Obituary:                                 (Sept. 7, 1995)

DR. ARTHUR SCAMMELL
_________________________________________________________

Dr. Arthur Scammell,  known to most Newfoundlanders as the
author of the folksong Squid Jiggin' Ground, died Aug. 28 at
the age of 82.

   Dr. Scammell was born in Change Islands, Notre Dame Bay
and received his early education there. It was an upbringing
which would influence him all of his life. He attended
Memorial University College from 1930-31 before setting out
as a school teacher in such places as Harbour Deep,
Belloram, Harbour Buffett, Woody Point and Pichard's Island.
In 1942 he received a BA from McGill University, and began
teaching in Quebec. In 1966 he received an MA from the
University of Vermont, then returned to Montreal where he
remained until his retirement as head of the English
department at Mount Royal High School in 1970. He then
returned to his home province and lectured part-time in
junior studies English at Memorial in the early 1970s. 

   In May 1977 Dr. Scammell received an honorary doctor of
laws degree from Memorial University. In an oration at
convocation, R. M. Mowbray said of him:

   	He knows of the hard relentless struggle of 
	outport life but he stresses the underlying 
	true social and spiritual values in contrast 
	to the plastic, electronic morality that emerges 
	from the rush and bustle of city life. If we have 
	to accept that these days have passed, we should 
	be grateful that Art Scammell has acted as their 
	chronicler to keep them alive for us.

   Dr. Scammell was named honorary chairman of the Memorial
University Alumni Association Century Club in 1980 and was
named to the Order of Canada in 1988. In addition to several
popular ballads, he also wrote two books about outport life:
My Newfoundland and From Boat to Blackboard.

   He is survived by his wife Carrie, two daughters and a
son, and nine grandchildren. A funeral was held at St.
Augustine's Anglican Church in St. John's on Aug. 31.