Washington College Presidents' papers, Daniel Z. Gibson papers

Daniel Zachary Gibson (1908-1984) was born on January 26 in Middlesboro, Kentucky to Daniel Zachariah Gibson (1875-1940) and Mellie Rice Gibson (1879-1925). He received his bachelor’s degree in 1929 from Kentucky Wesleyan College. He then went on to earn his master’s in English from the University of Cincinnati and then his doctorate by 1939. He then took a position at the Citadel from 1940-1943, when he resigned his post to accept a commission in the United States Naval Reserve until the end of World War II. During this time, he was assigned to Franklin and Marshall College for their V-12 Navy College Training Program. He continued on there after the war as an English professor until 1946 when he was promoted to Dean of the college. In 1950 he accepted the position of President at Washington College. He served until 1970 due to his failing health. During his time as president, he grew enrollment, oversaw several building projects including the Fine Arts Center later named after him, and the ending of the football team. He was briefly dean of Salisbury University. Gibson married Helen Schaefer Gibson (1912-2005) in 1936 and they had four children: Linda Gibson Wood; Daniel Douglas Gibson; Laurent Gibson Swander; and Jillian Clark Gibson. He passed away on April 23, 1984, in Chestertown from Parkinson’s disease.