Leonard Franz, a Mennonite Brethren educator, administrator, and historian, was a native of Inman, KS. In addition to serving as the sixth president of Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS (1956-62), he was academic dean (1947-57), during which time he also served as acting president for two one-year terms. He graduated from Tabor College (AB, 1922), McPherson College (AB, 1923), the University of Kansas (MA, 1937), and the University of Colorado (PhD, history, 1948).

Franz married Helen Reimer of Mountain Lake, MN, in 1920. They had two children, Elfrieda (married Erwin N. Hiebert) and Laura (married T. G. Hiebert) both of whom also earned graduate degrees and became educators. Except for his early childhood years and during his graduate studies and travels in America and abroad, he was a life-long resident in Hillsboro. Prior to his appointment at Tabor, Franz was an administrator in the public schools in Hillsboro for 18 years. He was best known for his significant administrative qualities, his expertise as a historian and as a devout, reflective, and active Christian and churchman in the Mennonite Brethren constituency.

Franz's contributions as an educator included generating confidence in Tabor within the constituency, strengthening the academic program at the college through its faculty, curriculum, and facilities and progress toward academic accreditation.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 310-311. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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