Thomas Blanchard Stowell facts for kids
Thomas Blanchard Stowell (1846–1927) was an important American educator and scientist. He spent over 50 years working in schools and universities, helping to shape how people learned. He was known for his long career as a leader in education and for his scientific studies of the human body and animals.
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Early Life and Learning
Thomas Stowell was born on March 29, 1846, in Perry, New York. When he was 19, in 1865, he finished college at Genesee College, which is now called Syracuse University. He continued his studies there, earning a master's degree in 1868 and a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in 1881.
A Long Career in Education
Right after college in 1865, Stowell started working as a principal at Addison Academy in Addison, New York. Over the next few years, he held several different teaching and leadership jobs in New York and Kansas.
Leading at Cortland
In 1869, Stowell found a long-term home at the Cortland State Normal School in Cortland, New York. This school is now known as the State University of New York at Cortland. He became the head of the Natural Sciences department. After moving around a lot in his early career, he stayed at Cortland for 20 years, from 1869 to 1889.
Principal in Potsdam
After his time at Cortland, Stowell moved to Potsdam, New York, in 1889. He became the principal of the Potsdam Normal School, which is now called the State University of New York at Potsdam. He led this school for another 20 years. In 1909, he received an honorary law degree (LL.D.) from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.
Building Education at USC
In 1909, Stowell moved to California to join the University of Southern California (USC). He helped start the new Department of Education. Later, in 1918, USC created its School of Education, and Stowell became its very first dean. A dean is a leader in a university, usually in charge of a specific school or college.
Scientific Work
Besides his important roles in education, Thomas Stowell was also a talented scientist. He studied the human body and compared it to animal bodies (this is called comparative anatomy). He also worked with microscopes and studied the brain and nerves (this is called comparative neurology).
Stowell was part of many important scientific groups, like the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was especially known for his writings about the brains and nerves of domestic cats. He also contributed to a science journal called The Journal of Comparative Neurology in 1891.
Lasting Legacy
Thomas Blanchard Stowell retired in 1919, after working in education for 54 years! To honor his dedication, the University of Southern California named the Thomas Blanchard Stowell Hall of Education and the Stowell Research Library after him. Later, in 1963, SUNY Potsdam also named its Stowell Hall in his honor.
