Obituary: Thomas Lloyd Jones

Thomas Lloyd Jones is Dead

University Official, Former Central High School Head Succumbs at Age of 60

Illness of Two Weeks Takes Life of U.W. High School Relations Director; Served Four Years as Principal Here, 17 Years at University; Came of Prominent Wisconsin Family

Prof. Thomas Lloyd Jones, 60, Nakoma, member of the University of Wisconsin Department of education for the last 17 years and for four years principal of Madison Central high school, died at a Madison hospital about 6 a.m. today.

He entered the hospital early last week for an operation for the removal of gall stones, but his weakened condition would not permit it.

Since that time he has steadily grown weaker and his death had been expected almost hourly for the last two days.

Kin Nationally Known
Professor Jones, whose lifetime was devoted to educational work, came of a large family which has produced a line of nationally known men and women in the fields of education, religion, art and letters.

He was born Dec. 19, 1870 at Hillside, son of John Lloyd Jones and grandson of Richard Lloyd Jones, a Welshman who settled near Spring Green in 1844. The five sons and two daughters of pioneer Richard all grew up to establish homes in the community.

Jenkin Lloyd Jones, famous as a preacher and lecturer, was an uncle of Professor Jones. Chester Lloyd Jones, professor in the commerce school at the university; Richard Lloyd Jones, former publisher of The State Journal; and Frank Lloyd Wright, architect, are cousins.

Central Principal
For four years Mr. Jones was principal of Madison Central high school, but for the past 17 years he has been a member of the University of Wisconsin faculty. While he was an associate professor of education, his work was largely outside the classroom.

As head of the department of high school relations, he was chief medium of contact between the university and the secondary schools of the state.

He was an advocate of the belief that high schools should train their graduates along lines that would fit them to tackle life's problems without the absolute necessity of higher education.



U.W. Graduate in 1898
As a boy, Mr. Jones attended the Hillside district school from which he was graduated, then entered the Hillside Home school, which he completed in 1892. He received his diploma from the University in 1896.

For four years he was teacher and assistant principal of the Hillside home school, after which he served three years as supervising principal of the Hartford public schools, principal of the high school and instructor at Stout Institute, Menomonie for two years, superintendent at Wauwatosa for four years, superintendent at Fond du Lac for one year and then came to Madison as principal of Central High.

In the spring of 1914 he was appointed lecturer in the extension division of the university and for a few years also served part time as secretary of the Alumni association.

Married in 1900
His relations with the high schools of the state have included the placement of graduates in teaching positions, in visiting schools and directing their contacts with the university. He was chairman of the Wisconsin committee of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

On August 23, 1900, Mr. Jones was married to Calla Phoebe Westover, Madison, a graduate of Wisconsin with the class of 1896, who survives him with two children, John, who graduated last spring from the electrical engineering course at the university, and Margaret, a sophomore at the university this fall.Another daughter, Elizabeth, was born and died in 1904. Also surviving are a sister, Mary, who is a teacher in the Superior schools, and a brother, Richard, of Spring Green.

Mr. Jones was a member of the Unitarian church.

Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:30 from the Unitarian church, Madison. Interment will be at the Unitarian chapel grounds at Hillside. The Rev. T.R. Faville will officiate. Complete funeral arrangements will be announced Friday.

He is survived by his widow, Calla Phoebe Westover Jones, whom he married on August 23, 1900; one son, John Lloyd Jones; one daughter, Margaret Lloyd Jones, and a sister, Mary Lloyd Jones, who is a teacher in Superior.

Opposed Erection of Central High School
Citizens today recall that Professor Jones was opposed to the erection of the present Central high school when the question was before the people more than 20 years ago as to whether $250,000 bonds should be issued for the school or whether a smaller school should be erected.

Central is now being used as a senior and junior high but there has been some discussion of using it for junior high purposes only or of abandoning it and turning it over to the board of industrial education for vocational school work. Friends of Professor Jones are pleased that he lived long enough to see that the position that he took during that campaign were justified.

Originally published as a page one news story in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 3, 1931.