George Soule

George Soule at an academic procession

Professor Emeritus George Soule, a native of Fargo, ND, graduated magna cum laude from Carleton in 1951. He earned an M.A. from Yale in '56 and a Ph.D. from Yale in '60. His dissertation was titled, "Dryden and the Poetry of Public Action."

During his time as a student at Carleton, he created the role of Brother Anastasius for the world premier of Bertholt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle in Nourse Little Theater.

He taught at Oberlin College for 2 years and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison for 2 more. In 1962 he joined the Carleton faculty. He was named full professor in 1971. He served as department chair in 1978 and again from 1980-1983.

He founded the Carleton Film Series in 1964. From '65-'67 he was the Director of the Centennial Celebration of the college. Soule directed the Carleton London Seminar 4 times and was fiction editor of the Carleton Miscellany for two years.

In 1990, Soule was a contestant on Jeopardy! for 5 days, and was champion of the 1990 Senior Tournament.

He retired in 1995 but was a regular attendee at campus events. And, he continued to teach classes for the Cannon Valley Elder Collegium.

He died 24 December 2011 at United Hospital in St. Paul, MN after a brief illness.