Ernest Witte (1904-1986) — Social Worker, Educator and Administrator

Ernest Frederick Witte was a social work educator and administrator.  In 1939,Ernest Witte was named the director of the University of Washington School of Social Work. Witte expands the curriculum, adopts a two-year master’s program and offers fieldwork experiences in community planning, juvenile justice, child welfare and public administration.  After various positions in public relief during the Great Depression, Witte coordinated social service for European War victims during and after World War II. He then became Chief of Social Service for the Veterans Administration on the Pacific coast. Turning his administrative skills to social work education, Witte served as executive secretary of the Council on Social Work Education (1953-1963), and then developed social work programs at the Universities of Nebraska and Washington, and within the California State University system, often serving as dean.

Dr.  Witte has had a wide and varied experience in the field of social work.  He served as director of two schools of social work, first at the University of Nebraska where he organized the school and later at the University of Washington.  For over three years he served with the Army at Supreme Headquarters in North Africa, Italy, Britain, France and Germany, variously in charge of welfare, refugee and displaced persons services.  He entered the Army as a major and was a colonel on his release from military service.  Dr.  Witte became Chief of Social Service for the Veterans Administration for the Pacific Coast states.  Later he headed the Health and Welfare Council in Seattle and just before moving to the Council on Social Work Education he was Chief of the Division of Technical Training, Bureau of Public Assistance of the Federal Security Agency.

Dr.  Witte took his undergraduate and Master’s degree at the University of Nebraska and his Ph.D.  at the University of Chicago.

During the summer of 1955 Dr.  Witte was a member of a team of three sent to India, Iran, Egypt and the Gold Coast by the International Cooperation Administration of the Department of State to study community development.  The committee was asked to give particular attention to the training of personnel, both indigenous and foreign, for work in the field of community development and to ascertain if possible how the United States might, make its most effective contribution in this area to underdeveloped countries.

The Council on Social Work Education was a relatively new organization and it was one of the major developments resulting from the study of social work education made by Ernest V.  Hellis of the Office of Education and Alice L.  Taylor.  The Council brings together representatives of the graduate professional schools and undergraduate departments of social work, the professional membership associations, the employing agencies, universities and the public to work together to make social work education more meaningful in preparing social workers for the ever more complicated work which they are called upon to do.

In 1957, Dr.  Witte was the recipient of the Florins Lasker Social Work Award for distinguished service to the field of social work.

Note:  Below is the October 1956 nomination letter recommending Ernest Witte for an award from the National Conference of Social Welfare.  It was signed by Katherine A. Kendall, Mildred Ann Neeley and Janice L Gorn.  Attached to the letter is a detailed resume of Ernest Witte.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL WELFARE

FORM FOR NOMINATION FOR NCSW AWARD

1. Name of Nominee:  Ernest F.  Witte
2. Present Position:  Executive Director, Council on Social Work
3. Mailing Address:  345 East 46^th Street, New York 17, N.  Y.
4. Narrative Statement in Support of the Nomination (covering such points as – What is the nature of the contribution?  In what field was it made?  What did the contribution accomplish?  In what way was the performance outstanding?  Why does it merit national recognition?):

In less than five years, Ernest F.  Witte has forged out to the hopes and expectations of the founders of the Council on Social Work Education a profession-wide instrument for the support and development of social work education.  In 1952, when the Council on Social Work Education was created, the graduate schools and a handful of representatives of undergraduate education, professional organizations and employing agencies had the dream of concerted effort on the part of the total profession, undergraduate educators and the interested public in formulating and putting into effort educational policy for social work.  In four short years, that dream has become a reality.

The Council on Social Work Education is now known as its purposes and program are supported by:

59 graduate schools of social work

90 undergraduate departments

38 national employing agencies

121 local agencies, community funds, women’s organizations, libraries, etc.

16 foundations

4 government departments

the National Association of Social Workers more than 500 individual members in the U.  S., Canada, and foreign countries

In 1952, the Council on Social Work Education began operations with three professional staff members and a small member of clerical employees.  In 1956, the staff, including special project staff, numbers twelve highly qualified professionals and twelve clerical and administrative employees.  In 1952, the program could not extend, for lack of resources, beyond certain basic services to the professional schools.  In 1956, the program includes a nation-wide recruitment campaign, expanded accrediting activities, systematic consultation service to the graduate schools, developmental work with the undergraduate departments, a comprehensive curriculum study, intensive cooperative activity on educational matters with governmental and voluntary agencies, practitioner groups, other professions, higher education, labor unions, interested laymen, promotion of scholarship and fellowships, and a host of other activities.

