Jack
Ferver gained prominence in the area of staff development for teachers
and administrators and encouraged many colleges of education to professionalize
their approach to this field. He also contributed to the field of adult
and continuing education by helping with the development of the Adult
Education Association of the USA and its successor, AAACE. At the time
he was on the Board and in the office, the organization faced a number
of critical issues, including merger with NAPCAE, relationships with regions
and states, funding, management of its national conferences, and relationships
with HEW and USOE.
At the state level, he became recognized for establishing the first organization of professional adult educators in Wisconsin (AEA-W) and its professional development component, The Wisconsin Adult Education Lyceum. He was also instrumental in securing the cooperation of the University System, the Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education (VTAE) System, and the State Department of Education to bring Community Education to Wisconsin.
Another facet of his legacy was his work as state administrator for Title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in getting the state universities, private colleges and universities, and VTAE institutions involved in an organized and funded way into the field of continuing education.