Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-15

Inc recurrence OF d0OCneT pESSl-
Dental campaign revives interest in
the men who have heretofore filleI
the highest Office in the gift of the
American people. One of the ques-
tons often asked concerning them is,
what kind of an education did our
presidents have? How far does their
history confirm the common opinion
as to the value of a college education
as conducive to success in life?
IN the year 1887 President Cleve-
land made an address at a Harvard
college celebration. In it, says a col
lege publication, "he recited the not too
familiar fact that but II OF his 81 pre-
decessOrs had the advantage of a col
lege education The presidents fig
ures were not quite correct, He did
not give college men fair count, for
the facts show that IA of his predeces-
sors went to college although all dill
not graduate. Since he made this
statement, five men besides himself
have filled the presidential chair, and
all OF these were coIlege-bred men,
though one, Mckinley, did not grad
uate.
What kind Of students were the
presidents when in college? AS far
as the facts can be ascertained, they
were much like their classmates
some of them diligent students, others
not distinguished for scholarship. To
begin with the first on the list, John
Adams, stood high in college and grad
uated with honor. His son, John
Quincy Adams, took the second honor
in his class, and his Grafton on The
Importance of Public Faith to the
Well-Being of a Community" was
printed because of its excellence
Jefferson, during the two years he
spent in college, occupied a fine po-
sition as a Latin, Greek and mathe-
NAUTICAL scholar"
Madison was one of the most schoI-
arly of our presidents. He had the ad-
vantage of wealth and social position,
and came forth from Princeton "one
of the best scholars of his time"
Monroe left college after two yeas
to join the revolutionary army. He
was said to have AN education pretty
well up to the best standard of that
day. His literary foundation was good,
and be stood well up in the class of
educated presidents"
The two democratic presidents,
Jackson and Van Buren,, interrupted
the line of collegians, but it was re-
sumed with William Henry Harrison,
the hero of TippecanOe. He was a
graduate of Hampden-S Sidney, a small
Virginia school of good standing. At
least, he is so recorded in the catalog,
though historians say he spent but
two years there.
After his death, John Tyler, anoth-
er graduate Of William and Mary, be-
came president. Hefwas graduated
with distinguished honor" put this
fact did not help him in his conflicts
Sa-it q n for- vErt1D .T~ L
James X. Polk, the next incumbent.
was a graduate of the University of
North Carolina He is said to have
been distinguished pupil At each
seml-anuual examination he took the
first honors, and ne graduated with
the reputation of being the best schol-
ar in mathematics and the classics in
the institution. He was given the Lat
in Grafton.
Taylor and Fillmore, two more non
collegians, followed Then came
Franklin Pierce, a Bowdoin graduate.
and, to tell the truth, best known as
a classmate of NathaniaI Hawthorne.
who wrote his campaign biography
and was rewarded with the consulshin
at Liverpool.
Buchanop, the next president, was a
graduate of Dickinson college. at
was in very bad condition, and the
future president regretted that he had
not gone elsewhere
After Lincoln and Johnson. not COL
lege men, came Grant. a West Point
graduate. He ranked fairly we'll in
his class, but not remarkably SO
standing 21st in a class of 30 men.
HIS successor, Hayes, was an excel
lent scholar. He was valedictorian OF
his class at Kenyon, though there were
only nine in the class. He stood par
ticularly high in mathematics and log
ic. His commencement address was
said to be the finest ever heard on the
college hill He afterward studied az
the Harvard law school, and is there
fore enrolled as an alumnus of that
university.
The lamented Garfield was a Will
liams college man, and his son, Harry
r., is now president OF the college. The