The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-18
Death of superi nsendent Hopkins.


Death OF Superb M endeRt Hopkins.
Like a stroke of lightning the telegraph
let fall upon the press the announcement
that State Superintendent Milton b. Hop
kins died at his residence in Kokomo
last night, at eleven o'clock. The
dispatch gave no particulars as
to the cause of his death, nor
was it known to the Sentinel that he had
been indisposed. Not many days have
passed since he was in his Office in this
city, having returned from a long
and laborious trip through the south
ern part of the State, where he had
been on official business, earnestly engaged
in bringing to close his term of service as
superintendent of public instruction, and
preparing to make his final report. As if
by a presentiment that his labors for
the State in the cause of education
were finished, Mr.. Hopkins had
steadily aud firmly declined to accept a
denomination for Office, although often and
almost continually solicited to do so. He
had fixed his mind upon a season
of rest. At first he cherished a
plan for year of travel on
flied by the solicitations of an old friend to
the idea of an extended visit to Scotland. But
his rest has come and he has departed to the
unknown shore. Few men, if any, were so
well known in the State of Indiana as Milton
b. Hopkins. Long time an able preacher of
the Christian church, he has been known in
the pulpit of every considerable town and
neighborhood. His sermons commanded
profound attention for their breadth OF
thought, path0s and power. Great crowds
gathered wheK he was expected to preach,
and within twelve months past correspond
ence of the Sentinel and local State papers
have often borne testimony to the grandeur
and eloqHence of his sermons. But
his history in educational matters stands
forth more conspicuously. In kokouso,
where he has lived with his family
for many years, he established and car
ried on the Normal College for long
time. The influence of this school in the
new COUNTY of Howard and thai part OF the
State WIS so promi nent as to give kim a
leading reputation as an educator. 10 him
and mis- labors the Northwestern
Christian University of this city owes
much of its strength and influ-
ence to-day. On the 18th OF October. 1870,
he swss elected TO his first term as state
superintendent, since wfich time the I'M
divided energies of his life have
been devoted, to the successful pro-
motion of free education in fhe Stats.
He brought to the discharge of his duties n
clear comprehension of what the State re-
agired, and worked with sinEleness <ef
purpose aud unstinted zeal to carry
out his idea of system, efficiency
and econoEy in the important
trust. His first term was devoted
more especially to getting in hand, simFili-
flying and rendering secure fond exceed
ing ~, OO0, Oea, the largest schoolifund of cry
State in the Union. 1t was in a
broken, and, to some
extent an vuproductize condition. He
sought out all the loose ends and collected
the fragmentsand then by his IL fiuenee In
the Legislature, secured such changes ,iz
the funding as made II clear, manageable
and subservient to itspurpose. Meantime
be worked necessarily among the schools, /
the people, teaching tbe teachers,
Ok plaiaing tie law and bringing
order out OF comparative chaos in
he text books, the grades and the
But the crowaing wsek of his
official life was achieved ia his second term
9TH the last Legislature. Mr.. Hopkins |
Knew the whole situation He haS studied |
{ for two years. He understood where the |
leseets Of the law we're, the fatal
re6rmities of the township law
8 it stood, and the difficulties of
broken and disjoiuted county
ystem. He prepared such amendments
g in has judgment the case required, and
hen went to the almost hopeless task
4 winning to it the enforcement
f legislature who could not see
THAT he saw. How he stood in
hose halls with trembling and
BAR, how he argued, persuaded, and be-
ought; how he snatched victory often out
defeat how his few friends stood by
inn, how ne went in agony to urge
he Governors signature, all that
ason of anxiety amounting to
istress but few know, they only
no watched him, or heard the story from !
is own lips when his countenance bean2ed J
18th the joy OF success, not for himself, but
n the Cause of his care, for the state. He
as goue-gone, with the weapons dropped !
his feet with which he was renewing the /