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ROBERT W. MCLAUGHLIN
1900—1989
Robeit William McLaughhn was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A., on 24 June 1900, but most of his childhood was spent in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a wellknown Congregational minister and author who, in his books, strove to demonstrate that Christ’s perfect character and perfect teaching had been “the two supreme events of history”, and had shaped world events ever since. Growing up in this atmosphere, young Bob and his three sisters were shielded against the agnosticism which was then becoming fashionable in the United States.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 1921, Bob found his p1ans for graduate studies in architecture interrupted by tuberculosis, which he overcame by spending two years at a sanatorium in Saranac Lake, New York. During this period of enforced rest, he read voraciously and corresponded widely, developing a love for literature and scholarship that was to distinguish him throughout his life. After regaining his health he returned to Princeton and received his Master of Fine Arts degree in architecture in 1926.
In 1931 he married Katherine Lockwood Thurber, known as Kakine, who was to be
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IN MEMORIAM 951
his life—long partner in all things—especially in service to the Bahá’í Faith.
During the 1930s and 19403, Bob practiced architecture with increasing success and prominence. His more traditional designs ranged from family residences to large corporate and public buildings. At the same time, he developed new pre-fabrication techniques for low—cost housing, and was awarded more than 20 patents in that field. He was also known for studies of construction techniques, climate control, and what would today be called the “ergonomics” of buildings. He was a complete architect, possessing a broad knowledge of architectural history but willing and able to use the newest techniques and materials. He was not beholden to the architectural fashions of his day.
During 1944, Bob and Kakine became dissatisfied with what they saw as un—Christian attitudes prevalent in their Christian community of Bedford Village, New York, a community which rejected a proposal by the United Nations to establish its world headquarters in that part of New York State. The McLaughlins began to search for a religion whose adherents would embrace the entire world, and were soon introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by Peter and Rene Welsh of nearby Greenwich, Connecticut.
Bob became a Bahá’í in October 1944, and Kakine followed suit a few weeks later. In the summer of 1945, the McLaughlins attended Green Acre Bahá’í School, beginning a relationship with Green Acre that would span four decades. During the 19508 they returned to Green Acre several times with their two children, Meredith and Robert.
In November 1945, Bob and Kakine were appointed by the National Spiritual Asseinbly to the Regional Teaching Committee for the State of New York. During the next seven years, they were both active in teaching activities throughout the State.
Starting in 1947, Bob McLaughlin served on a Technical Advisory Board for construc tion of the interior of the House of Worship in Wilmette. He published several articles about the architecture of this Mashriqu’l-Adhkár (T he Bahá’í World, volume XI), and often used it as a theme in public lectures about the Faith.
In 1948 the McLaughlins left Bedford Village where they had been isolated believers and moved to Greenwich, thereby helping to strengthen the Bahá’í community. Then, in 1952, Bob was invited by Princeton University to become Director of the School of Architecture. Knowing this demanding position would reduce his time available for teaching the Faith, he sought advice from the beloved Guardian, who replied by cable:
ADVISE ACCEPT PRINCETON POST LOVING PRAYERS—SHOGHI.
Bob served as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States for almost four years, from late 1953 until mid1957, when he resigned because of other commitments. From 1957 until his retirement from Princeton in 1965, he divided his time between university duties and travelling with Kakine to teach the Bahá’í Faith, mostly in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. During his many trips to Mexico and Central America, he became knowledgeable in Mayan art and architecture. In 1965, he donated to Princeton University a photographic index of some 20,000 preColumbian artifacts that he had analyzed.
In 1965, the McLaughlins moved to York, Maine, where Bob had lovingly restored an Old farmhouse not far from Green Acre. Freed from the demands of university life, the McLaughlins used their farmhouse as a base for local, national and international Bahá’í activities and as a quiet haven for Bahá’í visitors from all over the world. In about 1970, the McLaughlins helped to form a Local Assembly in York.
In 1962, the International Bahá’í Council had requested Bob’s help in confronting a serious threat to the Bahá’í properties on Mount Carmel: plans by local Haifa authorities
952
Robert W. McLaughlin
to “improve” existing roads running through those properties and to add new ones. In 1964, the Universal House of Justice had amplified this request, calling for a master plan that would show the long-term development of the Sacred Properties, including new terraces, buildings, monuments and gardens that would one day adorn Mount Carmel.
