Our Donors & Their Gifts
Eugene Shewmaker ’49 MFA
Following naval service in WWII, Eugene Shewmaker ’49 MFA entered Yale School of Drama as an Acting student in the fall of 1946. After graduation, Mr. Shewmaker went to New York and worked briefly in small productions around the city. He then spent four years as a member of the professional stock company and an instructor of theatre and literature at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, before returning to New York. It was then that he began a career in publishing, spending most of his time at Random House where he was as an editor on both editions of the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, as on many other reference books.
After his retirement in 1990, Mr. Shewmaker began a project that united his love of theatre with his expertise as an editor. His book, Shakespeare’s Language, a dictionary of unusual words found in Shakespeare’s plays and poems, was published in 1996 and stayed in print for 10 years. In May of 2008, a 2nd edition was published, and was featured in the Library Journal’s "Highly Recommended" list.
In fall 2008, as the stock market began to decline, he wanted to find something that would provide him with fixed payments for as long as he would need them. Since he had intended to leave some money to Yale, he was pleased to learn that the University had such a plan, called the charitable gift annuity. "I gave to Yale, they pay me a quarterly income, and when I no longer need it, the balance goes into the Drama School Scholarship Fund. A rather nifty arrangement I would say!"
It is indeed a wonderful arrangement, as Mr. Shewmaker’s gift will ultimately build financial aid resources for the School of Drama—a central priority for the School and of supreme importance to its students.
"I wonder how present-day students make it through to graduation without financial help. It was tough enough when I was there in the late 40s, but expenses have skyrocketed since then. I feel that those of us who made it through are really obligated to help those coming along to whatever extent our means will allow."