Benson was born to an episcopal priest in New York in 1908. He graduated from
Pomona College in 1928, received his M.A. from the
University of Illinois the following year and his Ph.D. in government from
Harvard University in 1931. He worked as an instructor in government at Harvard until 1934. He then served as research director at the
Council of State Governments in Chicago, a lecturer at the
University of Chicago, associate professor at the
University of Michigan and finally, full professor at
Northwestern University. He was a military government officer during
World War II and spent some time in occupied Italy and Austria. Benson became the founding president of Claremont Men's College (now Claremont McKenna College) in 1946. He resigned to take up the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in 1969. == Personal life ==