Julius Arthur Woodward was born on this day in 1901, in Iredell County, to George and Della Cheshire Woodward.
Julius attended Fruitland Institute at Hendersonville and graduated from Wake Forest College in 1925. He earned his master’s degree from Wake Forest College in 1932, and did additional study at Peabody College.
Julius was principal of Waughtown and Skyland Elementary Schools. He was principal of Gray High School for 24 years, and came to Gray when the school was only 11 years old. In fact, it had only been named Gray High School for two years when he came to the school. Previously it was called South High School. Today the school is incorporated into the School of the Arts campus.
While Woodward was principal at Gray, the gymnasium was completed, the auditorium and cafeteria were expanded, and the Southside Ball Park was annexed to the school property. Also, Gray became the first and only school to begin a school-wide reading program designed to increase both speed and comprehension.
Woodward retired from Gray in 1965, and became assistant director of curriculum and research for one year.
Woodward was a member of the Board of Trustees of Salem College, and a former member of the Commission on Curricular Problems and Research for the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Hall-Woodward Elementary School was named for Julius Woodward, and for Kathleen Hall, who taught with Woodward at Gray High School.
Woodward passed away in 1972.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
