Abraham Lincoln, without doubt one of the strongest and most outstanding men in the history of our country, was born in Kentucky 204 years ago today. There may be no one in our country's history about whom more has been written.* It would be presumptuous of me to believe I could add anything to that noble library.
This I will relate, though. When I was a boy I recall that on the classroom walls of probably more than one room in which I spent my elementary years there was a huge calendar with the pictures of the presidents.
I remember, too, that there were two presidents whose birthdays were noted and called by their rightful names. February 12, Lincoln's Birthday, and February 22, Washington's Birthday. We didn't have a Presidents' Day.
There aren't any other presidents whose birthday I can tell you. I could look one up if I had occasion to want to know it; but these two birthdays I shall always remember in honor of two of our greatest men.
Another notable event memorialized on this day, wherein we recount the final moments of a sterling life, that of one of my favorite young people:
http://vanilla-ststt.blogspot.com/2010/02/lady-jane.html
*Moments after I wrote that sentence, I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin state that more than 60,000 books have been written about Lincoln.
10 comments:
Would that we could have another Lincoln, once again guiding this country, or at least one with his heart and sensibilities.
And Lady Jane Grey was an amazing woman, cut down much too young.
I remember that calendar in each of my elementary classrooms. I also remember that a picture of the current president hung in my fifth grade room. I don't remember if that was true for the other years.
Shelly, or perhaps leaders who are ordinary people with good sense and integrity.
Vee, wonder what decor is standard in today's elementary classrooms.
I too wish we could find leaders who were there to truly help the people...not to just get rich!
Jackie, seems a lot of us are dreaming the same dream.
One of our two greatest presidents.
Go Lincoln! My son goes to school in Springfield, IL--Lincoln's home for many years. EVERYTHING has Lincoln on it there--even the Walmart!
Chuck, no argument from me on that.
Lin, Springfield and Lincoln stuff is a great visit! Cool Statehouse, too.
I remember when we had both birthdays too. I think elementary teachers were just too overwhelmed with holidays in February. GW is still my favorite. He was quite a guy, despite deconstructionist efforts to lessen his personal integrity and commitment.
Shark, we all know that our leaders were human, but I deplore the efforts of some "historians" who seem to make an attempt to reduce our heroes to their own level.
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