While many people worked to achieve these results, it was the guiding spirit of Ernest F.  Witte which inspired this rapid and noteworthy development.  His qualities of dynamic leadership, his wide experience as an educator and practitioner, his abiding belief in the purpose of the Council, his faith in the interest of the profession in improving educational programs and opportunities, his capacity for indefatigable effort, his faculty for enlisting the devoted and loyal support of his colleagues and associates –these were the attributes that went into the making of the Council on Social Work Education as we know it today.  It is for this achievement that we put forward the name of Ernest F.  Witte for the national recognition that he so clearly deserves.

Signed:  Katherine A Kendall

Mildred Ann Neeley

Janice L Gorn

October 15, 1956                                            For:  Council on Social Work Education

Biography of Ernest F.  Witte

Executive Director, Council on Social Work Education

Ernest F.  Witte became Executive Director of the Council on Social Work Education with offices at 345 East 46 Street, New York City, in March 1953 following its organization in July 1952 as a result of the merger of three predecessor organizations.

Dr.  Witte was earlier the first Director of the School of Social Work of the University of Nebraska and Director of the University of Washington’s School of Social Work.  During World War II, Dr.  Witte served in the Welfare and Military Government sections of the Army.  He headed the Welfare Section of the Control Council for Germany, terminating this service with the rank of Colonel.  The U.  S.  Army awarded him the Army Commendation Ribbon and the Bronze Star.  He was also decorated by the French and Netherlands Governments.

Immediately prior to his present assignment, Dr.  Witte was Chief of the Division of Technical Training of the Bureau of Public Assistance of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

In 1955 he served as a member of an International Cooperation Administration study team in India, Egypt, Iran and the Gold Cost, now Ghana.

He is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health of the Southern Regional Education Board.  He is a former President of the American Association of Social Workers (now the National Association of Social Workers) and the Washington State Mental Hygiene Society.

Dr.  Witte received his undergraduate training and Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska.  He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago.  He took his social work training at the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago.

Dr.  Witte was voted in the 1957 Florina Lasker Social Work Award by the Committee on Selection for the leadership which he has given to the Council.

The following abbreviated information summarizing Dr.  Witte’s education and experience is taken from Who’s Who in America, Volume 29 1956-57, pg 2824:

B.S.  (B. A.), U. of Neb., 1925, M.A., 1926; Ph. D., U. of Chicago, 1932 (student Sch.  Social Service Administration, 1934); m.  Irmgard Vollbrecht, Aug. 24, 1939; children– John, Ruth Carolyn, Thomas.  Instructor economics, Bradley Poly, Inst., Peoria, Ill., 1929-30; instr. Economics and marketing, Ohio Wesleyan U., 1930-32; case aid, Ill. Emergency Relief Commn., later coordinator of research; field supervisor Fed. Emergency Relief Adminstrn., Neb., state relief adminstr., 1932-37; field rep. U.S. Social Security Bd., 1932-37; dir. Grad. Sch. Of Social Work, U. of Neb., 1937-39; dir. Grad. Sch. Social Work, Univ. of Washington, 1939-43; maj. U.S. Army, Jan. 1943; attended Sch. Of Mil. Govt., Charlottesville, Va.; sent to N. Africa, later dir. Welfare, Allied Mil. Govt., in occupied territory, Sicily and Italy, 1943-44.  Chief, Displaced Persons, Refugees and Welfare Sect., Supreme Hdqrs., Mission to France, 1944-45; promoted to lt. Col., Oct. 1944 to col., July 1946; chief of welfare, U.S. Group Control Council, Pub. Health and Welfare Sect. in Germany, 1945; chief Social Service, Branch 12, Vets. Administrn., 1946-48; col., staff and administrn., Army U.S.; exex. Sec. Council of Social Agencies, Seattle, 1948-52; chief div. Techn. Tng. Bur. Public assistance Fed. Security Agy., Washington, 1953-53; exec. Dir. Council on social Work Edn., 1953-. Mem. White House Conf. On Children and Youth, 1949-; exec. Com. Nat. Conf. Social Work, 1948-52; com. On tng. And personnel, adv. To Children’s Bur. And Bur. Pub. Assistance. U.S. Dept., Health, Edn., and Welfare.  Decorated Bronze Star, Army Commendation Ribbon (U.S.); Corix de Guerre (France); Order of Orange- Nassau (Netherlands). Mem. Am. Assn. Social Workers (ant. bd. 1947-50, nat. pres. 1949-51).  Home: 600 Pelhamdale Ave., Pelham Manor, N. Y.

The Council on Social Work Education is the only national organization in the field of social work education.  It is representative of the entire field of social work, including the 60 graduate schools in the United States and Canada, 100 member undergraduate departments offering courses in social welfare in the United States, 25 of the leading voluntary and government national social work organizations in the United States, the National Association of Social Workers with its more than 22,000 members, numerous local welfare organizations, individuals and the interested public.

Major activities of the Council include:

1. Continuing review of educational standards for social work.
2. Accreditation of the programs of graduate schools based on established educational standards.
3. Improving curriculum organization and content.
4. Curriculum improvement, particularly in underdeveloped subject areas such as administration, community organization and research.
5. Consideration of the nature and content of undergraduate education of social work.
6. Development of sound curriculum plans for post-Master’s programs.
7. Promoting continuous self-evaluation by the schools.
8. Development and publication of teaching materials.
9. More adequate financing of social work education.

10.  Equitable distribution of educational facilities.

11.  Making professional education more readily available to personnel in the public social services.

12.  Increasing the quantity and competence of social workers particularly through organizing and conducting a national recruitment program.

13.  Making the knowledge about social work education as developed in Canada and the United States available to other countries.

These activities of the Council are carried on through its membership, Board of Directors, House of Delegates, Commission on Accreditation, numerous committees, and the professional staff.

Note: Below is a brief resume of Dr. Witte distributed by the CSWE:

Council on Social Work Education

INCORPORATED

345 EAST 46^th STREET        ●          NEW YORK 17, NEW YORK          ●          Oxford 7-0467

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF ERNEST F.  WITTE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION

Ernest F.  Witte became Executive Director of the Council on Social Work Education as of March 1, 1953.  The Council offices are located at 345 East 46 Street, New York City.

Dr.  Witte has had a wide and varied experience in the field of social work.  He has served as director of two schools of social work, first at the University of Nebraska where he organized the school and later at the University of Washington.  For over three years he served with the Army at Supreme Headquarters in North Africa, Italy, Britain, France and Germany, variously in charge of welfare, refugee and displaced persons services.  He entered the Army as a major and was a colonel on his release from military service.  Dr.  Witte became Chief of Social Service for the Veterans Administration for the Pacific Coast states.  Later he headed the Health and Welfare Council in Seattle and just before coming to the Council on Social Work Education he was Chief of the Division of Technical Training, Bureau of Public Assistance of the Federal Security Agency.

Dr.  Witte took his undergraduate and Master’s degree at the University of Nebraska and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago.

During the summer f 1955 Dr.  Witte was a member of a team of three sent to India, Iran, Egypt and the Gold Coast by the International Cooperation Administration of the Department of State to study community development.  The committee was asked to give particular attention to the training of personnel, both indigenous and foreign, for work in the field of community development and to ascertain if possible how the United States might, make its most effective contribution in this area to underdeveloped countries.

The Council on Social Work Education is a relatively new organization and was one of the major developments resulting from the study of social work education made by Ernest V.  Hellis of the Office of Education and Alice L.  Taylor.  The Council brings together representatives of the graduate professional schools and undergraduate departments of social work, the professional membership associations, the employing agencies, universities and the public to work together to make social work education more meaningful in preparing social workers for the ever more complicated work which they are called upon to do.

In 1957, Dr.  Witte was the recipient of the Florins Lasker Social Work Award for distinguished service to the field of social work.

If additional details are required on Dr.  Witte, they may be obtained from the most recent edition of Who’s Who in America.

Source: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Social Welfare History Archives. Minneapolis, MN. More information is available at: https://www.lib.umn.edu/swha