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SAMUEL L. WADE


West Virginia is greatly indebted to the old State of Virginia in the matter of educational and religious leadership. One of the Virginia men now doing splendid work in the educational field is Prof. Samuel Leonidas Wade of the Bluefield Colored Institute. Prof. Wade is a native of Louisa County, Va., where he was born on October 1, 1871. His father, Nathaniel Wade, a farmer, still lives at the ripe old age of eighty-four. He is the son of Samuel and Roxie Wade. Prof. Wade's mother, before her marriage, was Miss Eliza Morris, who also lived to be eighty- six. She was the daughter of Robert and Julia Morris.

Young Wade grew up on his father's farm and attended the local public schools. He passed from the public school to Wayland Seminary at Washington. While there Wayland Seminary was merged with Richmond Institute to form Virginia Union University, established at Richmond. So, while beginning his preparatory and college work at Wayland he completed the course at Virginia Union University with the A.B. degree, and later did special work at Brown University. Prof. Wade's work as a teacher began at his Alma Mater where he taught three years. After that he taught in the public schools of Centralia, Ill., for four years. In 1907 he came to the Bluefield Colored Institute with which he has since been identified as Professor of language, especially English and Latin.

On June 1, 1904, Prof. Wade married Miss Nannie Winston of Virginia. They have a fine family of four children. Their names are, Samuel, Jr., Christine, Nathaniel and Florence Wade. Prof. Wade has been an intelligent observer and student of conditions both North and South, and he is of the opinion that some of the primary needs of the race have to do with better public school facilities, an educated ministry, and the development of industries.


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