Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-09-14

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committed 20 bluudcrs:
Such b. >.los NJ Clark's political rec
ord. Mr. Clark ls no disappointed Office.
seeker, no broken down political hack .
hc is man who aiwAy- -cufuci the
tricks oi demaE1Gge, an honest Demo.
crni, but no political h.pol--a man to
challeug The admiration Of every voter
who believes politics should not be
brought into the canvas Tor Supreme
Judge.
THE rEIENp or POPULAR TuycATIoS.
Mr.. Clark has the merit Of being a
selimad" and scl cultured man he
has achieved his present succcss ~ lie
through no family influence. wealth or
other adTouttIous c5fcumstauc.s be
comes up from the ranks of the people.
from pareniagc and family which g.
highly respectable but o' humble pic.
tensions. lie acquired the elementary
part Of his kuowlcdce in the Common
Schools, but Mt the age Of fourteen wears
he entered the Indiana Academy, - here
he began the course of study which de
veiop"d his capacity for success. Whilst
he attended the Academy, he latoYcd at
times upon the farm. and for one year
carried the mail between Indiana and
BInr'yIl!e ;recilinr AZ the Academy one
day and serving ~ mail carrier the next,
alternately
10 was a matter of some curiosity and
furpr.s" 10 some Of the students 81 tho
Elsirvslle Academy on one occasion
when they found that the msil carrier
toy from Indiana carried q copy Of
iiorscc's odes in hi- pocket to while
away the time OF HE delay in RIairsyilc
In rather a rude language they twItted
the irleudles4 lad about h.s Latin. and
~ defiant manner challenged him to
measure his knowledge with theirs:
full Of pluck. the little post boy acccp.
ted, and he proved more than a match
Tor the most proficient Latin scholar
among them. And, perhaps. the worthy
TreccptoT Of the Eisirsville Academy
was not lees surprised when the same
mail boy, IN 1851, came 10 old Jefferson
Colleg" 90 tonousburP. Pa, and upon
examination ot the faculty was passed
into the Junior class - classmatc. Mr.
Clark graduated from this excellent and
then most prosperous institution in the
class of 1859. lie had euiayei very
m"agre advantages compared with the
rich mems sons who were his classmaies.
but he graduated Gfth in class of sixty
members. lie was clear thinker. a
strong rcasunor aud a good speaker,
whose Efforts generally cNcolled 10 the
college literary organization. For this
reason hc was elected by the Philo Sorie.
ty tn deliver tho valedictory st the semi.
centennial anuJy'rsaTy Of the oruaniga.
i'on of the college.
For two ycars young Clark served as
instructor IN tho came academy in which
bc himself attended rrlor to entering
college. lie taught iurty.fgc voune
ueR, most 0' whom vere Older than
himself. lie was p kind ami Fuccssstul
instructor. rnd from thst time he prov .
Cd himself to he jealous and faiibiuI
/ friend Of popular education for twelve
successive years hc vas director IN the
public schools lie own trials and dis.
advantages bad taught him the value ol
good schools. and he threw his whole
energy into the work. and was the kiud
Of man. above all others, 20 guard the
school interests. To ms judgment and
energy are the public schools Of the
pretty little borough largely indebted
for their present prosperity. In 1851
the first Teachers Institute Of Indiana
| county was organized. Slas NJ. Clark
was present 10 lend encouragement and
give counsel In 1872 the State Normal
SCHOOL at Indiana was organized. Mr..
| Clark was a subscriber to the project.
and one Of the most active and most
successful canvassers for other subscrip.
tions. He was elected n member Of the
sIst Board Of Trustees. and after the
death Of Mr.. John Sutton was chosen
President Of that Board. which position
he still occupies. In the sad trials OF
of the institution Mr.. Clark was its
staunchest supporter, and to his work
more than to that Of any other man is
due the present success OF the Indiana
State Normal School. His friendly aid
and warm encouragement TO officer,
teacher and pupils was like bread cast
upon the waters" that will return 10
him at the koTember elections for no
a man ever connected with the nsiitu
ton, and not person in Indiana coup.
ty interested in popular education, but
is numbered among his wArmest friends.