T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

ABSTRACT

INTERVIEWEE NAME: Thomas Kirby #4700.0031

IDENTIFICATION: [1904-1993] Head of English Dept., LSU, 1940-1973

INTERVIEWER: Jack Fiser

PROJECT: LSU History

DATE: September 1982 FOCUS DATES: 1940-1973

ABSTRACT:

Tape 401

Rivalry of professors A.G. Reed and W.A. Read, Kirby's predecessor as head of English department; split in English department; Kirby's education at Johns Hopkins and University of Munich in early 1930's; first teaching job at St. Ignatius, Scranton, PA, in 1933; arrival at LSU in 1935; salaries; colleagues in English department: N. Caffee, R. Heilman, W.A. "Cork" Read, Cleanth Brooks, Robert Penn Warren, Arlin Turner, Bosley Woolf, John Olive, John Uhler, Earl Bradsher, Phoebe Beale, Lizzy Carter McVoy, Harris Downey, Marguerite Hays, Mary Roundtree, Annie T. Bell; Huey Long's impact on LSU; demise of Southern Review; abilities of freshmen in English courses; Robert Lowell

TAPES: T 401 TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1 hour

# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 27

RESTRICTIONS: copyright retained by the interviewee and/or his heirs