His uncle, E. G. Dudley, Esq., himself then at Dartmouth College, wrote to Mrs. Philbrick, his sister, urging her to help her son to go to college, as the best thing she could possibly do for him; and the excellent advice was accepted by the noble mother to her honor forever. His kind father also consented to the arrangement, but could not afford much assistance. At twenty years of age, in 1838, he entered Dartmouth College.

He was a good scholar, punctual, industrious, ambitious and energetic. He always took advantage of every privilege there offered for reading, and literary training, as well as athletic sports. He was a good walker, an expert swimmer, a ready speaker, and interested in politics, being some time president of the democratic club. His moral and physical courage were conspicuous in college life, and the hazers found to their sorrow that he was no subject for their fooling rackets. He cudgelled them, and forced them out of his room by main strength and courage. All his college expenses, with slight exceptions, he paid himself by teaching school in various places during the winter seasons.

In 1842 he was graduated, and soon became a teacher in the Roxbury Latin School, and in 1844 he was made a teacher in the English High School of Boston. The next year, being chosen principal of the Mayhew School in Boston, he remained there till elected master of the new Grammar School, called the Quincy School of Boston, in 1847. He had studied law since living in Boston; but now he gave up the idea of being a lawyer, and adopted the profession of Educator.

In 1853 he was called to be principal of the Connecticut State Normal School at New Britain; and in 1855, Superintendent of the Public Schools of the State of Connecticut.

After one year, he became Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, continuing in that office by annual election from 1856 to 1874, and from 1876 to 1878, just twenty years. He had edited the Massachusetts Teacher some time, and also the Connecticut Common School Journal for two or three years, while in that State.

In 1873 he was the Massachusetts Special Commissioner of Education and United States Honorary Commissioner to the Vienna Exposition, and while there was chosen a member of the International Jury. He was also, in 1878, Director of the United States Exhibition and Member of the International Jury at the Paris Exposition.

He was for ten years a member of the Massachusetts Board of Education; for some time a member of the National Council of Education, and of the Government of the Institute of Technology from its establishment in 1861 to his decease. He was at different times President of the Connecticut State Teachers' Association and the Massachusetts State Teachers' Association.

It is not practicable in this notice to recount all the honors and offices which he received, but one principal honor was the degree of LL.D. from Bates College in 1872, and from St. Andrews University, Scotland, in 1879, and another, that of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor from France in 1878, and the Gold Palm of the University of France, with the title of "Officer of Public Instruction." Certainly no one descended from his honored great-grandfather, for whom he was named "John Dudley," can present so illustrious a record. I am one of this great company, and it must be evident to all that my chiefest honor is to be employed to tell the story of the others.

While he was Superintendent of the Boston Schools, I was selected to take the School Census, as I was supposed to be an expert in such statistics. I had previously published many Directories and canvassed Boston many times for names and other data. Mr. Philbrick took great interest in the School Census; as it showed, when accurately collected, the number of children between 5 and 15 years of age, the number of these who were attending the public schools, the number attending the private schools, and the number not attending any school. He helped me to make a plan that would also show each Ward By itself, the dwelling place of each child, the average attendance, what private school each one attended, &c. This Census, he said, was the basis of his most important proceedings as Superintendent. He would have all the thirty or more canvassers brought before him to examine and instruct. Each one had to be watched and looked after to see that he was faithful.

For eleven years I continued this business, being chosen annually by the Assessors and approved by the Superintendent. Mr. Philbrick said he could tell very nearly whether my work was right in every ward and street. He had another account of the pupils of schools from the teachers. I never saw a more thorough man in all his labors; and he insisted on constant improvement. "You have done well," he used often to say, "but, we must try to do better every year."

When he left the city this Census was given to the lowest bidder, like a job on a highway, and he declared that it was no longer reliable.

Mr. Philbrick employed me to collect the statistics of educational institutions in Boston for the Vienna Exposition, and the display was awarded the palm over every other in America.

But it is for me to describe him and not tell my own merits. He was perfectly regular in his business habits, and very systematic, being always ready to hear every one that approached him. There was no need of ceremony or delay. His reply always came instantly, and plainly, and good naturedly. He loved to praise rather than to blame. Still he never flattered any one.

I saw him at his Quincy School in Boston when I was a teacher myself, and afterwards at the Normal School in New Britain. I had read of him in his grandfather Dudley's letters, where the old gentleman praised his young grandson. It was probably from him that Mr. Philbrick took advice to adopt the profession of Educator. His picture in front of this number is a good and correct likeness; but his expression was commonly less stern.

During the eight years after resigning the office of Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, he lived in retirement at his beautiful home in Danvers, where hosts of the great educators visited him. He did not waste his precious time and talents, but continued to write on schools and education till his eye-sight  failed,--and even after that he dictated the most complete report of the city school systems of the United States that has ever been produced. It is perfect in style, detail and comprehensiveness.

