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- THOMAS H. LITTLE, M.A., who for fourteen years so ably served
- as Superintendent of the Wisconsin Institute for the Education
of the Blind, was born in Augusta, Me., on the 15th day of December,
1832. His parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (HOWARD) LITTLE, were
both descended from English Puritan ancestors. Thomas LITTLE,
the founder of the family in America, emigrated from England
in the early days of the Plymouth Colony, and married Ann WARREN,
daughter of Richard WARREN, who was a member of the little band
of Pilgrims that landed from the Mayflower on that ever memorable
21st day of December, 1620.
- The branch of the family from which our subject is directly
descended,
- settled at Augusta, Me., and at the time of the birth of
Thomas H., his parents were residing at the "old fort"
(Western) in that city. His preparatory
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- education was received at the Bridgeton Academy, after which
he entered upon a collegiate course at Bowdoin College, graduating
in the class of 1855. The succeeding year he spent as a teacher
in the High School at Gardiner, Me., and in September, 1856,
went to Columbus, Ohio, where he was employed three years as
teacher in the institution for the blind. From there he went
to Baton Rouge, La., where he was engaged as teacher in the department
for the blind in the Louisiana Institution for the Deaf, Dumb
and Blind; but owing to the attitude of the Southern people during
the presidential election of 1860 and the threatened trouble
between the two sections of the country, he closed his connection
with that institution in the fall of that year, and returned
to Columbus, Ohio, where he taught a grammar school until August,
1861. At that time he accepted the Superintendency of the Wisconsin
Institute for the Education of the Blind, at Janesville.
- Mr. LITTLE had made a special study of the line of duty which
he assumed in accepting this
- position, and was earnestly and deeply interested in the
education of the blind. He entered with zeal and energy into
his work, in which he was ably supported by his assistant, Miss
Sarah F. COWLES, whose interest in the improvement of the unfortunate
ones confided to their care, was in harmony with his own. From
respect and esteem, their acquaintance ripened into a closer
and dearer relation, and on the 14th day of July, 1862, they
were married at the home of Miss COWLES, in Oberlin, Ohio. The
lady's father was the eminent divine and scholar, Henry COWLES,
D.D., of Oberlin College, and her mother, Alice (WELCH) COWLES,
had been principal of the ladies' department of the same institution.
- Immediately after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. LITTLE returned
to their duties at the institute in
- Janesville, and under their well-directed and zealous efforts,
the school prospered and rapidly grew in public favor. In 1867
Mr. LITTLE made a tour through the United States, visiting the
principal schools for the blind, comparing methods of teaching
and management, and securing valuable information. He has also
provided himself with the best current literature on the subject,
and at the time of his death had accumulated one of the largest
and best libraries bearing on the education and care of the blind,
in existence in the country.
- Mr. and Mrs. LITTLE were blessed with a family of four daughters
- Elizabeth H., Alice C.,
- Clara H. and Martha P. (See sketch
of Mrs. LITTLE.)
- In April, 1874, the institution building was destroyed by
fire. Although in poor health at the time,
- Mr. LITTLE distinguished himself by his bravery in rescuing
some of the blind, but in doing so received serious injuries,
from the effects of which he never fully recovered. His death
occurred on the 4th day of February, 1875, while planing [planning]
the rebuilding of the institution. The writer feels that he can
best do justice to the character and life work of Mr. LITTLE
by quoting the eulogy delivered by Dr. J. B. WHITING, trustee
of the institution and warm and intimate friend. On the presentation
of the memorial resolutions before the Convention of the American
Association of Instructors for the Blind, held in the hall of
the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind,
in August, 1876, Dr. WHITING spoke as follows:
- "Mr. President: It is difficult to speak fitting
words of kindly eulogy of those we loved who have
- gone to their rest. I might speak of Thomas H. LITTLE as
a personal friend, but when the State mourns the loss of a prominent
citizen and faithful public servant, all personal and individual
grief is merged into and overshadowed by the general sorrow.
In 1861 Mr. LITTLE came to Wisconsin to take charge of the Institution
for the Education of the Blind, as its Superintendent. From that
time to the day of his death he devoted himself to his work with
a constancy and faithfulness that challenges our admiration.
In the spring of 1873 his board of trustees, noticing with alarm
that his health was declining under his severe and protracted
labor, unanimously passed a resolution tendering him leave of
absence for several months, in order that he might have the season
of rest and opportunity to travel by sea which his medical advisor
deemed essential to his recovery. This was done with the hope
that he might thus be restored to health, and that the State
might not lose the services of so valuable an officer.
- "Although his leave of absence was tendered him solely
that he might be relieved from labor and
- care, he nevertheless entered at once upon a careful examination
of kindred institutions in Great Britain and on the Continent,
thus giving himself little time for rest and recuperation. While
in Vienna he was taken so seriously ill as to compel him to abandon
all further labor, and when sufficiently recovered to travel
he returned to Great Britain, there spending a few weeks, after
which he returned home, enriched by his experience while absent
and somewhat improved in his health, resuming his work in October.
