Bio – Chrisman, Lewis Herbert

1925
1950s

Born: August 21, 1883 (Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, PA)

Died: August 16, 1965 (Beech Bottom, Brooke County, WV)

Education:

  • Ph.B. Dickinson College (1908)
  • A.M. Dickinson College (1909)
  • Litt.D Dickinson College (1920)
  • Graduate work in Universities of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin

Served: 1919-1956

  • Acting Dean 1926-1927
  • Faculty Committee: Administration 1942-1956
  • Faculty Committee: Admission and Academic Standing 1934-1948
  • Faculty Committee: Advisory 1931-1942
  • Faculty Committee: Athletic Eligibility (1920-1923)
  • Faculty Committee: Catalog 1942-1944
  • Faculty Committee: Chapel 1925-1944
  • Faculty Committee: Chapel and Assembly 1944-1947
  • Faculty Committee: Class Absences (1922-1924)
  • Faculty Committee: Curricula 1925-1931
  • Faculty Committee: Curriculum 1931-1932; 1935-1955
  • Faculty Committee: Council on Discipline  1922-1931
  • Faculty Committee: Discipline 1931-1932
  • Faculty Committee: Extension 1942-1944
  • Faculty Committee: Fraternity 1927-1929
  • Faculty Committee: Fraternity-Sorority 1930-1943
  • Faculty Committee: Fraternities-Sororities 1943-1944
  • Faculty Committee: Honorary Degrees 1925-1931
  • Faculty Committee: Library 1927-1950; 1953-1958
  • Faculty Committee: Publications 1931-1942; 1943-1944
  • Faculty Committee: Student Social Activities (1920-1921)
  • Faculty Committee: Summer School  1923-1944
  • Trustee Committee: Degrees 1942-1950; 1954-1956
  • Trustee Committee: Library 1943-1958

Taught:

  • Professor of English Literature 1919-1956
  • Professor of English Literature, Emeritus 1957-1960

Notes:

  • (1921) John Ruskin, Preacher and Other Essays. New York, Cincinnati: The Abingdon Press
  • (1926) The English of the Pulpit
  • (1926) Chapel Lecture on October 27, 1926: Esau’s Example
  • (1930) The Message of the American Pulpit. New York: R.R. Smith. [Available to borrow from the Internet Archive]
  • (1930) Committee Lauds Dr. L.H. Chrisman’s New Publication. Nation’s Leading Newspapers and Magazines Praise Book Highly. ~ The Religious Book Club in its August Bulletin included among the works highly recommended “Message of the American Pulpit” by Dr. Lewis H. Chrisman, professor of English Literature in West Virginia Wesleyan College. The Editorial Committee of the club consists of Dr. S .. Parkes Cadman, Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, Bishop Francis J. McConnell,Dr. Howard Chandler Robbins and President Mary E. Wooleyi of Mount Holyoke, the secretary of the organization being Dr. Samuel McCrae Cavert. In recommending the book the committee published the following appraisal: “If one wants to know what is being proclaimed in the leading churches of America today, here is the answer. From scores of printed volumes Dr.  Chrisman has gleaned brief extracts that give a well rounded idea as to the main trends in the more thoughtful preaching of our day. The material presented as illustrative of the spirit and message of the pulpit is strictly contemporary,  practically all of it being from sermons delivered since 1920 and most of it since  1925 … The volume will interest both the preacher who desires to study what his fellow-workers are saying and the layman who would like to have a more definite impression as to the characteristics of modern preaching. Dr. Chrisman Is professor of English Literature in West Virginia Wesleyan College. To read more about these reviews click on the link to the article.  [Pharos 1930-10-08, p.1]
  • (1935)  Ten-Minute Sermons. Chicago,New York: Willett, Clark & Co.
  • (1947) Chrisman, L. H. (1947). Thanksgiving Thoughts. The West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 40(8), p.2.
  • (1947) Dr. Chrisman Speaks to Students. Dr. Chrisman spoke at the morning assembly on March 6, 1947. His topic was “What Doest Thou Here at Wesleyan?”. He quoted from Harry Fosdick’s book On Being a Real Person   and mentioned Fosdick’s new book, On Being Fit to Live With – Sermons on Post-War Christianity. [Pharos 1947-03-11, p.3]
  • (1949) Chrisman, L.H. (1949). Our Thanksgiving Heritage. The West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 42(9), p.3.
  • (1949) Dr. Lewis H. Chrisman, Professor of English Literature, conducted devotional services at 9:00 a.m. each morning during the three day conference of the Methodist church, Pittsburgh Conference, September 29-October 1. The sessions were held in the Emory Methodist Church, Pittsburgh, with Dr. W. Sproule Boyd as host pastor. Dr. Boyd, a Wesleyan alumnus, is a member of the college board of trustees. [West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin 1949-10, p.2]
    • September 29: The Lure of the Low Road”
    • September 30: “New Paths”
    • October 1: “Blind Spots”
  • (1960) Magazine Pays Honor to Chrisman. The Chrisman Club, a campus organization formed by a group of students sincerely interested in creative or critical writing, has recently published its first collective work, The Laurel Review. The members meet to help and encourage each other in their literary endeavors through creative criticism of these efforts. The club’s faculty advisor, .Mr. Orval Anderson, explained that the first issue was published mainly as a tribute to Dr. Lewis H. Chrisman In his last year of teachIng and not as a substitute for the Iiterary issue of the Pharos. Dr. Chrisman, after whom the organization is named, retired last year after having served forty years in. the English department of this institution. Mr. Anderson further stated that this year’s edition was made possible through the Inexhaustible efforts of the members, many of whom have graduated, and that any subsequent Issues would depend upon the Interest displayed by remaining and future affiliates. He said that the first edition was experimental. Future editions may be expanded to include the writings of faculty members. The current Laurel Review includes “A Credo for Young Writers” by Orval J. Anderson, “Lewis H, Chrisman and Wesleyan” by Orlo Strunk, Jr., stories by Constantine Stroles, George H. Deluse, Jr., Robert D. Fuller, and Anthony Barbetta, poems by David Damaska and Ray Rohrbaugh, “Faulkner in 1900: A Perspective”, a speech to the Wesleyan English department by Ruel E. Foster, and “L’envoi” by Stanley H. Martin. ‘Coples of the review are now on reserve in the college library. [Pharos 1960-10-04, p.1]

Sources:

PLM 11/5/2018