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Title
Arthur B. Ness Papers
Date(s)
- 1915-1957 (Creation)
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Includes eleven folders of biography information, pictures, speeches, lectures, clippings and articles, and personal papers of Arthur B. Ness. There are also two square boxes (box 2 and box 3) of personal items belonging to Arthur Ness.
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Biographical Note
Arthur B. Ness was born on 23 October 1894 in Norway at Fledal, in Skiptvet parish in the province of Østfold (Smaalenene). His father, Bernhard Andersen, was a cotter. His mother was Mina Torine Nilsen. He was one of the youngest of seven children. He was baptized on 2 December 1894 as Nels Arthur Bernhardsen Fledalen. His father died when he was young and his mother remarried. He was confirmed in 1909.
He immigrated to the United States in September 1911, joining his Aunt Maren and her husband Ole M. Lee in Tacoma, Washington. Through work at a smelter, on a farm, in the woods, and with occasional assistance from his aunt and uncle he managed to graduate from Parkland Lutheran Academy on 22 May 1915. He enrolled that same year at the University of Washington. He became an American citizen on 10 December 1917 and was drafted for World War I army service during his senior year. He was honorably discharged in March 1919. He then changed his name to Arthur B. Ness. Returning to the University of Washington, he received a Bachelor of Education degree and a summer later had his master of arts degree. He eventually earned his Ph. D.
The rest of his life was devoted primarily to education and to community service. He taught for a year at Washtucna High School and then spent thirty years in the Spokane West Valley district as teacher, then principal, then superintendent. He retired to Whidbey Island.
He belonged to NEA, the American Legion, Kiwanis, Masons, the National Retired Teachers Association, and various other social and church organizations. West Valley School District dedicated its newest school to him in 1957 calling it Arthur B. Ness School. He was also a talented speechwriter and addresser.
Arthur died on 25 October 1971 at age seventy-seven from emphysema and cancer of the left arm. Arthur was married to Alma James for fifty-two years.