Joseph McLain
{{short description|American chemist and college president}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Joseph McLain
| image = Joseph McLain Washington College.JPG
| image_upright = 0.5
| alt = White male with dark hair in a tan suit
| caption = Joseph McLain in 1951
| alma_mater = Johns Hopkins University
| discipline = Chemistry
| sub_discipline = Pyrotechnics
| workplaces = Washington College
| module = {{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
|office = President of Washington College
|term_start = 1973
|term_end = 1981
|predecessor = Charles J. Merdinger
|successor = Garry E. Clarke
| birth_date = July 11, 1916
| birth_place = Weirton, West Virginia, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|7|26|1916|7|11}}
| death_place = Baltimore, Maryland, US
| spouse = Margret Anne Hollingsworth McLain
| children = 2
}}
}}
Joseph Howard McLain (July 11, 1916 – July 26, 1981) was an American chemist. He was a professor at Washington College and became college president. He is best known for his expertise in solid state chemistry and pyrotechnics. He held 30 patents, including for smoke grenades, underwater torches, and flares.
Biography
Joseph McLain was born in Weirton, West Virginia on July 11, 1916, the son of Howard and Elizabeth McLain."West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853–1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HVK9-346Z : January 30, 2020), Joseph McLain, 1916. He spent his childhood in Baltimore, Maryland.{{cite news |title=Joseph McLain, a pyrotechnical inventor, environmentalist and university president |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/27/Joseph-McLain-a-pyrotechnical-inventor-environmentalist-and-university-president/5030365054400/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=UPI |date=July 27, 1981}} Like his older brother, McLain was educated at Washington College.{{cite news |last1=Dennison |first1=Sandy |title=Washington College president Joseph H. McLain dies at 65 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7107064/washington-college-president-joseph-h/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=The News Journal |date=July 27, 1981 |location=Wilmington, Delaware}} While in college, McLain was a member of Theta Chi, president of the class of 1937, and played basketball, football, lacrosse, and track.{{cite journal |title=Heads Maryland Commission |journal=The Rattle of Theta Chi |date=1947 |volume=38 |issue=4 |page=20}}{{cite news |title=Dr. Joseph McLain |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34054824/the-star-democrat/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=The Star-Democrat |date=July 28, 1981 |location=Easton, Maryland}} He did his doctoral work at Johns Hopkins University in chemistry. During World War II, McLain paused his education to serve as a major in the US Army Chemical Corps doing research on smoke screens and pyrotechnics.
Joseph McLain received his doctorate in 1946 and joined the faculty of Washington College the same year. While he was a professor, McLain was a partner in the Kent Manufacturing Company, which made fireworks, until there was an explosion at the plant in 1954.{{cite news |last1=Heck |first1=Peter |title=Archives The Legacy of Fireworks at Washington College |url=https://chestertownspy.org/2018/01/08/the-legacy-of-fireworks-at-washington-college/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=Chestertown Spy |date=January 8, 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612205402/https://chestertownspy.org/2018/01/08/the-legacy-of-fireworks-at-washington-college/ |url-status=live }} During the explosion, McLain rescued two women from the plant. After the disaster, McLain and his partners dissolved the company and McLain and worked on safety standards for fireworks with fellow Washington College alumnus and professor John Conkling.{{cite news |last1=Kobell |first1=Rona |title=Bursting with fireworks wisdom |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-07-03-0407030176-story.html |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=Baltimore Sun |date=July 3, 2004}} The pair wrote recommendations for the safe storage for fireworks that became part of the first US standards. In addition to his pyrotechnic research, McLain was active in environmental work, serving as a trustee of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and sitting on Maryland Water Pollution Control Commission. In 1973, McLain became the president of Washington College. He is the only alumnus of the school to ever serve as president.{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=William L.|editor1-last=Landskroener |editor1-first=Marcia C.|title=Washington: The College at Chester|publisher=Literary House Press of Washington College |location=Chestertown|date=2000|url=https://archive.org/details/washingtoncolleg00harw/|accessdate=February 15, 2020|page=153}}{{cite news |last1=Rasmussen |first1=Fredrick N. |title=Ann H. McLain, 'first lady of Washington College' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-ann-mclain-20141208-story.html |access-date=January 5, 2021 |work=Baltimore Sun |date=December 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109091324/https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-ann-mclain-20141208-story.html |url-status=live }} McLain took a leave of absence from the college in 1981 and died in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Hospital the same year.
Personal life
Publications
- {{cite book |last1=McLain |first1=Joseph Howard |title=Pyrotechnics: From the Viewpoint of Solid State Chemistry |date=1980 |publisher=Franklin Institute Press |location=Philadelphia|isbn=9780891680321}}
References
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Category:People from Weirton, West Virginia
Category:Military personnel from West Virginia
Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni
Category:Presidents of Washington College
Category:Washington College alumni