Thomas Bond Wood

Valparaiso Male and Female College President, 1867-1869

The talented Rev. Thomas Bond Wood led a fundraising campaign in 1867 that resulted in the construction of an important addition to the Main College Building. The new wing, which housed female students and boasted an impressive tower, also increased the College’s debt.

These financial concerns were compounded when the Indiana state legislature passed a law supporting public education. Pre-collegiate courses had been a significant source of revenue for Valparaiso Male and Female College, and with the growth of public secondary schools, the College’s pre-collegiate enrollment declined. Facing a severe lack of revenue, Wood left the College and went on to a notable career as a missionary and developer of school systems in South America.