Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-02-24
BOYHOOD
FULL OF LIVELY
INCIDENTS
Stories Told Years Ago by Man Who
Went to School With the Dis
'tinguiShed Statesman

Lisbon is the second Oldest town
"A the state, and many of its historic
.yents date back into the eighteenth
entury. In Lisbon stands an old
rick building of late years occupied
IA a harness shop.
In the early days of the town this
Ald shop was occupied in part by DIR.
leonard Hanna and family as living
Inartments, and in one Of these rooms
Non. Marcus A. Hanna was born.
HIS father, DR.. Hanna, was man of
Ireat intelligence, who was highly re
1pected by every citizen Of the town
"He was equally adept at talking
tolitics, making a temperance speech
selling a yard OF calico" said Cap
hin j. L. Straughn, then coroner of
tolumbiana county, in telling the
commercial Tribune some incidents
M Senator Hanna's boyhood, after his
rst election to the United States
enate.
Even in that day the elder Hanna
lad advanced ideas regarding a pro
ective tariff, and freely expressed
hem. His abrupt and frank speech,
well as many other characters
E. are inherited by his son Mark
he was familiarly known to the
pys at that time"
Dr. Hanna's general store fourished
ID such an extent that he gave up
is living rooms and established his
8mily in a large house on the hill
far by
Mark Hanna, the Schoolboy.
At this time Mark was a schoolboy
shd Captain Straughn relates the fol
living stories Of their earlier life:
Mark was a great boy and we all
l|ked him. l shall never forget our
ports and the pranks that we played.
ane day in the old log school house,
Rhich stood where the Central school
Nouse now does, the master gave us
very difficult problem in mental
'fithmetic. It went the rounds Of the
lass without being answered until
reached Mark.
"The teacher repeated the problem,
lark listened with his usual close
+ 'tentlon, and when the teacher had
bnished said: Well, I can do that
kample on paper but 1t is too diff
hlt mentally.
But the scheme did not work, and
lark was checked down with the
ST Of us. He was unwilling, though,
81 let the matter drop there, and at
ecess several Of us boys got to
ether and Mark took the same prob
y m and simply changed the figures.
ge went to the teacher and told him
e had a trifiing mental problem that
le wished he would solve, and Mark
BAD his revised version.
"The master looked wise, adjusted
BIS glasses and asked to see the pa.
per.
But that isn't mental arithme-
be- protested Mark. He read 1t again
Ind the pedagogue figured hard and
ong, but couldn't get the answer,
bnd he sharply ordered us all out Of
he schoolroom. OF course. we were
hll tickled beyond measure, over the
BISON which Mark had taught the
paster, who never gave us another
lch problem to solve.
His Natural Experience.
Il remember very distinctly an old
Nat owned by Colonel Harper, a vet
an Of the War OF 1912. who was
.hoemaker at the time. IL was Oper-
ated by a hand-power paddle-wheel.
N.Y. but we boys used to have fun
pa that old boat!
Mark and the other lads spent all
lheir spare change renting the boat
nd taking our girls out for a ride.
'One time we appointed Mark cap
tin. / handled the rudder and the
her boys took turns at working the
heel Mark would call out his or
rs in true ship style and / would
p the rudder as he directed.
"A contention sprang up among us
garding the captainey, which sew
al OF the boys coveted. Mark read
gave way and took his place at
e propelling crank. Our new cap