Dr. James Ralph Thaxton was the fourth president of Georgia State Womans College. He served as the Acting President from 1948-49, and replaced Dr. Reade as president in 1949. He served for a total of 18 years (1949-66). Dr. Thaxton was born on March 23, 1901 in Griffin, Georgia.  He received an A.B. from the University of Georgia in 1921, an A.M. from the University of Georgia in 1924, a diploma from the University of Grenoble, France in 1922, and he received his PhD from the University of Indiana in 1937. Dr. Thaxton married Helen Clarkson in December 1922, and the couple had two sons.  Dr. Thaxton’s career in public education lasted for 45 years.  Beginning as a teacher at Griffin High School (Georgia) in 1921, he moved on to teach at the University of Georgia working his way from instructor to full professor (1922-39),  he was also the Director of Admissions at the University of Georgia (1943-48) before coming to GSWC in 1949.