Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Wisconsin educator, newspaperman, and politician Jeremiah O’Neil

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Final resting place of Wisconsin educator, newspaperman, and politician Jeremiah O’Neil. He was interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Photo credit: Find a Grave

There are many outstanding educators who have taught in American public schools. One of them is Jeremiah O’Neil, a teacher, principal, newspaperman, judge, and state assemblyman from Wisconsin.

Jeremiah was born on a farm in Utica, Wisconsin, on Jan. 13, 1866. As a boy, he attended public schools in Mt. Sterling. Once he graduated, he enrolled at the state normal school, now known as the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. There he completed the prescribed course of study in elementary education in June, 1893.

Once he completed his education, Jeremiah accepted positions as a teacher and a principal at grade schools in Kewaskum in Wisconsin’s Fond du Lac County, where he worked from 1893 to 1896. He worked an additional five years as a teacher in Crawford County.

After Jeremiah relocated to Wauzeka, a nearby village in Crawford County, where he served two terms as president of the town council. In 1906, he ran on the Democratic ticket for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Crawford County. He won the election and served one term as a member of that body.

In addition to his work as an educator and a politician, Jeremiah worked as the editor and publisher for the weekly newspaper known as the Kickapoo Chief from 1899 to 1913, when he was elected the county judge for Crawford County, and gave up his position at the newspaper. Jeremiah served as the county judge for a total of 34 years.

In addition to his work as the county judge, Jeremiah served as trustee of the Equitable Reserve Association for 20 years. He was the county Red Cross Chairman for 16 years and was a long time member of the Kiwanis Club and the county Historical Society. He also served as director of the Peoples State Bank since 1927 and was president of that bank for many years.

Jeremiah passed away on Nov. 19, 1947, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery there. He was 81 years of age.

 

Educator Betty Dean Anderson was also a Councilwoman and civic leader

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California science teacher and administrator  Betty Dean Anderson also served her community as a San Bernardino City Councilwoman and civic leader. Photo credit: Press Enterprise

Many outstanding educators also serve their communities diligently as community leaders and volunteers. One of these is Betty Dean Anderson, a science teacher, administrator, and leading figure who lived in San Bernardino, California.

Betty was born on Nov. 2, 1930, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the youngest of six children. As a young woman, she earned her degree in Biology  from Wiley College located in Marshall, Texas.

As soon as Betty earned her college degree, she inaugurated her career in education as a Biology teacher at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California. Eventually, she became a respected administrator, earning a reputation among her colleagues as an individual of fairness, intelligence, and commitment to students.

Betty also served her community as an elected Councilwoman for San Bernardino City, representing the 6th Ward. While in office, the retired educator championed affordable housing, job training for young people, and economic development that revitalized underserved neighborhoods.

In addition to her responsibilities as an educator and civic leader, Betty co-founded the Swans Club, a debutante program that has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to young African American women and provided hours of service to non-profit organizations within the Inland Empire. Betty was also involved with the San Bernardino Valley Chapter of The Links, Inc., an organization that creates career pathways for young women and sponsors cultural opportunities within the Inland Empire. She also served on several civic and nonprofit boards and mentored generations of community leaders. Furthermore, Betty served as a volunteer usher for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Los Angeles. One of the highlights of her life was when she was able to attend both inaugurations of President Barack Obama as a guest of Rep. Joe Baca.

Sadly, Betty Dean Anderson passed away in 2025. She was 94 years of age.

 

MA Sen. Elizabeth Warren was once a Special Ed teacher

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was once an elementary school Special Education teacher. Photo credit: Harvard Law School

Many people have heard of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who represents Massachusetts in the US Senate and who was a presidential candidate in 2020. But did you know that this remarkable woman was once a Special Education teacher?

Elizabeth was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on June 22, 1949. She was in the second grade, she says, when she decided she wanted to become a teacher. “That was my dream,” she reveals. Unfortunately, when she was only 12 years old, her father was debilitated by a heart attack. Her mother had to take a minimum-wage job to support the family. Her mother was able to save the home they lived in from repossession, but there was no money left over for college tuition.

