Josiah Little Pickard

Josiah Little Pickard (March 17, 1824 – March 28, 1914) was the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin, 1860–1864, and the sixth President of the University of Iowa, 1878–1887.

Josiah Little Pickard
6th President of the University of Iowa
In office 1878 (1878)–1887 (1887)
Preceded by	Christian W. Slagle (acting)
Succeeded by	Charles Ashmead Schaeffer
3rd Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools
In office June 1864 – June 1877
Preceded by	William H. Wells
Succeeded by	Duane Doty
Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
In office 1860–1864
Preceded by	Lyman Draper
Succeeded by	John G. McMynn
Personal details
Born	17 March 1824
Died	28 March 1914 (aged 90)
Political party	Republican

Born in Rowley, Massachusetts, Pickard grew up on a farm near Brunswick, Maine and went to Lewiston Falls Academy in Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1844. In 1845, he moved west and then moved to Wisconsin, in 1864, and was principal of Platteville Academy now University of Wisconsin–Platteville. From 1860 until 1864, Pickard was Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin. During that time he was on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.

In 1864, he resigned as Superintendent of Public Instruction and moved to Chicago, Illinois to be head of the public school system, a job he began in June of that year.[1] He served until resigning in June 1877 (he alleged that the school board had forced him out in order to appoint his assistant superintendent Duane Doty, which Doty denied).[1][2]

Finally, he went to the University of Iowa and served as President until his retirement in 1887. He also was President of the State Historical Society of Iowa. After 1889, he retired and from 1900, Pickard lived in retirement with his daughter in Cupertino, California.[3][4]

Pickard died at his daughter's home in Cupertino after falling from a streetcar and breaking his leg.[5][6][7] He was buried in Chicago.[5][7]