Julian Warner Smith was born July 18, 1901 to Frank and Rebecca Smith in Leslie, Michigan. The family later moved to Woodland, Michigan. He attended both Woodland High School and Hastings High School (1919). Smth then attended Barry County Normal School and then began teaching at the South Jordan School. He left in 1922 to attend Western Michigan University and became principal of Woodland Township Schools.

In 1927, he enrolled at the University of Michigan and graduated in 1928 with a degree in education. Smith then accepted the position of principal of Lakeview High School in Battle Creek. He continued his education and completed his Master's degree at the University of Michigan in 1936.

Smith was involved with the Clear Lake Camp Project, Michigan High School Athletic Association Council, Division of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Outdoor Education for the State of Michigan and the Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation council during the 1940s and 50s.

In 1953 Smith resigned his position with the state to take an Associate Professor’s position at Michigan State University. He served as Director of the Outdoor Education Project from its inception in 1953 until his retirement in 1972. The project was national in scope, was organized under the auspices of the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and was funded by a variety of industries, corporations and organizations that were involved in some aspect of outdoor recreational and educational pursuits. Throughout his tenure as national director of the Outdoor Education Project, Smith held the position of Associate Professor of Education and Chair of the Outdoor Education Department in the College of Education at Michigan State University.

Upon retirement, he was bestowed the honor of Professor Emeritus. In 1957 the American Academy of Physical Education awarded him the Administrative Award as director for the State of Michigan. The following year AAHPER honored him with its distinguished Honor Award for working with school-aged children. That year Smith became Fellow No. 117 in the American Academy of Physical Education. He also received the Youth Education Award from the National Association of Conservation, Education and Publicity, and in 1955, Michigan State Normal College (Eastern Michigan University) of Ypsilanti conferred upon him an honorary degree of Doctor of Education.

Julian Warner Smith, teacher, author, administrator and professional leader died on June 23, 1975.

The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education was established in 1987 through the merger of two existing professional organizations: Michigan Environmental Education Association begun in 1968, and Michigan Outdoor Education Association which began about 1955.

Source for biographical information: http://www.unicommons.com/subjects/physical-activity/history-physical-education-sport/julian-warner-smith-short-biography