Teaching and Research

Upon graduating from the University of Oxford, Paul obtained an assistant professorship at Princeton University, which was another of his almae matres. At Princeton, he led courses in 17^th century English literature, the works of Shakespeare, and Victorian poetry.

Drawing of a study room in the Claremont home of Paul and Lorraine Havens.

In 1930, Paul married Lorraine Hamilton and in the same year moved with her to Claremont, California.

Paul and Lorrain Havens at Scripps College.

Lorraine, like her husband, was an accomplished and traveled scholar. Shortly before marrying Paul, Lorraine graduated from Mills College as president of the class of 1930. Having additionally studied abroad in Cannes, Lorraine was a skilled translator of the French language, and she received correspondence in French even throughout her later years. Lorraine was known for her warm personality, and her amiability led to her being termed a "genius with people." Paul and Lorraine would go on to have two daughters, Anne and Mary, and a son, Thomas.

One verse from a humorous song extolling the faculty of Scripps College.

In Claremont, Paul continued the teaching career which he had begun in Princeton. He attained an assistant professorship at Scripps College, a private liberal arts college for women which was founded only a few years before his arrival there. Here, between 1930 and 1936, Paul led courses on grammar, the English Renaissance, 18^th century literature, the Romantic Movement, and the humanities. He was considered to be a knowledgeable and challenging instructor by his students, as is evidenced by a stanza from a humorous song about Scripps College faculty members.

The first page of notes from a lecture delivered by Havens. After quoting Poe, the lecture informs students that they have "come to one of the most important moments in [their] lives."

Though students at Scripps respected Havens’s erudition, the eloquence, humor, and personality which he brought to the classroom are perhaps what made him a popular instructor. His lectures were marked by colorful language and imagery, as well as references to literary works not covered in his courses. Students also remembered Havens as exemplifying the quintessential image of the college professor of his day, commonly seen wearing tweed suits and carrying an "arsenal" of smoking pipes.

While teaching at Scripps College, Paul found oportunities to explore his primary research interest - 17th century English poetry. Accordingly, he authored a few scholarly works during this time, including the article “A Tract Long Attributed to Milton.” He furthermore left behind unpublished biographies of the poets John Hall, Richard Crashaw, John Donne, and Henry Vaughan.