IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Charles Wyatt Lomas

Professor of Communication Studies (Speech), Emeritus

 Los Angeles

1907—1999

Charles Wyatt Lomas, professor of speech, emeritus, died on February 1, 1999 in San Diego at 91. Lomas received his bachelor’s degree from Carroll College, Waukesha WI, in 1929, and a master’s degree in 1934 and doctorate in 1940 from Northwestern University. Between 1929 and 1947 he taught speech at the University of Pittsburgh, Stanford University and the University of Michigan. In 1944-45 he served as chief of the propaganda analysis section of the U.S. Office of War Information in San Francisco. He joined the UCLA faculty in 1947.

In his field, Lomas published books and articles on basic speech training and education as well as in his area of specialty, political speech. The latter work encompassed analyses of the speech of political figures, political debate, and public discussion, as well as of movements for social change. He was the author of The Agitator in American Society (1968), co-author of Basic Voice Training for Speech (1952, 1957) and Speech: Idea and Delivery (1956, 63), and co-editor of The Rhetoric of the British Peace Movement (1971). He also wrote from his wartime experience on Japanese war propaganda and on Japanese public discussion. Besides other contributions to professional organizations, from 1951 to 1954 he served as Editor of the journal Western Speech.

Lomas was married to Eloise Gamble Lomas, an expert in the technique of recording engraved memorial brasses through rubbings, for 67 years before his death. After his retirement in 1975, he was active in his church, and with his wife traveled extensively, especially in Britain. Together they gave lectures and short courses on America’s British heritage.

Nancy M. Henley