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Kinkeade Early Childhood School began classes for the 1999-2000 school year housed in the Family Life Center of Oak View Baptist Church. The building was under construction for the fall semester. The doors for the new building opened on the first day of the spring semester.
The official building dedication took place in January 2000 under the name Dr. Henry H. Kinkeade Early Childhood School.
The school was renamed during a ceremony held on campus May 15, 2015, Dr. Henry H. and Ruth Kinkeade Early Childhood School, to honor Dr. Kinkeade's wife Ruth).
Dr. Henry Halleck Kinkeade was born in Clark County Missouri February 27, 1918. He returned to Clark County to teach in the Jenkins School, a one-room schoolhouse, after receiving his teaching certificate from John Fletcher College in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He later moved to Waco, Texas to attend Baylor University. While there he met his wife of 64 years, Ruth. He received both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Bible. He attended New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth in 1949. He served as one of the founders of Dallas Baptist University, which began offering classes in October of 1965. He taught as an adjunct at DBU and was awarded an honory Doctorate in 1974. He retired in 1984 from First Baptist Church in Irving, Texas after 32 years of service.
Dr. and Mrs. Kinkeade had three children, Susie Gaye Reynolds - a retired Irving educator, Dr. Hal Kinkeade - pastor of the First Baptist Church of Springtown, Texas, and the Honorable Ed Kinkeade, Judge, United States District Court.
Kinkeade Early Childhood School was named in his honor in 1999 in recognition of his years of service to the Irving schools and the community.
Dr. and Mrs. Kinkeade were present at the dedication of the Kinkeade Early Childhood School on Sunday, February 20, 2000. Dr. Kinkeade presented the school with the handheld school bell he used as a teacher at the Jenkins School. He visited the campus a number of times prior to his passing on September 2, 2005. You can read his obituary here.
Mrs. Ruth Kinkeade
(The following information was written by Mrs. Henry H. (Ruth) Kinkeade in October of 2014. These are her words.)
"Mrs. Henry (Ruth) Kinkeade finished Baylor University [in] 1939. [I] taught in Longview ISD [for] two year. [I] married Dr. Henry Kinkeade in 1941 in Longview. We married June 21, 1941. Henry was pastoring Abbott. We lived in Waco (a garage apartment near 7th and James). I applied for school at Axtel (big community school outside Waco about 12 miles) [and] was hired immediately to teach 4th and 5th grades. Henry was working on [his] M.A. Henry [was] called to Fair Park church in Dallas in September '41. [We] drove to Dallas on weekends and Wednesday Nights until Dec. '41 when [we] moved to Dallas. Fair Park had very little money. They paid us $100 a month, with no extra expense money. Here's how we spent the $100 - $25 for apartment, $25 on car, $25 [for] utilities, a little on Henry's schooling - lived on whatever was left after tithe.
Soon I needed to go to work. [I] read of [an] opening at Arthur A. Everts next door [to] Neiman Marcus. The woman who did [the] hiring learned that her son was my close friend at Baylor. She hired me immediately and put me to work that day. Everts Jewelry was so exclusive that I had to wear [a] hat and gloves to work. When dressing to go for [the] interview [I] did not have [a pair of] hose without [a] runner. While dressing, the postman brought [a] package. My friend, Elizabeth Johnson, had sent me a pair of hose! The Lord really does provide at the hour of need.
I [rode a] street car to work every day, cost $0.25. There were only 3 cars in church. Most rode street cars, many walked. [We] worked very hard [and the] church grew. In December '41 Wellington First Church called us. [There was a] parsonage. [It] was all so exciting.
After pastorates in Dallas, Carrollton and Denton: [we] came to the First Baptist Church, Irving in 1952 with three young children - Susie Gaye, Hal, Ed. [I] spent most [of my] time rearing [our] family, helping [my] husband with all [of the] church activities and also community projects along with ISD parent teacher association. [Our] children went all the way through Irving public schools. They are now married and continue to follow its progress. They are:
Mrs. Marvin (Susie Gaye) Reynolds - (husband deceased) - retired after 20 years in Irving ISD.
Dr. Hal and Sandy Kinkeade - pastor First Baptist Church, Springtown, Texas.
Judge Ed and Melissa Kinkeade - United States District Court and retired teacher for 25 years in Irving ISD.
"I am now 96 years old! The Lord has blessed me with most of my adult years here in Irving. This has been a happy life for me! Dr. Kinkeade passed away at 84 after many wonderful years together!"
Mrs. Kinkeade passed away peacefully late in the evening on Friday, January 30, 2015. You can read her obituary here.
The official re-naming ceremony of the Dr. Henry H. Kinkeade Early Childhood School was held on Friday, May 15, 2015. Principal, Jennifer McKee welcomed everyone to the ceremony and introduced the students from the following classes: Mrs. Dunn, Ms. Martinez, Ms. Minturn, and Mrs. Payne. The students performed two songs during the ceremony, "10 Best Friends" and "My School Family".
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jose Parra addressed the audience and then introduced School Board President, Larry Stipes. Mr. Stipes spoke of his personal relationship with the family and how special Dr. and Mrs. Kinkeade were to the community. He also spoke of the Kinkeade's strong belief in education.
Following his remarks, two portraits of Dr. Henry H. Kinkeade and Mrs. Ruth Kinkeade were unveiled by Irving Independent School Board Members Dr. Steven Jones, Lee Mosty, and Randy Randle.
Kinkeade students presented family members with cards made by the students, as well as a school t-shirt, magnet, and other items with the school logo. The Honorable Ed Kinkeade (son of Dr. and Mrs. Kinkeade) spoke on behalf of the family. Following the ceremony, the school name was changed to Dr. Henry H. and Ruth Kinkeade Early Childhood School.
