B . ▁or ▁B . A .) ▁at ▁Columbia ▁University ▁and ▁held ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁Y ale . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁Par s ons , ▁a ▁premier ▁authority ▁on ▁Scottish ▁literature ▁and ▁culture , ▁joined ▁the ▁City ▁College ▁fac ulty ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁began ▁teaching ▁there ▁full - time ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Dr . ▁Par s ons ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁excellent ▁and ▁challeng ing ▁professor ▁who ▁participated ▁heavily ▁in ▁intellectual ▁and ▁public ▁life ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁class room . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁active ▁member ▁and ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁And ir on ▁Club , ▁an ▁exclusive ▁cultural ▁and ▁frat ernal ▁organization ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁Dr . ▁Par son ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁active ▁Fre em ason . ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁critical ▁works ▁on ▁Sir ▁Walter ▁Scott ▁and ▁nin ete enth ▁century ▁Scottish ▁literature , ▁" W itch craft ▁and ▁Dem on ology ▁in ▁Scott ' s ▁F iction ," ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁and ▁wrote ▁extens ively ▁for ▁academic ▁journ als ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Scotland , ▁England ▁and ▁Germany . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁Dr . ▁Par s ons ▁died ▁at ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Manh attan ▁following ▁comp lications ▁while ▁recover ing ▁from ▁a ▁stroke . ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁scholar ships ▁and ▁awards ▁are ▁named ▁in ▁his ▁honor . ▁His ▁papers ▁are ▁held ▁at ▁Columbia ▁University ▁to ▁benefit ▁research ers . ▁ ▁References