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Source: NMHS Newsletter May 1995
Henry S. Hippensteel - Educator
by Ferne Baldwin
Henry S. Hippensteel was born in a log cabin in Wabash
County and finished high school in North Manchester. He
obtained degrees at State Normal School,Terre Haute,
Indiana University and Earlham College. He received an
MA from Earlham. He taught four years in district
schools, was principal one year at Servia and then was
principal three years at Manchester. He then began a
period as Superintendent; first in North Manchester for
five years, at Roann one year, at Eaton, Ohio two years
and at Auburn for four years.
In the fall of 1909 he was employed to head the
department of Professional Reviews and Observation at
Stevens Point Normal in Wisconsin. Soon after, he was
appointed head of the English department at that school
and held that position until he came to Manchester
College in the early spring of 1916, as a successor to
Professor Sandifur.
The College newspaper of April, 1916 says, "Prof.
Hippensteel is now a part of the school. He has arrived,
met all of his different classes, has signed
matriculation cards, has given his first chapel talk,
and has attended a reception given in his honor by the
faculty. He is living one block south of the college. He
seems to enjoy the work here, and every student in his
classes is enthusiastic in his praises for our new
Professor. We are congratulating ourselves in our good
fortune of having Prof. Hippensteel on our faculty."
Hippensteel, his wife, Laura and their two sons, Clark,
aged l5 and Vincent, 20 months settled in a home at the
corner of Miami and Bond as he began teaching at the
College. But within a few weeks he became quite ill and
underwent an operation in Fort Wayne for gall stone and
appendicitis. He did not recover. He was about 50 years
old.
His various educational assignments had made him widely
known and respected. Both Manchester College and the
schools of the town were closed the day of the funeral.
His death was a loss to Manchester College and to the
teaching profession in the State of Indiana.
Mrs. Hippensteel later moved to Bloomington and taught
there. Her older son, Clark died while a University
student at the age of 20. The younger son, Vincent, was
a very active student at Indiana University as a writer
for several publications. He had also done some writing
for magazines. He accidentally shot himself while on his
way to target practice and also died at aged 20. Laura
was left alone.
Mrs. Hippensteel returned to North Manchester and lived
in the house on Miami Street renting part of the house
to students. In 1957 she sold the house and went to live
with a sister in Ohio.
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