Culmsee, Carlton, 1904-

BYU professor and administrator.

From the description of Carlton Culmsee oral history interview, Nov. 16, 1981. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 367549017

Carlton Fordis Culmsee was born in Iowa Sept. 18, 1904 to Dr. Ludwig Alfred Culmsee and Clara Belia Hansen Culmsee. He graduated as valedictorian with a double major in Geology and English from Brigham Young University in 1932. Edna Ball (the valedictorian two years previous) became his wife that same year. Culmsee taught journalism and was the secretary of the extension division at BYU after his graduation. He received his M.A. in English in 1936 from BYU, and his PhD from the University of Iowa in American Civilization. Upon returning to BYU, Culmsee became the head of the Journalism department and the Director of the Extension Division. During WWII Culmsee served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, advancing to the rank of Lieutenant Commander before he was honorably discharged in 1945. Upon his return he was appointed Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (known later as the College of Humanities and Arts) and a professor of American Civilization at Utah State University. In 1955 he and his wife were invited to Taiwan to reestablish the National Chengchi University. In 1970, after serving as Dean for 25 years, Carlton Culmsee retired. He taught part-time for five years after retiring as dean, and in 1975 Carlton Culmsee retired completely and received Emeritus status. On July 11, 1976, Edna Ball Culmsee died of a heart attack. On February 24, 1978, Carlton Culmsee married Aileen Swift Barker (born in Wellsville, Utah, August 25, 1910). Aileen and Carlton were married for fifteen years until his death in May of 1993.

From the description of Carlton Fordis Culmsee photograph collection, 1895-1990 (bulk 1910-1939). (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 52906604

Carlton Fordis Culmsee was born September 18, 1904, in St. Ansger, Iowa to Dr. Ludwing Alfred Culmsee (physician) and Clara Belia Hansen Culmsee (school teacher). Carlton Culmsee. In 1906, his father took the family to Europe. His father studied surgery for two years in Copenhagen and Vienna. When they returned to the United States, Dr. Culmsee practiced medicine for four years in Norfolk, Nebraska. His health began to fail and subsequently he was forced to retire in 1912. The Culmsee family moved to California and then finally settled in Southern Utah.

Carlton Culmsee attended high school at the Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah, graduating in 1922. He taught for three years in one-room schools in Nada and Reed, Utah. During that time he also helped his father with herding sheep and ranching. At the time of his graduation from the BAC, Carlton began publishing as a freelance writer. Two Brigham Young University poets, Harrison R. Merrill and Lowry Nelson, became interested in Carlton Culmsee's publications. The two men visited Carlton on a recruiting trip to Southern Utah which resulted in his decision to attend BYU.

During his education he served as editor of both the university's literary magazine and the student newspaper. He worked as the university's publicity writer and was also a part-time writer for the Associated Press. In 1932, he graduated as valedictorian from BYU with majors in both Geology and English. Carlton Culmsee married Edna Ball (born in Springfield, Ill., May 23, 1896) on June 5, 1932, the same day as Carlton's graduation from BYU (Edna had been the valedictorian from BYU two years earlier). After graduation, Carlton joined the Brigham Young University faculty as secretary of the Extension Division and as an instructor in Journalism. He went on to receive his M.A. in English from BYU in 1936.

He then attended the State University of Iowa and in 1940, he received his Ph.D. in American Civilization. Carlton was the first person to earn a degree in that subject from the university. Carlton, Edna, and their adopted son Ralph McPherson Culmsee, returned to BYU, where Carlton was then appointed Director of the Extension Division and head of the Journalism Department. In 1941, the National Relief Society asked Carlton to write a pageant, along with song lyrics ("In Thy Form"), for the Relief Society Centennial. In 1942, during World War II, Carlton was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy. He advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander while teaching young pilots the process of electronic recognition of enemy planes. He served for three years and was honorably discharged.

