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Samuel Penniman Bates
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biography
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BATES, Samuel
Penniman, educator, was born at Mendon, Mass., Jan. 29, 1827. He was engaged in teaching at Milford, Mass., when
sixteen years old, and, fitting himself for college, was graduated from Brown university in 1851 with the degree of A.M. He
was occupied as a private tutor in 1851 and 1852. For five years following he acted as principal of the academy at Meadville,
Pa., and as instructor of a class of teachers to whom he lectured on the theory and practice of teaching, this being an
embryo normal school, and from 1857 to 1860 was superintendent of schools in Crawford county, Pa. This office he resigned to
become deputy superintendent of public instruction in Pennsylvania, and in 1866 he was appointed state historian by Governor
Curtin. From 1874 to 1881 he acted as superintendent of schools in Meadville, Pa., traveling in England, Scotland, and on the
continent of Europe in 1877. He was president of the public library association from 1872 to 1880, a member of the
Pennsylvania historical society, and a member of Crawford county historical society. His published writings include:
"Institute Lectures on Mental and Moral Culture" (1859); "Method of Teachers' Institutes" (1862);
articles on "Physical Culture" (1862-'63); "Liberal Education" (1864); "History of the Colleges
of Pennsylvania "; "History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers" (5 vols., 1866-'73); "Lives of the
Governors of Pennsylvania" (1873); "Martial Deeds of Pennsylvania" (1875); "Battle of Gettysburg"
(1878); "Life of General O. B. Knowles" (1878); "History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania" (1878);
"Battle of Chancellorsville" (1882); "History of Pennsylvania"; "History of Greene County,
Pennsylvania"; "Digest of School Laws"; and contributions to volume twelve of the Encyclopædia Brittannica. He
received the degree of LL.D. from Westminster college in 1862, and from Allegheny college in 1877. |
