From Canal Boy to President; Or, the Boyhood and Manhood of James A. Garfield (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: ... furnished hundreds in the way of suggestions, teaching, encouragement, inspiration, and stimulus was most valuable. His power over students was not so much that of a drill-master, or disciplinarian, as that of one who was able to inspire and energize young people by his own intellectual and moral force." An illustration of the interest he felt in his pupils may be given. A student came to the president's study at the close of a college term to bid him good-bye. After the good-bye was said, he lingered, and Garneld said: "I suppose you will be back again in the fall, Henry?" "No," he stammered, "I am not coming back to Hiram any more. Father says I have got education enough, and that he needs me to work on the farm; that education doesn't help a farmer along any." He was a bright boy--not a prodigy, by any means, but one of those strong, awkward, largeheaded fellows, such as James Garfield had himself been. "Is your father here?" asked the young president, affected by the boy's evident sorrow. "Tes, father is here, and is taking my things home for good." "Well, don't feel badly. Please tell him Mr. Garfield would like to see him at his study before he leaves the college." "Yes, sir, I will." In half an hour the father, a sturdy farmer, entered the study and awkwardly sat down. "So you have come to take Henry home, have you?" asked the president. "Yes," answered the farmer. "I sent for you because I wanted to have a little talk with you about Henry's future. He is coming back again in the fall, I hope?" "Wal, I think not. I don't reckon I can afford to send him any more. He's got eddication enough for a farmer already, and I notice that when they git too much, they sorter git lazy Ter eddicated farmers are humbugs. Henry's got so far 'long now...