The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-05
WHY she Is HERE.
Hiss Tarbell Came Because
Kansas Is Morally Aroused.
Whole Country Is Looking to
Our People.
AN INTERESTING TALK
On e'Life Of Lincoln" to the
Students
At the High School Assembly
Room This Morning.
IN INTERESTING TALK

Mss Ida n. Tarbell of 8GcClure's
magazine, who is in Kansas especially
to observe the oil situation. was re-
quested by III. L. Miller, principal of
the Topeka High school, to make a
talk to the students this morning. At
first she said:
Il cannot spare the time. am
very busy and wish to leave for the
east tomorrow"
"But you really promised US when
you were here the last time that if
you came again we would hear from
you if it were at all possible
Did ? Well. I viii see what can
do for you and be at the High school
between 10 and II o'clock"
Afew minutes before IL Miss Tar
bell came on the platform in the as
sembly room of the High school and
There were more than nine hundred
students and thirty odd teachers.
Every seat was taken and many were
standing. Mr.. Miller in presenting the
distinguished lady said:
In our classes in history we require
the students to read Miss Tarbeu's
Life of Lincoln The author has
consented to speak to you this morn
ing upon Lincoln
Miss Tarbell said in part:
1 WISH L HdQ 4 SET speech TO MAKE
for this intelligent audience deserves
/ carefully prepared address. 1 have come
before you with but brief notice, but
thought best to talk with you a while
about Lincoln.
Lincoln would walk twenty miles for
a book. He read every book within a
radius of fifty miles and yet the entire
number would make a pile which would
stand but two feet aboVG the top of this
table. In his entire youth Lincoln spent
only four months at school, and cOun-
try school at that
Il want to impress upon you the prin-
eiples which actuated Lincoln in his
early lie and assisted him in acquiring
a thorough education, so far as his OPP
portunttes afforded. He would never
leave subject in hand until he had
thoroughly understood its meaning and
grasped every phase of it.
This is the thought I wish to leave
with you boys and girls: You should
understand thoroughly what your
teachers are explaining to you and not
be satisfied until you do. Do not go to
class with your text books half under
stood, but use every energy to get a
clear understanding of the subjects you
are studying. This principle in Lin
coins life helped him all through his
career when the great question Of hui
man slavery was before the American
people and IN order to understand more
clearly what he had to give to the Deo-
a statement In writing in explanation
to the subject in hand. He aimed to
make statement so clear that bows
and girls could understand what he was
attempting to explain. This principle
OF education was very important when
1t was necessary for him to make clear
statecraft.
And then there was another ele-
ment in his character which was very
important in his life. He would not
DO thing unless he thought it was
right. He must have the moral con-
VlctlCn OF what was right before he
would act, and many times in his cab
met he said L would rather resign the
presidency than to see this matter
settled in this way which way was not
IN accordance with his belief and con-
Victicn.
These are the two principles then
IN his life and work which ought to
help every boy and girl in our high
schools Be sure that you understand
clearly whatever subjects are pre-
scented to you and that you are NOR
ally certain that your conduct is right
The two volumes have written
upon Lincoln do not by any means !
do the subject justice, although I
spent five years in the work. I hope
70 continue the study of this great
statesman and add to the work, for I
expect to live twenty-five or thirty
years yet.
nave Q6NOLeQ a large part of my
time during the past five years in the
study of the oil situation and to other
economic problems.
7 am here in Kansas on account of the
uprising of the people. We are looking
TO Kansas because she is morally aroused
upon this question of oil and while we
hope the question viii be settled before
you are factors in the civic life of the
state, yet there viii be other problems
for you to settle and you must be able
to understand these Questions and then
act in accordance with the principles of
right"
Miss Tarbells visit and talk to the
school made a deep impression upon stu
dents and instructors. Her gracious /
manner and interesting personality
charmed her audience.
At the conclusion Of her little speech, |
the close attention given it was continued
for a few moments in the evident eager
ness for more of it.
she visited the various rooms in both
the high eschool and new manual training |
buildings and was presented to the teach
ers IN their class rooms She said as she
left the building:
This little visit here has been one of
the pleasant incidents of my stay in To- /
peia and one of the events I will long
remember. I like the methods the bl1s{- /