Ashtabula High School - Dart Yearbook (Ashtabula, OH)

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7’ he Dart of Commander in Chief, and during the time that American hope was at its lowest ebb he kept the soldiers together by his love for the cause and by his perseverance. Another admirable trait of Washington’s was his truthfulness. Under no circumstances would he tell a lie, even if he would be punished because of his honesty. One of the noblest acts of his life was the spurning of the offer of the soldiers to make him king. He served the country not only by gaining the victory in war but also by serving two terms as the first President of the United States. The people of colonial times showed their loyalty and devotion to him by unanimously electing him President and by obeying his orders. We show our loyalty and devotion to him by celebrating his birthday as a national holiday. —Edw. Madden ’ll. Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was a great man in the best sense of the word. He did not consider his own glory, but loved his country better than himself. He did not want to be President for personal reasons but be- cause he loved America. His country was based on the idea of liberty and Lincoln tried to realize that idea. All his life he spent in pursuing this ideal. Lincoln’s well known early struggles taught him self-reliance, the power to pursue the course which he thought right, and toleration for other people’s opinions. He gave to his country the best gift of which anyone is capable—honest, unselfish devotion. James Russell Lowell called him “ The kindly, earnest, brave, far-seeing man. Sagacious, patient, dreading praise, not blame, New birth of our new soil, the first American.” —Florence Perry ’ 11 Abraham Lincoln We admire and love Abraham Lincoln because he was a type of true manhood—simple, unpretending, sympathetic with all humanity, and reverent toward God. Conscience, not popular applause, nor love of power, was the ruling principle of his life. To the black freed man Mr. Lincoln’s name is the noblest he pro- nounces. The old white-headed negro trying to tell his brethren what Mr. Lincoln was, said, “ Massa Linkum, he ebery whar, he know ebery ting, he walk de earf like de Lord. 4

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3Fnur Stebruarg Ammrattfl WHOM WE DELIGHT TO HONOR George Washington Abraham Lincoln Henry W. Longfellow James R. Lowell The Human Side of Washington The true Washington possessed many traits of character which showed him to be eminently human, and to these he clung all his life. He loved fine dress and nearly always bought his cloths in England. This was because he could not always procure fine goods on this side of the Atlantic. Another constant need was the barber. His ledger shows large ex- penditures for perfumed hair powder, puffs, pomatum, and powder bags. At meals Washington dined sparingly, often on a single plain dish, but he generally took four or five glasses of Maderia wine. If offered something either in the first or second course which was very rich, his usual reply was, “ That is too good for me.” He especially liked honey and sugar candy. He was also a frequent buyer of all kinds of fruits and of melons. He was very fond of nuts, buying hazelnuts, walnuts, and shellbarks by the barrel. Washington was passionately fond of horses, owning his first when he was seventeen. His diary shows that he often rode sixty miles in a day for exercise, and that a favorite pastime was to ride to the hounds. Close rivals of riding were fishing and duck shooting. However, he would not let any others hunt over his lands, and directed his ser- vants to follow any gun-shot. On rainy days he loved to play cards and billiards, while in the evening he was a great patron of the theatre. —Millard Hickemell ’ll. Why We Admire Washington There are many reasons why the American people admire George Washington. The greatest reason is that he is the savior of the country. What would we have done without Washington in the Revolution? Altho he was not in favor of the war at first, he undertook the position 3

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7' h e Dart Mr. Lincoln was always patient with his enemies. He could forgive a criminal who had committed an act hastily and in anger, but would not forgive one who had coolly and deliberately planned a crime. Looking back at the life of Abraham Lincoln, the young people of the United States could, by taking him as an example, raise to a higher degree the moral sense and character of the nation. —Freda Squires ’ll. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Longfellow was the poet of the people, for probably no other Am- erican poetry is read as much as his. He had a gentle sympathetic na- ture and knew how to write in order to appeal to the deeper feelings and emotions of the heart. His poetry is marked by its simplicity of language, but is not so simple as to lose its elegance of style. By his poetry the people learned to love the poet who could touch the source of their emotions. Not only in his native land is the poet loved and honored, but in every country where his works are read. His popu- larity may be shown by the fact that his works have been translated into every language of Europe and into two languages of Asia Although he was a friend of the people, Longfellow possessed a cer- tain dignity and scholarly refinement which elevated him above the ordinary level of mankind. From the time that his first poem was pub- lished in 1820, he has been admired by all nations, and it is very prob- able that his memory shall continue thru many generations. —Jennie Forbes ’ll. Longfellow On February 27, 1807, there was born at Portland, Maine, a boy who was destined to become one of America’s greatest men. His greatness was not won by becoming a political leader or a statesman, it was won with the pen. And with his pen he has touched the heart of humanity. He has not only written for one class, but for all, from the college man to the blacksmith. A statesman, unless he is very great, is in time forgotten by all but history students, but a poet who has charmed even the heart of the common laborer is bound to be remembered and to live in the hearts of the people forever. What could he more desirable than a reputation like that of Henry W. Longfellow ? Verna Steiner ’ll. 5