Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-06

Showing That Even Wise Father
Way BE In ErrOr.

Monday afternoon, as the High School
Cadets were struggling homeward from the
drill. one called to another:
Say, Tom, did you see that article in
Saturdays Star. where father undertakes
TO teach American history to his son, 4
High School boy?"
Yes. and from his Ignorance and his fail
ure to take his father up. l think the boy
did not come UP from the Grammar School,
but came in from the outside, in fact, was
what kiplins calls a .Crammer Pup"
What's up" exclaimed another voice
Why, in last Saturdays Star there is
an article which represents IL father trying
To show that his son. High School boy is
ignorant of American history, when, in
fact, the father exhibits his own ignor-
ance.
We'll, 1 didn't read The Star. so what is
it?' '''' -
You didn't, Ell? Well, read The Star. as
well as your books. and keep posted. How
ever rather Is asking some questions in
American history which the boy cannot
answer, and his father proceeds TO en-
hShten MIN. The boy says that Washing
ton was private citizen when ne di Il .
iather says he was lieutenant general and
COMMANDER OF the United States army hay
ing been commissioned July 3 1877 Now
the boy should have told him that the Pres
lieht' under the Cons titution, is commander
OF the army
of course; we all know that. What
eIse?'' -i1'
Wen. the father says that Mr.. Gresham
was the only man in our history who held
tErte cabinet positions"
"Pshaw!' came in a chorus ..yybv +i,era
Was William Writ. who was AttorhS,, CEN
eiaI Tor three terms-two under Monroe and
one under J. @ Adams" exclaimed ore lad
res ana James Monroe. Secretary Of
state under Madison for two terms and
Secretary of War for one term" cried an
other. i04 an
GaIatin was Secretary of State three
lines VI rs; Johh C. Calhoun twice and Secretary
OF War once said a youngsrer Who baI
caught up with the procession.
es, know said the first sneaker
anu there are Levi Woodbury., J. Ne
nehfy' Lewis Cass, JOS. Habershan. Gid
con Granger. but not any on of ~, -
three different offices Maybe that fs -
she father meant, though he did rot s5v
what's all this going on?" said anozber
~ ".io Had caught up with the lettering
We'll. | should say 50, - h.. .xci,tr,,, $50.
ne unuerStoyi the matter. What about
A!.n0'hy PICKERING Of Massachusetts
got him we lor-
Well. what of him. said a small hoy
-, W ny, only this. He was Postmaster
SF VA RAJ, secretary of the Navy Secretary
" G W sl' dht secretary of State under Wash
Adams-fve offices, four of them different
rom one another. and all four under the
Same PRESIDENT. | think that father would
10 well to book up before he starts in
Vel, rather" exclaimed still anofher
rad He says that j. Q. Adams was the
only election thrown into the House If
representatives. If he had read the his
cory OF the Constitution he would have
known that article II of the amendments
"ds adopted because when the first cleo
ton of Mr.. Jefferson was thrown into the
mouse or Representatives there were tbir-
Iy-Slx ballots before an election and there
was danger, as the Constitution then stood
mat there would be neither President nor
wee PRESIDENT for an ensuing term
And this pundit of father makes an
other mistake. He says that ]. O. Adams
was the only retiring President who re
entered public life through an elective of
nee Why. he himself should be old enough
70 remember that Andrew johnson. after
being President, was elected senator from
Tennessee"
We'll, boys" came from a man who was
IoHo"lng the group, Il read the article YOU
nave been speaking about. and, as I re-
member, II wound up by saying there was
considerably more of the kind If so. iude-
ing by your criticisms, the lad did not gain
lnuch VeTaciOus information"
And the grOuD passed On