History of Barrington, (Bristol County) Rhode Island United States of America

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Thomas W. Bicknell, educator, was born at Barrington, R. I,; Sept. 6, 1834; son of Allin and Harriet Byron (Kinnicut) Bicknell. He was graduated at Thetford academy in 1853, and entered Amherst college, remaining there one year. He was then employed in teaching school, and in 1857 entered Brown university, where he was graduated with the degree of A.M. in 1860. In 1859 he was elected to the house of representatives of Rhode Island, serving in that body during his last year at college. From 1860 to 1869 he was occupied in teaching, and from 1869 to 1875 was commissioner of schools of Rhode Island. He was instrumental, during his term, in securing various educational reforms. In 1873 he was Rhode Island commissioner to the Vienna exposition. In 1875 the New England Journal of Education was founded, Mr. Bicknell became its editor, and in the following year its owner and publisher. In 1876 he established The Primary Teacher; in 1878, Good Times; in 1880, Education, a bi-monthly; and for nearly ten years he was editor of the Rhode Island Schoolmaster. The New England bureau of education was founded by him in 1876. He was also editor-in-chief of The American Teacher, begun in 1883. He was president of the Rhode Island institute of instruction, of the American institute of instruction, of the national council of education, which he was chiefly instrumental in organizing in 1880, of the National teachers' association in 1884, of the interstate commission on Federal aid, and a member of the International congress of education in 1886. In 1883 he represented Massachusetts in the interstate congress at Louisville. He lectured extensively on educational subjects, his address on "School Supervision" and "Civil Service Reform in Education" being published by the American institute. He was a representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1888-'89; received the degree LL.D. from Straight university in 1882. He is the author of: "Memoir of William Lord Noyes" (1868); "History of Barrington" (1870); "John Miles and Religious Tolerations in Massachusetts" (1892); "Barrington in the Revolution" (1898).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Barrington, (Bristol County) Rhode Island

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