Wylie, Laurence, 1909-1995

Laurence William Wylie (1909-) served as the first C. Douglas Dillon Professor of the Civilization of France at Harvard University, 1959-1980.

From the description of Papers of Laurence Wylie, ca. 1955-1986 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 77005718

Laurence William Wylie (1909-1995) served as the first C. Douglas Dillon Professor of the Civilization of France at Harvard University from 1959 to 1980.

From the description of Papers of Laurence William Wylie [unprocessed accessions], 1942-1993. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 760468969

Laurence Wylie was an anthropologist who specialized in the study of French culture and civilization. He was especially noted for his study of gesture. Harvard sought out Wylie not only for his successful research but because his teaching style was energetic and enlivened the undergraduate curriculum.

Wylie's major contribution to his field of study was a book entitled Village in the Vaucluse which sought out the rich complexity of the French through the lens of a small French village. He also served as a joint author of a half dozen books which dealt with French civilization; one such book written under Wylie's supervision by an undergraduate class. Wylie made a substantial contribution to a number of other works, including the Time-Life publication Communities in Change . Wylie instigated a major study of non-verbal communication.

As part of his study of gesture, Wylie attended the École Jacques Lecoq in Paris, studying movement, mime, and theater, 1972-1973. This course of study resulted in Wylie's participation in motion pictures. He produced two films, Chanzeaux and A Repertory of French Gestures . He also participated in several other films and in four television programs.

Wylie attended Indiana University, studying French language and literature. He continued his education both abroad and at home. He studied for two years in Paris at the Institute des Sciences Politiques and earned a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Brown University in 1940. His studied anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania between 1947 and 1950.

Wylie said his dreams came true when Dean McGeorge Bundy of Harvard University offered a newly established chair in French Civilization to him. The C. Douglas Dillon Professorship of the Civilization of France is an inter-disciplinary chair. This allowed Wylie to be a member of both the Anthropology and Romance Languages and Literatures Departments at Harvard. Wylie was granted emeritus status in 1980, "having enjoyed a perfect situation for all these years," as he expressed in a reflective essay.

Wylie actively engaged in professional activities, which included participation in numerous conferences and committees, and membership in professional organizations. His professional achievement is recognized by a list of distinguished honors including the Legion of Honor.

• 1909: Born in Indianapolis, Indiana
• 1929: Spends Junior year of college in France
• 1931: AB from Indiana University
• 1931: Assistant Instructor, Indiana University
• 1936 - 1943 : Member of faculty at Simmons College
• 1943: Assistant Professor, Haverford College
• 1949: Professor and Chairman of the Department of Romance Languages, Haverford College
• 1950 - 1951 : Spends sabbatical year in France, in the village of Roussillon in the Vaucluse
• 1957: Publishes Village in the Vaucluse
• 1965 - 1967 : Cultural attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Paris
• 1966: Publishes Chanzeaux, a Village in Anjou, which is edited by Wylie but written by his students
• 1959: C. Douglas Dillon Professorship of the Civilization of France, Harvard University
• 1972 - 1973 : Attends École Jacques Lecoq in Paris, studying movement, mime, and theater
• 1977: Publishes Beaux Gestes a guide to French body language
• 1980: Professor Emeritus, Harvard University
• July 25, 1996: Dies

From the guide to the Papers of Laurence Wylie, ca. 1955-1986, (Harvard University Archives)