Background
Laird, Warren Powers was born on August 8, 1861 in Winona, Minnesota, United States. Son of Matthew James and Lydia (Powers) Laird.
Laird, Warren Powers was born on August 8, 1861 in Winona, Minnesota, United States. Son of Matthew James and Lydia (Powers) Laird.
Education public and state normal schools, Winona, Minnesota, and at Cornell Univercity. Instructor at Cornell University, 1886, and at University of Pennsylvania, 1891. 6 years practice and study with architects, in Minnesota, Boston, and New York, and 1 year travel and study in Europe (1882-1890).
Doctor of Science, University of Pennsylvania, 1911, Doctor of Laws, 1932.
He was Dean of the School of Fine Arts of the University of Pennsylvania from 1920 to his retirement in 1932. From 1885 to 1887, Laird took an architecture course at Cornell University. Near the end of his Cornell coursework, he was named an instructor of architecture.
In January 1891, he was named a Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1911, Laird was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by Pennsylvania. He was elevated to Dean of the School of Fine Arts there in 1920.
He retired in 1932 and was named professor emeritus. Laird frequently consulted for state and municipal governments.
He was on the national advisory council of Lingnan University in Canton, China, and was a trustee there for seventeen years.
He served on the architectural jury of the art competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Laird married Clara Elizabeth Tuller on November 15, 1893. They had two children: Mary Hall and Helen Powers, the latter not surviving to adulthood.
Laird served a term as president of the Fine Arts League of Philadelphia and served the American Institute of Architects on its Committee of Education.
He died at his home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on February 18, 1948.
Member national advisory council Lingnan University, Canton, China. Member Pennsylvania State Art Commission, 1928-1936, 1938-1941. Member Council of Cathedral of Washington, 1931-1941.
Member Philadelphia Zoning Commission, 1929.
Fellow American Institute of Architects. Member American Civic Association Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi (president Pennsylvania Chapter, 1916-1917), Tau Sigma Delta.
Member Society Architects of Uruguay, Central Society Architects of Argentina, Association of Architects of Chile, National Society of Architects (Cuba). Member permanent committee International Congress of Architects, 1925-1935.
Member of the board overseers P.E. Division School Philadelphia from organization to 1942.
Member Church Building Commission Diocese of Pennsylvania, Committee on Church Architecture of General Council Lutheran Church of North.A., 1913-1941. Member vestry Memorial Church of Saint Paul, Overbrook, 1898-1933 (rector’s warden 1914-1925). Former; member Order of Founders, Patriots of America, South.R.
Member Art Alliance, Architectural Alumni Society of University of Pennsylvania.
Clubs: University (honorary), T-Square, Lenape.
Married Clara Elizabeth, daughter Children: Mary Hall (Mistress John Dashiell Myers), Helen Powers (deceased).