Henry Sabin 1829 - 1918

SABIN, HOTCHKISS

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 2/5/2008 at 19:05:04

The Clinton Herald Saturday March 23, 1918 p. 6 "Henry Sabin, former superintendent of the Clinton schools, died peacefully here this afternoon. Interment by cremation at San Diego." This is the brief message conveyed to The Clinton Herald from Culavista, California, where the educator, one of Iowa's grand old men, had gone to pass his declining years. This news given to the people of Clinton through the message sent by Elbridge H. Sabin, his elder son, will awaken many a kindly thought of the school man who left his influence in so many Clinton homes. He came to Clinton in 1872, having accepted the position of superintendent of the public schools, and remained here until 1888 when he was elected to the office of state superintendent of the schools, re-occupying that position until 1892, and again from 1894 to 1898. Henry Sabin was an educator and author whose life history has been a credit to the state of Iowa. He was born at Pomfret, Connecticut, October 23, 1829. Having mastered the elementary branches of education in the common schools, he attended Woodstock Academy in New Hampshire, was graduated from Amherst college with the class of 1854, and received the L.L.D., degree from Drake university, Iowa. In early manhood he took up the profession of teaching and before he came to Clinton had taught in the schools of Naugatuck and New Haven, Conn., and Matawan, N.J. He was held in high regard by his collegues in the profession, became a member of the department of superindence in the National Educational Association and in 1878 was president of the Iowa State Teachers association. He also served on the board of regents for the State University of Iowa. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, but his time and effort always predominately in behalf of the young people he knew and who came to his notice. In 1899 he issued a volume "Talks to Young People", made up of the personal messages he had given to the boys and girls of Clinton at various times. Other noteworthy publications followed. "The Making of Iowa", one of the most widely known. He was particularly earnest in the study of the problems pecular to the rural school and his advanced ideas have since come to be regarded as practical and necessary in the conduct of schools of the small and scattered community. April 8, 1857, Mr. Sabin was married to Miss Esther Francis Hotchkiss at Naugatuck, Conn. She passed away in Des Moines, October 1, 1908, leaving a sweet memory of a beloved "Aunt Esther", with many Clinton boys and girls. In 1879, she was the organizere of the Clinton reading circle, now known as the Tuesday club and was a woman of such big personality that she was a perfect helpmate to the teacher husband. To them were born four children, two daughters, Gertrude, who died as a little child and Bessie at the age of 11 years; and two sons, Edwin L. Sabin and Elbridge H. Sabin, whose writings have taken a different trend than their father's pen put forth, but which have brought them recognition that was gratifying to their father, whose last days, even to the past years, were centered about the events of the day and the activities of his sons.