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

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the present superintenilent of the Orphan Asylum in the city of New York. This institution has been in operation more than a hundred years, and is well fl1l'l1ISllG4.lXVlt'l1 means,an1l excellently managed. Paul diefl in infancy. Mrs. Ilewett, who was a most estiniable wife and loving mother, fleparteil this lil'e November 21, 1895. Un the 31st of August, 1898, Dr. Ilewett was marrieml to Mrs. Helen E. Paisley, of Normal. She has been to him a I'aithI'ul help- nieet. Especially rluring the latter ilays ot' his life has she minis- tered to him with care anfl sympathy. Dr. Ilewett passed away on Friday, March 231, 1905. Among the characteristics of Ur. Ilewett as a teacher may be inentioneml his honest and straiglitierwaril thoroness. llflembers of his classes soon learned that nothing but absolute truth, so far as they were able to master it, would be saitisfactory to him. Une result of this was that the stuilents themselves became truthseekers. This eontributeml largely to the great success which these stiulents have hail as teachers in tlilierent parts ol' the country. Another characteristic was Ilr. Ilewettls geniality of rlisposition. I think as a rule the stuilents were Very strongly ilrawn to him Hf course, this greatlyincreasefl his inlluence over them. Ilis teaching took better hohl on their natures on this account. Still another peculiar- ity was the thoroness with which he himself perl'ormefl his work. He always came to his classes well preparefl. Ile not only umler- stoocl the facts anil principles mlirectly taught, but also pereeiveil many of the relations of these to other facts anwl principles. It ought to be atlcleil that Dr. Ilewett was entloweil with an abunrlam-e of common sense. Ile was not umluly earrieil away with new the- ories and schemes. Yet he was willing to give respectful hearing to every new inlea presented. So that he was not only an enthusias- tic and energetic teacher, but he was also a very sate one. In 2111 important sense, I think I may say that in his cleath a great anil good man has mleparte4l. Ile has mafle a noble contribution to the cause of eclucation in the I'nite4l States. Isle has ilone his share to- ward the perfecting of a worthy civilization in this great republic. Dr. Hewett was a learler among men Not that he was clothetl with outward authority. not so much that he was talkefl about in the newspapers and otherwise. but because oi' the genuine, ellieient work for good which he was able to accomplish. In this respect it seems to me we may say that he was a prince among men. Many thousanrls of young men and young women, who were preparing for the work IKll41fg11'ffjl'!fws omfwivl, fluffmlzfrjovfflu'f1fH1I, +-F,xl:l:.x llihxxmx. t'Nlou', lm! .'slIA't',IiTNUII.X lIl.o,ul2. ll if I I tx , . E?-f IL L- L .J an W LL lk

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QJY i if i. ,s - 1 M ,V -. It Im assi were to education. Therefore it required much effort to keep up the reputation of the school and also to make it worthy of a high reputation. One of the Worthy facts in the history of that institu- tion during those trying days was that members of the faculty, both men and women. worked in the spirit of hearty union. Une of the expedients to which we resorted for enlarging the intluence of the school and for increasing its numbers, was the holding of a summer school during t-he long vacation period. This enterprise was under- taken heartily and without compensation by members of the faculty, and was carried on with great eiliciency. No one was more helpful in this enterprise than was Prof. Ilewett. Une of the results was that owing to the rather impaired state of his health he felt willing to enter upon a change of occupation for a year, and for the year be- ginning in September, 1868, he was granted a leave of absence. But at the end of the year he could not resist his desire to be once more in his old work. The ell'ect of the etl'orts of those years was very manifest. The total attendance of the normal department for the year 1862 was only 152, but for the year ending June, 1871, the at- tendance was 464. There was also a corresponding increase in the attendance in the model school. Dr. Hewett held the position of Professor of History and Geog- raphy in the State Normal University until January, 1876, when he became president of the same institution. This ollice he held until 1890. During these years the institution continued to grow in num- bers and inlluence, and his work as President was acceptable to the Board of Education and to the friends of the school. His standing as an educator was recognized also by other institutions of learning. In the year 1878 the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by Shurtleli' College. He had received the degree of A.lNl. from the old Pniyersity of Uhieago in 1863. He is the author of a num- ber of books, intended for the use of schools, including a work on Pedagogy and Psychology, and a series of Arithmetics. He was at one time president of the State Teachers' Association of Illinois, and has also held oltice in the National Educational Association. For some years previous to his death he was one of the editors of tl1e School and Home Education.77 In August, 1857, Dr. Hewett was joined in marriage with Miss Angeline N. Benton, of Lee County, Illinois. Two children were born of this union, Mrs. li.. H.. Reeder, in the year 1860, and Paul, in the year 1870. Mrs. Reeder is the wife of Prof. K. R. Reeder, 31.X'l'llll.lDA .lox-UNNA 1si1z11ss.x4'1llcn.-'Clnfl.dill.wlfr lifvs. llf- I'll1lllffl'1lllliN IHIIII4' fu '.'Ni. fF1.0YlJ l'iRI.XN. io

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Vid il ,ily 3 QA, '31 2.2 Q of teachers, have received direct instruction from him and felt directly the force of his personality. And the influence that he wielded was a very positive one. His appeals to the intellectual powers of his pupils were clear, and the influence that he wielded upon their moral and spiritual purposes was equally decisive. They left hiin with a clearer appreciation of truth, and they left him with intensified desires for nobler living But these young nien and wonien have theinselves gone forth into the world as teachers. The power which they received from hini, therefore, has been reproduced in their intercourse with t-he multiplied thousands whoni they have been called upon to instruct. In order to acconiplish good in this world we need two things. W'e need opportunity, and we need the mental and nioral preparation rightly to use the opportunity. Our departed brother had the opportunity, and he also had acquired the requisite preparation for it. RICHARD EDWARDS. QW ,.,X.71.:,7.6.5X,.5.Xf..,,... '21 lllllfll' of ,lIf1If1y.w'ff. -Llcim Bicows. Hlljilllll czlffl Illini' ofa uvml lo flirty. -Al,'l'IIA BURTIS. '12