Family and Friends of W. Leslie Whittaker
Dr. W. Leslie Whittaker was born May 13, 1918, in Portsmouth, England. He served in the British army from 1939 – 1944, primarily in North Africa. After the end of World War II, he attended Manchester University, receiving his B.A. (Honours English and Philosophy) in 1949 and his Diploma in Education in 1950. Other degrees included the L.R.A.M. from the Royal Academy of Music, England (1955); a B.Ed. from the University of Toronto (1960); an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Theater and Dramatic Literature (1963, 1965); and a J.D. from Wayne State University Law School (1985).
Dr. Whittaker taught English at Barrow-in-Furness Grammar School in England (1950-1956) before coming to the U.S. in 1956-1957 as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher. Later he taught English at Scarborough Collegiate in Toronto (1957-1963) and served as Assistant Professor of Theater at Austin College in Texas (1965-1966).
Dr. Whittaker joined Saginaw Valley College in 1966, serving as head of English and the Humanities Division where he developed a three semester required sequence of core courses which integrated literature, drama, art, music, and philosophy. During his first semester, SVC classes were still meeting in the basement of Delta College before they moved to the new “66” building on the current campus. Over 42 years, Dr. Whittaker taught dozens of different classes including numerous surveys and seminars in British literature; dramatic literature from the classical, Renaissance, and modern periods; introductory and advanced composition; and courses in the English language. One of his favorite courses was Laughter in Literature, and he was delighted to once again teach a Shakespeare course during his final year.
In 1973, Dr. Whittaker was promoted to Full Professor of English and Education and concentrated much of his work from 1973-1979 in early childhood and English education. He began teaching reading courses in the mid-1970s and was instrumental in implementing the Basic Skills Reading Program in 1983, in which he taught throughout the rest of his career.
Beginning in 2002, Dr. Whittaker also taught drama courses and led book clubs for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at SVSU.
In recognition of his outstanding teaching, Dr. Whittaker received a Faculty Merit Award (1977-78) and the Landee Award for Excellence in Teaching (1990).
Dr. Whittaker dedicated himself to diverse and continuous university and departmental service. Early work included President of the Faculty Senate and Chairman of the Executive Council as well as a founding member of the Association of Michigan Colleges. In 1972, he served on the SVSUFA Executive Board as our first MEA Region 11 delegate. Dr. Whittaker coordinated the SVSU summer theater program for two years and initiated the first exchange program with Poulton-le-Fylde College of Education, England, in 1974. In 1978, he chaired the College Reorganization Group to restructure SVSC into its current five academic units. Throughout his career, Dr. Whittaker continued to serve on many special task forces, campus, and department committees.
Dr. Whittaker’s career was also marked by his passionate commitment to community service. This included such diverse activities as serving on the board of the Saginaw County Anti-Poverty program, contributing his legal skills to various non-profit and juvenile groups, and teaching and tutoring in inner city programs, most recently at Trinity in Saginaw. As a performer, he visited local classrooms, libraries, and literary groups, frequently drawing on his own scripts, using puppets, and presenting readings of poems and stories.
Dr. Whittaker was still an active member of the SVSU faculty at the time of his death on April 3, 2008. Earlier, he had written that “unless we challenge ourselves to be constantly curious and determined to pursue our curiosity, we are in danger of becoming complacent and too easily self-satisfied.” Dr. Whittaker’s curiosity never left him. Never complacent, his learning and zeal inspired students young and old, his colleagues, and his community. Family and friends of Dr. Whittaker established this scholarship to reward and encourage students who share their love of learning with others through tutoring.