Dr. Laubach was born in Pennsylvania in 1884. He received his bachelor's degree from Princeton, and later enrolled in Columbia University to earn his master's and doctorate degrees in sociology. As he attended Columbia, Laubach attended the Union Theological Seminary. He was ordained a Congregationalist minister in 1914. Laubach and his wife Effa left for the Philippines in 1915. There they were assigned general mission work. Laubach traveled extensively as a missionary. By 1935, he had introduced basic literacy primers to missions in several countries such as Singapore, India, Palestine, Turkey, and Malaysia. The primers combined a written alphabet with pictures, a mnemonic primer that he is remembered for.

Dr. Laubach's programs were designed so that an accomplished student later counseled a peer. His "each one teach one" philosophy later became the motto of his corporation, Laubach Literacy, Inc. Laubach Literacy of Oregon, eventually Oregon Literacy, Inc., was instituted upon Laubach's methods. In 1967, New Readers Press was founded by Laubach Literacy. It published instructional materials for the growing U.S. literacy efforts. In 2001 Laubach Literacy International merged with Literacy Volunteer of America, Inc. forming ProLiteracy Worldwide.