Samuel Ralph Laycock was born 7 March 1891 in Marmora, Ontario. He enrolled at the University of Toronto where he received a BA. Laycock moved to Edmonton and taught math and Latin for five years while earning a MA from the University of Alberta. He enlisted in the Canadian Signals Corps during World War I, and serviced in France. After demobilization he joined the staff of the U of A and earned a MEd. 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 the College from 1947 to 1954. Upon retirement he was named Dean Emeritus. Laycock continued to teach summer session courses at a number of Canadian and American universities and in 1958 accepted an University of British Columbia appointment as special lecturer. He authored fourteen books and published over seven hundred 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 Dr. Laycock were a LL.D. from the U of S in 1961 and the Medal of Service of the Order of Canada in 1970. He died in Vancouver on 5 September 1971.