John Lawrence Goheen
Encyclopedia
John Lawrence Goheen was an American
missionary
, educator, administrator, agriculturist
, social worker, and writer who spent most of his career working in India
. He made a major contribution to literacy through the Bombay Literacy Campaign of 1939. He established Adult Education Associations in various parts in India with a slogan “Every home a literate home”. He promoted religious organizations for literacy conferences.
, India
, where his parents were stationed as American Presbyterian
missionaries. At the age of 7 his parents sent him to Wooster, Ohio
in the United States for education. He graduated from Wooster Academy in 1902 and from the University of Wooster in 1906.
From 1920 to 1921, he was enrolled in special courses in agriculture at the State Agricultural College in Davis
, California. He was director of physical education at Occidental College
and Franklin College
, and also served as athletic director in a high school in Cleveland, Ohio
.
He married Jane Lea Corbett In 1908. Jane was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1886. She received her early education in Chefoo, China
, where her father Hunter Corbett
served as an American missionary. She took her college training in the United States, graduating from the College of Wooster in 1907.
for missionary service in Sangli
in the state of Maharashtra
, India
. The Goheens arrived in India in 1911 and soon after he was placed in charge as the Principal at Sangli Boys School. He transformed the school into an Industrial and Agricultural Educational Institute and instituted an extension service as The Sangli Moveable School. This brought improved agricultural techniques to the villages surrounding Sangli. He was appointed as a member of Bombay Literacy mission. He served a long term as executive secretary of the West India Mission of American Presbyterian missionaries.
, requested Goheen to administer the Ichalkaranji state while Ghorpade was visiting Europe. Goheen accepted the request and took the position of an administrator of the state in then Bombay Presidency
of British India. He worked as administrator of Ichalkaranji state from 1930 to 1934. Soon after taking the charge of the office in Ichalkaranji, he was very much impressed with the administration of the ruler, as well as the spirit and enterprise which pervaded in Ichalkaranji States, a territory of about 80 villages and the state capital Ichalkaranji, so he wrote a book about Ichalkaranji State called Glimpses of Ichalkaranji.
, one of the oldest agricultural institutes in South Asia, located in Allahabad
in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in North India
.
in Sangli School. After Mr. Goheen's appointment to the Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Jane Goheen taught in the school of home economics, where Christian girls were trained to teach the women of India better ways of living and caring for their families. During her last few years of service, she worked with the women of Kolhapur and surrounding villages, organizing them more effectively for the work of the church. She retired in 1952 and died in 1977.
’s and his biographical material, is in the United States.
In 1937 the College of Wooster presented John Lawrence Goheen with an honorary Doctor of Law degree for outstanding accomplishment in the mission field.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missionary
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
, educator, administrator, agriculturist
Agricultural science
Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. -Agriculture and agricultural science:The two terms are often confused...
, social worker, and writer who spent most of his career working in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He made a major contribution to literacy through the Bombay Literacy Campaign of 1939. He established Adult Education Associations in various parts in India with a slogan “Every home a literate home”. He promoted religious organizations for literacy conferences.
Early life
He was born on December 10, 1883 in Kolhapur, in the West Indian State of MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where his parents were stationed as American Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
missionaries. At the age of 7 his parents sent him to Wooster, Ohio
Wooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
in the United States for education. He graduated from Wooster Academy in 1902 and from the University of Wooster in 1906.
From 1920 to 1921, he was enrolled in special courses in agriculture at the State Agricultural College in Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
, California. He was director of physical education at Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
and Franklin College
Franklin College
Franklin College is a private liberal arts college in Franklin, Indiana, located about 20 minutes south of Indianapolis. Its enrollment of 1047 students enables individual attention and discussions with senior professors...
, and also served as athletic director in a high school in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
He married Jane Lea Corbett In 1908. Jane was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1886. She received her early education in Chefoo, China
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
, where her father Hunter Corbett
Hunter Corbett
Dr. Hunter Corbett was a pioneer American missionary to Yantai, Shandong China, he served with the American Presbyterian Mission...
served as an American missionary. She took her college training in the United States, graduating from the College of Wooster in 1907.
Missionary work in India
In 1910 John and Jane Goheen accepted an appointment from the American Presbyterian missionariesAmerican Presbyterian Mission
American Presbyterian Mission was an American Presbyterian missionary society, operated by the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, that was involved in sending workers to countries such as China during the late Qing Dynasty and to India in nineteenth century...
for missionary service in Sangli
Sangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
in the state of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Goheens arrived in India in 1911 and soon after he was placed in charge as the Principal at Sangli Boys School. He transformed the school into an Industrial and Agricultural Educational Institute and instituted an extension service as The Sangli Moveable School. This brought improved agricultural techniques to the villages surrounding Sangli. He was appointed as a member of Bombay Literacy mission. He served a long term as executive secretary of the West India Mission of American Presbyterian missionaries.
Administrator of Ichalkaranji
Narayanrao Babasaheb Ghorpade, the Ruler of Ichalkaranji StateIchalkaranji
Ichalkaranji is located at . It has an average elevation of 538 metres .Ichalkaranji , lies in the Pancaganga valley about eighteen miles east of Kolhapur and half a mile north of the river. It is six miles southeast of Hatkanangale railway station...
, requested Goheen to administer the Ichalkaranji state while Ghorpade was visiting Europe. Goheen accepted the request and took the position of an administrator of the state in then Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
of British India. He worked as administrator of Ichalkaranji state from 1930 to 1934. Soon after taking the charge of the office in Ichalkaranji, he was very much impressed with the administration of the ruler, as well as the spirit and enterprise which pervaded in Ichalkaranji States, a territory of about 80 villages and the state capital Ichalkaranji, so he wrote a book about Ichalkaranji State called Glimpses of Ichalkaranji.
Allahabad Agricultural Institute
In 1944, Goheen was elected as a principal of Allahabad Agricultural InstituteAllahabad Agricultural Institute
The Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, formerly , is a university in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. This is one of the oldest agricultural institutes in South Asia....
, one of the oldest agricultural institutes in South Asia, located in Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in North India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Jane Goheen
His wife Jane Goheen worked as a teacher in academic and Bible classesBible study (Christian)
In Christianity, Bible study is the study of the Bible by ordinary people as a personal religious or spiritual practice. Some denominations may call this devotion or devotional acts; however in other denominations devotion has other meanings...
in Sangli School. After Mr. Goheen's appointment to the Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Jane Goheen taught in the school of home economics, where Christian girls were trained to teach the women of India better ways of living and caring for their families. During her last few years of service, she worked with the women of Kolhapur and surrounding villages, organizing them more effectively for the work of the church. She retired in 1952 and died in 1977.
Death
In September 1947 he went to New York for specialized medical treatment. He died February 3, 1948 at the age of 64. His collection of manuscripts, photographs, and correspondence, along with Jim CorbettJim Corbett
James or Jim Corbett may refer to:*Jim Corbett , Edward James "Jim" Corbett , British-Indian hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards, conservationist, naturalist, photographer and author*James J...
’s and his biographical material, is in the United States.
Recognition
In 1937 the College of Wooster presented John Lawrence Goheen with an honorary Doctor of Law degree for outstanding accomplishment in the mission field.
See also
- Mahatma Gandhi, letters to Americans Page 144 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1998 Intellect: Volume 67
- Collected works ( Letter to J L Goheen on Page 369), Author Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi . Publisher- Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, 1984
- India Shall Be Literate ,By Frank C. Laubach 1940