North American Scholar

RYAN, George Jeremiah

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  • Date of Birth (YYYY-MM-DD): 1897-06-26
  • Born City: St. Louis
  • Born State/Country: MO
  • Parents: Arthur J. & Mary Mulligan R.
  • Date of Death (YYYY-MM-DD): 1971-09-21
  • Death City: Williamsburg
  • Death State/Country: VA
  • Married: Hazel D. Niemann, 26 Dec. 1930.
  • Education:

    A.B. St. Louis U., 1921; A.M., 1923; Buhl Fell. U. Michigan, 1927-8; Ph.D., 1934.
  • Professional Experience:

    Joined Soc. Jesus, 1914; released, 1927; instr. class. Washington U., 1928-35; asst. prof, to prof. anc. langs. William & Mary, 1935-67; head dept. anc. langs., 1958-67; chair div. hum., 1947-51.
  • Dissertation:

    "The Relationship of the Manuscripts of Athanasius' De Incarnatione" (Michigan, 1934).
  • Publications:

    "Plato's Idea in the Light of Early Scholasticism," TAPA 68 (1937) 334-42; "Ancient Languages at William and Mary," The Alumni Gazette of the College of William and Mary in Virginia 7,4 (May, 1940) 10-11, 28-29; "Fascism in Antiquity," Bulletin of the College of William and Mary in Virginia 34,7 (Nov., 1940) 6-9; The De Incarnatione of Athanasius: The Long Recension Manuscripts (London & Philadelphia, 1945); "Helen in Homer," CJ 61 (1965-6) 115-7.
  • Notes:

    George J. Ryan was a remarkably successful teacher of Greek who, during his long career of 32 years at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, introduced hundreds of students to this language. Though Greek was his special love and the object of his research, he demonstrated a notable talent in the area of spoken Latin, and he lent this talent to the development of William and Mary's pioneering summer institute for Latin teachers.Though his position at William and Mary required that he concentrate on his teaching activities, he maintained an interest in and pursued scholarly research. His greatest achievement as a scholar was the publication of a lengthy study of the manuscripts of the De incarnatione of Athanasius. This achievement, plus the publication of articles on Plato, Homer, and other subjects, brought him, locally, a deserved reputation for deep learning.During the World War II, for the Hydrographic Office of the U.S. Navy, he helped to update the pilot guide and the manual of sailing directions for the eastern Mediterranean by reliance on more current documents published in modern Greek.
  • Sources:

    WhWh 1964-5:1740.
  • Author: Julian Ward Jones