Bob first submitted such a plan to the House of Justice in 1965. In subsequent meetings with local authorities in Haifa, his gentle manner and impressive knowledge of city planning helped to convince them that the long—term interests of Haifa would be better served by a verdant and beautiful Bahá’í World Centre, open to all, than by a series of little roads that would do little to alleviate the city’s growing traffic problems.
From 1964 through the mid-1970s, Bob continued to serve as architectural consultant to the Universal House of Justice for the development of Bahá’í properties on Mount Carmel, visiting Haifa many times to offer his suggestions as new challenges arose. In June 1972, in a cablegram announcing its
THE BAHA’I WORLD
decision to begin the selection of a design for the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the House generously noted:
...MOVED PAY TRIBUTE EXPRESS HEARTFELT
GRATITUDE OUTSTANDING SERVICES ROBERT
MCLAUGHLIN IN PREPARATION FOR THIS
HISTORIC UNDERTAKING.
Bob also served as architectural consultant to the Universal House of Justice for the building of the Panama Temple. In 1964, Bob had advised the Universal House of Justice about solicitation of design proposals for the House of Worship in Panama, then from 1966 to 1972 he worked closely with the architect, Peter Tillotson, and with the National Assembly of Panama, to ensure that the instructions of the House of Justice were followed and that the Temple was ready for its joyous dedication in Riḍván of 1972.
In 1977, Bob served as consultant to the Universal House of Justice in evaluating several designs submitted for the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Apia, Samoa. None of the designs submitted that year was judged adequate, but the process of evaluation helped to clarify architectural options, and thereby contributed indirectly to selection of the superior design that was later submitted and built.
After moving to Maine, both McLaughlins taught courses and gave lectures at Green Acre. Bob served on the Green Acre Council and helped the school on questions of construction, renovation and landscaping. In 1980 he received the Reimer Award from the Green Acre Council in recognition of dedicated services to that school over many years.
Throughout his years as a Bahá’í, Bob was fascinated by the richness and power of the language used in the Bahá’í Writings. As he studied copies of the Sacred Texts he annotated them in his fine architect’s hand, adding thousands of definitions, derivations and cross-references. In 1977 he informally circulated to some Bahá’í friends copies of Words about the Word, a compilation of
IN MEMORIAM
uplifting passages drawn from the Sacred Writings.
In subsequent years, he devoted himse1f to analysis of a single passage that appears three times in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, and of which Bob wrote: “This Tablet stands as a pinnacle from which salient points of past Revelation may be Viewed. About it are spread the fertile plains, towering peaks and flowing streams of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. Each word of these verses is a sign—post leading to riches in His Word.” The resulting study was published as T hese Perspz’cuous Verses (George Ronald, 1982).
During his later years, Bob became intrigued by similarities between some of President Woodrow Wilson’s “14 Points and subsequent addresses”, as enunciated in 1919—especia11y those describing a League of Nations~and the principles of the Faith. He began to investigate whether President Wflson or his close associates had any contact with Bahá’ís or access to Bahá’í literature. After considerable research, he found a possible connection through the President’s first wife, Ellen Wilson, an artist who before her death in 1914 had close contacts with at least one Bahá’í artist. Before his passing Bob prepared a short monograph on this subject, identifying additional leads that future researchers might follow.
Short1y after Bob McLaughlin’s passing on 30 November 1989, the Universal House of Justice cabled:
DEEPLY DEPLORE Loss STEADFAST, OUTSTANDING SERVANT BAHA’U’LLAH ROBERT W. MCLAUGHLIN. GENTLENESS, DILIGENCE CHARACTERIZED HIS UNSTINTING SERVICES CAUSE OF GOD OVER PERIOD MANY YEARS, DISTINGUISHED BY EXPERTISE WHICH AS ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTANT HE LENT TO MANY Bahá’í PROJECTS, INCLUDING TEMPLES WILMETTE, PANAMA CITY, APIA AND WHICH INVOLVED HIM PROMINENTLY IN CREATION PRELIMINARY PLANS TOWARDS REALIZATION CONCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT SACRED PROPERTIES MOUNT CARMEL. HIS MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY UNITED
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STATES AND ACTIVITIES CONNECTED WITH GREEN ACRE SCHOOL AND AS TRAVELING TEACHER GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED. ARDENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. OUR LOVING SYMPATHY SURROUNDS DEAR KATHERINE AND FAMILY FOR WHOSE CONSOLATION AND WELL—BEING PRAYERS ARE ALSO BEING OFFERED.
ROBERT T. MCLAUGHLIN
