Terrel Bell
Encyclopedia
Terrel Howard Bell was the Secretary of Education
in the Cabinet of President
Ronald Reagan
.
. When Bell was eight his father died. 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 at Albion
in 1946, Bell started a career as a high school teacher and bus driver. 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. Prior to serving as the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Reagan, Bell also served as the Utah Commissioner of Higher Education.
, but 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, probably the only member of the Reagan cabinet to do so.
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."
. 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 (ISBN 0-02-902351-3).
"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 in Salt Lake City, Utah
on June 22, 1996.
and other functions, to succeed to the presidency if all others in the chain of succession were incapacitated.
United States Secretary of Education
The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet, and 16th in line of United States presidential line of succession...
in the Cabinet of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
.
Early life and career
Bell was born and educated in Lava Hot Springs, IdahoIdaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. When Bell was eight his father died. Bell graduated from the Albion State Normal School
Albion State Normal School
Albion State Normal School was an institution of higher learning located in Albion, Idaho at . The school was established by the Idaho Legislature in 1893, as one of two Normal schools in the state...
in Idaho. After this he served as a school superintendent of various schools in Idaho and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
.
Bell spent much of his professional career in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. He served as a sergeant in the Marines during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and returned to Idaho to get his education. After earning a B.A. from the Southern Idaho College of Education at Albion
Albion, Idaho
Albion is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 267 at the 2010 census. Albion was the county seat of Cassia County from 1879 to 1918....
in 1946, Bell started a career as a high school teacher and bus driver. He later earned an M.A. from the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
in 1954, and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in 1961. Prior to serving as the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Reagan, Bell also served as the Utah Commissioner of Higher Education.
U.S. Secretary of Education
Appointed last in the Reagan cabinet, Bell was expected to preside over the dismantling of the Department of EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, but 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
U-Haul
U-Haul International, Inc. is an American equipment rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation since 1945. The company was founded by Leonard Shoen U-Haul International, Inc. is an American equipment rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation...
truck from Utah to Washington when he moved, probably the only member of the Reagan cabinet to do so.
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
National Commission on Excellence in Education
The National Commission on Excellence in Education produced the 1983 report titled A Nation at Risk. It was chaired by David P. Gardner and included prominent members such as Nobel prize-winning chemist Glenn T. Seaborg....
, titled A Nation at Risk
A Nation at Risk
A Nation at Risk: The Imperative For Educational Reform is the title of the 1983 report of American President Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education. Its publication is considered a landmark event in modern American educational history...
, started the drive for education reform with its conclusions, which included the claim that the nation was threatened by "a rising tide of mediocrity."
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 EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
. Bell served for Reagan's first term, resigning in January 1985. He returned to Utah, and joined the faculty at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. In 1988, he published his memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
entitled The Thirteenth Man: A Reagan Cabinet Memoir (ISBN 0-02-902351-3).
"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 in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
on June 22, 1996.
Department of Education's "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."Note of interest
As the last member of the cabinet to be appointed, Bell was often the one designated to stay at home during the State of the Union AddressState of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...
and other functions, to succeed to the presidency if all others in the chain of succession were incapacitated.