The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-02-12
YOUNG HONEST ABESa on LINCOL,Ss
MOUNTAINS HONORLNG THEIRGJIDE
Lincoln Memorial UNIVERSE
ty, Most Democratic Col
lege in America.


The greatest celebration OF Lincoln's
birthday in all this broad land is TAX.
ing place here in the midst Of the
rugged Appalachians that Lincoln
knew as boy.
The mountain folks OF Cumberland
Gap, the sons and daughters and
grandchildren of the rugged people
among whom Lincoln's mother and
father lived are leading the country
in honoring the memory Of the ma.
tons savior.
Under the auspices OF Lincoln Me.
mortal university, which is celebrat.
ing its twentieth anniversary, hun.
dreds Of notable men and women from
every state are gathered amid the
giant hills that once echoed back the
words Of Henry Clay, Calhoun and
Andrew Jackson in bygone political
barbecues.
To many who made the pilgrimage
to Cumberland Gap, the experience
was like turning back the pages of
American history to that chapter OF
ante-bcllum days during which the
great American emancipator vas a
typical mountain youth-for lie was
typical of this picturesque, rough
hewn county
The cabins that still dot the noun.
tain sides have their Lircoln's and
Hanksos to this day, and while the
word all about them Ils been striding
forward away from rail-splitting and
mule.driving, from candles and home
spun, they have not kept the pace.
Their custom:, their speech. their
mennerisms arc those OF an era be.
fore. Daniel Boone explored his way
westward. ard their outlook On life
is little changed from the days OF
Lincoln's boyhood.
1t is said the great career OF Lin
coin hinged on the fact that he had
access to six books. A sobcr.visaged.
ungainly boy sprawled on the cabin
floor, pouring over borrowed books by
the light of the fireplace-that is the
picture most of us bring to mind when
We contemplate Lincoln's early days.
Today in the same region, more for.
tuGately situated than Lincoln. boys
are emulatng his example, stirred
by the same restless fires of ambi-
tion and indomitable will their noun
tain stocks have given them in COM
mon with the great man they fol.
low.
These mountain boys-embryo Lin
cons-;orm the student body of Lin
coin Memo. ial university, in many
respects the most remarkable universe.
ty in the world This university is
cnlighening people whose forefnth-
erf were here before Washington was
bo.na Lincoln Memorial university is
.Amcrican:z.ng Americans of Lincoln's
kind.
In announcing the plans for the cell
cbration. DR.. John Wesley Hill. new
ly elected chancellor, explained that
the occasion would be the opening
gun in campaign 70. a million dol.
lar endowment.
General o. o. Howard of Vermont.
founded the college. He caught his
inspiration from the lips OF Lincoln.
During the civil war, while they were
In conference at the white house. the
president indicated Cumberland Gap
on map hanging on the wall. and
spoke of his affection for the noun
tlineers.
The students here are In earnest.
Ono OF the pledges REQUIRED of in
coming students who are to earn their
own way is that when they have COM
pleted their course, they shall return
to their mountain homes and teach
those left behind.
Already students OF Lincoln univer-
sity are ending the feud system COM
mon in the mountains, by which fami-
lies and CLANS" settle their differ
ences with the rifle instead OF going to
law.
There are about seven hundred stu
dents-boys and girls. A majority
earn their way.
The boys till the fields. reap the
crops. do all the chores OF a great
farm. market their produce. all under
the eyes Of agricultural experts. They
don overalls when classes are over.
They leave tho handles OF the ploy to
accept their degrees as university
graduates when the course Is finished.
The girls sew and bake, scrub and
wash dishes as earnestly as they
struggle with irregular verbs. And
there is no sense of humiliation in it.
|. is the most democratic college ii
America!
Many have 10 be turned away DC.
cause of lack or room. One young
fellow. told in kindly way there was
no room for him, replied:
81 didn't come here to board. I
came here to learn. l can sleep on the
floor"
He wasn't turned away.
The celebration. which began Sat.
urday, February 10th, continued Sun.
day and closed today. Governors, sen.
ators and congressman of nearby
states, college presidents, publicists
and other distinguished men and WON.
en- were present 40 speaker Or hear.
er.
But the real celebrants are the
mountaineers OF acknowledgements.
Virginia border-the race that gave
Lincoln to the world!