Born in Michigan, on November 19, 1863, Frank E. Converse graduated from Owosso High School in 1884 and from the University of Michigan in 1888. Franks first appointment was as superintendent of the Saranac, Michigan public schools after which he was made superintendent of the schools in Pontiac, Michigan in 1892. He came to Beloit in 1897 to become the High School principal until 1903.

In 1898 he became Superintendent of Schools in Beloit, a position he held until 1932, by far the longest tenure of any of Beloit’s many individuals to hold that office. Frank Converse married the former Miss Gertrude White on September 1, 1892. Miss White was born in 1869 and died in 1961, age of 93 years. Mr. Converse was a corporator of the Beloit Savings Bank in 1902. A charter member of the Beloit Country Club, he helped to incorporate the local YWCA in 1911, was a charter member of the Beloit Rotary Club, a Mason and a member of the Presbyterian Church.

During 1907, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Converse purchased a home on Riverside Drive in Beloit. The couple lived there and tended their flowers after his retirement in 1932. Mr. Converse’s death came on March 5, 1939 at the age of 75. Whereby the community lost a very valuable member, who was interested in civic, fraternal and religious life. Mr. Converse was inducted into the Beloit Hall of Fame on September 21, 1969 for his outstanding contributions to the com-munity. Converse School was named in his honor.