| OCR Text |
Show Prof Gail Plummer Dies After Long Illness; University Mourns Distinguished Educator j Gail Plummer, 65, professor of , speech at the University and one ' who spoke for culture, died Fri-I Fri-I day at 4:10 p.m. in a Salt Lake j hospital after a long illness. He was first manager of Kingsbury Hall, holding that position from 1930 to 1957, and was manager of the University l Theater from 1943 to 1957. Mr. Plummer had devoted full I time to teaching speech at the U j since relinquishing his manage-l manage-l rial positions. AFTER RECEIVING a bachelor's bache-lor's degree from Brigham Young University in 1927, he taught two years at Monroe (Sevier County) j High School and then became a part-time instructor in speech at t the University of Utah. Mr. Plummer obtained a master's mas-ter's degree from the U in 1935 ' and since had done graduate work at the University of Wisconsin Wis-consin and Stanford University. An assistant professor of . speech in 1941, he then served as department head during the I 1942-43 school year. He ad-j ad-j vanced to associate professor n 1947 and a full professor in I 1955. . His University chairmanships included five years a Convocations Convoca-tions Committee head and as fac-lty fac-lty chairman of the Speech Arts I society for many years. I HE DIRECTED the Speech j Une Program at the U several years and was faculty advisor 1 Working with the Alumni Assn. ln conpetitive speeches and es says for Founder's Day. at the U. He also was the founder of the play lending library at the U which circulates more than 8,000 plays. During his reign as manager of Kingsbury Hall he studied ways of improving through travels trav-els to university theaters in 36 states. Plummer managed the Utah Symphony for two years during dur-ing which time he was instrumental instru-mental in bringing noted conductors con-ductors and artists as guests. He managed the University of Utah Summer Festivals from their beginning to 1957, and was appointed by former Gov. Herbert Her-bert B. Maw to the Utah State Institute of Fine Arts. He was a board member for 10 years. BESIDES WRITING for the Salt Lake Tribune a series of articles on the American Theater Scene, Plummer was author of a book, "The Business of Show Business," published by Harper & Brothers in 1961. He was author of several magazine articles, again on plays and musicals. Mr. Plummer was president of the Salt Lake Library named him and his wife "Library Family of the Year" in 1964. HE WAS THE recipient of many civic awards, of these "Honorary Citizen" by Salt Lake City Corp. in 1957. He was a man loved and admired ad-mired by the University, and was PROF. J. L. PLUMMER named by the Utonian as one of the eight professors honored for distinguished contributions to the U. Born May 14, 1899, in Daniel, Dan-iel, Washington County, to Walter Scott and Josephine Bjorkman Plummer, his survivors survi-vors are his widow, the former Elva Swindle of Monroe, a son, a daughter, three brothers, one sister, and three grandchildren. Funeral services will be announced. an-nounced. Family suggests contributions contri-butions to Salt Lake City Public Library. |
