Blake Ragsdale Van Leer
Encyclopedia
Blake Ragsdale Van Leer (August 16, 1893 – January 23, 1956) was the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology
from 1944 until his death.
. After his father's death in 1897 he lived in a Masonic
Orphanage in Galveston. He graduated from Purdue University
with honors in 1915 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1924 he married Ella Lillian Wall in Berkeley, California
.
. In 1937 he became the Dean of the School of Engineering at NC State University. While there he initiated as an honorary of the NCSU Chapter of Theta Tau
Professional Engineering Fraternity. Around 1940 with the permission of Dean Harrelson
, Van Leer gave half his time towards the North Carolina Office for Defense orders. He resigned his post as Dean in 1942 to take a military leave.
During the war he served as a U.S. Army
officer (attaining the rank of Colonel
), after which he returned to lead the school.
he returned to become the President of Georgia Tech. During his tenure the school admitted women for the first time and began steps toward integration. He was also instrumental in making the school and Atlanta the first major research center in the American South
. The building that houses Tech's school of Electrical and Computer Engineering bears his name.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
from 1944 until his death.
Early life and education
Van Leer was born in Mangum, OklahomaMangum, Oklahoma
Mangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....
. After his father's death in 1897 he lived in a Masonic
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
Orphanage in Galveston. He graduated from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
with honors in 1915 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1924 he married Ella Lillian Wall in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
.
Dean and officer
From 1932 to 1937 he was a Dean at the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. In 1937 he became the Dean of the School of Engineering at NC State University. While there he initiated as an honorary of the NCSU Chapter of Theta Tau
Theta Tau
ΘΤ Fraternity was founded in 1904 by four engineering students at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. As defined by the fraternity, the purpose of Theta Tau is to develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members, and to unite them in a strong bond of...
Professional Engineering Fraternity. Around 1940 with the permission of Dean Harrelson
John W. Harrelson
John William Harrelson was born in Double Shoals, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA, on 28 June 1885. He was educated at North Carolina State University, where he earned a B.A. in engineering in 1909 and an M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1915...
, Van Leer gave half his time towards the North Carolina Office for Defense orders. He resigned his post as Dean in 1942 to take a military leave.
During the war he served as a U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer (attaining the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
), after which he returned to lead the school.
Georgia Tech
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he returned to become the President of Georgia Tech. During his tenure the school admitted women for the first time and began steps toward integration. He was also instrumental in making the school and Atlanta the first major research center in the American South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. The building that houses Tech's school of Electrical and Computer Engineering bears his name.