Quincy Guy Burris, 1954-1955

QUINCY GUY BURRIS, 1954-1955 He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one; Exceeding wise, fair spoken, and persuading: Lofty and sour to them that loved him not; But to those men that sought him, sweet as summer. Henry VlU, IV. ii. What words could more appropriately describe Dr. Quincy Guy Burns, accomplished teacher, Elizabethan scholar , and respected administrator, than this oft-quoted Shakespearean phrase? Dr. Burris, who retired in August 1966, after twenty-eight years of service at New Mexico Highlands University, left his mark on that small southwestern university. He joined the faculty at Highlands in 1938 as head of the English department. Prior to that, he had taught English at Millikin University, at the University of Illinois, at Charleston College, and at Purdue University. A native of Illinois, Burns received all his college degrees—B.A., M.A., and Ph.D.—at the University of Illinois. In 1924, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, one of his many academic honors. While at Highlands, Professor Burris served ably in many capacities. He guided the English department until 1952, when he was named academic dean. Under his direction, the curriculum throughout the entire undergraduate school evolved into what was truly a liberal arts program. In 1961, he was confirmed as vice-president of the university, a position which he held concurrently with his deanship until his retirement. Despite his heavy administrative and academic load, Professor Burris found time to serve the community. He served on the Las Vegas City School Board, as chairman of the Las Vegas Library Board, on the board of both the Community Concert Association and the Las Vegas Fine Arts Committee, and worked actively within his church. His many efforts, both academic and civic, brought him considerable recognition, including being named to Who's Who in America. Even with these duties, Dr. Burris found time to continue his scholarly pursuits. For example, one of his short stories, a study of a New Mexico village , won a "Best Short Story" award in 1952. He also translated several 122 RMMLA Past Presidents123 works, the most widely-known being 'Towers of Manhattan," a lengthy poem by Alfredo Ortiz-Vargas. His intensive study of the Southwest gave him a wide reputation in the field. He contributed a chapter about the region to the book One America, and he was asked by the State Department to serve as an educational adviser to Bolivia in 1946-47 because of his knowledge of the teaching of English to Spanish-speaking people. He also participated in several clinics and workshops which focused on the bilingual problem. Even with these many activities, Professor Burris taught several classes every year, his favorites being Shakespeare, Chaucer, and creative writing. Following his retirement, he and his wife, Alice, spent several weeks traveling in Europe; but upon his return, Professor Burris was soon busy again, this time writing reviews and abstracts focusing upon western American literature. In the spring of 1968, he accepted a teaching position at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and once again, after only a year and a half of retirement, was in his element—university teaching. — From Ray Newton New Mexico Highlands University FOREIGN BOOKS & PERIODICALS current or out-of-print Specialties: Search Service Irregular Serials International Congresses Building Special Collections ALBERT J. PHIEBIG, INC. Box 352, White Plains, N. Y. 10602 ...