| Notes |
Macy Millmore Skinner graduated from Harvard University in 1894 (PhD). He attended the University of Heidelberg in Germany, probably studying economics. He apparently became well respected, worldwide, as an economist. From 1895 to 1914, he was professor in the German Department at Stanford University (California). A scandal (see doc1, doc2, doc3, doc4) forced him to resign suddenly in August 1914. He went to China where he was an economic advisor to Sun Yat-Sen. He came back to America, and went on to the University of Washington where he was Business Professor in the Economics Department and Dean of Men.
From Harvard College. Class of 1894, Sixth Report (May 1914) :
MACY MILLMORE SKINNER – I spent the year 1911-1912 with my family in Germany. In the months of August and September, 1911, I represented Stanford University at the centennial festivities of the universities of Breslau, Germany, and Christiania, Norway. During my absence, I was advanced to Associate Professor of German at Stanford. Member: Modern Language Association of America, Philological Association of the Pacific Coast, Schwäbischer Schillerverein.
From University of Washington – Tyee Yearbook Class of 1922 :
Dr. Macy M. Skinner has been teaching at Canton Christian college, China, and he has sought to further trade relations with this state.
From Harvard College. Class of 1894, The Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Report (1919) : .jpg) Macy Millmore Skinner, 1894-1918
After graduation, I continued my work in the Graduate School and made my PH.D. in Semitic Languages and Literature in 1897. I went abroad on a Rogers Fellowship, and spent one year at Strassburg, and one at Berlin. On my return, finding that the prospect of making satisfactory progress in the teaching profession in my line was not a brilliant one, I changed to German, for which I had always had a strong liking. I was appointed Instructor in German at Harvard and remained there for six years, that is, until the spring of 1905, when I was called to Stanford University, Cal., as Assistant Professor of German. My family and I spent the year 1911-12 in Germany. In the months of August and September, 1911, I represented Stanford University at the centennial festivities of the universities of Beslau, Germany, and Christiania, Norway. During my absence, I was advanced to Associate Professor of German at Stanford. Having always had a strong desire to see the Orient, I gave up my position at Stanford in 1914 and sailed for China, where I spent two years in educational work. On my return in 1916, I was appointed to teach Chinese in the University of Washington, where I am at present located.
Early in the year 1917, when it looked as though the U.S. would enter the war, I joined a Military Company of University Professors and drilled under the instruction of Major Patten, Commandant of the R.O.T.C. at the University. I assisted in the Military work of the Summer School and in the fall of 1917 was appointed Captain and Adjutant of the Intercollegiate Intelligence Bureau (later merged into the War Service Exchange), I was in constant communication with military and other departments of the Government, and endeavored to help our students find the kind of service they were fitted for and wished to enter.
Publications: The Termination u uni in Asyrian Verbs. Proc. Amer. Orient. Soc., 1896. – 1 Sam. IX, 24. Journ. Bibl. Lit., 1896. – Aramaisms in Isaiah, 1897. – Other articles on Semitic and German subjects.
Clubs and societies: Modern Language Association of America, Oriental Society, China Club of Seattle.
From the “ HARVARD COLLEGE, Class of 1894, Fiftieh Anniversary Report (1944)”: Top-notch, versatile scholar with a Classical foundation; myriad-minded linguist, turning after his experience in China to economics and business administration with a brilliant professional career; spreader of the gospel of international comity.
.jpg) Macy Millmore Skinner, 1947
“My father, who was a graduate of the Harvard Medical School, and my mother, who had intellectual interests and rather unusual literary talent, encouraged their four sons to seek the best educational training attainable. So three of us attended the Boston Latin School and Harvard, and one the English High School in Boston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“The Boston Latin School emphasised particularly the study of the classical languages, Latin and Greek, and, with its high standard of scholarship requirements, gave me habits of application and thoroughness that stood me in good stead through a long educational career, and, in particular, determined the direction my interests took at the University. There I continued with my classical studies, but added Spanish, German, and some more French to my répertoire, and later branched out into the Oriental field, taking courses in Oriental history and civilization, and several Semitic languages, Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac, Aramaic, and Phoenician. Eventually I secured a Ph.D. degree in Semitic languages and literature.
