REMEMBERING J. STANLEY MARSHALL
By Kelli Gemmer
D
r. J. Stanley Marshall, former dean of the College of Education and former FSU president, passed away on June 8, 2014 at the age of 91. Marshall left a lasting mark on the Florida State University College of Education that extends internationally. Following his service in World War II, Marshall became an educator and statewide leader in higher education. He joined our faculty in 1958 when he established the Department of Science Education along with programs to educate secondary school teachers in the sciences. That same year, he became head of the department he created. During his time as head of the Department of Science Education, Marshall gained an international reputation by consulting widely in science education, primarily in the Middle East. Marshall served as an advisor to Encyclopedia Britannica Films, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education.
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In addition, he was elected a fellow and served on the Commission on Science Education of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work reshaped science teacher education programs. In 1965, he became the associate dean of the College of Education. He then went on to serve as dean of the College of Education in 1967 until he was appointed Florida State’s ninth president. He served as president from June 1969 to August 1976 during a difficult time at Florida State. Marshall recounted this era of student protests and faculty dissension in his 2006 book, “The Tumultuous Sixties: Campus Unrest and Student Life at a Southern Institution.” In addition to his academic and institutional accomplishments, Marshall was a role model for entrepreneurs in education. He was the founding editor of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching as well as co-author to popular elementary science textbooks published by Scott Foresman. After retirement, he established the James Madison Institute in 1987 and served as its president and CEO from 1987 to 2000. Utilizing his expertise in science, Marshall later founded Sonitrol, a Tallahassee-based company that provides electronic security and fire protection for businesses and homes in the area. “Whether as a teacher, administrator, statewide leader in higher education or educational consultant on the world stage, Marshall lived an engaged life of excellence and
integrity. Our faculty, staff and students are grateful to have been associated with him,” said Interim FSU President Garnett S. Stokes. Marshall’s contributions to science education, higher education and the university are numerous. In his honor, Florida State University has constructed the J. Stanley Marshall plaza in front of the HCB classroom building. The plaza includes a lifesize bronze statue of Marshall, which was originally unveiled as part of Legacy Walk II in 2008. J. Stanley Marshall is a legacy on this campus who will be remembered for his unconquered spirit and devotion to this university. T