Dr H. Jonothan Greenwald

Established Department Of Humanistic Studies And Philosophy At WestConn

Dr H. Jonothan Greenwald, 92, died at his home in Newtown, October 1. Dr Greenwald was born on April 16, 1915, in Kansas City, Mo., the only child of Joseph and Edith (Krug) Greenwald.

Dr Greenwald was educated in the Kansas City public schools. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Kansas in 1936, earning an AB in chemistry. From 1937 to 1941 he was a social worker in California, and began his study of photography in Mexico. In November 1941, he joined the US Army Air Corps where he served as a radio and radar operator during World War II.

Upon separation from the service in November 1945, Dr Greenwald moved to New York City where he studied photography as his personal art form. Paul Strand was among his mentors at the Photo League, where his photography was exhibited and juried. While vacationing in Vermont, Dr Greenwald met Dorothy Brooks, who became his wife. The couple moved to Vermont for Dr Greenwald to begin his graduate study. He received his master’s of education in educational psychology from the University of Vermont in 1950. He completed his graduate education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, receiving his doctorate of education in 1955.

Dr Greenwald served as associate professor and chairman of the division of education at the Rhode Island School of Design from 1955 to 1959. In 1959 he took a position at Western Connecticut State University as an associate professor of psychology. During his first years, at what was then Danbury State Teachers College, he was very instrumental in the establishment of the Nature of Man curriculum, which involved professors and instructors from several disciplines. This program evolved into the Department of Humanistic Studies and Philosophy, which he chaired from the department’s inception until 1978. He retired from WestConn in 1984 and continued his passion for photography, traveling widely in Europe and exhibiting in galleries in Connecticut.

His beloved wife, Dorothy, predeceased Dr Greenwald. He leaves no immediate survivors.

Services for Dr Greenwald will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown, at 10:30 am, Friday, October 5. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the WCSU. Foundation for the H. Jonothan and Dorothy Greenwald Scholarship Fund, Office of Institutional Advancement, Western Connecticut State University, 181 White Street, Danbury CT 06810.

Arrangements are in care of the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown.

The Newtown Bee        October 5, 2007