Michael Peter Hammond

Background

Hammond, Michael Peter was born on June 13, 1932 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Laurence Cyril and Beatrice Jean (Slater) Hammond.

Education

Bachelor in Classics and Philosophy with honors, Lawrence University, 1954. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Lawrence University, 1975. Postgraduate, Delhi University, India, 1955.

Bachelor with honors, Oxford University, England, 1959. Master of Arts, Oxford University, England, 1961. Postgraduate, University Wisconsin, 1963.

Career

Hammond was a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and spent much of his childhood in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was selected to attend to the American Legion"s Badger Boys State program and then went on to represent Wisconsin as one of three senators Boys Nation program in 1949 where he was elected President. Upon returning to Appleton, he was welcomed back by a parade from the train station to city hall.

He took lessons in the sitar from Ravi Shankar.

He stayed on at Oxford to study pre-medicine, planning on entering a career in medical research. After completing his work at Oxford, Hammond returned to Wisconsin and spent a year on the Menominee Indian Reservation, learning to speak Menominee and studied the clash between whites and the native population.

Hammond then moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he worked at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an instructor in physiology and anatomy and a researcher in neuroanatomy. At the same time he also taught neuroanatomy and physiology at the Marquette Medical School.

He also served as the director of the Wisconsin Academy of Music in Milwaukee from 1966 to 1968.

In the 1968, Hammond moved to New York to serve as the dean of music for the newly created State University of New York at Purchase. In 1977 he became the college"s president, working in that role to 1980. While in New York, Hammond served as an associate conductor with the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski and as music director and conductor of the Dessoff Choirs.

Hammond served as the dean of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University from 1986 to 2001.

Hammond was appointed by President George West. Bush to head the National Education Association, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on December 20, 2001. He began working at the National Education Association on January 22, 2002 but died a week later in Washington, District of Columbia on January 29, 2002.

He was 69.

Achievements

• Michael Peter Hammond has been listed as a noteworthy Music educator, dean by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member American Symphony Orchestra League.

Connections

Married Anne Lilley, June 11, 1966. Children: Benjamin, Thomas.

Father:

Laurence Cyril Hammond

Mother:

Beatrice Jean (Slater) Hammond

Spouse:

Anne Lilley

child:

Benjamin Hammond

child:

Thomas Hammond