Gaston’s First President: Robert Benson
When Gaston College began in 1964, it wanted a dynamic president to raise the school’s profile and build a foundation for the future. The school found its man in Crayton Robert “Bob” Benson, Jr.
Not only was Benson a former college football star, he was also a part of the U.S. Military’s D-Day invasion during World War II and came to Gaston College with an impressive resume of educational achievements.
A former Burlington and Graham Schools teacher, coach and principal in Winston-Salem, Benson was a dean at Elon College before becoming the first president of another community college – College of The Albemarle in Elizabeth City. Gaston College chairman Ray Craig was eager to get Benson under contract, hiring him on April 1, 1963, three months before his contract would end at College of The Albemarle.
N.C. Governor Terry Sanford, who was the featured speaker at the school’s Dec. 6, 1964, dedication day, even joked about Benson’s historical role at the two schools. “I’m glad to be here for the inauguration of Dr. Robert Benson as president of Gaston College because I’m an expert on the inauguration of Dr. Robert Benson,” Sanford told the crowd on Dec. 6, 1964. “This is the second time I’ve participated in an inauguration of Robert Benson. I hope this time he will stay inaugurated better.”
Benson first gained fame as a football star – at Salisbury High School and later for Catawba College in his hometown. In 1940, he led an unbeaten, untied Catawba team to a North State Conference title as a halfback who was the league’s leading scorer with 60 points.
After college, Benson was a part of the U.S. Naval landing craft that took invasion troops to the shores of Normandy, France, in 1944. The success of the Operation Overlord mission is considered the turning point for the victory of the U.S. and the Allied forces in World War II.
Upon returning home, he married Graham’s Helen Quackenbush, received his master’s and Ph.D. in Education from the University of North Carolina in 1947 and 1955, respectively, while building his educational credentials as a teacher, coach and administrator.
Benson guided Gaston College until February 11, 1967, when he left to join the faculty at the University of Chattanooga. Benson eventually returned to the area as the first headmaster of Westminster Catawba Christian School in Rock Hill, S.C., in 1983. He died at 98 years old in 2018 while living in Rock Hill.