Air Forces
. After World War II
, he returned to Harvard where he graduated summa cum laude in 1948. That year he received the John A. Walz, Jr. Prize for "Best Divisional Examination" in German. In 1950, Hanson assumed the position of an assistant dean at Harvard. During this period, Hanson was senior tutor at Kirkland House where he resided with his wife and Radcliffe
graduate, Dorothea Reynolds. Hanson received his Ph.D from Harvard in 1959. Prior to his graduation, he lived in Alsace
and studied in Europe on a scholarship.
. Hanson was a member of the Committee of Examiners for the 1956–1957 AP German syllabus.
Hanson quit his position with Harvard's office of Advanced Standing in November, 1957 to accept an assistant professorship at Williams College
. By the time Hanson left Harvard, Advanced Standing existed in 174 colleges, and Harvard alone grew from 39 students admitted with advanced standing the first year, to 174 the year Hanson left. He remained through the mid 1960s at Williams College. During this period he translated History of the Weimar Republic and also translated and edited a German anthology. Hanson also served as Chief Reader for the AP German examinations while at Williams College.
In 1965, Hanson succeeded Jack Arbolino as Director of the Advanced Placement program for the College Board
and he remained at this position until 1989. For 23 of these years, Hanson "administered the program single-handedly, with some secretarial help and advice from the Educational Testing Service
," yet under his leadership the AP program nonetheless "grew exponentially." By the time he left the post of Director, the number of high schools offering AP courses had increased from 93 to over 8000, and the number of colleges that accepted AP courses had grown from fewer than 50 to nearly 2000. During this same period, the number of high school students participating in AP courses increased from 34,000 to about 315,000.
In the mid 1960s, Hanson was one of the original council members of the International Schools Examinations Syndicate, which later became the International Baccalaureate Organisation. He was instrumental in acquiring funding from the Ford Foundation
for IB and securing university recognition from Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Princeton for the IB Diploma Programme
. Hanson was also a founding member of the board of International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA).
Harvard and WWII
Born in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
in 1925, Hanson attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in the early 1940s but his education at Harvard was interrupted in 1943 when he was drafted into service with the U.S. Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he returned to Harvard where he graduated summa cum laude in 1948. That year he received the John A. Walz, Jr. Prize for "Best Divisional Examination" in German. In 1950, Hanson assumed the position of an assistant dean at Harvard. During this period, Hanson was senior tutor at Kirkland House where he resided with his wife and Radcliffe
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
graduate, Dorothea Reynolds. Hanson received his Ph.D from Harvard in 1959. Prior to his graduation, he lived in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and studied in Europe on a scholarship.
Career
In 1954, Harvard began to offer students credit and advanced standing for work completed in high school, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and Hanson, then a graduate student was given the task of implementing the new program. With two colleagues, Hanson, started the Office of Advanced Standing at Harvard University, and as Director of Harvard's Office of Advanced Standing in 1955, Hanson worked to get all academic departments to standardize their award-granting requirements and to align their policies with the standards outlined by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB)College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
. Hanson was a member of the Committee of Examiners for the 1956–1957 AP German syllabus.
Hanson quit his position with Harvard's office of Advanced Standing in November, 1957 to accept an assistant professorship at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
. By the time Hanson left Harvard, Advanced Standing existed in 174 colleges, and Harvard alone grew from 39 students admitted with advanced standing the first year, to 174 the year Hanson left. He remained through the mid 1960s at Williams College. During this period he translated History of the Weimar Republic and also translated and edited a German anthology. Hanson also served as Chief Reader for the AP German examinations while at Williams College.
| One of my heroes ...was Harlan “Harpo” Hanson, a big man with a dry wit who was once both the director of AP for the College Board and a force behind the first big grant for IB in the United States. He had four children. He gave each teen the facts about the two programs and let them decide. Two chose IB. Two chose AP. In each case, Hanson said, they made the right decision. |
| —Jay Mathews, The Washington Post The Washington Post The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation... |
In 1965, Hanson succeeded Jack Arbolino as Director of the Advanced Placement program for the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
and he remained at this position until 1989. For 23 of these years, Hanson "administered the program single-handedly, with some secretarial help and advice from the Educational Testing Service
Educational Testing Service
Educational Testing Service , founded in 1947, is the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization...
," yet under his leadership the AP program nonetheless "grew exponentially." By the time he left the post of Director, the number of high schools offering AP courses had increased from 93 to over 8000, and the number of colleges that accepted AP courses had grown from fewer than 50 to nearly 2000. During this same period, the number of high school students participating in AP courses increased from 34,000 to about 315,000.
In the mid 1960s, Hanson was one of the original council members of the International Schools Examinations Syndicate, which later became the International Baccalaureate Organisation. He was instrumental in acquiring funding from the Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
for IB and securing university recognition from Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Princeton for the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
. Hanson was also a founding member of the board of International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA).