Arvid J. Carlson *62

Arvid Carlson, professor emeritus of history at Austin (Texas) College, died Dec. 4, 2014. He was 86.

Born in 1928, Carlson graduated from the University of Michigan, and in 1962 he was awarded a Ph.D. in history from Princeton. That year, he joined Austin College and its president, John D. Moseley, to initiate a new way of teaching history.

Using a holistic approach and encompassing all aspects of the humanities, he played a key role in this new design of using interdisciplinary courses in the college’s Heritage of Western Culture sequence. He was involved in revising them for 30 years. Carlson also held numerous leadership roles at Austin, including dean of the humanities division (for two decades) and acting vice president for academic affairs (for one year). He often taught January Term courses in England.

His scholarship included numerous published articles and formal papers presented at professional meetings, as well as several fellowships and research grants. Austin College’s board of trustees honored him with the Homer P. Rainey Award for outstanding service in 1982. He retired in 1994.

Carlson was predeceased by his first wife, Jane Tomlinson, in 1983. He is survived by his second wife, Mary N. Carlson; two children; four stepchildren; and seven grandchildren.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.