PROFESSOR FRANCIS M. WOOD

The subject of this sketch, Francis M.
Wood, was born in Barren County, Ken-
tucky, and received his early educational
training in the common schools of that
State. During the first few years of his
life, he lived on a farm with his parents,
where he attended the rural schools of
that section. He was educated in the
common schools of Kentucky, afterwards
attending other institutions as the State
Normal School, Frankfort, Kentucky;
Terre Haute College, Terre Haute, In-
diana; Eckstein College, Kentucky, and
the School of Education at Hampton In-
stitute, Hampton, Virginia. His experi-
ence includes three years in the rural
schools; three years in the city graded
schools and twelve years principal of the
Western High School in Paris, Kentucky,
and one year as supervisor of all the
schools (colored) of Kentucky and one year
as president of the Kentucky Normal and
Industrial, Frankfort, Kentucky.

It is but fitting to say that Mr. Wood has held every important position in
Kentucky open to men of his race. For many years he was connected in an
official way with the State Department of Education, Frankfort, Kentucky, as
Rosenwald agent, and as supervisor of schools. Dr. George Colvin, State Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction, has this to say of him: "If harmonious relations
are to be worked out between the two races without exploiting the colored race,
Wood is the type of leadership that must be secured. 1 believe in him absolutely,
and respect him both for his character and his capacity. " Dr. F. C. Button,
President of the State Norman School at Moorehead, Kentucky, says of him: "He
i. s a man of fine spirits, and he is respected by both races. He is teachable, but
not servile. "

"This last signal honor that has come to Mr. Wood is more significant be-
cause it has come to him without any effort on his own part. This honor will
be hailed with joy by his legion of friends in Kentucky, black and white, who
have always backed him in any work he has undertaken. "

Dr. James Bond, of Louisville, Director of the Inter-Racial Commission of
Kentucky, has this to say of Mr. Wood, "No man in Kentucky of the Negro
race has been more highly honored than has Mr. Wood. He was president of the
Kentucky Negro Educational Association for ten years, where he built up a very
fine organization that now has a membership of over 1, 200 teachers. For this
splendid service the teachers of Kentucky gave him a trip West, where he was
enabled to observe many of the best schools open to his people. As director
of the Rosenwald Fund of Kentucky, Mr. Wood made an enviable record by the
splendid school building program which he promulgated for the Kentucky schools.
He is one of the men of our race who has been able to secure the confidence and
co-operation of both black and white people without exploiting his own race
and without sacrificing his manhood. "

"On July 9th last he was elected supervisor of all the colored schools of Bal-
timore City, Baltimore, Maryland.

"If Mr. Wood carries with him the same energy, enthusiasm and educational
spirit to Baltimore, that has characterized his work in Kentucky, and we have
every reason to believe that he will, success is sure to crown his efforts. He
leaves Kentucky of his own free will, giving up one of the best educational posi-
tions in the State and carrying with him the confidence and good will of the
people whom he has served so long and so well. "

"I have known Mr. Wood for some fifteen years or twenty years, the last
ten years intimately, and it gives me great satisfaction to say that he is a man
of outstanding character and attainments. He is easily the outstanding educator
among the colored people of Kentucky, where as principal of some of our leading
high schools, President of the Kentucky Negro Educational Association and lately
President of our State Normal and Teachers College at Frankfort, he has done
a remarkable piece of constructive educational work for our State. "