Collection on Carleton B. Gibson

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) can trace its origins to the founding of the Rochester Athenaeum in 1829. After joining with several different Rochester institutions during the 19th century, the Athenaeum finally merged with the Mechanics Institute (founded in 1885) in 1891 to form the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (RAMI).

Until 1910, the Institute never had a president of its faculty. For the previous twenty-five years, the Board of Directors handled all executive concerns. At this time the Institute was expanding rapidly, and Board Members had private affairs to tend to, leaving less time for Institute matters. This combination of factors made a separate executive head necessary. The Board named Carleton Gibson the first president of the Institute in June, 1910.

Gibson was a nationally known educator. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he began his professional career teaching Latin and Greek. Subsequently, he spent fifteen years as superintendent of schools in Columbus, Georgia where he developed industrial schools for primary and secondary grades.

Gibson is best remembered for introducing the Co-op program at the Institute in 1912, whereby students would spend half their time gaining experience working in their trades and half their time in class. These internships are still a vital part of the student experience at RIT today.

World War I would impinge on Gibson’s position as President. In October 1914, President Hoover asked Gibson to become a member of the American Commission for War Relief in Belgium, and Gibson was granted a 3 month leave of absence. In Belgium, he was responsible for the care of 350,000 refugees. His duties expanded to Poland, and his leave of absence was extended into 1915. Because of his effectiveness, he was offered the opportunity to command all relief efforts of the Rockefeller Foundation, the largest supporter of the Commission. Gibson accepted the post and resigned from the Mechanics Institute in July 1916.

After the War, Gibson served as superintendent of schools in Savannah, Georgia until 1926. He died the following year.