Sam S. Wood (1907-1991)
Sam Wood Scholarship at Baylor University
Sam S. Wood was a true Texas newspaperman whose career spanned half a century. Born in Coolidge, Texas, Wood worked his way through Baylor Journalism School while a reporter at the Waco News-Tribune (Fentress Company).
His first full-time newspaper job was as a reporter for the Memphis-Tennessee Commercial-Appeal before returning to Texas as Editor of theValley Morning Star (Harlingen), also owned by the Fentress. He returned to the Waco Tribune-Herald in 1933.
While serving in World War II, Wood was a public information officer for the U.S. Air Force. After the war, he rejoined the Tribune-Herald as Executive Editor and later served as the Capitol bureau chief for Newspapers, Inc., the Fentress chain. Wood went on to become editor of the Austin-Statesman from 1968 until 1976. Along with several other local members of the Press, he helped charter the Headliners Club.
The Sam Wood Scholarship was established through the generosity of the Fentress Foundation in honor of his long career with the company. At his funeral, memorial contributions were made to this scholarship in his name. After the death of Ella Gayle Wood, her estate added its support to the scholarship as well. There was enough money in this endowment that there were two scholarships given. One is by the Fentress Foundation, always awarded to a Baylor student. The other is given to any qualifying student regardless of university.