▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Mount ▁Union ▁College , ▁Alliance , ▁Ohio , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁He ▁taught ▁in ▁rural ▁schools ▁ 1 8 7 0 - 1 8 7 7 . ▁ ▁Following ▁this ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁principal ▁of ▁Mill ers burg ▁High ▁School ▁ 1 8 7 7 - 1 8 7 9 . ▁Super int endent ▁of ▁Mill ers burg ▁schools ▁ 1 8 7 9 - 1 8 9 6 . ▁County ▁school ▁exam iner ▁for ▁twenty ▁years . ▁Inst ruct or ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁school ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Wo oster , ▁Ohio ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁school ▁of ▁Ash land ▁College , ▁Ohio ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁ ▁Mc D ow ell ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁Fif ty - fif th ▁and ▁Fif ty - six th ▁Congress es ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 ). ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁ren om ination ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁Super int endent ▁of ▁public ▁instruction ▁of ▁the ▁Ash land ▁city ▁schools ▁ 1 9 0 8 - 1 9 2 7 . ▁Trust ee ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁normal ▁college ▁at ▁Kent , ▁Ohio ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁N ort he astern ▁Ohio