Laws, G. Malcolm (George Malcolm), 1919-

George Malcolm Laws, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 4, 1919. He married Beatrice Elfreth on June 10, 1950. They are the parents of four children. From Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania Laws received his A.B. in 1942, and from the University of Pennsylvania, he received his A.M. in 1946, and his Ph. D. in 1949. Laws' interest in ballads, which developed while in college, led to his dissertation on the balladry of Native American Indians. The English Department at the University of Pennsylvania appointed him Assistant Instructor in 1942 and Instructor in 1944. He was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1955, Associate Professor in 1959, and Professor in 1966. He taught courses in English and nineteenth-century American literature, as well as courses in British and American balladry. Laws is highly regarded as one of America's leading scholars on ballads and folksongs. His committed career to the traditional ballad is deeply ingrained in American and British culture. English Scholars and those interested in folklore acknowledge Laws especially for his three books: Native American Balladry, American Balladry from British Broadsides, and The British Literary Ballad.

George Malcolm Laws, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 4, 1919. He married Beatrice Elfreth on June 10, 1950. They are the parents of four children: Susan E., Deborah A., George M. III, and Elizabeth A.

From Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania Laws received his A.B. in 1942, and from the University of Pennsylvania, he received his A.M. in 1946, and his Ph.D. in 1949. Laws' interest in ballads, which developed while in college, led to his dissertation on the balladry of Native American Indians. The English Department at the University of Pennsylvania appointed him Assistant Instructor in 1942 and Instructor in 1944. He was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1955, Associate Professor in 1959, and Professor in 1966. He taught courses in English and nineteenth-century American literature, as well as courses in British and American balladry.

Correlating to his profession and personal interests, Laws involved himself in associations and societies. He had membership in the American Folklore Society, the Modern Language Association of America, the Merion Cricket Club, and the Union Benevolent Association (vice-president).

Laws is highly regarded as one of America's leading scholars on ballads and folksongs. His committed career to the traditional ballad is deeply ingrained in American and British culture. English Scholars and those interested in folklore acknowledge Laws especially for his three books: Native American Balladry, American Balladry from British Broadsides, and The British Literary Ballad . In addition to his books, a number of his articles and book reviews were published. Articles included: "The Spirit of Native American Balladry," "Anglo-Irish Balladry in North America," "W. Roy Mackenzie: 1883-1957," "Stories Told in Song," and "Death and Browning's Dying Bishop." Reviews included: Review of The Ballads by M.J.C. Hodgart, Review of Shantymen and Shantyboys by W.M. Doerflinger, Review of The Burl Ives Song Book, Review of Negro Slave Songs in the United States by Miles M. Fisher, Review of Irish Songs of Resistance by Patrick Galvin, Review of A Folk Song Chapbook by Marion Kingston, and Review of American Song Sheets, Slip Ballads, and Poetical Broadsides, 1850-1870 by Edwin Wolf.