Born in Mercer County, Illinois, he served as the first president of the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney (1905–1913) and a hall is named for him on campus.

[1][2] Leaving Nebraska, he moved east to Maine, where he was the State Superintendent of Schools from 1917 to 1929.

[3] He also helped found and served in the leadership of the World Federation of Education Associations from 1925 to 1935.

[4][5][6] Born during the American Civil War, Thomas grew up on a farm in Iowa and attended local public schools.

He graduated from Western Normal College in Shenandoah, Iowa, in 1891 with a Bachelor of Science.