Blake R. Van Leer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blake R. Van Leer
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| President of the Georgia Institute of Technology | |
| In office 1944–1956 |
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| Preceded by | Marion L. Brittain |
| Succeeded by | Edwin D. Harrison |
| Dean of Engineering University of Florida | |
| In office 1932–1937 |
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| Dean of Engineering North Carolina State University | |
| In office 1937–1941 |
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| Berkeley City Council | |
| In office 1924–1932 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | August 16, 1893 Mangum, Oklahoma |
| Died | January 23, 1956 (aged 62) Atlanta, Georgia |
| Alma mater | Purdue University University of Caen Normandy University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | University president |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1953 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Corps of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Croix de Guerre |
Dr. Blake Ragsdale Van Leer (August 16, 1893 – January 23, 1956) was an engineer and university professor who served as the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology from 1944 until his death in 1956.
Early life and education
Van Leer was born in Mangum, Oklahoma to Maurice Langhorne Van Leer and Mary McKee Tarleton. After his father's death in 1897 he lived in a Masonic Orphanage in Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated with honours from Purdue University in 1915 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Also studied at University of Caen in France In 1924 he married Ella Lillian Wall in Berkeley, California.
Dean and officer
Van Leer was an U.S. Army officer and began his career as an engineer. During the World War I, he led engineering teams who built bridges in front of the main infantry to cross rivers and fought in 5 different battles. On one occasion his unit held an island for two days against enemy forces and several members of his unit were killed in action. From 1932 to 1937, Van Leer was a Dean at the University of Florida. 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.
Georgia Tech
After World War II Van Leer returned to become the President of Georgia Tech. During his tenure the school admitted women for the first time. He began allowing women to enroll in night school, after a failed vote to allow women into Georgia Tech, he attempted a second try and succeeded by split decision. The first step towards integration was made during support for the 1956 Sugar Bowl game, Van Leer who was recorded giving frequent commence speeches at the all Black Morris Brown College, died after the event. Four years after his death an overwhelming majority of the 2,741 students present voted to endorse integration of qualified applicants, regardless of race. Van Leer advocated women get into engineering later in his career as well. During his time in office tech also became the largest engineering institute in the South and the third largest in the US and Canada. Van Leer also had a focus on making Atlanta the "MIT of the South." throughout his career by lobbying major companies like Lockheed Corporation to expand to Atlanta. In 1946 Van Leer was appointed as a member to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization who had a focus to work against racism through influential statements on race.
Van Leer might be best known for events centered around the 1956 Sugar Bowl. He stood up to Georgia governor Marvin Griffin's demand to bar Bobby Grier from participating in the 1956 Sugar Bowl game between Georgia Tech and Grier's University of Pittsburgh. He was also instrumental in making the school and Atlanta the first major research center in the American South. Leading up to the game, Georgia governor Marvin Griffin, sent numerous telegrams to state's Board of Regents and press explaining why Georgia should not engage in racially integrated events which had blacks either as participants or in the stands. Van Leer would be summoned by The Board of Regents who commended Griffin for his stand on segregation.
Van Leer was publicly quoted:
Either we’re going to the Sugar Bowl or you can find yourself another ... president of Georgia Tech.
The building that houses Tech's school of Electrical and Computer Engineering bears his name.
Van Leer also founded Southern Polytechnic State University while president of Georgia Tech. The university merged into Kennesaw State University in 2015.
Van Leer died of a heart attack on January 24, 1956, at the Atlanta Veterans Hospital.
Personal life
All of Van Leer's children would graduate as engineers. Van Leer's daughter Maryly V. Peck also became an engineer and college president. His son Blake Wayne Van Leer also became a high ranked officer for the United States Navy who was also an engineer. His youngest son Samuel Van Leer graduated from Georgia Tech and was headmaster as several private schools. Sam was quoted stating his dad could imagine a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech being anyone, he did not concern himself with race or gender, he always progressive.