“Sent abroad on a Rogers Traveling Fellowship, I spent two years in Europe, studying at Strassburg and Berlin. During this period, in addition to attending various courses in classical and modern Arabic, Persian, comparative philology, philosophy, and literature, I took the opportunity of working up an acquaintance with the older Germanic dialects, a study which I continued when, on my return, I was appointed to an instructorship in German at Harvard. During the following summers, I went back to Europe for further work at a number of universities – Heidelberg, Leipzig, Marburg, etc. Incidentally, I now added Italian to my linguistic interests.
“In 1905, I was called to Stanford University as assistant professor of Germanic languages and literature, and in the Spring of my first year there, went through the ordeal of the California earthquake. With my family I spent my sabbatical year of 1911-1912 in Europe.
“My Oriental interests drew me in 1914 to China, where I spent two years in educational work, incidentally devoting some time to the study of the Chinese, and to a lesser degree, the Japanese language. I returned in 1916 in order to do my part in World War I, for which I saw, that we, too, were heading. I was appointed assistant professor in the University of Washington in Seattle, where I taught German, and also introduced courses in the Chinese language. My six years of military training at the Boston Latin School stood me in good stead at this time, and I was one of a few professors chosen to train our students for service overseas. I was also made Dean of Men at the University.
“As the war closed I weighted the possibility of securing a position at some eastern university in comparative philology, but accepted an assistant professorship in the College of Business Administration at the University of Washington, where I introduced courses of economic geography. I later headed the Department of Foreign Trade, for which my travels, my life abroad, my knowledge of economics geography, as well as of languages and customs of various peoples, seemed to fit me. In the heyday of international commerce that followed the war, I was instrumental in building up a large and flourishing department, and my students began to go out into the foreign trade field, and the United States consular service, all over the world.
“In 1921, I was sent to China for two years as exchange professor and director of the department of business administration at Ling Nam University in Canton, being at the same time a representative of the Carnegie Foundation for World Peace. On my return I took up my work again as professor of foreign trade. A few years later I was sorely tempted to accept an offer of some Chinese government agencies to head a projected college of commerce there, but I decided to remain at my post in the United States. Having now reached the retiring age, I am on half-time, although I still conduct the foreign trade courses.
“In the last twenty years or so I have supervised the work of one Ph.D. candidate and some forty A.M. candidates. My subject has been a popular one in the Northwest, here on the shore of the Pacific, and I have been called upon to deliver many addresses at conventions and to various civic group on topics connected with the international trade field.
“My profoundest pleasure has been my contacts with eager minds of young men who want to go out into the great world to implement the gospel of international intercourse and amity through the interchange of material goods and services. At the college age they are still impressionable, and accept, with conviction, the social doctrine of ‛the greatest good to the greatest number.’
“I have no particularly developed philosophy of life, except perhaps that our mission here must be to help others to get started right, and to live fruitfully and happily. There is no joy so great as that which lies in tried and true friendship, and in devotion to ideals of human service.
“I am firmly conviced that, after the present war, the nations of the world must form a closer family unit, one for all and all for one; individual nations, politically, yet joined together in an organization that will enforce the peace, see justice done for all, and work for the prosperity and happiness of all. This is the kind of world we want our children and our children’s children to live in, and we must not fail to establish it after the work of the soldier is over, and mankind returns to the pursuits of peace.”
Skinner was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his Junior year. He was graduated summa cum laude, with honors in Semitic Languages. He received an A.M. in 1895 and a Ph.D. in 1897. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. During World War I he was adjutant of the Inter-collegiate Intelligence Bureau (later merged into the War Service Exchange), and captain-instructor in the R.O.T.C. during the same period. He has been elected several times, and is at present president of the Pan Xenia, the International Student Foreign Trade Fraternity.
