Oscar Haugh was born on April 30, 1909 to Simon and Alma Haugh in Hallock, Minnesota. He graduated from the local high school in 1925, at age 16, as valedictorian of his class. Two years later, he began teaching junior high school English after receiving a teacher certificate at a local technical college. He taught at White Bear Lake High School until 1940 and at Wilson High School in Saint Paul from 1940 until 1942. During this time, Haugh worked on his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Minnesota. He graduated in 1931, continuing at the University of Minnesota until he received his master's degree in English Education.

Haugh served during World War II in the Army Air Corps in the China-Burma-India theater working in cryptology and counterintelligence. During his tour, he taught an English course at the University of Calcutta. After the war, he returned to teach at Wisconsin State College in Milwaukee and continued his education at the University of Minnesota, receiving a PhD in English Education in 1950.

Upon compleation of his PhD, Haugh moved to Lawrence to teach English education at the University of Kansas. In 1963 he received the Honor for Outstanding Progressive Education Award from the senior class. During his 29 years at the University of Kansas, Haugh wrote 26 standardized tests and co-authored 29 more in Language Arts for high-school aged students. He also co-authored a high school textbook series titled "Effective English" and was founding editor of English Education.

Haugh married Rita Rosso on December 20, 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The couple had a son and two daughters. Haugh died on May 15, 1999 at the age of 90 in Lawrence, Kansas.