Prof. John Hull was the second President of the Southern Illinois State
Normal University, succeeding Dr. Allyn in the summer of 1892.
Prof.
Hull is a native of Salem, Marion county, Illinois. He had the ordinary
advantages of the public schools of a third of a century ago. At the age of
about 18 years, he entered the State Normal at Normal with the first
entering class. From the Normal he was graduated in due course of time and
immediately entered upon the profession of teaching.
He was soon
thereafter elected to the superintendencey of the schools of McLean county.
In this capacity he served a portion of two terms, coming to this school
about the second year of its existence. He organized the training department
and was connected therewith during his connection with the school. He was
especially interested in higher mathematics and usually conducted classes
therein, though not required by the course of study.
He also liked to
delve in the mysteries of Metaphysics and was for several years in charge of
the Pedagogy and Psychology.
When Dr. Allyn resigned in '92, the
board selected Prof. Hill as his successor. Prof. Hull had already been
selected to have charge of the exhibit of the Southern Illinois Normal at
the World's Fair, and the burden of preparing the exhibit now fell upon him.
He was ably assisted by the Faculty and the exhibit by this school was
universally praised by educators.
At the end of one year's service as
president, there was a change in the board and Prof. Hull severed his
connection with the school. He was chosen president of the River Falls,
Wisconsin, Normal. Here he served one year when, by reason of ill health, he
resigned and went into the Rocky Mountains. Later he located in New Whatcom,
on Puget Sound, Washington, where he is now engaged as editor of a daily
paper.