- "In April of the following year the institution at Janesville
was destroyed by fire. In his efforts to
- remove the blind pupils from the burning building, he was
himself so severely injured that he was confined to his room
for several weeks, and never recovered from the injuries then
received. The necessities of the case admitted of no rest for
him, and he continued his work, planning and arranging for the
future. The plan of the building since built by the State for
the blind was the outgrowth of his brain, and was dictated by
him from his couch, with head bandaged and hands muffled to mitigate
the suffering which the flaming tongue of fire had inflicted
upon him. Thus did Mr. LITTLE labor on, forgetful of himself,
remembering only the wants of the institution, which he loved
more than himself. In the last days of January, 1875, he was
attacked with pneumonia, which under more favorable conditions
might not have been fatal, but the tension of body and mind had
been too great and too long-continued to endure this additional
strain, and on the 4th day of February, at noon, the 'silver
cord was loosed' and the spirit of Thomas H. LITTLE passed from
earth, singularly uncontaminated by its contact therewith. It
was my sad privilege to be with him during the closing hours
of his life and to listen to his latest words, and even in the
midst of the delirium which clouded his mind at times, his utterances
manifested the high purpose and rare integrity of the man.
- "Speaking of the future of the institution, at that
time beset with many discouragements, he ex-
- claimed with emphasis, 'I will furnish the pure honesty,
God himself will provide the true policy, and thus success will
be sure.' So the cerebration went on formulating the noblest
thoughts, though the clouds of delirium had gathered about him.
One of his last audible prayers was that new avenues might be
found along which the blind could be led to higher planes of
usefulness. Thus died one of the purest men I have ever know,
and if today there lives a single individual in Wisconsin who
cherishes an unkind feeling towards him, or presumes to speak
an unkind word of him, I neither know his name nor the places
where he secludes himself."
- The Rev. Lyman WHITING, D.D., of the Plymouth Congregational
Church of this city, and
- once Mr. LITTLE's pastor, being then called upon to portray
the religious character of the deceased, said: "Any just
estimate of our deceased friend, Mr. LITTLE, must make much account
of the eminent symmetry or harmony of the forces and features,
and the consequent completeness of his character. The entire
structure of his personality rose upon that as a foundation,
and his religious character, as a kind of summary of all that
was in him, showed this peculiarity in noticeable distinctness.
This symmetry was so notable that his separate faculties seemed
to be a line of encircling hills round about the deep interior
center of all - his religion. It used to remind me of the beautiful,
internal lakes among the hills of his native State - deep, quiet,
pellucid pools of pure, sweet waters - so profound, so pure,
that the heavens above were borne by them as in a mirror - with
the sturdy rim of granite hills a changeless rampart all about
them. So his piety. It was quite, profound, pure - the central
depth of his being. All else in him stood around it as a sheltering
defense and coronal circlet. If the first stroke of the Hebrew
poet's pencil, 'Mark the perfect man,' might not be claimed for
him, the second, 'And behold the upright,' surely cold be; and
truly that early lamented death fulfilled the condition of both
the blessed portraitures. 'For the end of that man in peace.'"
- From the remarks of J. L. NOYES, Superintendent of the Minnesota
Institution, on the same
- occasion, the writer quotes a brief extract: "It is
my privilege here to-day to bear witness to the high, manly,
Christian bearing of Mr. LITTLE during those days of darkness
and danger (those just preceding the war). His faith in God and
the right never wavered for a moment. While his heart, with all
the tenderness and gentleness of a woman, was opened toward the
unfortunate, the sorrowing and the suffering ones, he never allowed
himself to be swayed by impulse or feeling alone. 'What is duty?
- duty as a Christian man, as an officer in a benevolent institution,
and as an American citizen?' These, and questions such as these,
must be met and answered by the aid of common conscience and
revelation.
- "It is difficult to say which to admire most - his faith,
his truthfulness or his honesty. His faith led
- him to undertake and accomplish things apparently beyond
his strength; his absolute truthfulness was conspicuous even
in the minutiae of daily life; and his sterling honesty in purpose,
speech and dealing was patent to all who knew him. Of his ability
and great success in educating the blind there are many who will
ever delight to bear loving testimony."
- After the death of her husband, Mrs. LITTLE was unanimously
chosen by the Board of Trustees
- as his successor, and has conducted the affairs of the Institution
since with ability and marked success, covering a period of fourteen
years, and has the distinguished honor of being the only lady
in the world occupying that particular position. Her
sketch will be found on another page of this work.
- It is with pleasure that we insert the fine steel portrait
of this good man, knowing that every reader
- of this work will prize it more highly as they look upon
his kindly face.
- In an obituary notice of Mr. LITTLE the Janesville Gazette
said: "As a private citizen he was
- quiet, unassuming and upright; as a public officer, he was
thorough, untiring, efficient and jealously watchful of the interests
committed to his care; as an instructor, he was a recognized
leader in his profession - a disciplinarian, who knew how to
govern thoroughly without seeming to govern at all, and who was
to his pupils far more like a kind and wise father than like
a superintendent; and as a Christian he was manly, generous,
humble, full of faith, given alike to prayer and good works,
seeking to know and to do the Master's will, and trusting for
salvation only in the merits of a crucified and personal Savior.
In his death this community has lost an upright and useful citizen;
the State has lost a faithful, honest and valued servant; the
Church has lost an exemplary, prayerful member, and an efficient
officer."
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-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 573-576; lithograph page
unknown.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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