Rev. John D. Pierce

ïhere i now oa exhibition al the of Bce of the superintendent of public inBtruction, onc of the finest woiks of art ever produced by a Michigan arlist. It s ;i life-size portrait of Rcv. John I). l'it-rce of Ypsilanti, the iirsl supcrinlcEdent of public instinct ion m Michigan, ibe father of its school sysleui-, and uow over 80 ycars of age. The venerable cdu cator is representad seated in an easy cbairiaan attitude of ihought, with a pamphlet apon his kneeson whicli reUi i lip of paper. In his right hand he hohls a pendí, as If about to wrrte. As a work nf art it is perfect in cvery detail. The accessories are plain but tasteful, the perspective well suslaiued, and tut' liktnes su strik iDgly faithful that oue eau easily imagine the original bits before h;m. lt is painted by Revcuaugh of Jazkson, whose judgment in the choiceof u Bubject i?1 only equaled by the skill aud lideütv wit li wlnch lie has developed the itudy. The arlist does not design to offerit to the state, bilt will present it to the teachers of Michigan al tlieir state insli.ute, that they may have me pleat ure of possessing the only worthy por. trait of the "noblest Roman of them all." Upoo the orgaoization of the state jfov' ernmentJuly 26, 1&Í0, "Father Piense1 was appointed superintendent ;f public iiistiuction, and t lic tirst duty that devolved on bim was to ilraw up a plan for the organization of the pnmary schools aod the state university. lli.s plan was presented to the legislatura iu January, 18:57, and adopted almost unanimously, with very few ainc;iidmeuts, and forined ibe foundation of the school aysteni oí Michigan. Having concurrent jmitsdictiou with the governor and rejieuls of the university, lic opposed and refuaed to accept the Hrat plans for the uuiversily buildings, beoauso he believcd them to be extravagant, and that the debt which would lie incurred would cripple and prove fatal to that school and thus draw down upon himsclf the Indlgnation of the regenta to that ex'ent tliat it was at on e time proposed to hold an indigaalion meeliug at Ann Arbor. Uut he was tinn, the regents receded, and afleryears deinonstrated the wisdom of his courée. As a legislator Mr. Pierce was opially distinguished, and his history is 80 intiuiatcly counected with that of Michigan that a Bontemplation of this noble picture of a noble man cannot fail to arouse t lic most pleaiurable einotions in the bearte ol