WARD, Jesse L - superintendent
Jesse Lynn Ward was born in Wallace, Fountain County on the 5th of November in 1883, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Ann Newkirk who were native Fountain folks. The family later moved to Crawfordsville where both his parents died in the late 1940s but are buried in Phanuel Lutheran. Jesse passed 12 March 1975 at the nice age of 91. He is buried in Toledo Memorial Park in Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio. Quite a wonderful education was derived by Jesse Ward, In fact, likely while attending Indiana University (where he received his bachelor’s and a doctorate at Ohio State) he married Edith Carmichael (born in Muncie) on 1 March 1912 – they were together for 63 years.
That’s a good reason to be in Who’s Who although for sure he did much more. His father operated a country store at Alamo for many years and one in Crawfordsville for ten before retiring at age 75. Jesse had one brother, John was superintendent of the Crawfordsville schools and Jesse very involved education, as well. He superintended the Bucyrus, Ohio schools and then went to Toledo University in 1927 where he remained until his retirement. Several Who’s Who’s were added to his repertoire as the years went by (Who’s Who in Education; Who’s Who in the Midwest) and from what I’ve read, well deserved. Beginning as an assistant professor at U of T, he spent his last couple of decades as the head of secondary education as well as supervising student teachers. When Toledo built the Snyder Building he with five other education professors were honored at a dedication and their pictures hung as a reminder of the skills of learning. It wasn’t all about that for Jesse Ward, however as he enjoyed creating (several gadgets, one a Pinch-Free Penholder) and writing (many letters to the Toledo Blade regarding politics, environmental concerns plus many other topics). He and his beloved wife were parents of Mary Ann, Lucy, Charlotte and George.