In 1945 he was appointed Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (later known as the College of Humanities and Arts) and a professor of American Civilization at Utah State University. He taught as a visiting professor at Cornell University in the summer of 1951. From 1955-1956, he and his wife were invited to Taiwan to help reestablish the National Chengchi University. In 1949 the Kuomintang (The Nationalist Government) was forced off the mainland of China by the Communist leaders and reestablished itself in Taiwan. The National Chengchi University was destroyed on the mainland by the Communist Chinese. The Culmsses were asked by the Nationalist government to help rebuild the university in Taiwan. As a result of teaching and the extensive travel to the islands of Quemoy, Matsu and the Far East, Carlton Culmsee published numerous articles about Taiwan and the Orient in many regional and national magazines. Sadly, during this time on December 11, 1956, their son Ralph passed away. He was twenty-two.

Throughout Carlton Culmsee's professional life he published extensively. He was a prolific and eclectic writer, with his subject matter ranging from social problems to international politics; historical fiction to poetry. During his career, he edited many projects, one of which was Utah Sings, Vol II, state verse anthology. As stated earlier, he began publishing in 1922 and consistently published throughout his life. He published several books including: Utah's Black Hawk War and Echoes Calling . He published numerous articles and poems that appeared in the New York Times, Western Humanities Review, Journalism Quarterly, and many other prestigious and scholarly journals. He also wrote the scripts for the 1966 dedication of the Center for the Study of Causes of War and Conditions for Peace.

He served on many committees and held a myriad of offices including two terms as president of the League of Utah Writers and one term as president of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. He was chairman of the Land-Grant University Centennial-USU Diamond Jubilee, chairman of the Campus Planning committee, director of Publications, and supervisor of the USU News Bureau. In 1970, after serving as Dean for 25 years, Carlton Culmsee retired. That same year he was awarded the USU Distinguished Service Award. In 1971, he and Edna were elected to the Old Main Society. He taught part-time for five years after retiring as dean, and in 1975 Carlton Culmsee retired completely and received Emeritus status. On July 11, 1976, Edna Ball Culmsee died of a heart attack. On February 24, 1978, Carlton Culmsee married Aileen Swift Barker (born in Wellsville, Utah, August 25, 1910). Aileen and Carlton were married for fifteen years until his death in May of 1993. Aileen later remarried in 1996 and currently resides in Logan. At Carlton's passing one of his close friends, Joyce Cardon, wrote, "The poetry, essays, academic articles, the Black Hawk book--how diverse were his avenues of expression and expertise, how wide his talents, how affirmative and deep his mind and heart."

From the guide to the Carlton Culmsee papers, 1897-1993, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)

Carlton Fordis Culmsee was born in Iowa September 18, 1904 to Dr. Ludwing Alfred Culmsee and Clara Belia Hansen Culmsee. After graduating from high school in Cedar City, Utah in 1922, he taught for three years in various one-room schools. He graduated as valedictorian with a double major in Geology and English from Brigham Young University on June 5, 1932. Edna Ball (the valedictorian two years previous) became his wife the same day. Culmsee taught journalism and was the secretary of the extension division at BYU after his graduation. He received his M.A. in English in 1936 from BYU, and his PhD from the University of Iowa in American Civilization. Upon returning to BYU, Culmsee became the head of the Journalism department and the Director of the Extension Division. During WWII Culmsee served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, advancing to the rank of Lieutenant Commander before he was honorably discharged in 1945. Upon his return he was appointed Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (known later as the College of Humanities and Arts) and a professor of American Civilization at Utah State University.

He served on many committees and held a myriad of offices including two terms as president of the League of Utah Writers and one term as president of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. He was chairman of the Land-Grant University Centennial-USU Diamond Jubilee, chairman of the Campus Planning committee, director of Publications, and supervisor of the USU News Bureau. In 1955 he and his wife were invited to Taiwan to reestablish the National Chengchi University. In 1970, after serving as Dean for 25 years, Carlton Culmsee retired. That same year he was awarded the USU Distinguished Service Award. In 1971, he and Edna were elected to the Old Main Society. He taught part-time for five years after retiring as dean, and in 1975 Carlton Culmsee retired completely and received Emeritus status. On July 11, 1976, Edna Ball Culmsee died of a heart attack. On February 24, 1978, Carlton Culmsee married Aileen Swift Barker (born in Wellsville, Utah, August 25, 1910). Aileen and Carlton were married for fifteen years until his death in May of 1993.

From the guide to the Carlton Fordis Culmsee photograph collection, 1895-1990, 1910-1939, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)