David P. Weikart

Who was David P. Weikart?

David P. Weikart was an American psychologist and founder of the HighScope Curriculum, an early childhood education program.

Weikart was born on August 26, 1931, in Youngstown, Ohio. His parents were Hubert and Catherine Weikart. One of four children, he had an older sister and two younger brothers. Weikart's parents were social workers and teachers with a deep commitment to helping others – a commitment their son embraced as his own. He attended public school in Youngstown, graduating from South High School in 1949. He enrolled in Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, in the fall of 1949 and graduated in 1953 with a major in psychology and a minor in zoology. Throughout the college years, he worked at a YMCA camp in Rochester, New York, as a counselor and program director. In the fall of 1953 Weikart enlisted in the United States Marine Officer Training Corps and graduated as a lieutenant. He was honorably discharged in December 1955 after serving as a platoon commander in Korea and Japan.

During the spring of 1956, Weikart taught English and biology at Canfield High School in Canfield, Ohio, and also attended Youngstown University, taking courses in education.