WALDRIP-William D. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

William D. WALDRIP. During the past two decades William D. Waldrip has followed many important responsiblities in the educational world. His career as a school man has been identified with a number of communities in Indiana and Illinois. and in 1916 he was called to LaSalle County as principal of the Streator Twp HS. He was born in Fountain County, Indiana Feb 16, 1880, son of Isaac and Alice Osborne Waldrip. His parents were both natives of Fountain County. The Waldrips were of the old Hicksite Quaker stock, lived in NC for some years and from there came North, first to Butler County, Ohio and from there to Fountain County, Indiana where they were prominent in the building of a church of their faith about 1822. The old homestead farm where William D. Waldrip was born and where his father was also born, has never changed hands or title outside of the family since the government patent was awarded for it. Isaac Waldrip born 1842 died 1921. His wife was born in Fountain County 1847 and died 1917. Isaac spent 78 years at the old homestead farm. He was a graduate of the old Battle Ground Academy and was of high standing in the community though he would never accept public office, having once declined the honor of becoming a member of the State Senate. He was for 70 years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was for 53 years affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Isaac Waldrip and wife had 3 sons and 2 daughters and all of them are still living and all are teachers. Two are school superintendents one a Sunday School superintendent, one a high school principal and other a teacher of domestic science. William D. Waldrip was liberally educated in local schools,, is a graduate of the University in Indiana and in 1907 graduated from Indiana State Normal. He began his work in 1902 as principal of the high school at Flora, Indiana, was superintendent of the schools at Burlington, indiana from 1903-1905 was superintendent at Canden, Indiana from 1905-1907 and then became a teacher in the HS at Richmond, Indiana where he remained from 1907-199. During 1911-12 he was assistant professor of history at indiana State Normal and 1912 came to Ill and was with Decatur HS until 1914 and during 1914-16 served two years as superintendent of schools at Tuscola. In the fall of 1916 Mr. Waldrip entered upon his duties as principal of the Streator Twp HS. This is one fo the oldest township high schools in the stateand has been a factor in the educational life of Streator of which every local citizen is proud. Mr. Waldrip in 1918 gave energetic leadership to the campaign for the construction of an adequate new school building for the high school and in 1923 the campaign's object was realized when construction was started on a new building cost $400,000. Mr. Waldrip is active in Masony, having become a member of the lodge at Burlington, IN in 1903. He is now a member of Streator Lodge, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons; Streator Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Streator Council, ROyal and Select Masters; Streator Commandery, Knights Templar and Mohammed Temple of the mystic Shrine. He also belongs to STreator Lodge of Elks, and Finley Lodge, Knights of Pythias. For the past two years he had been a director of the Chamber of Commerce, is a charter member and for two years was director of the Rotary Club has been a member of the Streator Club for 7 years, and is president of the Advisory Council fo Salvation Army and president of Board of Director's of the YMCA. he has been a director of the Streator Red Cross since it was organized and at the time of the World War he took upon himself many additional burdens and responsibilities, acting as chairman of the Home Service Company was a 4-minute speaker, had charge of the allied war drives, was in charge of the annual roll call of the Red Cross 3 years, took an active part as a member of the committeefor the sale of Liberty Bonds in all except the first issue and did much speaking in educational campaigns. Mr. Waldrip is a member of the Streator Golf Club and is an official member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. June 26, 1911, he married Miss Alice Harvey, a native of Richmond, Indiana and daguhter of WIlliam and Ellen Crocker Harvey. One of her ancestors settled on Cape Cod, MS in 1680. The Crockers were old settlers in NC and were members of the Hickie Quakers. Mr. and Mrs. Waldrip have two children, Martha Jane and William Isaac.