John Foster Leich
Political scientist, linguist
Born Jun. 27, 1920, Evansville (IN), U.S.; son of Clarence and Josephine (Foster); married Jean Elizabeth (Ferriss); children: Ellen, Christopher.
Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Swarthmore College (PA), 1942; Master of Arts (M.A.), Yale University, New Haven (CT), 1947; Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1976.
Career: vice consul, 3rd secretary, U.S. Foreign Service, Gdansk, Warsaw, Munich (Poland, Germany), 1947-50; director, Free Europe Committee, New York City and London (United Kingdom), 1950-65; consultant, George Washington University, Washington (DC), 1965-67; prof., Louisiana Technical University, Ruston, 1967-90; elder hostel coordinator, Institute of World Affairs, Salisbury (CT), 1991 -.
Author: Communist Parties in the European Parliament, 1976; numerous articles on Polish, Italian, Mexican political parties and elections, anti-communist organizations, and minority languages.
Member of: organizer, Community Theater, Ruston, 1977-90; state chairman, American Association of University Professors (AAUP), 1981-83; volunteer teacher, Taconic Learning Center, Salisbury (CT); Council on Foreign Relations; Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (P.I.A.S.A.).
Honors: Faculty Senate chairman, Louisiana Technical Faculty Senate, 1981-82.
Served with: U.S. Naval Intelligence Office (Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany), Iieutenant, 1942-46.
Affiliation: Republican. Episcopalian.
Languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Polish, Russian.
Hobbies: amateur theater, music, languages.
Home: PO. Box 1701, Sharon, CT 06069.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation,
New York, NY, 1996