Stephens, Edwin Lewis, academic. Born Stephens Mill, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. November 27, 1872; son of Joseph Henry Stephens and Isabella Caroline Whitfield. Paternal grandfather, a pioneer lumberman had come to Louisiana from his native state of South Carolina in the early 1800s. Education: private teachers; private schools; public schools; Keachi College, a Baptist academy at Keachi, La.; Nacagdoches, Texas, from September, 1883 to June, 1888. Learned telegraphy from local railroad agent, summers of 1885-1887; became telegraph operator for Iowa Central Railroad. Entered Louisiana State University at the sophomore, master of Pedagogy, 1897; Ph.D., 1899. Did summer study Glenn Falls, N.Y., 1892; Cook County Normal School, Chicago, 1893; Harvard University, 1894 and travel-study in Europe, 1907. Professor, Latin and science, Louisiana State Normal, 1892-1896; professor, Louisiana State Summer Schools, Fort Jesup, 1897; Marksville, 1898; Alexandria, 1899; professor, Physics and Chemistry, Boys High School, New Orleans, 1899; professor, History of Education, Summer School of the South, Knoxville, Tenn., 1909. Served as president, LSU Alumni Federation, 1922-1926. When named president, January 3, 1900, at the age of 27, of the newly created Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute it had no campus, no faculty and no students. Married, July 14, 1902, to Beverly Randolph, Teacher of Drawing and Gymnastics at SLII. Children: Beverly Randolph (Mrs. Frederick Hard); Caroline Parham (Mrs. Crafton Harris); Margaret Fitz-Randolph (Mrs. Margaret Jochem). Retired as president emeritus, May 1938. Founded the unique Live Oak Society. President, Louisiana Teachers Association, 1903. Editor, Louisiana School Review, 1905-1908. Died, New Orleans, November 5, 1938.

Narrative taken from “A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography”.