This curriculum inquiry explores scholarly influence by examining how Joseph J. Schwab's ideas travelled over time and how his research was disseminated. The study begins with Schwab's biography and a literature review, followed by descriptions of the research method and sources of evidence. Data analysis centre on (1) The influence of Schwab's ideas and approaches on people, (2) Schwab's direct impact through his involvement in various projects/institutions, (3) Schwab's impact on the scholarly literature and (4) What archival material on Schwab reveals. Statements about generative scholarship, intergenerational legacy and scholarly influence conclude the paper, along with a recommendation that the inquiry be re-enacted using different educational figures to aid in the understanding of the influence of ideas and research dissemination in education.