The Alaska daily empire., 1922-02-17
JUNEAU SCHOOL NEWS
Published Every Friday.
-
New School News Staff
EDITORIAL
Abraham Lincoln

FNct 1''uttt Gti(Oui
Lenders nre ordinary persons with
extra ordnCry d termination. Such
wa'S$ Lincoln horn in a lowly and
M ('e c I'm in Ke~tucky, on the
10Th CT N-,',..1ary, 1909. At very
early age he began to do real work
ard received very little or nothing
for it. Els fab,lcr was lazy and Shift.
less. but both mis- mother and step.
mother were educated women and
Taught him the simple rules of truth
and honesty, moasly from the Bible.
He was very eager to learn and In
his determination ito do so me gained
much from very few books, because
he read them we'll. He read and
studied by the light of the log fire,
wrote on shingles when no paper was
to be had, and worked arithmetic
problems on the back of a shovel,
slcr'aping eff the figures when 1t was
full He once Borrowed a book, Life
off Washington" from farmer, to
read after his hard work was done.
One night he took NJ NO in the loft,
where hIe slept, and in the course OF
the might it rained and the book was
SPOILED He at once went to the
farmer and asked what he should do
to pay fer It, ",Split 500 rails" was
the answer Abe, as he was called,
dr.ed tine look and kept it as very
dear possession.
His schooling did not amount to
much, for it only taught him to read
and write, but he took good advarl-
tage of It, He soon came to be the
best Informed young man of the dis
trict. Besides this, he was tall,
strong and slineiwy, and no one could
outdo him ait wdod.splitting, wrestl-
ing, running or amy athletic sport.
He was bright, good-natured, fun
loving and ready ITO bend hand or
do a good turn wherever he could.
Naturally he was very popular and
much admired and loved by all who
knew MIN. He could give "a con
Nincing and and interesting speech,
using simple English and bare truth.
In this manner he won in the ia
nous debate against Senator Doug
las, opposing the slavery which he
hated so much.
He was exceedingly kind-iearted,
and could not bear to see an animal
in distress. One time when he was
driving home, tired from long days
work ait the law office, he passed
a pig which was stuck in the mire.
He drove ON, but the pig was still on
his mind, so he turned back and
helped it out, getting himself all
muddy.
AS ha grew in age, he grew In
wisdom and popularity. Being very
observar.t HE formed strong ideas OF
his own about the questions OF the
time While he worked his way TO
the Presidency the people saw in him
a true representative OF themselves,
ard gave him tho.r support. Ot
course he mad opposition and en-
emies, but this made Kim all the
stronger in his determinations. lie
guided and helped the United States
in most desperate crisis, and Kept
whole the government he believed
"
in. ''of the people. by the people. Tor
the people
He said, in 1858, This country can
not endure permanently hall slave
and half free. lit will become all one
thing or the other"
Not long after this he issued the
ation Proclamation, making
IT 'aone thing" and freeing the slave
On the 18Th of April, 1855. this grea.
friend of the people died. shortly
after he had been shot, by an insane
actor, while in a theater. The wnoie
nation moeuned MIN, its true FRIEND.
We remember and honor this great
man because of his characteristics,
what he did for the United Soates'
and for what he himself was.
His life and wonderful character
are an inspiration ITO pupils IN the
schools of our country. Lincoln IN
avery sense of the word, was a true
man.