Illinois State Normal University - Index Yearbook (Normal, IL)

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EDWIN C. HEWETT L' DWIN U. HEWETT was born in East Douglas. lVorcester County, Massachusetts. November 1. 1828. At that time the st-ate of Massachusetts, and especially the central portion of it, was inhabited mainly by the direct descendants of the early English settlers. The character of these early immigrants will be easily re- called. They were lovers of liberty. They had left their native land, England, in order to enjoy freedom. They yearned for this especially in respect to their religious beliefs and practices. They were called puritans on accounts of their high ideals of life, and of the energy with which they insisted upon illustrating those ideals in everyday experience. Among them the feeling of responsibility was strong They found in the Christian religion the principles by which they felt constrained to be guided in their relations toward God and toward their fellowmen. and they displayed a mighty energy in the application of these principles to their own conduct as well as to the conduct- of others. They were certainly a noble race. That they fell into some errors no one denies. But everything con- sidered, in respect to all that constitutes a genuine manhood and womanhood. their standing is very high. Like most of the puritan families at that time Mr. Hewettls father and mother were not corrupted by excessive wealth. They earned their livelihood by honest labor. And so we iind that this child was subject to the same conditions. He soon learned that he must earn his own living, and so we are told that at the age of thir- teen he began to work at the trade of shoe-maker, and thus to do for himself. Hut the puritans believe in culture as well as in labor, -Il and so this boy was sent to the common schools, where he received a primary education. But his schooling was not confined to this. After a time he became a student in the local academy. And whe11 he became twenty-one years of age he engaged in the work of teach' ing. It is said that his compensation was thirteen dollars per month. This looks to us like a small amount, but I have no doubt that to his friends and neighbors it seemed reasonable. From the iirst he was very successful in the work of teaching, and soon acquired an envia- ble reputation. As a consequence, it is said that he never thereafter lf1'.wmll 1-f1li,'frw, lull Il My fiom -Il1n.xM JAY ALLEN. 'illrm flrligflfls no! llll',' no, nor IVUIIHIII l'l.Ull'I'.H'-iiRAk'E BI..XNIJIN. il llIl'l'l'1lf fzwuri nuzlwllr tl 4'lIt'4'l:f-Ill L'Hllllft'll!lllL'L'.HLLYLARA Born. S

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applied for a school, but always found himself sought for by those who wished good teaching. But he began to feel the need of a fuller preparation for the teacheris work. And so after continuing for two terms in teaching, he resolved to enter the Bridgewater State Normal School. At that time that insitution was in charge of Nicholas Tillinghast, a most worthy man and elclicient teacher. Mr. Hewett entered that school on the 26th of March. 1851. I was at that time an assistant teacher there, and the examination of the candidates for admission was in part assigned to me. It is hardly necessary to say that he passed the examination. His preparation had been thoro. His work in that school was eminently satisfactory to his instructors and to the worthy principal. Mr. Tillinghast was not long in discerning the qualities of the new student. He took careful note of the young manls thoroness, and of his simple desire to blind the truth, so that when Mr. Hewett came to leave the school he went forth with the advantage which an excellent reputation gave him. In fact, the coming together of these two men was the meeting of two puritans. Their ideals were much the same. They both viewed life from the same uncompromising standpoint. On leaving the Normal School the young man was employed as an assistant in the high school at Pittsfield, in Massachusetts. But he remained there only one year. Mr. Tillinghast had kept in mind his excellent qualifications, and when the service of an assistant was needed in the Normal School, the position was offered to the young man from I'ittsfield. Here he labored four years. But the compensation paid at that time to assistants in that school was low. And so at the end of his four years he became principal of a grammar school in the city of Worcester. Hen. Hovey, the lirst principal of the State Normal School of Illinois, was at that time in need of help. In some way the qualifi- cations of Mr. Ilewett became known here and a position was offered him, he entering upon his duties in 1858. .He had the distinction of being connected with this institution for a longer pe1'iod than any other teacher, except Dr. lllctlormick and Dr. .Iohn IV. Cook, of DeKalb. When I was elected principal of the State Normal in 1862, I was pleased to find that my old friend, Mr. Hewett, was one of the instructors. .During my connection with the school I felt that he was contributing very largely to the success of our work. Those were strenuous days for this institution. The people of Illinois were giving much more thought to the subject of the Civil War than they 'il WI' '!7'll1f'!l fIIN l.'fflffof-mf. -Vl2nNoN Bnvisn. Ullfm- Hill' fulfils, .ll4ll'I'llN.7, Hmm M.xR13l's lin.xm.icY. I Eflgfiic a lle 9 .ei ' fu.