Pacific University President Walter C. Giersbach Records

Walter C. Giersbach was president of Pacific University from 1941-1953. He was the ninth president of the University and also the second youngest to hold the office. Giersbach presided over the entire Second World War period at Pacific, which saw an exodus of young men to the armed forces in the early 1940s, and their return under the G.I. Bill at the close of the war. Under his tenure, enrollment soared from 171 full-time students in 1945 to 932 full-time students in 1948 -- a 545% increase in three years. To accomodate the increase, President Giersbach oversaw the transport of two military barracks from Camp Adair near Corvallis, Oregon, to the Pacific campus. Refaced in brick, the buildings became Tabitha Brown Hall and Warner Hall, which housed the student union and science classes, respectively.

Another notable achievement of Walter Giersbach's presidency was the merger of North Pacific College of Optometry with Pacific University in 1945. This led to Pacific creating the first doctor of optometry (O.D.) program to be accredited by the National Association for Accreditation of Colleges.

Marion Giersbach, Walter's wife, was deeply interested in the history of Pacific University. She oversaw the conversion of Old College Hall, which was built in 1851, from a science building to a museum. She became its first curator in 1949 and wrote a draft for a book about the history of Pacific University entitled "Horse Canoes," which was never published. She also hosted many social functions on campus.

Like several earlier presidents of Pacific, Walter Giersbach spent much of his time travelling across the country in order to raise funds for the university. His absences may have weakened his relationship with the faculty. In 1953 they sent a resolution to the Board of Trustees calling for his resignation, and he was terminated from his position soon afterward. This came as a shock to Giersbach, who believed he had served successfully. After leaving Pacific, he became an Oregon state senator and the national secretary of the United Church of Christ. He died in 1981. Marion Giersbach died in 1991.

Most of the biographical information above has been adapted from Splendid Audacity: The Story of Pacific University (Gary Miranda and Rick Read, 2000).