The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-03

Warren Gamaliel Harding,
twenty-ninth President of the
United States, furnishes Amer
lean history with still another
example of a country boy who
worked his way unaided from
a log cabin birthplace to the
highest Office in the land.
Born of poor parents, Hard
ing made his own way through
school and college, fought an
uphill battle to become sue
cessful newspaper publisher,
gained leadership in Ohio
State politics, became a United
States Senator and finally
was elected chief executive of
the Nation.
Harding was born in a two
room house on his grand
fathers farm near Blooming
Grove, Morrow county, Ohio,
Nov. 2, 1865.
His father. George Tyron Hard
ing, was a country physician whose
income from his restricted practice
was so small that he was forced
to work in the fields to support his
family.
His mother, Phoebe Elizabeth
Dickerson Harding, now dead, was
a home-loving, Woodworking woman
of deep religious convictions. She
was Of the Adventist faith.
Both parents came Of a long line
of American born ancestors. all
hardy pioneers. The elder Hard
ing was of Scotch descent while his
wife came of Dutch ancestors.
Eldest of Eight
Harding was the eldest of eight
children. When he was the fam
lily moved to Caledonia. Ohio,
neighboring village.
As a boy Harding began to show
traces of the qualities that later
characterized him. He learned to
read at 4. He was expert at memoir
izing long prose and poetic pas
sages. He loved to speak and re-
cite on every possible occasion.
But the boy Harding was far from
being of the usual genius type.
From childhood he was obliged to
work with his elders on the farm.
His studies at the village school
frequently were interrupted by long
periods of absence during which
he helped in clearing land, planting
and harvesting.
He grew into a boy of powerful
physique and became naturally a
leader among his schoOlmates. He
reveled in outdoor sports.
Thus Harding's boyhood passed.
At IA he was more than six feet
tall-a lanky, ungainly youth
At this age Harding entered Ohio
Central College at iberia, Ohio. This
was little more than an academy
It has since passed out of existence.
Harding had no funds to pay for
his education. But he made this
up by hard work during vacations
and in spare hours.
He drove teams, worked on a rail-
way right-of-way. cleared land. split
rails and-most nportant-traveled
about the country painting barns.
When the White House was being
painted in 1921 Harding took a
brush from the hands of one Of the
painters and demonstrated his skill.
Starts Newspaper Work
1t was at college that Harding
got his first newspaper experience
in editing a college paper. He also
worked in the village print shop.
Harding finished his college course
in 1882 when he was II. In 1884
his family moved to Marion, Ohio,
and Harding went. too.
At Marion, Harding followed
three lines of activity-he taught a
country school, read law and played
a horn in the town band
but T1dTQlIS nCdI( WIS
paper work. In the course OF his
first year at Marion he acquired
the Marion Daily Star.
There are half dozen stories Of
how Harding came into possession of
the paper, but this one has been
$ told by Harding himself:
The Star. a second-rate paper,
was about to be sold at sheriff's
sale Harding's father secured con-
troll Of the paper by settling its
debts.
No cash was passed. The debts
were settled by trading real estate.
Anyway, Harding found himself ed
itor and proprietor Of real daily
newspaper.
But not for long. A Judgment was
entered in courr against some OF
the property Harding's father had
traded for the paper and Warren
lost control
Fired as Reporter
discouraged. he went to work al,