The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-08-02
For State superintendent.


facts concerning person who is before
the people asking for their votes, and
the following will, therefore be of
interest to electors:
'W. X. Fowler, the republican nomi-
nee for superintendent of public instruc-
tion, was born in 1864 in New Jersey.
He comes of sturdy old Scotch peasantry,
both his parents being born in Scotland
and emigrating to this country about
1850 He attended the public grammer
schools of New York City until 1879,
when he was graduated with the high
est honors of his class, entering the
college of the city of New York the
sixth in rank out of nearly twelve hun
dred applicants. After attendance there
for year he entered the employ of a
firm in Maiden Lane, New York City,
was promoted each year with the sub
stantial recognition of an increase in
salary until the spring of 1888, when
the western fever brought him to the
farm of his brothers in Dodge county
north of North Bend, Nebraska. The
spring and summer were spent there,
the four brothers farming and "bach.
ing" In the fall their sister arrived
from the east and w. X. began teaching
a district school at Purple Cane, in the
Later he taught No. 60, in the north.
east corner of the county, and still later
No. 2, at Ames, just before the Standard
Cattle company moved in. He also
spent year in Monmouth college,
Illinois. In the early spring of 1886,
while he was yet twenty.one years of
age, Mr.. Fowler was elected principal
of the schools at Scribner. Nebr., where
he taught with unqualified success until
December, 1889. At that time severe
epidemic of diptheria necessitated the
closing of the schools for an indefinite
period, and Mr. Fowler spent the year
1888 in Scotland and England, travelling
and taking special work in the Univer.
sity of Edinburgh. In the spring of
1899 he returned to Scribner and
launched into the newspaper business,
editing and publishing the Scribner
News, and later the North Bend Argus,
but in August, 1890, the Scribner board
of education unanimously called him tc
again assume the principalship of theil
schools, and for three years more he
gave the people of that town the best
administration of school affairs they
ever had, organizing, managing and
disciplining the schools to the complete
satisfaction of all. In the summer OF
1893, against many competitors, he was
unanimously chosen superintendent Of
the Blair city schools, and after two
years successful experience, he was re
elected for a term of three years at al
increase in salary of one hundred dollar
year. Again in 1898 he was re- elected
for another three years term. Mr.
Fowler ranks with the best educator
and deepest thinkers in the state II
school work and school management h,
is in every sense of the word general
, "Mr. Fowler has served as presiden
) of the High school section of the Ne
| braska State Teachers association, wa
: for two years clerk of the educationa
2 council ana is still a member of it, ha
: served on the legislative committee o
the council, and is now serving his thirC
5 year as a member of the executive com
| mittee of the State Teachers association
He has been an active member of tn
f National Educational association sine
t 1892, and is also member of the Ma
Q tional Department of City Superinten
r dents. He has also served on man,
4 other minor committees of the state as
t ISOLATION, where his associates conside
/ him a valuable aid in counsel. and the,
recognize and appreciate his energy.
/. "Mr. Fowler married in 1889 Mis-
/ AIDA f. Parker and now numbers il
: his family four bright children Marie
t aged nine years; KIRK, aged seven
8 Frank. aged three and one half years
: and Baby AIDA, aged one month.