Beadle, William Henry Harrison (1838-1915), was an American educator who promoted the growth of public education in the West. As surveyor general of the Dakota Territory, Beadle worked to keep lands that were designated for educational purposes from being sold. He served as president of the Madison (South Dakota) State Normal School from 1889 to 1905. Beadle also wrote the education article in the South Dakota state Constitution. The article later served as a model for several other states.
Beadle was born on Jan. 1, 1838, in Parke County, Indiana. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1861 and served in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865). He died on Nov. 15, 1915. A statue of Beadle represents South Dakota in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
