Blacks@Dartmouth 1775 to 1960

Dr. Clarence Harvey Mills, called by '18ers "Skippie" and much enjoyed because of his ever pleasant disposition, educator, scholar and teacher at Wilberforce University for 13 years, died suddenly April 13, 1950 at the Veterans Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Mills was widely known as an educator and scholar of high repute. At the time of his death, he was professor and chairman of the division of humanities at Wilberforce.

Skippie had a truly distinguished life of service. At Dartmouth he received an A.B. degree; Harvard gave him his M.A. in 1920 and the University of Chicago conferred the Ph.D. degree in 1928. As a prominent educator, he had occupied teaching positions in Howard University. Talladega College, A. & T. College, and Crispus Attucks High School.

Skippie was an outstanding student of humanities. For his top-ranking scholarly work as a student, he was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa. Numerous additional academic honors followed. According to the records, he was the first of his race to receive the Ph.D. degree in Romance Languages and Literature. In addition, he was a Dartmouth scholar on the New Hampshire Grant for 1916-1918; a Harvard University scholar 1919-1920; and the Daniel Webster Prize Winner.

Skippie was a member of such learned societies as the American Association of Teachers of French; National Federation of Modern Language Teachers; American Association of Teachers of Italian; American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese; American Association of Teachers of German; American Association of University Professors; American Folklore Society and the American Dialect Society. He was also a member of such fraternal organizations as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Masonic Lodge, Elks Lodge, and the American Legion.

On September 12, 1922 Skippie was married to Julia Plaine who died in 1939. He is survived by his son Clarence Harvey, Jr. a graduate of Wilberforce. At '18's 30th Reunion in '48, the grand color films of George M. Davis gave a splendid picture of the smiling Skippie. He'll be missed and long remembered.