Randall V. Mills
Encyclopedia
Randall V. Mills was an English professor with a variety of interests related to the Pacific Northwest, including steamboats, railroads and folklore.
in 1907. In 1929 Mills received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA). His master’s degree was received from University of California, Berkeley
in 1932.
English faculty in 1938. Mills had a variety of interests. One of his main interests was in the history of transportation in the Pacific Northwest
, especially steamboats and railroads
. He was also interested in all aspects of covered bridges. Another subject for which Mills showed enthusiasm was folklore
, particularly proverbs, dialects, songs, superstitions and place names.
, he also chaired the state sub-committee for the collection of dialect sayings. He held the position of associate editor for Western Folklore
. Mills died in 1952 at the age of 44.
Early life and education
Randall was born in WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1907. In 1929 Mills received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA). His master’s degree was received from University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1932.
University of Oregon
He became part of the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
English faculty in 1938. Mills had a variety of interests. One of his main interests was in the history of transportation in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, especially steamboats and railroads
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
. He was also interested in all aspects of covered bridges. Another subject for which Mills showed enthusiasm was folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, particularly proverbs, dialects, songs, superstitions and place names.
Folklore
He was the founder and first president of the Oregon Folklore Society. He served as Director for the Oregon branch of the American Dialect SocietyAmerican Dialect Society
The American Dialect Society, founded in 1889, is a learned society "dedicated to the study of the English language in North America, and of other languages, or dialects of other languages, influencing it or influenced by it." The Society publishes the academic journal, American Speech...
, he also chaired the state sub-committee for the collection of dialect sayings. He held the position of associate editor for Western Folklore
Western Folklore
Western Folklore is a quarterly academic journal for the study of folklore published by the Western States Folklore Society. It was established in 1942 as the California Folklore Quarterly and obtained its current name in 1947...
. Mills died in 1952 at the age of 44.
Legacy
The University of Oregon named its folklore archives in honor of Mills. The Randall V. Mills Archives of Northwest Folklore, established in 1966, serve as a repository for information collected in Oregon by scholars and students of folklore. The archives are the largest facility of their kind in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.. During his life, Mills assembled a collection of photographic negatives and prints of photographs depicting covered bridges and steamship captains in Oregon and railroad locomotives and cars in the western United States. This collection is now held by the University of Oregon..Books by Mills
- Stern-Wheelers up Columbia: A Century of Steamboating in the Oregon country. by Randall Vause Mills. Publisher: Lincoln : University of Nebraska PressUniversity of Nebraska PressThe University of Nebraska Press, founded in 1941, is a publisher of scholarly and popular-press books. It is the second-largest state university press in the United States and, including private institutions, ranks among the 10 largest university presses in the United States...
, 1977, ©1947 ISBN 0803258747. - Oregon Speechways. by Randall V Mills. Publisher: [New York] : Columbia University PressColumbia University PressColumbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
, ©1950. - Railroads Down the Valleys; Some Short Lines of the Oregon country. by Randall V Mills. Publisher: Palo Alto, Calif., Pacific Books, 1950.