Kennedy, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1954

Professor of English Philology at Stanford (1914-1945; emeritus 1945-1954) and Chairman of the English Department (1941-1945).

From the description of Arthur Garfield Kennedy papers, 1903-1954. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 703381499

Biographical/Historical Sketch

Professor of English Philology at Stanford (1914-1945; emeritus 1945-1954) and Chairman of the English Department (1941-1945).

Arthur Garfield Kennedy was born on June 29, 1880, in Weeping Water, Nebraska. He received his A.B. from Doane College in 1902, and his A.M. degree from the University of Nebraska in 1905. He taught high school English and German until 1912 at which time he came to Stanford where he received his Ph.D. in English Philology in 1914. He began his career of teaching at Stanford in 1914 as an instructor, and advanced steadily in the department to the rank of Professor of English Philology in 1929. From 1941 until his retirement in 1945 he was executive head of the department. He died on April 21, 1954.

Dr. Kennedy's several books include a Bibliography of Writings on the English Language (1927); A Concordance to the Complete Works of Chaucer, with J.S.P. Tatlock (1927); Current English (1935); English Usage (1940); and A Concise Bibliography for Students of English (1940)

The contents of this collection consists primarily of Dr. Kennedy's correspondence with academic colleagues, though some personal letters are included. Of special interest is his wartime correspondence with Philip Sheridan, one of his graduate students, which contains accounts of Stanford and the English department during the war years. Also included in the collection are materials dealing with Dr. Kennedy's various published works, copie sof his earliest publications on grammar, some grade books from his years as a teacher, and copies of A concise Bibliography for Students of English and Bibliography of Writings on the English Language .

From the guide to the Arthur Garfield Kennedy papers, 1903-1954, (Dept. of Special Collections & University Archives)