The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-26
WHAT GEOMETRY WILL DO FOR ABOY
How President Lincoln Became an Expert
ReasOner.
THE Congregationalist.l

Now, boys, let US have little talk about
geometry. You know it has been a famous
study for boys for many ages, Euclid was an
old Egyptian, who lived about three hun
dred years before Christ His treatise on
geometry has been the foundation for all
modern works upon the subject. Plato, who
lived century earlier, founded a noted
academy at Athens, and it is related that
over its entrance he placed the celebrated in
scriPtion, Let no one ignorant of geometry
enter here"
This branch has been considered an i'm
rortant part of a good education for three
thousand years. Yet i hear many boys in
these days saying, II don't like geometry.
1 wonder what good it will do me-"
l once heard very interesting story about
Abraham Lincoln, which may help you to
understand the good" Before Mr.. Lincoln
was candidate for President, he made a
tour through New England and lectured in
many cities and towns. Among other places
he spoke in Norwich, CT. A gentleman who
heard him, and was struck with his remark
able logical power, rode the next day In the
cars with Mr. Lincoln to New Haven. Dur
ing the ride the following conversation took
place:
Mr.. Lincoln, l was delighted with your
lecture last evening""
ooh, thank you, but that was not much of
lecture, l can do better than that"
Il have no doubt of it, Mr.. Lincoln, for,
able to do better"
well, well, you are a good reasoner,
aren't you? That is cute"
But that reminds me-" continued the
gentleman, "to ask how you acquired your
wonderful logical power. / have heard that
you are entirely seIf-educated and it is sell
dom that find self-educated man who has
a good system of logic in his reasoning.
How did you acquire such an acute power
of analysis?'
"Well, Mr.. g., will tell you. 1t was my
terrible Encouragement which did that for
me-"
Your scouragement-what do you
mesnTn
You see," said Mr.. Lincoln, that when
was about eighteen years of age 1 went into
an office to study law. Well, after p little
while / saw that a lawyers business was
largely to prove things. And 1 said TO my
self, Lincoln, when is thing proved? That
was poser. could not answer the ques-
ton. What constitutes proof? Not evil
dence. that was not the point. There may
be evidence enough, but wherein consists
the proof?
You remember the old story of the Ger
man, who was tried for some crime, and they
brought half dozen respectable men who
swore that they saw the prisoner commit the
crime. VEL he replies, vat of dot? Six
men schwears dot dey saw me do it. /
prings more nor two tozen goot men who
| IT,.
$50, wherein is the proof? Igroaned over
the question, and, finally said to myself,
'Ah, Lincoln, you can't tell Then 1
thought, What use is it for me to be in law
Office, if / can't tell when thing is proved?
So gave it up, and left the office and went
back home, over in Kentucky"
so you gave up the law?'
"Oh, Mr.. g., don't Jump at your conclu-
sions. That isn't logical. But, really, did
give up the law and l thought should never
go back to it. This was in the fall of the year.
Soon after / returned to the old log cabin, l
fell in with copy of Euclid. / had not the
slightest notion what Euclid was, and l
thought would find out / found out but
it was no easy Job. / looked into the book
and found out it was all about lines, angles,
surfaces and solids. But / could not under.
stand it all. l therefore began, very DELHI
erately, at the beginning. / learned the
definitions and aXioms. ! demonstrated the
first proposition. / said, that is simple
enough. / went on to the next and the
next. And before spring had gone through
that old Euclid's geometery and could de-
| monstra,e every proposition like book.
Il knew it all from beginning to end.
You could not stick me on the hardest of
them. Then, in the spring, when l had got
through with it, / said to myself one day,
All, DO you know when thing is provedP
And / answered right out loud, Yes, sir |
do Then you may go back to the law
SDOp. anu went.
THANK you, Mr.. Lincoln, for that story.
You have answered my question. / see now
where you find your logical acume, you dug
| it out of that geometry"
ayes, did often by the light of pitch
| pine knots But l got it. Nothing but
geometry will teach you the power of ab-
| stract reasoning Only that will tell you
when a thing is proved"
Said Mr.. G., / think this remarkable
| incident. How few men would have
thought to ask themselves the question.
| When is a thing proved? What constitutes
| proof And how few men of eighteen
| would have been able to master the whole of
Euclid in a single winter without a teacher.
And still fewer, after they had done so
| much, would have realized and acknowl-
edged what geometry had done for them;
that it had told them what proof was"
So, my young friends, you may perhaps
| see by this incident what geometry wall do
| for a boy.
AsThin Slice of American History,
"What a racketr
Yes; it is those fellows with their drum,
| and dear knows what" replied Ned.
They enjoy it. / suppose" continued
| Lou.
1 Il presume So"
And Ned look as if he did not think it such