The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-02-13
LINCOLN DAY At
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ANNIVERSARY OF GREAT EMAN.
CIPATOR is FITTINGLY
OBSERVED
why WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN GREAT ?
Is Subject of Talk to Pupils by Super
intendent 8rowning-Mr. Vinegar
Gives Some "reminiscences

The birthday of Abraham Lincoln,
the greatest of Americans, vas OBJ
served at the public schools yesterday,
appropriate exercises being held. Dur
ing the week Mr.. Vinegar addressed
all of the grades at different times,
giving "reminiscences and personal OBJ
servations of Mr.. Lincoln as he saw
him during the war, and the talks
were much enjoyed and appreciated
by the pupils. why Was Lincoln
Create" was the subject of a splendid
talk to the grammar grade pupils by
Superintendent Browning. Mr.. Brown
ing said:
If we were asked just why Lincoln
should be considered greater than
most men, | fancy many of us would
be at a loss what to say. More than
that, if anyone should attempt to tell
you just why he was great by compari-
son with others, he would not find it
an easy matter. To understand and
appreciate that we'll, We must study
the man himself, and the more we
study him the more We see how he
and his thoughts and actions and
character became a part of the life of
a great nation, creating influences that
will effect future generations.
For that reason | think that the
person who would study long and
carefully the life of Lincoln-what he
said, what he did, and why he did it
would acquire more real wisdom, and
more deep and valuable knowledge
concerning the United States than he
could CLEAN by the mere reading of a
library of ordinary books.
We are all familiar with the story
about Abraham Lincoln's early years,
how he was born and raised a poor
backwoods boy with no advantages,
and how he struggled for the begin
nings of an education, borrowing
books ton read where he could, and
working out problems in arithmetic
on wooden slabs by the light of the
evening fire. Because Lincoln was of
the people, and was so hearty and
honest and kindly, are reasons, doubt
less, why We all feel so nea him.
These traits alone did not make him
great above other men, and yet it may
be that they had much to do with it.
Many of us think of him as the man
who freed the black people from bond
age, but We find, as we study him
closely, that the secret of his fame
was something other than that. To ex-
plain Lincoln's greatness, indeed, is
difficult, but this much may be said
to indicate where it lay. AS we seem
to be taken into a troubled world
where serious questions have to be
settled and where many people with
many different ways of thinking, are
all urging this one man, who has the
power, to do what they think best,
and are ready to blame him If he does
not, it becomes clear that only a
wise, ~far-seeing man could have done
what vas for the best. And as we
follow what Lincoln did, and read his
own words, We seem to see how he
came by that wisdom, how the life he
had lived among the people, and his
l;nI1y haort and tho oarnacf ctndv
and deep thinking of years, had en-
abled him to understand many people
of many minds, and to see what would
bring them together as a nation; and
to see, too, how all-important this was
to millions yet unborn. 1t was very,
very easy, we can e now, to follow
the advice of those less wise and make
a mistake that would change for the
worse the history of this country; but
this strong man, with malice toward
none, with charity for ALL" with a
great love in his heart for the present
and for the future, and with a cour-
age which none could shake, did what
was best.
There are NOR stories told about
Abraham Lincoln than about any other
man in American history. That, doubt
less, was because he was a plain,
friendly man of the people, whom
everybody felt near to, and those who
knew him personally remembered him
with affection. Then, too, Lincoln