Barker, Mrs. Frances T.

Mrs. Frances T. Barker, born in Eldorado County, California, was a native daughter who wielded a significant influence in the educational affairs of Fresno County. She was the daughter of Heth P. Kinch, an early pioneer from New York State who traveled around the Horn during the height of the gold excitement. Following her mother death when Frances was just seven years old, she moved to Merced County, where she eventually taught her first school. In 1884, she relocated to Fresno County and began teaching in the city elementary schools four years later.

Her exceptional teaching ability led to her appointment as deputy county superintendent of schools in January 1907 under superintendent E. W. Lindsay. She served dedicatedly as his chief deputy, giving her entire time to the discharge of her duties until the expiration of his term in January 1919. Mrs. Barker, who is also the mother of a daughter named Mrs. Elsa Signer of San Francisco, retired with the lasting good will of many close friends. Her long career as an instructor and administrator highlights her historical importance to the growth of early educational systems in California.