Jarabak, Gibbons Inducted into Hall of Honor
Drs. Lysle Johnson, Gerald Charbeneau, and William Brown reminisce prior to Hall of Honor induction ceremonies in the Sindecuse Atrium.
Drs. Joseph Jarabak and Paul Gibbons were inducted into the School of Dentistry's Hall of Honor, bringing to 36 the number of men and women who have been inducted into the Hall of Honor since it was established in 2003. The Hall of Honor posthumously honors some of the legends of the dental and dental hygiene professions who have been associated with the U-M School of Dentistry.
Joseph R. Jarabak
Describing Jarabak "as one of the true giants in orthodontics," Dr. Lysle Johnston said Jarabak was "a tough guy who grew up near Chicago (Valparaiso, Indiana). Although he was considered by some to be a 'forceful' person by today's standards," Johnston added, "he had a soft spot in his heart for Michigan."
He recalled in 1968, when the dental school building that was constructed in 1919 was being razed, Jarabak asked for permission to take the numbered seat where he sat when he was a dental student.
Evidence of Jarabak's generosity, Johnston continued, included gifts to the School of Dentistry that established the Jarabak Library, the annual Jarabak Lecture, and the Jarabak Award for research.
Paul Gibbons
Drs. Gerald Charbeneau and William Brown recalled their friendship with Gibbons.
"Paul was a classmate of mine and had a personality that attracted people," Charbeneau said. "He was also the best man when my wife and I were married."
Brown said he knew Gibbons as a student, a teacher, and a friend.
"He was a remarkable person, cheery, who was very good to his students and motivated them well," Brown said. "Paul never talked down to a student, and I learned a lot from him about how to be a teacher. ...I haven't seen a teacher with the skills he had. He deserves to be in the Hall of Honor."
Six months before his death in November 1964, at the age of 44, Gibbons was presented with the Senior Class Faculty Award. The following year, the award was renamed in his honor.
Although the name of the award changed, its focus remains - annual recognition by graduating dental students of a faculty member who, in their opinion, contributed the most to their learning.
