Evening star., 1930-12-14

IDENTIFY showing that he had moved from his I
street home
There seems to be a lack of information re-
garding the date Mrs Lincoln vacated the
White House, but even then she continued to
reside in Washington for some time before
moving to Chicago, where she purchased prop
erty and resided for several years in comfortable
circumstances.
OF all our Presidents, perhaps Andrew jack
son. Abraham Lincoln and Andrew John
son had the least to start life with They could
not have been poorer, nor could they have OBJ
tanned their educations under more adverse
conditions. If the boy and girl of today who
feel their incompetency will but read the lives,
particularly of these men, they cannot blame
others for their shortcomings for with almost
Superhuman grit and determination they actu-
ally overcame the almost insurmountable before
being elected to the highest Office in the land.
Andrew Johnson" according to a sketch of
him printed in the Daily Morning Chronicle of
April IT, 1865 was born in Raleigh, N c.
December %, 1908. When he was four years
OF age he lost his father, who died from the
effects of exertion to save a friend from
drowning At the age of 10 he was apprenticed
to a tailor in his native city, with whom he
served seven years. His mother was unable to
afford him any educational advantages, and he
never attended school day in his life. While
learning his trade, however, he resolved to make
an effort to educate himself.
His anxiety to be able to read was par
ticularly excited by an incident which is worthy
OF mention. gentleman of Raleigh was in
the habit of going into the tailors shop and
reading while the apprentice and journeymen
were at work. He was an excellent reader, and
his favorite book a volume of speeches.
principally of British statesmen. johnson be-
came interested, and his first ambition was to
equal him a reader and became familiar
with those speeches. He took up the alphabet
without an instructor but by applying to the
journeymen with whom he worked he obtained
little assistance.
Having acquired knowledge of the letters
he applied for the loan of the book which he
had SO often heard read. The owner made him
a present of it, and gave him some instruction
on the use of letters in the formation of words
Thus his first exercises in spelling were in
that book BY perseverance he soon learned to
read, and the hours which he devoted to his
education were at night after he was through
his daily labor upon the shop board He now
applied himself to books from two to three
hours every night after working from 10 to
IL hours at his trade.
Having completed his apprenticeship in the
Autumn of 1924, he went to Laurens Court
House, 8. C., where he worked as a journeyman
Tor nearly two years While there he became
engaged to be married but the match was
broken OF by the violent opposition of the
girls mother and friends, the ground of OBJ
lection being Mr.. Johnsons youth and want
OF pecuniary means. In May, 1926 he re-
turned to Raleigh, where he procured journey
work and remained until September He then
set out to seek his fortune in the West carry-
ing with him his mother, who was dependent
upon him for support. He stopped at Green
vile. Tenn, and commenced work as Journey
man. He remained there about IL years mar
ried and soon afterward went still further
westward, but falling to find suitable place to
no
business.
up to this time his education was limited
to reading, as he had never had an opportunity
OF learning to write cipher, but under the
instructions of his wife he learned these and
other branches. The only time, however, he
could devote to them was in the dead of night.
The first Office which he ever held was that of
alderman of the village, to which he was
elected in 1928"
OF the many members of the Masonic
fraternity who have occupied the White
House, Washington. Jackson johnson and
Harding were quite likely the most enthusiastic,
although Garfield and Mckinley were by no
means far behind in their zeal
On June 20, 1857 during the term of Presi-
Gent johnson the degrees Of the Scottish Rite
from the fourth to the thirty-Second were
conferred on the President in the White House.
and at their conclusion he remarked that the
doctrines inculcated were such as he had been
practicing and preaching all his life
Upon another occasion, when the corner stone
OF the Masonic Temple at Ninth and F streets
was laid. the members of the fraternity in the
several departments were excused by executive
order to take part in the ceremonies, and the