The Laycock Home,  on Station Road, Marmora

Sam Laycock
University of Alberta Alumni President1924-25

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, he enlisted in the Canadian Signals Corps and served in France. After demobilization he joined the staff of the U of A 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. That same year he was appointed assistant professor of educational psychology at the newly formed School of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. He was promoted to full professor in 1929 and served as dean of education from 1947 to 1954. Upon retirement he 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. He 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 him were an honorary degree from the University of Saskatchewan and the Medal of Service of the Order of Canada. He died in Vancouver on 5 September 1971.

Click here to read the speech on receiving his Doctor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan

 SAMUEL LAYCOCK  1891-1971

M.A,  M.Ed,  B.Div.,  PhD, LLD,

  Order of Canada

Educationalist,  Psychologist,  Lecturer, Author

Medal of Service of the Order of Canada

Order of Canada, centrepiece of the Canadian system of HONOURS. was instituted on I July 1967, the 100th anniversary of Confederation. Every Canadian is eligible for the order, which is conferred in recognition of exemplary merit and achievement in all major fields of endeavour. Appointments are made by the governor general, based on the recommendations of the Advisory Council of the Order, which meets twice a year under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Canada to consider nominations submitted by members of the public. There are 3 levels of membership, in which the number of appointments is limited: Companion (not to exceed 150 in all); Officer (46appointments maximum in any year); Member (92 appointments maximum in any year). Investitures take place each spring and autumn at the governor general's official residence, RIDEAU HALL, Ottawa. The order's badge is in the form of a stylized snowflake of 6 points and is worn at the neck by Companions and Officers and on the left breast by Members. Recipients are entitled to have placed after their names the letters representing the category in which each is appointed: CC,OCor CM, and all may wear a small replica of the badge on street clothes. CARL LOCHNAN

Something for Nothing at the Laycock House                         Water that pumps itself

This is the original hydraulic ram pump used at the former Laycock homestead to pump water from a spring to the house and the water trough at thebarn. The constant bump, bump, bump of its operation was a familiar sound to the locals at the time.  The Laycock property was located on the north side of Station Road near the present day landfill site.
Theoretically,  by using a large volume of water dropping a short distance it can raise a small volume of water to higher elevation. A drop of ten feet to the inlet could raise the water to a height of fifty feet at the outlet.

Click here for the explanation sheet

Buried beneath the white Laycock head stone are:    Thomas LAYCOCK, 1878-1938,  Flossie G. Heath 1888-1981, Ralph Laycock 1854-1927,  Margaret Grey, wife of Ralph Laycock 1858-1941, Samuel Ralph Laycock, 1891-1971.  

Marmora Herald,  Jan.  11,  1900:   "Mrs. Laycock, one of the oldest residentes of the township of Marmora, is now in Stirling visiting her son, William H. Minchin.  Mrs. Laycock, whose maiden name was Jane Gladney, was born in the County of Wexford, Ireland on Dec. 23rd, 1807.  She is now in her 93rd year, and yet she is as smart as most women of 70.  She was first married in 1835 to Daniel Minchin, and with their children they came to Canada in 1849.  They immediately settled in Marmora, in which place she has since been a resident.  Her husband died shortly after coming to Canada.  She afterwards married Richard Laycock, in 1850,, who died 18 years ago.  From her appearance at present she may live to be 100."   (She died later that year - Aug. 18, 1900)

SAMUEL RALPH LAYCOCK  WW1