A
native of Portland, Oregon, Dr. Strong attended the
University of California at
Berkeley during the mid 1920's. At Berkeley, he studied under
Alfred Kroeber, the Chair of the
Department of Anthropology at that time. A
native of Portland, Oregon, Dr. Strong attended the
University of California at
Berkeley during the mid 1920's. At Berkeley, he studied under
Alfred Kroeber, the Chair of the
Department of Anthropology at that time.
While at Berkeley, he began to study Ethnography but found that, though it was not a big emphasis at the time, archaeology was his calling. He participated on field trips and did many other things there. His doctoral dissertation got the attention of the Dean of American Archaeologists, Dr. A.V. Kidder. Strong received his doctorate in 1926 at Berkeley.
In August of 1929, Strong became a Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Nebraska. While there he taught classes in Introduction to Anthropology, Primitive Society and Religion and a course on American Indians. On December 15, 1930, Strong resigned from his teaching position to take a position as Senior Entomologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology. While there he did some archaeological work but after four years decided he needed a change.
In 1937, Strong took a position as Professor of Anthropology at Columbia University in New York. Strong was often described as an effective and a stimulating instructor even if he was not the most brilliant lecturer. He influenced such people as A.C. Spaulding, Waldo R. Wedel, and many others who, in turn, have also influenced archaeology.
Dr. Strong's professional career included service at the Field Museum of Natural History from 1926 to 1929, University of Nebraska from 1929 to 1931, Bureau of American Ethnology from 1931 to 1937, Colombia University from 1937 to 1962.
Fitting, James E. The Development of North American Archaeology: Essays in the History of Regional Traditions. Anchor Books, Garden City, NY, 1973, pg. 55,160,173,226,257.
Wedel, Waldo R. Reprints in Anthropology. J & L Reprint Company, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1982.
Written by students in an Introduction to Anthropology course at MSU-Mankato
Edited by Amy Landin, 2007