In Memory of Dr. John B. Taylor

Dr. John B. Taylor, Louis L. Goldstein Professor of Political Science Emeritus who taught at Washington College for 37 years, passed away on January 29 at 82 years of age.

Professor Taylor was an alumnus of Dickinson College and Princeton University, earning his Ph.D. from Princeton in 1972. That same year, he joined the Washington College faculty in the Political Science Department. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1981, and full Professor in 1988. He served as Acting Dean of the College in 1991-1992, and in 2011, emerged from his retirement of 2 years to serve another year as Interim Provost and Dean of the College at the request of President Mitchell Reiss.

During his tenure at the college, Dr. Taylor served as chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Faculty Governance, which established regular faculty meetings run by faculty, as well as the Faculty Council.  He was the Chair of the Political Science department for more than ten years, served on many committees, and was the advisor for Washington College’s pre-law program.  He received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1989, and the Omicron Delta Kappa Gold Pentagon Award in 2009.

Dr. Taylor’s main research interest was American constitutional law, and he published a book, The Right to Counsel and Privilege Against Self-Incrimination, in 2004.

Upon his retirement in 2009, Professor Taylor told the Pegasus, “What they say is true. When it’s time to retire, you know. I’ve done all the things I’ve wanted to do. It’s time to move on to another phase in my life.”  He looked forward to pursuing his love of digital photography, taking care of home projects, and reading all the books languishing unread on his shelves.