JOHANNSEN, Wilfred

JOHANNSEN, Wilfred. (Dubuque, IA, Mar. 7, 1901--Saltillo, Mexico, Aug. 11, 1987). Johannsen was the first junior high school counselor in Iowa. He began his teaching career at Jefferson Junior High School (now JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL) in 1926, served as principal at Washington Junior High School (now WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL) from 1939 to 1963, and worked in the central administration office from 1963 to 1965. (1)

In addition to his duties with the DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Johannsen taught Spanish at LORAS COLLEGE from 1947 to 1963. (2) Johannsen held a doctorate from the University of Mexico. In 1961 during the summer he had served as the dean of students at the Inter-American University located in Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. In 1962 he had been appointed assistant to the president of the university. Inter-American University, a coed institution with approximately 500 students, was created to establish better relations between Mexico and the United States. (3)

Johannsen retired from the Dubuque Community Schools in 1965 to become the business director at the Inter-American University. (4)

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Source:

1. Obituaries. Telegraph Herald

2. Ibid.

3. "South of the Border," Telegraph Herald May 11, 1962, p. 12

4. Obituaries