Lee, Irving J., 1909-1955
Dates
- Existence: 1909 - 1955
Biography
Irving J. Lee was born on October 27, 1909 in New York City. He graduated from New York University in 1931 with a B.S. in English and attended the Bread Loaf School of English in the summer of 1932 in Middlebury, England. After working as an instructor in Social Sciences at Boonton, High School in Boonton, New Jersey from 1931-1934, he then earned an M.A. in Public Speaking in 1935 and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Rhetoric in 1938, both from Northwestern University.
Lee was Instructor in Speech at Northwestern University, 1936-1942; Assistant Professor of Speech, 1942-1947; Associate Professor of Speech, 1947-1949; and Professor of Public Speaking, 1949-1955. He was a Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa in 1946 and at the University of Wyoming in 1954.
In July of 1942, Lee entered the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant in the air corps. Much of his time was spent at the School of Applied Tactics assisting in the development of training aids.
Lee was particularly interested in the studies of Korzybski, whose theories were the foundation of one of his most popular courses at Northwestern, Language and Thought. He wrote a number of books, including How to Talk With People: A Program for Preventing Troubles That Come When People Talk Together (1952) and a textbook, Language Habits in Human Affairs (1941).
Beginning in 1937, Lee served as a consultant for the National Safety Council and the Northwestern University Traffic Institute. Until 1955, he continued to be a consultant and lecturer on problems of training for safety and industrial organizations. He also was a frequent lecturer on communication and speech at colleges and universities around the country.
Lee was married to Laura Louise Smith on June 23, 1940. Their only son, David Alfred Lee, was born on May 11, 1949.
After an illness of several weeks, Lee died on May 23, 1955.