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
Mangum is a city in and county seat of Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It was originally part of Old Greer County in the Texas panhandle. The community was named for A. S. Mangum, who owned the ...
to Maurice Langhorne Van Leer and Mary McKee Tarleton.
After his father's death in 1897 he grew up in a
Masonic
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
Orphanage in
Fort Worth,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
from the age of 4. He graduated with honours from
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and mone ...
in 1915 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and later an M.S. While working at Berkley, He received an M. S. in mechanical engineering from here in 1920. Also studied at the University of Caen in France and the University of Munich He was awarded two doctorates, one from Washington and Jefferson College and the other from Purdue. In 1924 he married
Ella Lillian Wall
Ella Lillian Wall Van Leer (''née'' Ella Lillian Wall; November 11, 1892 – August 8, 1986) was an American artist and architect, women's rights activist, and the first woman to serve in an office of the American Legion in California. She wa ...
in
Berkeley, California
Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and E ...
.
Dean and officer
Van Leer was an
U.S. Army officer and began his career as an engineer. During the
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, 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
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
. In 1937 he became the Dean of the School of Engineering at
NC State University
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The 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
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
officer (attaining the rank of
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
), after which he returned to lead the school.
Georgia Tech
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
Van Leer returned to become the President of
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
. During his tenure the school admitted women for the first time.
[ McMath, p.282] 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. Faculty member Robert B. Wallace was quoted "Van Leer was a fighter who battled to the bitter end for what he believed" and nowhere would this trait serve him well in late 1955. The first step towards integration was made during support for the
1956 Sugar Bowl
The 1956 Sugar Bowl featured the 7th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the 11th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. The game was played on January 2, since New Year's Day was a Sunday. Much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl. Segregationists a ...
game. 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
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...
of the South." throughout his career by lobbying major companies like
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but ot ...
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 Building entrance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Van_Leer_Building_entrance.jpg)
Van Leer might be best known for events centered around the
1956 Sugar Bowl
The 1956 Sugar Bowl featured the 7th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the 11th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. The game was played on January 2, since New Year's Day was a Sunday. Much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl. Segregationists a ...
. Van Leer who was recorded giving frequent commence speeches at the all Black Morris Brown College, stood up to Georgia governor
Marvin Griffin
Samuel Marvin Griffin, Sr. (September 4, 1907 – June 13, 1982) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.
A lifelong Democrat, Griffin was a native of Bainbridge, Georgia and publisher of the ''Bainbridge Post-Searchligh ...
's demand to bar
Bobby Grier from participating in the 1956
Sugar Bowl game between Georgia Tech and Grier's
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
. Leading up to the game, Georgia governor
Marvin Griffin
Samuel Marvin Griffin, Sr. (September 4, 1907 – June 13, 1982) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.
A lifelong Democrat, Griffin was a native of Bainbridge, Georgia and publisher of the ''Bainbridge Post-Searchligh ...
, 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. The governor also called on the "Tech boys" to be punished. Coach Bobby Dodd and students left the whole affair up to Van Leer, Griffin to battle, and the Board of Regents. Van Leer would be summoned by The Board of Regents who commended Griffin for his stand on segregation.
Van Leer was publicly quoted:
Van Leer stuck to his statement, even receiving a standing ovation in the faculty senate and the game went on as planned. 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.Today the building that houses Tech's school of
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
bears his name.
Van Leer also founded
Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University (also called Southern Poly; abbreviated SPSU) was a public, co-educational, state university in Marietta, Georgia, United States approximately northwest of downtown Atlanta. Until 2015, it was an independe ...
while president of Georgia Tech. The university merged into
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a public research university located in the state of Georgia with two different campuses in the Atlanta metropolitan area, one in Kennesaw and the other in Marietta on a combined of land. The school was fou ...
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
Blake Wayne Van Leer (January 13, 1926 – October 3, 1997) was a United States Navy officer who commanded the naval construction Battalion Seabees during World War II and the Vietnam War. He led the expansion of submarine-launched ballistic ...
also became a high ranked officer for the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
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
"(I'm a) Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech" is the fight song of the Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech. The composition is based on "Son of a Gambolier", composed by Charles Ives in 1895, the lyrics of which are bas ...
being anyone, he did not concern himself with race or gender, he was always progressive."
See also
*
History of the Georgia Institute of Technology
*
List of members of the American Legion
This table provides a list of notable members of The American Legion.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Legion, List O ...
*
1956 Sugar Bowl
The 1956 Sugar Bowl featured the 7th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the 11th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. The game was played on January 2, since New Year's Day was a Sunday. Much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl. Segregationists a ...
References
Works cited
*
*
*
Lewis Ferry Moody; Fifty Years’ Progress in Hydraulics.
*
External links
Van Leer family archives*
GIT profilefrom library
Georgia Tech celebrates 50 years of womenOfficial Army Register – 1956
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Leer, Blake Ragsdale
1893 births
1956 deaths
20th-century American engineers
American civil rights activists
American Episcopalians
Burials in Oklahoma
California city council members
Male feminists
North Carolina State University faculty
People from Atlanta
People from Eastland County, Texas
People from Mangum, Oklahoma
Presidents of Georgia Tech
Purdue University alumni
Purdue University College of Engineering alumni
United States Army colonels
United States Army personnel of World War I
University and college founders
University of Florida faculty
Van Leer family