Navarre H. Edwards. One of the youngest school superintendents in the state is Navarre H. Edwards, superintendent of schools at Norman. He began the duties of his present office in the fall of 1913, soon after graduating from the classical course of the State University. He had previously been connected with the ward school of the city, and has had an active experience as an educator for several years, his father before him having been a prominent school man.

His grandfather Edwards emigrated from Wales to Pennsylvania, and in that state became a farmer. Lincoln Edwards, father of the Norman superintendent, was born in Pennsylvania in 1861, was reared there, and when a young man moved out to Russell, Kansas, where he married Miss Maud Hutchinson, who was born in 1859 in Illinois. While living at Russell, Kansas, Navarre H. Edwards was born as their second child September 1, 1891. The oldest child, Ethel Winona, wife of F. J. Robins, a teacher in the high school at Cherokee, Kansas. Lincoln Edwards, ever since his marriage, has been engaged in school work. He received the degree Bachelor of Pedagogy from the Missouri State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, the A. B. degree from Milliken and Gale College in Texas, and the Master of Arts degree from Denver University at Denver, Colorado. He has filled positions in schools in various states and localities. From Kansas he went to Illinois, and in 1912 came to Oklahoma, spending the following year at Lenapah, the year 1913 at Kiowa, and in 1914 went to Breckenridge, Colorado, and in 1915 to Yuma in that state, where he is now superintendent of schools. He is a democrat and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Navarre H. Edwards acquired his early education in the public schools of Russell, Kansas, graduating from high school in the class of 1906. For three years he was a student in the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan, and in 1910 was awarded the degree Bachelor of Pedagogy by the Springfield Normal School in Missouri. In August, 1911, he became athletic instructor in the high school at Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, then for one year was superintendent of the schools at Noble, and for three years was superintendent of the Lexington schools. In 1914 he became principal of the high school at Norman, but six months later was elected superintendent of city schools. In the meantime he had carried on his studies and was awarded the degree A. B. by the Oklahoma State University. While attending school and college and also as a school administrator he has been prominent in athletics and has played on both football and baseball teams.

He is a democrat, a member of the Christian Church, has served as junior deacon in Norman Lodge No. 38, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons; is senior warden in Norman Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons; is a member of Norman Commandery No. 38, Knights Templar, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Order of the Eastern Star at Lexington, Oklahoma. He also belongs to the County and State Teachers’ Association, and is an educator of broad ideals and one of the most competent young men now engaged in the work in this new state.

In 1910, at Bloomfield, Missouri, Mr. Edwards married Miss Harriet Alexander, daughter of W. E. Alexander, who is land purchasing agent for the Himmelberger-Harrison Lumber Company at Bloomfield.