by George J. Dance
Willard Austin Wattles (June 8, 1888 - September 25, 1950) was an American poet and academic.[1]
Willard A. Wattles (1888-1950). Courtesy Rollins College.
Life[]
Youth and education[]
Wattles was born in Bayneville, Kansas, the son of Jenny Fay Wattles and farmer and lumber dealer Harvey Austin Wattles.[1]
He was educated at the University of Kansas, where he earned an A.B. in 1909 (Phi Beta Kappa) and an A.M. in 1911.
Career[]
Wattles taught high school English in Leavenworth, Kansas, 1910-11. In 1911 he joined Massachusetts Agricultural College, where he remained until 1914. In 1914 he returned to the University of Kansas, as assistant in the English department.[2]
In 1917 he published Lanterns in Gethsemane, a volume of poems pertaining to the life of Christ, but not written in the usual vein of religious poetry. He compiled a book of Kansas poems, Sunflowers.[2]
He took postgraduate studies at Princeton University, graduating in 1921, and then taught in Connecticut and then Oregon. He joined the faculty of Rollins College in 1927, becoming head of its English department in 1938. He remained at Rollins until his death of a heart attack in 1950.[1]
Recognition[]
Rollins College granted Wattles an honorary D.Litt in 1945.[1]
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- Lanterns in Gethsemane: A series of Biblical and mystical poems in regard to the Christ in the present crisis,. New York: Dutton, 1918.
- The Funstan Double-track, and other verses. Manhattan, KS: N.A. Crawford, 1919.
- Songs from the Hill. Lawrence, KS: Press of the Daily Journal-World, [19--?]
- Compass for Sailors. Winter Park, FL: Angel Alley Press, 1928.
- Iron Anvil. Manchester, ME: Falmouth, 1952.
Edited[]
- Sunflowers: A book of Kansas poems. Lawrence, KS: World, 1914; Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1970.
- Six Guys and a Gal. Winter Park, FL: Rollins College, 1950.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[3]
Poems by Willard Wattles[]
See also[]
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Alia Ali, Willard A. Wattles (1888-1950): Original golden personality, Rollins Archives, Rollins College. Web, Aug. 14, 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Biography of Wilfred Wattles, Poetry X. Web, Aug. 14, 2015.
- ↑ Search results = au:Willard Wattles, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 14, 2015.
External links[]
- Poems
- Wattles in Poetry: A magazine of verse, 1912-1922: "Hrolf's Thrall - His Song," "Difference," "A Song of No Consequence," "Heaven," "The Builder," "Ding Dong Bell," "In Memory," "Epitaph for the Unburied Dead," "But I Have Lived," "I Who Have Known Your Beauty"
- About
- Willard A. Wattles (1888-1950): Original golden personality at Rollins College
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