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Wilson College of Textiles 
Textiles History

Thomas Guion

Born February 21, 1919, New Bern, NC – Died
Years of Service NC State University April 1, 1964- June 30, 1984
Associate Professor, Textile Chemistry 1964-1984

Professional Experience:
Davidson College, Davidson, NC, Bachelor of Science, Summa Cum Laude, Chemistry Valedictorian 1936-1940
Johns Hopkins University 1940-41
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1941-42
US Army, Captain, Research and development, Div., Chemical Warfare Service, 1942-1945
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Ph. D. 1945-1949
Clemson College, School of Textiles. Assistant Professor, 1949-1951; Associate Professor, 1951-52.
Chemstrand Co., Decatur, Alabama: Applications and Service Dept., Senior Research Chemist; Group Leader; Supervisor, Dyeing Research; 1952-1964. (1)

Figure 1 Thomas H. Guion, circa 1964. Courtesy NCSU Archives.

Thomas H. (Tom) Guion was born and educated in New Bern, NC.  He excelled in chemistry at Davidson (valedictorian); Johns Hopkins; and earned his Ph. D. at UNC- Chapel Hill.  During World War II, he worked for the US Army in the Chemical warfare Service.  After the war, he re-enrolled at UNC and completed his Ph. D.  After a short teaching career at Clemson, where he earned promotion to Associate Professor, he joined Chemstrand Co. to pursue research in dyeing applications for new synthetic fibers.  He was recruited to join the Textile Chemistry faculty at NC State in 1964.
Tom was recruited to come to State and direct graduate student dyeing research and teach.  He rather chose to work on novel methods of teaching.  Teachers rarely get promoted to full professor.  Tom remained Associate Professor for all 20 years.
Tom taught undergraduate dyeing technology classes and sought new ways to impart knowledge outside the traditional lecture system.  He received a grant to have professionally recorded lectures made available to students taking the laboratory dyeing and finishing course. (3) These students were a control group who would use laboratory manuals and instructions and listen to lectures recorded on tape recorders in study carrels.  Students could also conduct experiments independently at laboratory tables.    Students could come to the specially-equipped laboratory any afternoon or evening they chose.  At the end of the semester, the results of the control group were compared to traditional students.  Livengood said the resulting system led to a real logjam near the end of the semester as the procrastinating students tried to listen to the tapes instead of listening regularly during the semester. (6)

Academic Honors
Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities (1940), Alpha Chi Sigma

Professional Organizations
American Chemical Society, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, Society of Dyers and Colourists, Fiber Society

Family
Tom was married to Mary and had three children.

Publications and Patents – partial listing
US Patent 3,098,690 Chemstrand Corp, Filed 25 Oct 1954 issued 23 Jul 1963 Union dyeing of Acrylonitrile. Contributor
US Patent 2,952,506, Chemstrand Corporation Filed 24 Aug 1956; issued 13 Sep 1960. Contributor
“Equilibrium Absorption of Cationic Dyes on Experimental Acrylic Fibers,” Fiber Society Meeting, West Point, NY, 1961 with C.A. Bowers.
“Acrylic Polymer Composition and its Relationship to Basic Dye Receptivity,” Gordon Research Conference, 1963, with A.B. Craig and R.B. Thompson.
Hindle and Guion, American Dyestuff Reporter, 45, p972, (1956)
Hindle and Guion, Journal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists, 74, p151 (1958).
Burnthall and Guion, American Dyestuff Reporter, 52, p684, (1963).
“The Dyeing of Acrilan-Wool Blends,” Fifth Canadian Textile Seminar, Kingston, Ontario, June 6-7, 1956 with W.H. Hindle.
T.H. Guion, D. Balmforth, and C.A. Bowers, “Acrylic-polymer composition and its relation to Basic-Dye Substantivity,” Journal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists, 80, p577-583, (1964).

References:

  1. Thomas Hyman Guion, Resume, 1964 NCSU Archives.
  2. North Carolina State University News Release, “Eight prominent alumni and 14 faculty members were initiated, along with 219 honor students, into Phi Kappa Phi. May 6, 1970.  NCSU Archives
  3. North Carolina State University News Release, An experimental taped laboratory course in the technology of dyeing and finishing has been instituted…,” March 5, 1970. NCSU Archives.
  4. Short Bio and notice “Thomas Hyman Guion appointed as Associate Professor of Textile Chemistry,” effective April 1, 1964. This is a new position.  NCSU Archives
  5. North Carolina State University News Release, “A native Tar Heel research scientist has been named new Associate Professor of Textile Chemistry. NCSU Archives.
  6. Charles D. Livengood, personal communication, May, 2017.