New-York tribune., 1920-01-16
DIR. r.. C.. MacLaurin,
Massachusetts Tech
President, Is Dead
Famous Scotch Scholar and
Educator Was Genius Be-
kind Endowments and
Growth of Big School

BOSTON, Jan. Is. - Richard c.
MacLaurin, president of the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology and a
scholar of international fame, died at
his home here late to-day of pneu-
monia. He had been Ill since last
Saturday.
Richard Cockburn MacLaurin gained
a reputation in this country, Great
Britain, New Zealand and Canada as
physicist, mathematician and jurist,
and in the last ten years had won a
national reputation as an educator.
DR.; MacLaurin was born in Edin-
early boyhood in New Zealand and re-
ceived his preliminary education in
Great Britain. In 1892 he entered
Cambridge University at St. John IS
College, and after four years received
the highest rank IN the most advanced
mathematical examination, and with a
monograph won the Smith Prize. the
most coveted honor at Cambridge. DR..
MacLaurin then took up the study of
law and won the MacMahon law stu
dentship for four years. While still
at Cambridge he wrote "The History
Of the Title to Real Estate" which won
him the York prize. Upon his gradu-
alton he was elected fellow of ST.
an income of $1,000 a year.
After travelling in Europe DR.. Mac
Laurin was called to the University
of New Zealand as professor of mathe-
matics. Later he became trustee of
that university and took an active part
in the organization of technical edu-
cation in New Zealand. For four wears
he was dean of the faculty of law of
the University of New Zealand. In
1898 Cambridge University conferred
the degree of doctor Of science. and
in 1904 the same institution gave him
the degree Of doctor of laws.
Came to Columbia in 1907
In 1907 DR.. MacLaurin left New Zea-
land to take the chair of mathematical
physics at Columbia University in this
city. In 1908 he was chosen president
Of Of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
When he went to the Institute of
Technology there were great financial
difficulties to meet. Dr.. MacLaurin
attached great Importance to building
up loyalty among the alumni. He was
remarkably successful, and one of it's
results was donation by Il. Coleman
du Pont OF $4,000 for the purchase
OF new site in Cambridge. The
alumni backed up DR.. MacLaurin in
his building plans, and it was under
his direction that the new plant of the
institute was erected. Dr. MacLaurn
was equally successful in interesting
many men OF wealth in the work of
the institute. Benefactions of Sill
100000 to the institute by George East
man, of Rochester, N. Y, "the Myster-
ious MIR. Smith," resulted from an in
terview with President MacLaurin.
Among the innovations brought about
by President MacLaurin were The es
tablishmcnt of a laboratory for re-
search in aerodynamics and the intro
duction Of the technology plan" for
the retention OF the institute b. com
mercial establishments as a technicai
adviser. In July, 1918. Dr.. MacLaurln
accepted the appointment as national
director Of college war training, and
he was the head of the Students Army
Training Corps under the Committee
of Education of the War Department,
Dr. MacLaurin was member OF the
American Mathematical Society. the
American Physical Society. the Ameri-
can Academy of Arts and Sciences and
the American Philosophical Society. He
was member of many clubs in this
city and Boston. He was the author
of "The Theory of Light" and many
other technical books and memoirs. DR.
MacLaurn is survived by his wife
and two children