‘Father of Community Education’ Manley, Four Other Educators
Earn Spot in Eastern Michigan University’s Education Alumni Hall of Fame

YPSILANTI - Five lifelong educators will be inducted into Eastern Michigan University’s Education Alumni Hall of Fame during ceremonies March 28. The program begins with a reception at 4 p.m. in the student lounge area on the second floor of the John W. Porter Building. An induction ceremony follows at 4:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

“Each of the five persons selected as a 2003 inductee into the Education Alumni Hall of Fame has achieved great distinction in his chosen line of work,” said Jerry Robbins, dean of the College of Education. “Each is an extraordinary representative of the quality of programming that EMU offers and each is a model for, and inspiration to, present and future students.”

This year’s honorees are:

Frank Manley (’27) - Manley taught in the Flint, Mich., public school system from 1927-1964. He served as a physical education teacher, physical education director, director of adult education, director of health/attendance/recreation and assistant superintendent. Manley is known as the “father of community education,” a concept that became very popular in schools during the 1960s and 1970s, and which spawned many other school and community initiatives.

William Morris (’64, ’68) - Morris served 31 years in education, including 22 as a superintendent. He was president of the American Association of School Administrators in 1991-1992 and is a member of the National Hall of Distinguished Administrators and the Michigan Education Hall of Fame. He is currently president of the Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation, active in many civic organizations and a member of EMU’s College of Education Resource Development Board.

Robert Parks (’52) - A middle distance runner at EMU during his collegiate years, Parks coached at Ferndale, Dewitt, and Redford Thurston high schools and was an assistant track coach at Western Michigan University for six years. After returning to EMU in 1967, Parks led EMU track and cross-country teams to 48 Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles and six NAIA/NCAA crowns. He was named MAC coach of the year 28 times, NCAA regional coach of the year eight times and was once named national coach of the year. Parks retired from EMU in 2001. The EMU indoor track is named in his honor.

David Smith (1898) - Smith received his education degree while on the faculty of what would later become EMU, The Michigan Normal School. He then returned to his native New York and became a faculty member and, later, principal of the State Normal School in Brockport, N.Y. By 1901, Smith had authored more than 50 textbooks in mathematics. He also established the first secondary education methods course in mathematics.

James Wilsford (’70) - Wilsford served as an English teacher, principal and associate superintendent in Savannah, Ga., and as superintendent of the Orangeburg, S.C. schools. In 1989 he was named the national superintendent of the year. Wilsford was a pioneer in the use of technology to accomplish substantial student achievement in his mostly minority, low-income school district. After his retirement in 1991, Wilsford founded MultiMeanings Company, an educational software provider, where he remains active as a consultant.

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