University of Nebraska Kearney - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Kearney, NE)

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President Thomas Shortly after one o’clock Tuesday afternoon, May 23, 1905, Superintendent A. O, Thomas received a telegram from Secretary McBrien, of the State Board of Education, informing him that he had been elected principal of the Kearney Normal School. This was the desired and anticipated report of all those who were interested in the future welfare of the new institution and who knew Mr. Thomas. Because President Thomas had already demonstrated his ability to administer the executive affairs of such an institution, as superintendent of city schools, and now the strength and stability and future greatness of this new institution were well insured. President A. O. Thomas was horn in 1853 on a farm in Mercer county, Illinois, removing with his parents to a prairie farm in Western Iowa when he was ten years of age. As a boy bis opportunity and means to secure an education were very limited. With a hard struggle he made his way through the public schools. Later he was enabled to attend Amity College, at College Springs, Iowa. Later he attended the Western Normal, which was established at Shenandoah, Iowa. Here he completed both the commercial and scientific courses. He afterwards returned to Amity, finish- ing the course in philosophy there. Here he took a post graduate course of three years, the major subject in the course being sociology and the two minor subjects being psychology and history of education. He took examination for the degree of doctor of philosophy under Dr Littlejohn of Edinburg, Scotland. Graduating in 1891 President Thomas came in the fall of that year to Cambridge, Nebraska. For two years he was principal of the schools at Cambridge, three years superintendent of the city schools at St. Paul, and five years superintendent of the city schools of Minden. He was elected superintendent of the city schools of Kearney in 1901 and was holding that position at the time of his election to the presidency of the Normal, President Thomas’ success as an educator and executive lies not in the education he has acquired, nor of the achievements of head and hand alone, but in the love to serve those about him. It is the heart that lias made the man. He is never too busy to give his services to the sick and needy; for the homesick and discouraged student he never lacks words of cheer and comfort; words that will inspire new life and pro- duce renewed efforts are constantly on his lips for the disheartened and the downcast. His confidence in the goodness of humanity is unbounded. Patience is his chief virtue, and faith in all students is daily manifested. He is glad to join in with those who rejoice and ever ready and willing to sympathize with those who are less fortunate In his train there is a host of followers who can always depend on him for support and advice and never be disappointed, even in the least. Thus it is that he holds the unbroken confidence of every student in school. In this way he has builded up this new institution, in five years, so that it has attained an enviable position. Today the progress and the strength of the Normal school is firmly established through the ceaseless efforts and master workmanship of President A. O. Thomas.