Dero Downing

Biography

Dero Downing was born September 10, 1921 at Fountain Run in Monroe County, Kentucky, and grew up at Horse Cave in Hart County, Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree at Western Kentucky State Teachers College. He began his career at Western as a basketball player for coach Ed Diddle. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he returned to Western as a mathematics teacher and coach at the College's Training School. He later became director of the Training School, college registrar, dean of admissions, dean of business affairs, and vice-president for administrative and business affairs. He was named to succeed Kelly Thompson as president in 1969. Downing resigned in 1979 and succeeded Thompson as president of the College Heights Foundation.

Collection

Included are correspondence, materials relating to faculty and buildings, academic departments, presidential scrapbooks (14 vols.) and a videotape of Downing's resignation speech (1978), filmed by the commercial television station in Bowling Green, WBKO-TV.

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Volume

70 cubic feet