John Adams Francis Taylor ’36 *40

John died Apr. 15, 1996, in Okemos, Mich. He was 80.

He entered Princeton at the age of 16, majored in philosophy, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. When he was 23 in 1940, Princeton awarded him a PhD in philosophy.

He began his academic career teaching aesthetics at Columbia. After serving during WWII as a lieutenant in the Office of Naval Operations in DC, he joined the faculty of what became Michigan State U., chairing the new department of literature and fine arts. He became an eloquent and distinguished professor and was honored with the first Distinguished Faculty Award for his teaching and research. He wrote three books: Design and Expression in the Visual Arts, The Masks of Society: An Inquiry Into the Covenants of Civilization, and The Public Commission of the University.

He was chair of the Taylor Commission on University Governance from 1966-68, was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1963, and was listed in the 1950 Who's Who in America.

John is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Frost Taylor, daughters Mary Taylor Wohl, Deborah Frost Taylor, son-in-law Bernard Wohl, and brother William.

The Class of 1936