Dr. Calvin W. Taylor, born on May 23, 1915, passed away on April 26,2000 following a short illness.
Dr. Taylor is a world-renowned leader in education, creativity, and the pursuit of multiple talents of all. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, he was proud of his strong Utah heritage and a member of the LDS Church. He lived in many parts of the country and traveled around the world, but he was always drawn home to Utah to teach and lead research efforts.Dr. Taylor married his dear wife, Dorothy, on June 18, 1943. He has three children and 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They include: Dr. Craig Taylor and wife Gayle (Torrance, California); Dr. Stephen C. Taylor and wife Clara, Kaysville, Utah; Nancy Taylor and husband Chris Bowen (Reston, Virginia). His grandchildren include Romy Taylor, Melissa Taylor, Catherine Taylor, Adam Taylor, Paul Draper, Emily Taylor, Michael Taylor, Stephen Taylor, Elijah Taylor, Elizabeth Bowen and Alexandra Bowen.
A native of Utah, Calvin W. Taylor earned his way through college by working with the United States and Ceodetic Survey throughout the western half of the United States for five summers and one full school year. After considering various majors, he chose psychology. He received his BA and MA degrees from the University of Utah and then received his PhD in 1946 from the University of Chicago under L.L. Thurstone. In his dissertation, he isolated two new factors, ideational fluency and verbal versatility (expressional fluency). While finishing his dissertation, he also worked in the United States Employment Service national research program.
During World War II, Dr. Taylor attained the position of Military Chief, Military Personnel Subsection, of the Army Personnel Research Program and was in charge of Army-wide Trade Testing including performance testing and skipping-of-training testing. As a reserve officer he was a mobilization designee to the Human Factors Research Division of the Office, Chief of Research and Development of the Army. He retired as a lt. Colonel.
Since 1946, he has worked in psychology at the University of Utah teaching various courses on measurement theory, factor analysis, statistical and research techniques, a workshop in constructing tailor-made tests and measures, personnel and industrial psychology, creativity, human engineering, architectural psychology, and multiple-talent teaching. He has started several graduate programs at the University of Utah and is proud of the many talented and gifted students that he taught during the years, including student body officers and medical students.
In the fifties, he served as Director of Research, Office of Scientific Personnel, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council where he helped to develop the selection techniques for the National Science Foundation Fellowship Program at graduate and postdoctoral levels. On leave in 1964-65, he was Director, Personnel Measurement Department, United States Naval Personnel Research Activity in San Diego where he oversaw the installation of computer-assisted, multiple forecasting and classification procedures, for recommending optimum placement of a total group of 1,500 recruits into 60 naval schools or other initial assignments.
Dr. Taylor has supervised numerous research projects with support from the National Institutes of Health, the Peach Corps, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States Air Force, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the United States Office of Education. He has authored and co-authored countless publications and books and continues to receive royalties for his writing spanning 50 years.
Dr. Taylor also initiated a nonprofit trusteeship, the Institute for Behavioral Research in Creativity, to help handle the increase interest in research and implementation of research in creativity. IBRIC has fostered over the years in working on various projects to promote a greater understanding of selection techniques to improve the workforce and to enhance educational testing.
Dr. Taylor also chaired the World Conference on Gifted and Talents in Utah in the eighties. He led discussions on promoting the "Taylor Talent Totem Poles" that demonstrated that all children are gifted and can lead in multiple talents - creativity, memory, decision-making and other skills. He truly believed that teachers can foster children through a multiple talent approach where teaching can demonstrate that most students are above average. Dr. Taylor worked with school districts around the country to foster this approach in designing how to plan and implement creativity programs. He led seminars in Latin America and other countries to foster creativity and teaching for talents in schools.
Dr. Taylor also led efforts to promote architectural psychology and creativity and held summer workshops each summer. He also did evaluations of various professions, like physicians, to determine how to foster good qualities in offering services. His work on the selection of physicians demonstrated unique skills doctors have in providing quality health care services.
Dr. Taylor won numerous awards, including the Richardson Creativity Award established by the Richardson Foundation and announced at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association annual meeting. He served on countless committees and advisory boards and has been a consultant to numerous organizations. He was a member of Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa, AAAS, APA, and Psychometric Society and was a past president of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association.
Dr. Taylor encourages all to foster skills and creativity in every human being. His work has led the nation in how to show everyone that each and every person has unique and special talents. His wife, Dorothy, as been at her husband's side during his career and supported his efforts. The family wants to thank Dr. Taylor's granddaughter, Melissa, for her care during his final weeks.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to "The Calvin W. Taylor Scholarship Fund for Teachers of Multiple Talents." Deposits can be made at any First Security Bank Branch Office.
Funeral services will be held on Sat, April 28, 2000 at 10 a.m. at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, where friends and family may call on Fri. from 6-8 p.m. and on Sat. from 8:45-9:45 a.m., prior to services. Interment, Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress Park section.