He has written various articles on Assyrian an Hebrew linguistic problems and the study of German. His publications include: “Review of Heinrich Keiter and Tonny Keller’s Theorie und Technik des Romans un der erzählenden Dichtkunst,” Modern Language Notes, XXIV, 8 December, 1909; “Brief Notes on the Indebtednes of Spielhagen to Dickens,” Journal of English and Germanic Philology, IX, 4, 1910; “Critical Survey of the Biographies of Friedrich Spielhagen,” Modern Language Notes, March, 1911; “Foreign Trade, its Growth and Importance,” Washington Purchasing Agent and Manufacturer, December, 1927; “Some Aspects of the Trade of the Pacific,” Proceedings, 6th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Collegiate Economic Conference, Vancouver, B. C., Ronald Forum, 1928; “Our Imports from Latin America, Their Significance and Their Relation to Our Export Problem”, Report of 15th National Foreign Trade Convention held at Houston, Texas, April, 1928, India House, N. Y., 1928 ; “Reports of Round Table Discussions on International Finance an International Commerce. The Pacific Area,” University of Washington Publications, July, 1928; “Report on Round Table Discussions on Population Problems,” Proceedings, Institute of International Relations, University of Southern California, December, 1928; “International Commerce and World Amity. The Pacific Area,” 1929; “Our World To-day. A Critical Survey of Economic and Commercial Conditions,” Washington Alumnus, December, 1931; “The Outlook for Inter-American Trade,” Proceedings, Institute of World Affairs, University of Southern California, 1934; “Report of Round Table Discussions on Tariffs and Trade,” Proceedings, Institute of World Affairs, 1935; “Review of Austin A. Dowell and Oscar B. Jesness, ‘The American Farmer and the Export Market,’” American Economic Review, June, 1935; “Economic Problems of the Pacific Area,” Proceedings, Institute of World Affairs, University of Southern California, 1937; “The Trade Reciprocity Program of the United States as a Contribution to World Economic Stability,” Proceedings, Institute of World Affairs, University of Southern California, 1939; “Measures for the Improvement of Latin-American Economy,” Northwest Industry Journal, University of Washington, Seattle, December, 1941.
Skinner is a member of the Council of the Institute of Pacific Relations, of the American Economic Association, and of the Pacific Coast Economic Association. His club memberships include the Harvard Club of Seattle, the China Club of Seattle, the Alpha Kappa Psi, a national student business fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi, a national college fraternity, and Pan Xenia.
He married Marian Weymouth Junkins, Sept. 19, 1903, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. They have three children: Selby Millmore, born July 19, 1905; Barbara Reid (Mrs. Gilmore), born Nov. 19, 1907; and Carlton, born April 8, 1913. Both boys are in the service, Selby as a lieutenant colonel in the Barrage Balloon, Anti-aircraft Division, and Carlton as a lieutenant in the Coast Guard. There is one grandchild, Dunston Macy Skinner, son of Selby, born March 1, 1942.
Skinner has two brothers who attended Harvard: Prescott Orde Skinner, A.B. 1896, A.M. 1897; Vernon Villiers Skinner, LL.B. 1897.
M. M. Skinner, ’94, professor of German at Leland Stanford, Jr., University, has been appointed to represent Stanford at the centenary celebrations of the University of Breslau, Germany, in August, and of the University of Christiania, Norway, in September (Source: H. Bull. May 31, 1911)
Source: Seattle Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957 Name: Macy M. Skinner; Arrival date: 14 Jun 1916; Port of Arrival: Seattle, Washington; Ship name:Kamakura Maru.
Source: Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956 Name: Dr. Macy Skinner; Arrival date: 11 Sep 1904; Port of Arrival: Quebec, Quebec, Canada.
Source: From “ The Washington Alumnus” 1930 – Awakening from a ‛Fool’s Paradise’ to a Cold Reality.
“We in America emerged from the struggle [World War I] apparently in the healthiest, wealthiest condition it had ever been our fortune to enjoy. […] A new and glorious start for higher peaks of human satisfaction and dazzling world-supremacy – and then we awoke to find it all a dream. Disillusioned we emerged from this Fool’s Paradise into a world of cold and inexorable reality, where the sight of silenced mill and workshop, haunted by the grim specter of want and the unmerited suffering of millions of fellow human beings, plunged us into the depths of sadness and despair. The evil wrought by man in half a generation cannot be repaired in a year or two. But it will be repaired in time, but only by a fundamental setting of the world’s house in order.” – Business Professor M. M. Skinner, December 1931.
Source:
Author: Spielhagen, Friedrich, 1829-1911.
Title: Das Skelett im hause / von Friedrich Spielhagen ; edited with notes and vocabulary by Macy Millmore Skinner.Imprint: Boston : D.C. Heath &, c1913. Extent: v, 217 p.; 17 cm.
Hillman Library Special Collections Nietz 5009173
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1871 - 1964 (92 years)
Siblings
. Barbara Reid SKINNER, b. 19 Nov 1907, Palo Alto, California 
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