Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-23
Teachers in High Pieces.

MANY of the most able and emf
nent men of to-day in public life In
this country began as bread winners
by teaching school" said prominent
New Yorker to Telegram reporter.
He illustrates as follows:
President Cleveland taught in an
asylum for the blind before he was adj
mitted to the bar, and the school ros-
trum has of late years more than once
been the stepping stone to the White
House.
President Arthur went West in early
life to search for wealth. lie failed to
find it, however, and went to teaching
school, and in this occupation he
earned his first 800.
President Garfield was q school
teacher before the war, and was con-
nected with an Ohio college when sent
to Congress for the first time. He
often said that the patience and in
sight into character which he gained
in the school-room had much to do
with his successes in political life.
Speaker John G. Carlisle taught
school for four years while preparing
for the bar, and even at this day his
personal appearance is that of the
typical professor. He declared re-
Gently that the happiest day of his life
was that on which he walked into
Covington. KY, after 10 miles of rough
tramping, to receive his teachers GER
tificate.
Mayor Hewitt, like Speaker Car
Isle, is fond of attending school and
teachers conventions. 1t was as q
teacher that Mayor Hewitt earned the
money to pay the expenses of his first
trip to Europe.
James G. Blaine was graduated at
the age of IS He began to WELD the
birch almost Immediately afterward,
and made conspicuous success IS i
teacher.
Senator ingalls,, of Kansas, the Re
publican leader of the United States
Senate, has presided on the school
house rostrum. After being grad
uated at Harvard College he went to
Kansas, expecting that his Massachu-
sets training and ssculchah" could at
once be coined into dollars. 1t was
uphill work; so Mr.. ingalls, resorted
to teaching to aid in his support till
he could earn subsistence at the law.
Senator Joe Hawley, of Connecticut,
taught school awhile before he entered
college.
Ex-senator Mitchell, of Pennsyl-
vania, was teacher when the civil
war broke out, and Senator Riddleber-
ger, Of Virginia, was a schoolmaster
until he took up politics.
Senator Camden, Of West Virginia,
earned in the school house the dollars
which laid the foundation of the mil
lions he owns to-day.
Senator Kenna, also of West Viz
ginia, had n school on the Kanawha
while he was studying law and farm
ing.
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, man
aged a school ten years before the
civil war. He is to-day 4 type of the
backwoods pedagogue.
Senator Vest. of Missouri, taught
school III Kentucky, and Senator
Mitchell, of Oregon, was school
teacher for many years.
Secretary Lamar was professor at
the Oxford (Miss.) University when
elected a Senator
Postmaster-General Villas, Congress
man Reed, of Maine, and Congressman
S. S. Cox, of New York, all were
school teachers at one time. Although
the latter has made a brilliant record
as legislator and in literature, he
was q dismal failure as a teacher
There is legend to the effect that he
resigned as teacher of one school only
after the most prolonged and earnest
solicitation of the school trustees,
backed by every taxpayer of the viz
lage.
The above are q few of the names Of
the most conspicuous men who have
risen from the teachers desk to prom
nence in public life. The names alone
of the lesser lights would reach far
into the hundreds. -NelO York EUeniN9
Telegram.