Gahagan, G. William (George William), 1912-

Information and public relations officer, San Francisco office, United States Office of War Information, 1942-1945.

From the description of G. William Gahagan papers, 1941-1998. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754870160

G. William Gahagan was born on June 22, 1912 in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Indianapolis and New York and attended Dartmouth College. In the 1930's, Gahagan worked as a reporter for the "Times-Herald" in Middletown N.Y. In San Francisco before the World War II, he was an account executive with McGann-Erickson Advertising and also served as an editor with the McGraw Hill Publishing Company. During the war, he was public relations officer for the Office of the War Information's Overseas Branch in San Francisco, where during the 1945 UN Conference, he served as a foreign press liaison officer. He resigned from the State Department in Washington in 1947 to return to Darmouth College and complete his AB degree, receiving his MA from Stanford University, with prior graduate work at Harvard.

From the description of The G. William Gahagan Collection, [ca. 1935-1953] (bulk dates 1942-1945) (University of California, Santa Barbara). WorldCat record id: 218588648

Biography

G. William Gahagan was born on June 22, 1912 in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Indianapolis and New York and attended Dartmouth College. In the 1930s, Gahagan worked as a reporter for the Times-Herald in Middletown, N.Y. In San Francisco before the World War II he was an account executive with McGann-Erickson Advertising and also served as an editor with the McGraw Hill Publishing Company.

During the war, he was public relations officer for the Office of the War Information's Overseas Branch in San Francisco, where during the 1945 UN Conference, he served as a foreign press liaison officer. He resigned from the State Department in Washington in 1947 to return to Dartmouth College and complete his AB degree, receiving his MA from Stanford University, with prior graduate work at Harvard.

Gahagan entered the teaching profession in 1949 as an instructor at Dartmouth College in its Great Issues course for seniors. In 1950, he moved to Denver where he was associated with the Garland Country Day School. Returning to his adopted state of California, he taught in public, private and parochial schools on the Monterey Peninsula from 1953-1957. While there, he served on the boards of the Carmel Library, Carmel Planning Commission, Monterey Peninsula Community Chest and World Affairs Council. He was the author of a popular "Guide to the Monterey Peninsula," and for a year wrote a column on world affairs called "World Wise - a Newsview for Young America." It was published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald and a TV show was produced by Gahagan based on his work. From 1958 to 1961, Gahagan worked in Rome at the U.S. Embassy in a variety of positions, most connected with education.

In 1961, Gahagan received an appointment as supervisor of special services at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His work in this position was in the general area of community relations including the growing activities of the UCSB Affiliates. He was also involved in other aspects of the development program, working with Dr. Robert Kelley, assistant to the chancellor for development. He served in this position for two years, resigning in March of 1963. Gahagan then perused father graduate work at Stanford with an emphasis on overseas education and the integration of foreign students into secondary schools. Gahagan served for many years as the President and Executive Secretary of the California Friends of Robert Frost and was active in promoting Frost and his works in various educational and civic settings throughout the state. Gahagan was married to Lorna Jane Plump in 1939 and together they had four children. In 1989 he and his wife returned to Carmel, California where he died in December of 1998.

From the guide to the G. William Gahagan Collection, ca. 1935-1953, 1942-1945, (University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Dept. of Special Collections)