Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-07-09
Garfield as a Teacher
How HE ENCOURAGED STUDENTS To TEEsi
yEpF

HOW HE ENCOURAGED STUDENTS To TEEsE-
we're.
Pl,siIcu: iiins,iale of Hiram College, Ohio,
in a recent lecture 10 the students on the
financial difficulties with which many earnest
Young men seeking an enducation have to
contend, said that in the Tall of 1856 he left
lac Eclectic Institute, now Hiram College
in distress of mind, growing out OF his own
lifc-questions lie had passed his 18Th birth
day, an.i the question of the future weighed
heavily upon Lis mind. That Winter he
taught district school lie had already won
- f.ioni IN Nr Garfield. thea e5 wears old
and Just out of Williams College. Garfield
was then teaching in Hiram as professor of
Ancient Languages. In his distress OF mind
Hinsdale wrote Garfield Il letter, in which
he fully opened up his mind. In reply he
received this letter. which gave him great
help, and which he religiously preserved:
HIRAM. Jan. Is, 1857.
MY DEAR BROTHER BuREE | was made
very glad few DAYS since by the receipt Of
your letter You have given vivid picture
of a community IN which intelligence and
morality have been neglected, and ! am glad
you are disseminating the light. Certainly
men must have some knowlege in order to
do right God first said, Let there be light;
afterward he said, 1t is very good am
glad to hear of your success in teaching, but
| approach with much more interest the con-
sderation of the question you have proposed.
Brother mine, il is not question To be dis
cussed in the spirit of debate. but 10 be
thought over and prayed over as question
out of which are the issues of life You
will agree with me That every one must de
eide and direct his own course in life, and
the only service friends can afford is to give
us the data from which we must draw our
own conclusion and decide our course. Allow
me, then, to sit beside you and look over the
field of life and see what are its aspects
% am not of those who advise every one
to undertake the work of a liberal education.
Indeed, believe that in two-thirds OF the
cases such advice would be unwise. The
great body of the people will be, and ought
to be iutelligent) farmers and mechanics
and in many respects they pass the most indie
pendent and happy lives. But God has en-
dowed some Of His children with desires
and capabilities for more extended field OF
labor and influence, and so every life should
be shaped according to what the man hath.
Now. in reference TO yourself hnOto you
Lave capabilities for occupying positions OF
high and important trust in the scenes OF ac-
tive life, and | am sure you will not call II
fattery in me or egotism in yourself to say
so. Tell me- Burke, do you not feel spirit
stirring within you that longs TO knot0, to do,
and TO dare !, 10 hold converse with the great
world of thought, and hold before You some
high and noble object to which the vigor OF
your mind and the strength ofyour arm may be
given. Do you not have longlngs Ike these,
which you breathe to no one, and which you
feel must he needed, or you will pass through
life unsatisiicd and regretful : l am sure
you have them, and they will forever
cling round your heart till you obey their
mandate They are the voices Of that na-
turc which God has given you, and which,
when oheyed, will bless You and your fellow
men. Now, all this might be true, and
yet it might he your duty not to follow that
ccurse. If your duty to your father or
your mother demands That you take another,
| shall rejoice TO see you take that course.
The path Of duty is where we all ought TO
walk, be that where il may. But | sincere
" hope you will not, without an earnest
struggle, give up Il course of liberal study.
Suppose you could not begin your study
again till after your ma jority-it will not be
too late then, but you will gain in many re
spects. You will have more maturity Of
mind to appreciate whatever You may study.
You may say You will be too old 10 begin
the course. But how could you better spend
the earlier. days Of life We should not meas
ure life by the days and moments We pass
| on earth.
THE lie Is measured u tGe souls i.Aur.-
Tne enlargement OF the po"ers-the expanded
held
wnele IL ranges Ill II burns and gl0ws
| With heavenly Joy, with high and heaHru, hops
1T need be no disbursement thai You
will be obliged to hew your own way and
pay your own charges. You can g. Ia
school two terms Of every year. aud pay
your own way.
Il know this-tor did So when teacher 5
wages were much lower than they are now
| 1t is Il great truth that Where there is II will
there is Il way 1t may he that by and by
your father would assist You. 1t may bc
that even now he could let You commcnc,
on your resources, SO that you could begin
Immediately. OF this you know, and tic
not | need not tell you how glad should
be to assist you in your work but, if You
cannot come 10 Hiram while am here
shall still hope TO hear that you are deter
mined To go On M soon as the time will per
rlit. viii you not write me your thoughts
! on this whole subject, and tell me your pros
poets: We are having very good time il
the school this winter. Give my love iC
Roden and Louisa, and believe NE Away
your friend and brother
y \. GAErIELD.
"P $ Burke, WAS it prophetic that my
last word To you ended on the picture of TIN
Capitol of Congress. J. A. q"
The letter was written on II sheet of Con
gress paper and the postscript, written OF
the margin, ended on the embossed picture
of the capitol.
Whether the General meant 10 ask in re
gard to the prophetic significance in his owl
case. or that Of llins,lnle. is not known bu
il certainly came true in his own case.
The custom Of putting large strawbrrrie
at the top OF the basket and the smaller and poo
ones below. seems not 10 be Of purely American in
RI