Fortunately, when she was a high school student, Elizabeth won a scholarship to George Washington University, which she attended for one year. Then she enrolled at a Texas university. “After I graduated from the University of Houston—a public university that cost $50 a semester—I taught special needs kids at a public school in New Jersey. The children I worked with were four to six years old and had some pretty significant challenges,” she remembers. “But because we had help from the federal government, they could get the kind of one-on-one care they needed—and a better opportunity to build a real, independent future,” she concludes.
In 2012, Elizabeth was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent Massachusetts in the US Senate. She has served in this capacity since 2013. In the Senate, she is a member of the Special Committee on Aging; the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Colonel Francis Wayland Parker: Teacher and Civil War Veteran

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Francis Wayland Parker

Colonel Francis Wayland Parker, Civil War veteran and celebrated pioneer of the Progressive Movement in education. Photo credit: myhero.com

At the turn of the of the 20th century, one of the most celebrated pioneers of the Progressive Movement in education was Colonel Francis Wayland Parker. In a time when modern ideas were not popular, this innovative educator promoted a philosophy that education should not emphasize standardization, rote memorization, and isolated drill. Rather, he advocated a curriculum that addressed the development of the whole student, including the child’s intellectual, physical, and moral growth. He created a model program that was strong on language development and geared towards teaching students to think and make decisions independently. Today, we would recognize his strategies as teaching critical thinking skills and creative problem-solving.

Francis Parker was born on Oct. 9, 1837, in Bedford, New Hampshire. At the tender age of 16 he became the village teacher, and when the Civil War broke out seven years later, this young educator enlisted as a private in the 4th New Hampshire Volunteer Army. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to lieutenant, then to lieutenant colonel, and then to commander. In May, 1865, Colonel Parker was captured by Confederate forces and held as a prisoner of war in North Carolina.

When the war was over, this Civil War veteran resumed his teaching career, first as a teacher, and then as a principal. In 1872, the continuously evolving educator traveled to Germany to study pedagogy at the Humboldt University of Berlin. When he returned, he became the coordinator of a highly-acclaimed teacher-training institution in Chicago, Illinois.

Colonel Parker is an American hero in so many ways, and is undoubtedly a Chalkboard Champion in the truest sense of the word. You can read more about this remarkable historical figure in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and Their Deeds of Valor, available from amazon.

RI teacher Lucy Tootell served in her state’s House of Reps

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Elementary and junior high school teacher Lucy Tootell served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. Photo credit: Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame

During Women’s History Month, we have the opportunity to recognize many fine classroom educators who also served their communities in a variety of capacities. Some have even gone on to make excellent politicians. One of these is Lucy Tootell, an elementary and junior high school teacher who also served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Lucy was born November 27, 1911, in Jacksonville, Illinois. Her mother was a former dramatics arts director at Rhode Island State College, now known as the University of Rhode Island. Her father was Roy Willard Rawlings, the last Republican Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. She was two years old when her family moved to the state of Rhode Island. When she became a teenager, Lucy attended South Kingstown High School for three years, but she graduated with honors from Westerly High School in 1929.

After her high school graduation, Lucy earned her Bachelor’s degree, with honors, from Rhode Island College of Education in 1933. She inaugurated her career as an educator at Roger Williams Junior High School, and later taught at the Richmond Elementary School. Later Lucy attended law school at Boston University. She also attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the summer of 1934, and Northwestern University, where she was offered the directorship of their renowned children’s theater.

The indefatigable educator served her community in many capacities. She served as the curator and archivist of the Kingston Little Rest Museum. She was instrumental in establishing and organizing the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society, the Richmond Historical Society, and the  the Charlestown Historical Society. In addition, she was a lecturer and an author of many local history publications, books, and slide shows. Lucy also served as Council Commissioner of the Rhode Island Girl Scout Organization. In 1970, she was elected to the Richmond School Committee and, in 1972, was elected on the Republican ticket to the Rhode Island House of Representatives from Chariho District #52, where she served from 1973 until 1977.

For her tireless work on behalf of Rhode Island, Lucy was named “Woman of the Year” by the Chariho Business and Professional Women’s Club in 1974.She also garnered the “John Nicholas Brown Award,” from The League of RI Historical Societies in 1982.
In 1997, in recognition of her distinguished achievements in the field of and preservation of history, Lucy earned an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Rhode Island. In 2013, she was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away on January 5, 2010. To read more about Lucy Tootell, see this post on the website for the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.