Head and shoulders image of Samuel R. Laycock, dean, College of Education, 1947-1953.

Bio/Historical Note: Samuel Ralph Laycock, ’16 MA, ’20 BDiv, ’23, BEd, was born in Marmora, Ontario, in 1891. He received his BA from the University of Toronto before moving to Edmonton, where he taught math and Latin for five years while earning a MA from the University of Alberta. During the First World War Dr. Laycock enlisted in the Canadian Signals Corps and served in France. After demobilization he joined the staff of the University of Alberta and earned a master’s degree in education. He attended summer sessions at Columbia and Harvard before enrolling at the University of London, from which he received a PhD in 1927. Two years later Dr. Laycock was appointed assistant professor of educational psychology and became one of the two original members of the staff of the School of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. For the next 26 years, in the last six of which he served as Dean of the College, Dr. Laycock enjoyed a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator. Upon retirement Dr. Laycock continued to teach summer session courses at a number of Canadian and American universities and in 1958 accepted a University of British Columbia appointment as special lecturer. He was the author of 14 books and published more than 700 articles, as well as conducting the CBC’s School for Parents for 18 years. Dr. Laycock also pioneered the Canadian Home and School and Parent-Teacher movement and served on a number of boards, councils, committees and commissions. Among the many honours bestowed upon Dr. Laycock were an honourary degree from the University of Saskatchewan and the Medal of Service of the Order of Canada. Laycock died in Vancouver on 5 September 1971.