Terrel Bell

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

The Honorable
Terrel H. Bell
TerrelBell.jpg
2nd United States Secretary of Education
In office
January 22, 1981 – January 20, 1985
President Ronald Reagan
Preceded by Shirley M. Hufstedler
Succeeded by William J. Bennett
Personal details
Born (1921-11-11)November 11, 1921
Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Resting place Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, Utah, U.S.
Political party Republican[1]
Spouse(s) Betty Fitzgerald Bell
Children Mark F. Bell
Warren T. Bell
Glenn M. Bell
Peter F. Bell
Parents Willard Dewain Bell
Alta Martin Bell
Alma mater Southern Idaho College of Education
Profession Educator
Religion The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)
Military service
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Rank Sergeant
Battles/wars World War II

Terrel Howard Bell (November 11, 1921 – June 22, 1996) was the Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of President Ronald Reagan.

Early life and career

Bell was born in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, on November 11, 1921. When Bell was eight years old, his father died.[2] Bell graduated from the Albion State Normal School in Idaho. After this he served as a school superintendent of various schools in Idaho and Wyoming.

Bell spent much of his professional career in Utah. He served as a sergeant in the Marines during World War II and returned to Idaho to get his education. After earning a B.A. from the Southern Idaho College of Education in Albion in 1946, Bell started a career as a high school teacher and bus driver.

On August 1, 1957, Bell married the former Betty Ruth Fitzgerald, with whom he had four sons: Mark F., Warren T., Glenn M. and Peter F. Bell. He later earned an M.A. from the University of Idaho in 1954, and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Utah in 1961. Bell was also the served as Utah Commissioner of Higher Education.

National Commissioner of Education

Bell served as the United States Commissioner of Education (prior to the creation of the cabinet position) under Presidents Nixon and Ford from 1974 to 1976.

U.S. Secretary of Education

Appointed to the Reagan cabinet, Bell was expected to preside over the dismantling of the Department of Education, but he ran into the legal requirement that such a dismantling required legislation. He was well known, admired and respected in education circles, having risen from high school teacher through college professor to administrative positions. Bell stood out as a humble man in an administration of moneyed people—he drove a U-Haul truck from Utah to Washington when he moved.[citation needed]

In 1981, Bell convinced Reagan to appoint a commission to study excellence in education. The 1983 report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, titled A Nation at Risk, started the drive for education reform with its conclusions, which included the claim that the nation was threatened by "a rising tide of mediocrity."[3]

Resignation and post-political life

Though education's importance was highlighted by the reform drive, Reagan continued to try to reduce funding at the Department of Education. Bell served for Reagan's first term, resigning in January 1985. He returned to Utah, and joined the faculty at the University of Utah. In 1988, he published his memoir entitled The Thirteenth Man: A Reagan Cabinet Memoir.

Bell published seven other books during his career, covering topics such as improving child intellectual development and reforming the educational process. His last book in 1993, written with his business partner Dr. Donna Elmquist at his non-profit company T.H. Bell and Associates in Salt Lake City, made new recommendations for improving the U.S. education system.

"There are three things to emphasize in teaching: The first is motivation, the second is motivation, and the third is (you guessed it) motivation." Terrel H. Bell, U.S. Secretary of Education, 1981–1985 (Bell, 1995)

Bell died of pulmonary fibrosis in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 22, 1996. He is interred in Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, Utah.

Terrel H. Bell Award

The Department of Education gives an award named after Bell to recognize "outstanding school leaders and the vital role they play in overcoming challenging circumstances." On November 3, 2009 the award was given to eight U.S. public school principals. Concurrent with the award, the Department issued a press release which stated that "[t]he late Secretary Terrel H. Bell held education as his highest priority, trusting that all students would find it their personal key to success as he had."[4]

Note of interest

As the last member of the cabinet to be appointed, Bell was often designated to stay at home during the State of the Union Address and other functions, to succeed to the presidency if all others in the chain of succession were incapacitated.[citation needed]

See also

Biography portal

World War II portal

United States Marine Corps portal

References

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • The World Almanac 1997, Obituaries, p. 74.
  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History - Bell, Terrel H
  3. A Nation at Risk. National Commission on Excellence in Education. April 1983.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Educational offices
Preceded by
John R. Ottina
United States Commissioner of Education
1974–1976
Succeeded by
Edward Aguirre
Political offices
Preceded by U.S. Secretary of Education
Served under: Ronald Reagan

1981 – 1985
Succeeded by
William J. Bennett