Whitney Jennings Oates

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Whitney Jennings Oates (born March 26, 1904 in Evanston , Illinois , † October 14, 1973 in Sarasota , Florida ) was an American classical philologist .

Life

Whitney Jennings Oates studied at Princeton University ( BA 1926, MA 1927), with which he was associated as a student and lecturer for almost 50 years. He initially worked as an instructor and received his doctorate in 1931 with a study on the influence of the Greek poet Simonides von Keos on the Roman poet Horace . During World War II , he served in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific War .

After his return in 1945 he became chairman of the Classics Department and at the same time head of the humanities support program ( Special Program in Humanities ). He designed a concept for the increased involvement of war returnees in academic teaching, from which the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program developed in 1957 . For his commitment, he received honorary doctorates from Rockford College (1961), Brown University (1961), Middlebury College (1964) and Washington and Lee University (1967).

In the post-war period, Oates was also appointed Ewing Professor of Greek Language and Literature (1946–1973), at the same time Andrew Fleming West Professor of Classics (1949–1962) and Avalon Professor of Humanities (1962–1970). Oates was very popular as an academic teacher. In annual student surveys, he was often named a favorite lecturer and preceptor.

In addition to his successful teaching activities and work in scientific organizations, Oates advanced his specialist research work. He was particularly concerned with Greek philosophy and tragedy.

literature

  • Robert F. Goheen: Oates, Whitney Jennings . In: Ward W. Briggs (Ed.): Biographical Dictionary of North American Classicists. Greenwood Press, Westport CT et al. 1994, ISBN 0-313-24560-6 , pp. 455-456

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Oates, Whitney Jennings
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Oates, Whitney J .; Oates, Mike
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American classical philologist
DATE OF BIRTH March 26, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Evanston , Illinois
DATE OF DEATH October 14, 1973
Place of death Sarasota , Florida