Born in Victoria, B.C., Frederic Gordon Campbell Wood enrolled in the first class established in that city by McGill University and, in 1910, graduated from McGill itself. After teaching high school in Victoria for four years and earning an MA from Harvard University (1915), Wood joined the newly-established University of British Columbia faculty as one of the two original members of the Department of English. He founded and directed the Players' Club, which staged theatrical performances throughout the province. The Frederic Wood Theatre stands as a tribute to his significant contribution to theatre development in BC. In 1950, he retired from UBC after thirty-five years of service to the university and became the longest-serving original staff member. Even after his retirement, Wood continued to assume an active interest in the theatre.