Norm Ledgin
Encyclopedia
Norm Ledgin is an American
writer and journalist, living in the Stanley section of Overland Park, Kansas
. He is known for two books dealing with autism
, Asperger's and Self-Esteem: Insight and Hope Through Famous Role Models (2002) and Diagnosing Jefferson: Evidence of a Condition that Guided His Beliefs, Behavior, and Personal Associations (2000). The latter argues that Thomas Jefferson
demonstrated traits of Asperger syndrome
.
Ledgin is also author of The Jayhawker (2007), historical fiction dealing with the 1850s Kansas Border War, and with Bethine Louise of Lee's Summit, MO, coauthor of Sour Notes: A Sally Freberg Mystery (2009). He is a former traffic safety educator (Source, records of the National Safety Council, Inc.) and has been a nationally recognized speaker on autism topics for Future Horizons, Inc. (publisher and conference sponsor, Arlington, TX, Wayne Gilpin, President). He is a speaker as well on local history subjects.
He is a 1950 graduate of Rutgers University
, New Brunswick, New Jersey
, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Targum, campus newspaper. He editorialized for the overturning of loyalty oaths for R.O.T.C. cadets (the oaths were quickly suspended by order of the Commanding General, First Army HQ., Governor's Island) and for desegregation of fraternities. To set an example in the latter effort, in his junior year he joined Omega Psi Phi
, a predominantly African-American fraternity. (Source, Rutgers Alumni Association and Rutgersensia files of The Targum). In 1952 he earned a master of arts degree in political science from Rutgers. (Source, graduate records, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ)
In 1951 Ledgin was condemned publicly by the (U.S. Congress) House Un-American Activities Committee for serving as a U.S. sponsor of the Stockholm Peace Appeal, which opposed development, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. and U.S.S.R. He contends that his early stands against the arms race and against racial segregation resulted in his being blacklisted in the newspaper profession (primarily a result of publication of House Report 378, 82nd Congress, 1st Session, April 1, 1951--"Report on the Communist 'Peace' Offensive"). (Source, House Report 378, 82nd Congress)
He went on to teach journalism at McNeese State College in Lake Charles, Louisiana
, then served five years in safety administration in Southwest Louisiana, winning the citation "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" and the Distinguished Service Award from the Lake Charles Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1962. (Source, Lake Charles American Press)
He moved on to serve a similar administrative role 14 years (1962–76) in Kansas City, Missouri
, where he won top awards including the National Safety Council Trustees' Award, "Flame of Life," 1963; Award of Honor, Association of Safety Council Executives, 1974; and Distinguished Service to Safety Award, National Safety Council, 1974. He also served the national organization as chairman of its Driver Improvement Program ("defensive driving"), 1967-68. (Source, records of the National Safety Council, Inc.)
From 1976 to 1984 he edited and, with his wife, the former Marsha Montague, co-published country weekly newspapers in Arthur, Illinois
, and in the Stanley-Stilwell communities of Johnson County, Kansas.
He has five children, three by a former marriage—Stephanie P. Ledgin-Toskos, Pittstown, NJ; David H. Ledgin, Long Beach, NY; Allison G. Dey, Tucson, AZ—and two by his present marriage—Alfred E. Ledgin, Manhattan, KS, and Nicholas J. Ledgin, Kansas City, KS.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer and journalist, living in the Stanley section of Overland Park, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. He is known for two books dealing with autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, Asperger's and Self-Esteem: Insight and Hope Through Famous Role Models (2002) and Diagnosing Jefferson: Evidence of a Condition that Guided His Beliefs, Behavior, and Personal Associations (2000). The latter argues that Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
demonstrated traits of Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
.
Ledgin is also author of The Jayhawker (2007), historical fiction dealing with the 1850s Kansas Border War, and with Bethine Louise of Lee's Summit, MO, coauthor of Sour Notes: A Sally Freberg Mystery (2009). He is a former traffic safety educator (Source, records of the National Safety Council, Inc.) and has been a nationally recognized speaker on autism topics for Future Horizons, Inc. (publisher and conference sponsor, Arlington, TX, Wayne Gilpin, President). He is a speaker as well on local history subjects.
He is a 1950 graduate of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Targum, campus newspaper. He editorialized for the overturning of loyalty oaths for R.O.T.C. cadets (the oaths were quickly suspended by order of the Commanding General, First Army HQ., Governor's Island) and for desegregation of fraternities. To set an example in the latter effort, in his junior year he joined Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
, a predominantly African-American fraternity. (Source, Rutgers Alumni Association and Rutgersensia files of The Targum). In 1952 he earned a master of arts degree in political science from Rutgers. (Source, graduate records, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ)
In 1951 Ledgin was condemned publicly by the (U.S. Congress) House Un-American Activities Committee for serving as a U.S. sponsor of the Stockholm Peace Appeal, which opposed development, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. and U.S.S.R. He contends that his early stands against the arms race and against racial segregation resulted in his being blacklisted in the newspaper profession (primarily a result of publication of House Report 378, 82nd Congress, 1st Session, April 1, 1951--"Report on the Communist 'Peace' Offensive"). (Source, House Report 378, 82nd Congress)
He went on to teach journalism at McNeese State College in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, then served five years in safety administration in Southwest Louisiana, winning the citation "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" and the Distinguished Service Award from the Lake Charles Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1962. (Source, Lake Charles American Press)
He moved on to serve a similar administrative role 14 years (1962–76) in Kansas City, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where he won top awards including the National Safety Council Trustees' Award, "Flame of Life," 1963; Award of Honor, Association of Safety Council Executives, 1974; and Distinguished Service to Safety Award, National Safety Council, 1974. He also served the national organization as chairman of its Driver Improvement Program ("defensive driving"), 1967-68. (Source, records of the National Safety Council, Inc.)
From 1976 to 1984 he edited and, with his wife, the former Marsha Montague, co-published country weekly newspapers in Arthur, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and in the Stanley-Stilwell communities of Johnson County, Kansas.
He has five children, three by a former marriage—Stephanie P. Ledgin-Toskos, Pittstown, NJ; David H. Ledgin, Long Beach, NY; Allison G. Dey, Tucson, AZ—and two by his present marriage—Alfred E. Ledgin, Manhattan, KS, and Nicholas J. Ledgin, Kansas City, KS.