Dale Benner Harris

Harris, Dale Benner Psychologist and educator, died at age 92 at Bel Aire Center in Newport, Vermont, on April 28, 2007. Dale was born in Elkhart, Indiana, on June 28, 1914, the eldest son of Ward Manning Harris and Lillian (Benner) Harris. Following high school graduation from Elkhart, Dale attended DePauw University. He received his AB degree from DePauw with high distinction (Rector Scholar) in 1935. On July 17, 1935, after their graduation from DePauw, Dale married Elizabeth Rita Saltmarsh. He earned an MA (1937) and PhD (1941) from the University of Minnesota. He served as Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. During his professional career, Dale was affiliated with the Minnesota Training School for Boys from 1936-1938, and the Institute for Child Welfare, University of Minnesota, from 1939-1959, serving as its Director from 1954-1959. In 1959, Dale became Professor of Psychology at Pennsylvania State University. He was Chairman of the Department of Psychology from 1962-1967. During 1968-1969, he was Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan. He retired from Penn State as Professor Emeritus in 1979. Dale was best known for his text, Children's Drawings as Measures of Intellectual Maturity (Goodenough- Harris Draw-a-Man Test). He was editor of three professional journals and published many papers on children's development and education. Dale served on three Minnesota governor's committees and five national boards of professional organizations relating to child education and welfare. He belonged to Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and numerous other organizations. In addition to his loving wife of 71 years, he is survived by his four children and their spouses (Ruthann Ovenshire, James and Kaaren Harris, David and Pamela Harris, Geoffrey and Shirley Harris), six grandchildren (Susan, David, Benjamin, Wendy, Emily and Leanne), and two great- grandchildren (Anneke and Tevis). He is also survived by Marianne van Iterson of the Netherlands, who became a valued family member after living with the Harrises during an AFS exchange in 1958-1959, and her family. He leaves numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and the many students he has mentored through the years. He was predeceased by his son-in-law, Lee Ovenshire, his brother, Van, and his sister, Marjorie H. Smith. His family remembers Dale's deep interest in politics and love of the out-of-doors, with fond memories of family canoe camping trips and summers spent at their cabins on East Twin Lake, Minnesota and later on Lake Clear, Ontario, Canada. Interment at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, will be during a private family gathering. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website: www.curtis-britch- converse-rushford.com
This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.