Ken Woodruff was a man dedicated to idea that education was the key to a successful life and a successful society. As the first director of Portage Adult Education, he strongly believed that a "second chance" was vital for adults who had not finished their high school educations, for whatever reason.
As the first director of Portage Adult Education in 1962, he built the Portage Adult Education program from a tiny night school to the second-largest program in the state of Indiana. At its largest, Portage Adult Education encompassed six Northwest Indiana counties and had more than 30 adult learning centers and an adult high school program.
Ken was the Don Quixote for his program. He fought for it, cheered it along, and extolled it everywhere he went. Often smiling, Ken had a joke for every occasion. He wooed supporters with the facts of the many successes Portage Adult brought about. Over the years, his program gave more than 20,000 people the chance to improve their lives. Many people across the "region" owe their success to Ken Woodruff's vision and dedication to Adult Education.
He was one of the driving forces in forming the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition. I attended many meetings with Ken, taking minutes for the fledgling organization. I watched as he guided the group into getting their 501-C-3 non-profit status. After each meeting, many copies of the minutes were sent to those who were or might be interested in the cause.
And he was a good boss. He gave a person a job to do and let them do it. His door was always open, and he was receptive to new ideas. He cared deeply about his program and the people who worked in it.
Ken's death in May left a big hole in the lives of those who knew him. And Adult Education lost their biggest supporter.
