Terrel Bell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terrel Bell
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| 2nd United States Secretary of Education | |
| In office January 22, 1981 – December 31, 1984 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Shirley Hufstedler |
| Succeeded by | William Bennett |
| United States Commissioner of Education | |
| In office June 1974 – July 1976 |
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| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | John Ottina |
| Succeeded by | Edward Aguirre |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Terrel Howard Bell
November 11, 1921 Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 1996 (aged 74) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Resting place | Larkin Sunset Gardens Sandy, Utah |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Betty Fitzgerald |
| Children | 4 sons |
| Education | Albion State Normal School (BA) University of Idaho (MA) University of Utah (PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  U.S. Marine Corps |
| Rank |  Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Terrel Howard Bell (born November 11, 1921, died June 22, 1996) was an important leader in American education. He served as the Secretary of Education for President Ronald Reagan. He was the second person to hold this important job.
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Terrel Bell's Early Life and Career
Terrel Bell was born in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, on November 11, 1921. When he was eight years old, his father passed away. He finished high school in 1940 and then went to the Albion State Normal School, graduating in 1946.
After college, Bell served in the Marine Corps during World War II. He then returned to Idaho to continue his education. He started his career as a high school teacher and even drove a school bus!
Bell spent most of his professional life working in Utah. He earned a master's degree from the University of Idaho in 1954. Later, in 1961, he received his PhD in education from the University of Utah. He also worked as the superintendent of the Weber School District in Utah.
Serving the Nation in Education
Before the job of Secretary of Education was created, there was a similar role called the United States Commissioner of Education. Terrel Bell held this position under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1976.
Becoming Secretary of Education
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan chose Bell to be his Secretary of Education. Many people thought Bell would close down the Department of Education. However, it turned out that closing it would require new laws.
Bell was well-known and respected in the world of education. He had worked his way up from being a high school teacher to a college professor and then to leadership roles. He was known for being humble. When he moved to Washington for his new job, he even drove a U-Haul truck himself!
A Nation at Risk Report
In 1981, Bell convinced President Reagan to create a special group to study how good education was in the country. This group was called the National Commission on Excellence in Education.
In 1983, the commission released a very important report called A Nation at Risk. This report said that the nation was facing "a rising tide of mediocrity" in its schools. It helped start a big movement to improve education across the country.
Later Life and Legacy
Even though the importance of education was highlighted, President Reagan continued to try to lower funding for the Department of Education. Bell served for Reagan's first term and then resigned on December 31, 1984.
After leaving his government role, Bell returned to Salt Lake City. He joined the faculty at the University of Utah. In 1988, he wrote a book about his time in the government called The Thirteenth Man: A Reagan Cabinet Memoir.
Bell wrote seven other books during his career. These books talked about how to help children learn better and how to improve schools. He believed that the most important thing in teaching was "motivation, motivation, and ... motivation."
In 1987, Terrel Bell was honored by being inducted into Idaho's Hall of Fame.
The Terrel H. Bell Award
The Department of Education gives out an award named after Terrel Bell. This award recognizes "outstanding school leaders" who do a great job even in tough situations. It celebrates the important role these leaders play in helping students succeed.
Personal Life and Passing
Terrel Bell married Betty Ruth Fitzgerald in 1957. They had four sons: Mark, Warren, Glenn, and Peter.
Bell passed away in his sleep at age 74 in 1996. He died from pulmonary fibrosis at his home in Salt Lake City. He is buried in Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, Utah.
