Walser, Richard, 1908-1988

Richard Gaither Walser was born in Lexington, N.C., in 1908. He received an MA from the University of North Carolina in 1933. After returning from service with the United States Naval Reserve, he taught briefly at the University of North Carolina before joining the English faculty at North Carolina State University in 1946. Walser wrote or edited more than 30 books, most of them collections of works relating to various aspects of North Carolina life and literature. He also explored the work of several North Carolina writers, producing major works on Thomas Wolfe, George Moses Horton, and William Hill Brown. He retired from teaching in 1970 and died in 1988.

Faculty, Department of English, North Carolina State College.

Walser (1908-1988) was a professor of English at North Carolina State University in Raleigh and author of numerous works on North Carolina's literary heritage.

Richard Gaither Walser (1908-1988) was a literary historian, educator, author, anthologist, and professor of English at North Carolina State University, 1946-1970. A veteran of the Naval Reserve (1942-45), Walser was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship and received the North Carolina Award.

Richard Gaither Walser (1908-1988) was born in Lexington, North Carolina, in 1908, the son of state Attorney General Zeb Vance Walser and Estelle Adderton Walser. He attended Davidson College for one year, and then transferred to the University of North Carolina, from which he was graduated in 1929. He received an M.A. from the University in 1933.

Walser taught English in Linwood, Lexington, Durham, and Greenville, North Carolina, high schools until 1942, when he enlisted in the United States Navy. Returning from service with the United States Naval Reserve, he taught briefly at the University of North Carolina before joining the English faculty at North Carolina State University in 1946. He retired from teaching in 1970. He died in 1988.

During his teaching career and continuing after retirement, Walser was a strong advocate for North Carolina culture, with particular emphasis on the state's literary heritage. Tom Wicker called Walser the evangelist of North Carolina writing ( Winston- Salem Journal, 19565 August 5) and W. C. Burton dubbed him North Carolina's anthologist laureate ( Greensboro Daily News, 1978 March 12. Walser wrote or edited more than 30 books during his career, most of them collections of works relating to various aspects of North Carolina life and literature. He also explored the work of several North Carolina writers more intensely, however, producing major works on Thomas Wolfe, George Moses Horton, and William Hill Brown.

Walser was interested in folklore studies and was an active member of the North Carolina Folklore Society. He also held active membership in many organizations dedicated to teaching, writing, and history, among them the North Carolina English Teachers Society, North Carolina Writers Conference, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, the Watauga Club of Raleigh, and the Historical Society of North Carolina. Walser received numerous fellowships and awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1957 and the North Carolina Award for Literature in 1976.

Richard Gaither Walser was born in Lexington, North Carolina, in 1908, the son of state Attorney General Zeb Vance Walser and Estelle Adderton Walser. He attended Davidson College for one year, and then transferred to the University of North Carolina, from which he was graduated in 1929. He received an MA from the University in 1933.

Walser taught English in Linwood, Lexington, Durham, and Greenville, North Carolina, high schools until 1942, when he enlisted in the United States Navy. Returning from service with the United States Naval Reserve, he taught briefly at the University of North Carolina before joining the English faculty at North Carolina State University in 1946. He retired from teaching in 1970. He died in 1988.

During his teaching career and continuing after retirement, Walser was a strong advocate for North Carolina culture, with particular emphasis on the state's literary heritage. Tom Wicker called Walser the evangelist of North Carolina writing ( Winston-Salem Journal, 5 August 1956) and W.C. Burton dubbed him North Carolina's anthologist laureate ( Greensboro Daily News, 12 March 1978. Walser wrote or edited more than 30 books during his career, most of them collections of works relating to various aspects of North Carolina life and literature. He also explored the work of several North Carolina writers more intensely, however, producing major works on Thomas Wolfe, George Moses Horton, and William Hill Brown.

Walser was interested in folklore studies and was an active member of the North Carolina Folklore Society. He also held active membership in many organizations dedicated to teaching, writing, and history, among them the North Carolina English Teachers Society, North Carolina Writers Conference, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, the Watauga Club of Raleigh, and the Historical Society of North Carolina. Walser received numerous fellowships and awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1957 and the North Carolina Award for Literature in 1976.