Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-22
TEACHER STATESMEN.
EVEN EDUCATED MEN NAY BE.
COME PROMINENT.
Distinguished Americans Not Born
in Log Houses and Who
Have Taught School.

Many of the most eminent statesmen
of the day began life as teachers" said
Speaker Carlisle in an address not long ago
delivered 1T convention of school teach
ers in Kentucky. The Speaker did not
give instances, but there are plenty of
them to show that his assertion was well
founded. Indeed, the school rostrum has
of late years more than once been a step
ping-stone to the White House. 1t is true
that General Harrison does not belong to
that category, but the last two Republican
President did, as does President Cleveland
Many of the most prominent political
leaders Of the day began life in the same
way. Speaker Carlisle taught school for
four years while preparing himself for the
bar. His appearance to-day is that of a
that the happiest day of his life was that
on which he walked into Covington, Ken
lucky, after fifteen miles of rough tramp
ing, to get his teachers certificate.
James G. Blaine was graduated at the
age Of eighteen years and took up the
birch almost Immediately afterward. He
succeeded as teacher, just as he has sue
ceedek as a statesman, author, and finan-
cier. During the last Presidential canvass
a friend asked him playfully, how he ac-
quired all his personal magnetism.
Il believe" he replied laughing, that
the necessity of controlling Kentucky ur-
chins in my teaching days brought to the
surface the so-called magnetism, and
which might have otherwise lain forever
dormant"
Blaine has more than once, in addresses
before colleges, said that he attributed his
earlier successes in public life to the pa
thence and self-control he acquired at the
Kentucky school.
Congressman S. S. Cox, of New York,
tried to pound knowledge into the heads
of young Buckeyes in Ohio before he en-
tered public life His versatility was not
equal to Mr.. Blaine's, however, and, al
though he has been success as a legislator
and in literature, he was a dismal failure
as teacher. His career as a pedagogue
is said to have come to an untimely end.
There is legend that he resigned at the
urgent request of all the school trustees,
backed by almost every taxpayer of the
village where he taught. Still, with his
customary geniality, he delivered a touch
ing farewell address at parting begging
that the villagers should not Unfortunately
mourn his loss, and declaring that nothing
in the world but the most urgent demands
for his presence elsewhere could force HIM
to give up the companionship of his loved
scholars and neighbors. For a long time
afterward it was mooted question among
the villagers whether the young teacher
had been poking fun at them. Ever since
that time Mr.. Cox has been warm friend
of the teachers, helping them publicly and
privately whenever opportunity offered.
Every one knows that Mayor Hewitt
earned, by teaching, TIE money paid for
his first trip to Europe. He partly sup
ported himself while at college by "coach-
ing" other young men, and he proudly
tells, in the Congressional Directory, of his
labors at teaching. The Mayor, like
Speaker Carlisle, is fond of attending
Teachers Conventions and school COM
mencements to this day.
Senator ingalls,, the Republican leader
and President of the United States Senate,
has presided on the school-house rostrum.
After being graduated at Harvard College,
he went to Kansas, expecting that his
Massachusetts culture might be at once
coined into dollars. 1t was slow work, so
Mr.. ingalls, resorted to teaching until he
could earn subsistence by the practice of
law. He taught with great success, and
at this period acquired the distinct articu-
lation and forcible utterance which have
since made him the first orator of the
Senate
Senator Hawley, of Connecticut, taught
for some years before he entered college.
Ex-senator Mitchell, of PENNSYLVANIA, was
a teacher when the civil war broke out.
Senator Riddleberger of Virginia, taught
a school before entering politics Ex-
Senator Camden, of West Virginia, earned
in the school house the dollars which laid
the foundation to the millions he owns to-
day. Senator Kenna, of the same State,
had school on the Kanawha while he
was studying law and farming. He was
once offered the Presidency of the West
Virginia State University, but preferred to
go to Congress.
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, m anaged a
school ten years before the civil war. He
is to-day type of the old-time backwoods
teacher. Senator Vest, of Missouri, taught
school in Kentucky. He then became
reporter, and, as an inevitable evidence of
this second evolution, great statesman.
Senator Mitchell, Of Oregon, was school.
teacher many years. He attends all the
school commandments while he is in
Washington, and likes to tell what he
knows and what he does not know about
the art of teaching.
United States Justice Lamar was pro-
fessor in the Oxford, Miss, University
when he was elected United States Senator.
Secretary Villas once taught the young idea
how to sprout and blossom in the bleak
backwoods of Wisconsin. Congressman
Reed, the Republican leader of the House
of Representatives, also welded the birch
r,,nr,r ,ronr.- nrr., A. VI I'LL ~. L