Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
The School Boy George Washington

man. the solder, the statesman and the
President. Not much is known Of his boy
hood-for it is hard to think of George
Washington as q boy-but what is known
IS very interesting and will help many boys
who are striving to make something Of
themselves
George was born on plantation of 200
acres in Virginia. called Wakefield. sixty
Ave miles from Washington city. The house
was burned at later day. and nothing now
remains but a slab which bears this In
scription: Here the 18th Of February (old
style). 1872. George Washington was born"
His father had been married before, and
when George came into the world he had
two older brothers. At twelve years of age
Augustine Washington, Georges father.
died. leaving his wife witfr FIVE children.
George. Betty. Samuel. John and Charles,
and two stepsons.
| Mary Washington was a remarkable wom-
an, and inspired in her brilliant son the
most dutiful and implicit obedience. To her
did George owe many OF the traits which
brought his renOwn. The American people
unanimously agree IN this sentiment, ana
consider the greatest tribute to her memory
Is the inscription upon her monument
Mary. the Mother Of Washington.
George was a very manly boy. He was
born a man. At five years of age he began
to attend school. though it was a poor one
The school master was named Hobby ana
was known as convict. NOT q convict
as we know the word, but one who had been
sent from England to the colonies In pun
fshment for some political offense. He could
read, write and cipher paSSably well, Dut no
school board of today would deem MT.
Hobby qualified to teach children OF our
time. By the time George was ten he knew
all the schoolmaster (who was grave dig
ger as welD could teach him.
George did his school work well. his
teacher would hold up his writing book be-
fore the pupils and say: mot one blot. no
finger marks, everything neat and clean.
He liked to play, too, and wasn't above
getting even with any schoolmate who IN
jured him. One of them. named Bustle,
used to play soldier with George ana tne
lived in constant fear of Indian outbreaks,
and playing 'Injun'' was as popular then as
now.
The lad named Bustle was fat and sturdy
and was the commander Of the Indians IN
the woods. The boys initiated the red men
and frontier farmers, passing from tree u
tree, throwing stones, or IN winter snow
balls. There was much scalping and pull
ing of hair, which was worn long. once
Bustle hit George in the eye with snow
ball in which was concealed a stone. This
was not regarded as fair. George had 10
remain at home for several days on account
Of the injury. His mother was indignant
and wanted the bad Bustle punished.
Georges father refused to interfere. saying
boys must take care of their own quarreis'
George agreed with Them and when he re-
turned to school Che was ten years old at
the time) gave Bustle sound beating, the
memory of which stayed with him long
after both boys had left the field school:
George was then sent to Mr.. Williams
school at Bridges creek. one OF the best
schools in Virginia at the time. Here he
learned bookkeeping and surveying. he
also paid attention to drawing and sketcn-
ing. He was popular here with both teach
frct 1a,a q
ers and scholars win the nIst because
he was a good student, truthful and relia-
BILE With the latter. because he was such
an athlete. He could run faster, jump high
er, lift more throw stone farther, than
any other pupil. He excelled also as
wrestler.
In this school George adopted his Book
of Forms" an original idea with him. This
was homemade blank book. into which
he copied forms of receipts. bills or eX-
change deeds wills, bonds and other busl-
ness forms that might be useful to him IN
manhood. Into another blank book he cop
led, with his accustomed neatness, arlth-
metical problems. In still another sketchlng
and drawing was pursued of animals, trees.
buildings and portraits of his schoolmates.
All these books have been carefully pre-
served and can now be seen at Mount Yer
non the home with which We always as
Sociate Washington.
Another volume preserved among the rel
les of Washington is called Rules of Be
havior in Company and Conversations. 1t
contains llU rules, COlleCteQ ITOLu lliS Ieiu-
ing of his boyhood, and copied into this
book. The following are sample rules:
associate yourself with men OF good
quality, if you esteem your reputation: for
it is better to be alone than in bad COM
pany
wherein you reprove another, be I'M
blamable yourself, for example is better
than precept.
Let your recreations be manful, not
SINFUL
Without quoting more of these rules it
may be said no better directions for char
aeter building can be found. That boy
of thirteen should compile such a code Of
morals shows the nobility of his mind.
His school days closed month before
his sixteenth birthday. His vacations were
spent with his brother Laurence. Here
George was thrown into the company of
men, for Laurence was an officer.
George was fascinated with military life.
for which Laurence thought him suited.
He secured him an appointment on Brit
ish man-of-war. and George, arrayed In the
gay uniform of a midshipman, started to
bid goodbye to his mother. When Mary
saw him in his naval cos
tune so tall and robust, so handsome and
noble, the thought that she might never
behold him again overcame her and she
to let him go. although his trunk
was aboard the vessel.
This was a trying ordeal for George. A
sudden turn to make in his life If he Yield
ed 20 her. Fortunately for us all, he made
it, in the manliness of his young soul. II
will stay at home" he answered Had
persisted in entering the serv-
ice of the king, there would have been no
Declaration of Independence, no Brandy
wine, no Yorktown.
George did not sulk nor repine. He
went to work surveying for Lord Fairfax
his vast estates. He did 1t SO well that
at seventeen he was placed in charge Of
the greatest surveying expedition of that
day So excellent were the reports that
he was appointed public surveyor while
still in his teens. Life as surveyor hard
ened and strengthened the already robust
frame; it educated his eye and accustomed
him to judge respecting distances and adj
positions.
At nineteen George was appointed adj
jutant general, with the rank of major, in
place of his brother Laurence, who re-
signed on account of i'll health At TWEEN
ty-one he was appointed commissioner to
the French who had encroached upon the
domains of the Virginia colonists by erect
ing forts and making settlements upon their
Ohio river What school boy or girl does
not know every incident in the career of
Washington from this time forth? His
boyhood of promise is gone. but he has
entered into the manhood of glorious full |
hllment, his manhood Of soldier, states |
man. President and father of his country. |
Washington as an Athlete.
When Washington was commander-in- |