William Samuel "Bill" Griffith was a dedicated adult educator.
Personal life
Working internationally at both applied and academic levels, Griffith contributed intellectual excellence and hard work to a diversity of fields which mattered very much to him: literacy, family planning, agriculture, correction services – and the development of academic journals which fostered professional communities in each field. Family was equally important to Griffith. While at Pennsylvania State University, he met and married Beverly Ann Breland – they had three children: Thomas, Kathryn, Rebecca, and five grandchildren.
1963–1968 Assistant Professor of Education University of Chicago 1968–1977 Associate Professor of Education University of Chicago 1971 Visiting Professor of Adult Education North Carolina State University, Summer program 1971 Adult Education Quarterly with Ann P Hayes Extension Handbook: Processes and Practices, Second Edition 1972–1973 Fulbright-Hayes Senior Research Fellow: Australian National University; University of Sydney 1975–1977 US National Academy of Sciences – Field Research Associate 1977–1983 University of British Columbia Chair: Adult Education Division 1977–1996 University of British Columbia Professor – Adult Education 1978–1979 Member: Faculty Standing Personnel Committee 1978–1982 Education Faculty representative to Agricultural Sciences Faculty 1978–1982 Charter Coordinator – Adult Basic Education Consortium 1980 awarded the AEA/USA's Research to Practice Award 1980–1981 Adult Education Association Handbook Series in Adult Education 1981–1983 BC Ministry of Agriculture – project: Expanding Training Opportunities for Extension Workers 1981–1984 Coordinator of Program of Studies and Training in Correctional Education including recipient of $275,000. Donner Foundation grant 1982–1996 Lakeside Correctional Institution – Community Liaison Committee 1982–1984 President – Northwest Adult Education Association 1983–1996 Chair – Canadian Society of Extension – Professional Development Committee Griffith was interested in and worked for Planned Parenthood; USAID in population education; international education, correctional education, and population education. Other interests: was an active member of the Commission of Adult Education, the President of the Northwest Adult Education Association, the Chairman of the Commission of Professors of Adult Education and the President of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, he also served on the committee of the Adult Education Research Conference. Griffith is listed in Who's WhoIn America