My daughter Gertrude, mentioned on page 102 of his "Memorial," read and wrote, at his direction, for a year after he lost his sight, and this great work was one of the productions of his active mind while she was with him. She says he required an immense amount of reading, not only of his authorities but of general literature, science and current topics of the press. When dictating he was deliberate, careful, and thought intensely and profoundly. The splendid Memorial of his Life and Services, edited by Larkin Dunton, LL.D., contains a vast amount of well-digested data about Dr. Philbrick to which I can only briefly refer in this sketch. I admire all parts of it, but especially the account of the early life and education of Dr. Philbrick, written by his worthy cousin, Gilman H. Tucker, A.M., son of General Henry and Nancy (Dudley) Tucker.

Dr. Harris, in his part of the Memorial, says of Dr. Philbrick: "His return to Boston, as Superintendent, in January, 1857, opened a new epoch. Already the graded system had been established throughout the city. That was all done within seven years after the Quincy School had led the way, when Dr. Philbrick was in charge of it."

Dr. Philbrick organized supervision by the head master of the grammar schools. He is entitled to great honor for the introduction of industrial drawing into the schools of Massachusetts, and for the establishment of the State Normal Art School and many good laws respecting Education, of which he was the originator. He was a clear, elegant writer and excellent speaker. At the great Expositions of Vienna and Paris, he secured for America a diploma of honor, and 121 awards,--which was more than any other nation received, except France herself,--also 28 gold medals, 44 silver medals, and 24 bronze medals, besides 25 certificates of honorable mention.

A great improvement in the school-houses of Boston, as well as in most of the system of instruction pursued within their walls, was effected by his energy and superintending care.

Dr. Philbrick was familiar with all the systems of education in the civilized world. I think I have heard him say so. That was one of the few things in which he boldly claimed to excel. For his modesty was equal to his merit. The most of his published works were School Reports. There are two Annual Reports of the Public Schools of Connecticut, twelve quarterly and thirty-three semi-annual Reports of the Public Schools of Boston, and Special Reports on these Schools, the Reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Education to the Legislature for 1865 and 1872; Report as Director of the United States Exhibition at the Paris Exposition of 1878, printed with Reports of the Commissioner in Chief. Dr. Philbrick also contributed many learned articles on Education to Magazines. He was author of the American Union Speaker, and the Primary Union Speaker, and some other works, besides the City School Systems in the United States, published by the U. S. Bureau of Education in 1885.

As to the standing of Dr. Philbrick in the great galaxy of Educators, justice requires that I should quote the opinions of some of the greatest lights in that department of knowledge:

Joshua Bates, LL.D., Chairman of the Boston Masters' Association, says:  "He may justly be ranked among the foremost exponents of pedagogical Science in the world."

In the Rovue Pedagogique, M. Buisson of Paris, France, says:  "He was, by his work, his travels, his missions to the great Expositions of Vienna and Paris, his reports, his official publications, the bond of union between two worlds."

Larkin Dunton, LL.D., says: "Of all the men of the present generation who have devoted their lives to Education, he was the foremost."

William A. Mowry, Ph. D., says: "Probably there is no man in the world, now living, who possesses so full, so valuable, so minute, and so exact a knowledge of all educational history and principles, experiments and practices, as John D. Philbrick carried to the grave with him."

Hon. John W. Dickinson, Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, says: "Mr. Philbrick was Superintendent of the Public Schools of Boston from 1857 to 1874, and again from 1876 to 1878, and when he resigned his office he left these schools the best organized and conducted public educational  institutions in this or any other country."

It only remains for me to mention some things in regard to his death, funeral rites and the final scenes. He died from apoplexy, February 2, 1886. There was a great funeral, at which his friends from far and near delivered addresses and eulogies, which, with many letters from famous men, institutions, societies, &c., have been printed in the Philbrick Memorial of 215 pages, issued at. Boston, A.D. 1888. He was interred in the old burial ground at his native town of Deerfield, where a tall granite shaft marks the grave.

{(*)} But his best monument is his life-work, and it will tell to future generations how nobly he lived and labored for mankind.

His wife, who survives him, was Miss Julia Ann Putnam, married to him August 24, 1843. She was a daughter of Mr. Daniel Putnam, son of Israel Putnam, who was a nephew of Major General Israel Putnam of Revolutionary fame. Her mother was daughter of Stephen Putnam and his wife Susanna (Herrick), a descendant of Governor Endicott. This excellent lady contributed much to her husband's success and usefulness.

{(*)} He left no children.

She not only sympathized with him in all his plans, and helped him in the ordinary domestic duties of life, but assisted in producing some of his greatest works, as writer, reader and tender guide when he was blind. Since his death she has assiduously carried out his wishes as far as she knew them, and endeavored to finish the grand record of her beloved consort.

I have many letters from Dr. Philbrick, mostly on business matters. The last one is dated August 1st, 1884, from Asylum Station, in Danvers, Mass. In this letter he says:

"MY DEAR COUSIN,--

I am glad to hear from you, and to learn your address. I want to encourage you to pursue your history of the family, but am in too much of a hurry now to furnish you with any materials. Your daughter kindly sent me her card. * * * Perhaps she might come and write for me in September while she is waiting for a place to teach. * * * I will write her."

I had informed him that she was ready to take a school, having graduated after a four years course from our High School, and a full course at the State Normal School in Salem.

"History of the Dudley Family" by Dean Dudley.  Wakefield, Mass.: Dean Dudley, Publisher, 1886.  Pages 268-274.