Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of Curriculum and Instruction John A. Pritchett, Jr. (June 4, 1925-), was born in Nashville, TN, to John A. Pritchett, an attorney, and Ethel Griffith Pritchett, a former teacher. Pritchett is married to Agnes Robinette Pritchett of Mosheim, TN, and the couple have three children. Their daughter, Mrs. Cassandra Pritchett Mabe, is chairperson of the department of foreign languages at Loyola University in New Orleans. Their older son, John Alfred Pritchett, ID, formerly a librarian in Wilkes County, NC, now serves as a public relations officer in the media services section of Appalachian's Belk Library. Their younger son, Charles L. Pritchett, is a supervisor for the NC Department of Transportation and is based in Watauga County. During World War II, Pritchett served as a war department photographer. He met and married his wife while attending East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. During this time he worked as an announcer for station WJHL in Johnson City. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pritchett transferred to George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville in 1945-46. Mrs. Pritchett received her A.B. in English and social studies and later taught school in Washington County, TN. Mr. Pritchett received his A.B. in music and social studies in 1946 and completed his M.A. in sociology and school administration at Peabody in 1947. The Pritchetts moved in 1947 to Monroe, LA, where Pritchett became chairman of the sociology department at Northeast Louisiana State University. While there, he continued his work on a Ph.D. at Peabody. In 1948, he received the distinguished Algernon Sydney Sullivan award for leadership in public education at Peabody. Pritchett served as professor of sociology and departmental chairman at Northeast Louisiana State while managing station KFAZ-TV.ln 1955, he came to Appalachian, where he organized and developed the department of audio-visual education. The University's graduate program became the second largest in the United States, awarding over 300 M.A. degrees. The department later merged with the library science department and finally with the department of curriculum and instruction. In his later years, Pritchett served as coordinator of instructional technologies in the Hubbard Center. He recently retired after 37 years of service to Appalachian State University as college professor and director of audio-visual education. Pritchett received appointment to emeritus status on June 7, 1991. Sources: Appalachian State University files. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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