The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-02-26

Ing unusually bright about Warren
public schools for two winters near
lv half century ago, when the
Harding. but he was a good, whole
souled. solid -principlod boy when lac
present president was IL aud Ia
years ~ age.
And Warren Harding. when bov,
wns intensely human. too, because
no loved fresh baked apple pie,
All of this, and much more. n
rcprcscutativc ot the International
News service learned today from
Iouisa Copo Rhodes. OF 217l Stearns
road. cleveland. who was Warren
Hardlugs teacher In the Caledonia
school.
A boy doesn't have 20 he n prodigy
nor extraordinary in any scnso 10
become president, Mrs. Rhodes oh
served. when she told. with Won
dcrfm clc1rnesa Of mind and vlvac-
ity Of manner despite her 20 years.
the story ot Warren llarding's boy
hood days In hor school IN the coun-
try village whore she tnught.
"Wnrrcn Stood Well In Studies"
warren stood well ln his studies:
hr was bright In all of them. but
not remarkably 30 IN any branch. lie
was studiuus, but not extremely 80 (;
he was q llttlo mischicvious. yes.
he was pretty full OF mischief, but
there was nothing mean about him."
Mrs. Rhodes remarked rcminiscont-
w. as she recalled the charactcris-
tics Of the boy whose progress as
went 10 school 60 me In the little
town of Caledonia"
captain Of the ship Of state she
watches with almost motherly anXl-
ely.
II believe Warrcn's nickname was
'Granddaddy' when he went TO mo
to school" Mrs. Rhodes continued.
THAT was because he was sort Of
slow In his deliberations and was
kind OF fatherly. too. lie seemed to
he II little above and over the others
just naturally; he wasn't 'bossy' or
cranky IL was strange nickname
the other scholars gave him. but I
can see now better than l could then
how he got IT, Indeed, l now see
the same characteristics In Warren
as president ana IA n man that !
saw In him as boy. only they
stand out more now"
Mrs. Rhodes doesn't know where
Warren Gamaliel Harding got his
middle name. She never speaks it.
and In all of her mention OF the
president calls him plain warren"
And II was as Warren" that her
pupil who rose to fame always de-
sired TO be addressed, Mrs. Rhodes
recalled.
President Gives Gentle RcJoindcr.
After Warren was Lieutenant
governor of Ohio | saw him In Mar
ion. and when greeted him ! said:
How do you do. Governor? re-
marked Mrs. Rhodes. without any
affectation ho shook my hand and
replied, since when did ] get to be
anybody but WARREN
II think that has been ono secret
OF Warren's success. lilo never
seemed affected; he mixes with the
people, Is always soclable and friend
ly. and seems to know them. II IL
this, and his understanding ways and
This ability 10 entertain, coupled with
the same kind OF ability on the part
OF his wife. added 10 his sympathetic
mature that serves as a background
for his companionable qualities that
has made Warren tho great success
that he is," was the way Mrs.
Rhodes energetically analyzed the
presidents character.
But Mrs. Rhodes IL not woman
to overlook tho faults and fralllties
In even Warren Harding, II she knew
OF any. She did observe that she
thought, when she heard him give a
public address on Cleveland Heights
several years ago. that ho might
have been more graceful In his ora
tory, but Mt that time, she stated. he
acknowledged that he was very
much embarrassed for two reasons,
one being that one of his former
teachers was In the audience and the
other being that he had lost the
notes for his speech.
Presidential Ambition Not Indicated
Mrs. Rhodes does not believe the
secret OF Warren Hardlng's success
entirely originated In and with him.
He did not show any special. tend
ency to religion or spirituality in
school. Mrs. Rhodes said, but his
> $40" '-'' very religious. although
OF a different creed than that of
,. ptut l..4iding. As "A pupil In her
school for two years, at "A formative
period in his life. the boy Harding
didn't indicate In any way an ambi-
tion to become president nor did
ho show moro than casual interest
in political subjects. His political
ambition, Mrs. Rhodes believes. was
fired by Mrs. Harding, who sensed
NHe'AfS anu PtN'AhAh-
ties.
The latent energy that was finally
stirred I'm Warren Harding he got
from his father, Mrs. Rhodes be-
lieves--a father who even at an ad-
Nanced age gets on the newspaper
screen quite often on his account
II was from his father, also. Mrs
Rhodes says, that Warren got his
inherent love for newspaper work
The father, DR.. Harding. was IN
early life a frequent contributor q
the Caledonia and Morrow county
newspapers.
AS Mrs. Rhodes told her interest.
Ing story one got the impression that
tho two school years Warren Hard,
Ing spent under the tutclage OF this
woman OF propounced Views and
nigh ideals must also have been ar
inspiration to the boy.
Part Of Note 90 President Is Copied
Mrs Rhodes permitted the re.
porter TO copy n portion OF a post
script she wrote to President Hard
ing IN January. 1921. severa
months after he had been elected