Marion L. Brittain

Marion Luther Brittain Sr. (November 11, 1866 – July 13, 1953 ) was an American academic administrator and longest serving president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1922 to 1944. Brittain was born in Georgia and, aside from a brief stint at the University of Chicago for graduate school, spent most of his life serving the educational community there. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory College in 1886, Brittain worked his way up the ranks from principal of an Atlanta high school to superintendent of education for the entire state of Georgia.

In 1922, Brittain accepted the position of president of the Georgia Institute of Technology, then called the Georgia School of Technology, an office he would hold until his retirement in 1944. During his 22-year tenure at Georgia Tech, Brittain was credited with doubling student enrollment, establishing what is now the second-largest aerospace engineering faculty in the United States, and playing an influential role in securing Georgia Tech's position as a leading technical institute and research university. After his retirement, Brittain wrote The Story of Georgia Tech (1948), a history of the Institute published shortly before his death in 1953. Brittain's childhood was spent in a variety of towns and cities throughout the state of Georgia due to his father's career as a minister. He attended Emory College for his undergraduate studies, graduating in 1886 with the commendation that he was the "best student in his department the college had had in ten years."

On December 5, 1899, Brittain and Lettie McDonald, daughter of Baptist minister Dr. Henry McDonald, were married. He returned to academic administration, first as superintendent of the Fulton County School System (1900–1910) and later, at the appointment of Joseph Mackey Brown, In this role, Brittain became well known for fighting corruption and generally improving the education system. Throughout this time, Brittain earned LL.D. degrees from Mercer University (1919), and, later, the University of Georgia (1927) and Emory University (1928). He was also president of the Georgia Education Association in 1906, of the Southern Education Association in 1913, and of the Council of State School Superintendents of the United States in 1917. During his tenure, Brittain was able to convince the state of Georgia to increase funding for the institute. He had noted in the 1923 annual report that "there are more students in Georgia Tech than in any other two colleges in Georgia, and we have the smallest appropriation of them all."

Other accomplishments during Brittain's administration included a doubling of Georgia Tech's enrollment,

Brittain was known by reputation as a kind, gentle man and was well-liked by students and faculty. He was especially remembered for his dedication to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team, attending nearly every game including those taking place out of state. Outside of Georgia Tech, Brittain taught Sunday school classes and maintained active membership in a number of service organizations. He died in 1953, survived by three children: McDonald, Marion Luther Jr., and Ida; three grandsons, and a great-granddaughter. Flags at the university were flown at half-staff for a month in remembrance of Brittain, and classes were cancelled for the rest of the school week. At Emory University, the Marion Luther Brittain Award is presented annually at commencement to a graduate "who has demonstrated exemplary service to both the university and the greater community without expectation of recognition" and is considered the university's highest student honor.

A pair of buildings bears the name of Brittain as well. The Dr. Marion Luther Brittain Sr. House, built in the Neoclassical Revival style and located at 1109 West Peachtree Street in Atlanta, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 23, 1993. The building served as Brittain's home from its construction in 1911 until Brittain and his family moved to the Georgia Tech president's house in 1922. It was later converted into office space and is privately owned. By 2018, the house had been demolished to make way for 1105 West Peachtree. The Marion L. Brittain Dining Hall, erected in 1928, is one of two dining facilities for students living in residence halls on the east side of Georgia Tech's campus.