robins was born in windsor, ontario, and educated at the university of toronto and the university of chicago. in 1914 he attended the universities of freiburg and marburg. he returned to toronto where he taught german at victoria college. in 1916 he resigned to enlist in the canadian army. he spent the next two years teaching musketry at camp borden. he left the army in 1918 with the rank of company sergeant major. he returned to teaching at victoria college eventually becoming a full professor in 1941. he obtained a phd at the university of chicago in 1927. in 1917, he married leila isabella douglas.