Clyde S. Kilby
Encyclopedia
Clyde Samuel Kilby was an American
author and English professor, best known for his scholarship on the Inklings
, especially J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. A professor at Wheaton College (Illinois)
for most of his life, Dr. Kilby founded the Marion E. Wade Center
there, making it a center for the study of the Inklings, their friends (such as Dorothy Sayers), and their influences (such as George MacDonald
).
's hill country. The youngest of eight children, he was the first of his family to graduate from college. While studying at the University of Arkansas
, he worked part-time in the registrar's office at nearby John Brown University
. Clyde graduated in 1929, and the next year married Martha Harris, a mathematics teacher at JBU. They moved to Minnesota, where Kilby earned a master's degree in 1931 from the University of Minnesota
.
In 1935, Kilby moved to Wheaton, Illinois
, where he became an assistant professor of English. In 1938, he earned his Ph.D. by correspondence from NYU. He became chair of the English department at Wheaton in 1951, a post he retained until 1966. Dr. Kilby retired from teaching at Wheaton in 1981, and retired to Columbus, Mississippi
, his wife's hometown, where he died on October 18, 1986.
In his honour, the Clyde S. Kilby Award for Inkling Studies was issued (one notable winner is Colin Duriez
), and also the Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant (Diana Pavlac Glyer
is a recipient). There is a Clyde S. Kilby Chair at Wheaton College (currently Leland Ryken
).
. He then read all of Lewis' works, designed a popular course around the mythopoetic works of Lewis and Tolkien, and began a long-term correspondence with Lewis that lasted until the author's death in 1963. The fourteen letters of his correspondence with Lewis became the core of a collection of papers on first Lewis, then the Inklings, and finally a set of seven connected British authors:
This collection developed into the Marion E. Wade Center
at Wheaton College, today a major resource for twentieth-century British literature scholarship. Kilby's portrait hangs in the Kilby Reading Room at the Wade Center, along with a plaque which reads in part:
Dr. Clyde S. Kilby (1902–1986) was the founder and first curator of the Marion E. Wade Collection. Dr. Kilby's career in the world of literature was a distinguished one. . . . In all [that he accomplished], Dr. Kilby was supported by his wife, Martha Harris Kilby. Mrs. Kilby's lively interest, wise counsel, and dedicated work were the foundation for everything that Dr. Kilby did. Together, Clyde and Martha Kilby challenged generations of Wheaton students and others to seek the world of the imagination with all their heart and mind.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author and English professor, best known for his scholarship on the Inklings
Inklings
The Inklings was an informal literary discussion group associated with the University of Oxford, England, for nearly two decades between the early 1930s and late 1949. The Inklings were literary enthusiasts who praised the value of narrative in fiction, and encouraged the writing of fantasy...
, especially J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. A professor at Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
for most of his life, Dr. Kilby founded the Marion E. Wade Center
Marion E. Wade Center
The Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College is a special research collection of papers, books, and manuscripts, primarily relating to seven authors from the United Kingdom: C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, G. K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, and George MacDonald,...
there, making it a center for the study of the Inklings, their friends (such as Dorothy Sayers), and their influences (such as George MacDonald
George MacDonald
George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...
).
Biography
Kilby's parents, James Lafayette and Sophronia Kilby, lived along the Nolichuckey River in the north portion of East TennesseeEast Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
's hill country. The youngest of eight children, he was the first of his family to graduate from college. While studying at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, he worked part-time in the registrar's office at nearby John Brown University
John Brown University
The main campus in Northwest Arkansas has been the site of the university since it was founded in 1919. JBU has 2,183 students as of the 2011-2012 school year, 1,279 of which are traditional undergraduates. Of these, 878 live on campus. The Graduate School has 468 students...
. Clyde graduated in 1929, and the next year married Martha Harris, a mathematics teacher at JBU. They moved to Minnesota, where Kilby earned a master's degree in 1931 from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
.
In 1935, Kilby moved to Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
, where he became an assistant professor of English. In 1938, he earned his Ph.D. by correspondence from NYU. He became chair of the English department at Wheaton in 1951, a post he retained until 1966. Dr. Kilby retired from teaching at Wheaton in 1981, and retired to Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
, his wife's hometown, where he died on October 18, 1986.
In his honour, the Clyde S. Kilby Award for Inkling Studies was issued (one notable winner is Colin Duriez
Colin Duriez
Colin Duriez is a writer on fantasy and related matters.He was born in Derbyshire and spent his early life in Long Eaton, Nottingham, in a couple of new council estates near Portsmouth and six years in a mining village in South Wales, before moving to the West Midlands...
), and also the Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant (Diana Pavlac Glyer
Diana Pavlac Glyer
Diana Pavlac Glyer is an American author, speaker and teacher whose work centers on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings.- Background :...
is a recipient). There is a Clyde S. Kilby Chair at Wheaton College (currently Leland Ryken
Leland Ryken
Leland Ryken, is a professor of English at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He has contributed a number of works to the study of classic literature from the Christian perspective, including editing the comprehensive volume on Christian writing on literature The Christian Imagination...
).
Lewis and Inkling scholarship
Kilby became interested in the works of Lewis in 1943 after reading The Case for Christianity, the first part of the later-published Mere ChristianityMere Christianity
Mere Christianity is a theological book by C. S. Lewis, adapted from a series of BBC radio talks made between 1941 and 1944, while Lewis was at Oxford during World War II...
. He then read all of Lewis' works, designed a popular course around the mythopoetic works of Lewis and Tolkien, and began a long-term correspondence with Lewis that lasted until the author's death in 1963. The fourteen letters of his correspondence with Lewis became the core of a collection of papers on first Lewis, then the Inklings, and finally a set of seven connected British authors:
- Owen BarfieldOwen BarfieldOwen Barfield was a British philosopher, author, poet, and critic.Barfield was born in London. He was educated at Highgate School and Wadham College, Oxford and in 1920 received a 1st class degree in English language and literature. After finishing his B. Litt., which became the book Poetic...
- G.K. Chesterton
- C.S. Lewis
- George MacDonaldGeorge MacDonaldGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...
- Dorothy L. SayersDorothy L. SayersDorothy Leigh Sayers was a renowned English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, translator and Christian humanist. She was also a student of classical and modern languages...
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- Charles Williams
This collection developed into the Marion E. Wade Center
Marion E. Wade Center
The Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College is a special research collection of papers, books, and manuscripts, primarily relating to seven authors from the United Kingdom: C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, G. K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, and George MacDonald,...
at Wheaton College, today a major resource for twentieth-century British literature scholarship. Kilby's portrait hangs in the Kilby Reading Room at the Wade Center, along with a plaque which reads in part:
Dr. Clyde S. Kilby (1902–1986) was the founder and first curator of the Marion E. Wade Collection. Dr. Kilby's career in the world of literature was a distinguished one. . . . In all [that he accomplished], Dr. Kilby was supported by his wife, Martha Harris Kilby. Mrs. Kilby's lively interest, wise counsel, and dedicated work were the foundation for everything that Dr. Kilby did. Together, Clyde and Martha Kilby challenged generations of Wheaton students and others to seek the world of the imagination with all their heart and mind.
Awards
- 1971 - Mythopoeic AwardMythopoeic SocietyThe Mythopoeic Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of mythopoeia, fantasy and mythic literature. The group focuses primarily, but not exclusively, on works written by J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and C. S. Lewis. These authors were members of The Inklings, an...
, Mythopoeic Scholarship Award for Inklings Studies