Biography:

Educator, administrator, college president. Born– September 1, 1899, Hartford. Parents– John William and Vashti (Roney) Draughon. Married– Caroline Marshall, June 9, 1931. Children– Two. Education– Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B.S., 1921; M.S., 1929; studied at the University of Chicago, summers of 1923 and 1939. High school teacher in Choctaw County, 1922-1923; school principal in Sumter County, 1925-1927; Louisville, 1927-1928; Orrville, 1928-1931; taught history at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, 1931-1937; secretary to the API Board of Trustees, 1937-1944; director of instruction, 1944-1947; acting president, 1947-1948; president, 1948-1965. Presided over the expansion of enrollment and programs at Auburn. Directed state survey of rural tax delinquency, 1934; regional supervisor for the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 1936, Member of various professional boards and organizations, including the Southern Regional Educational Board of Control, 1957-1960; Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools;  American Academy of Political and Social Services; Alabama Historical Association. Awarded the LL.D. by Birmingham-Southern, 1948; University of Alabama, 1963; Auburn University, 1966. Awarded emeritus status on his retirement as president of Auburn, 1965. The Library at Auburn University, which opened in 1965, was named in his honor. Died August 13, 1968.

Source:

Marquis who’s who online

Publication(s):

Alabama Polytechnic Institute. New York; Newcomen Society of North America, 1954.

Legislative Trends Affecting Higher Education in the Southern States. Auburn, Ala.?; s.n., 1959.

Papers;

The papers of Ralph Brown Draughon are held by the Special Collections Department of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn.