From Canal Boy to President; Or, the Boyhood and Manhood of James A. GarfieldAlger, Horatio, Jr.
History
From Canal Boy to President; Or, the Boyhood and Manhood of James A. Garfield
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881 -- Childhood and youth; Presidents -- United States -- Biography
"That afternoon the boys were in their seats, and in two weeks' time
there was not a scholar in the room who would not do anything the
teacher asked. He was beloved by all, and his quiet manner and cool,
dignified ways made him a great favorite. He only taught two terms, and
every reasonable inducement was offered to prevail upon him to remain,
but without avail. His reply was: "I have accomplished all I intended,
namely, conquered what you thought was a wild lot of boys, and received
the discipline that I required. I regret leaving my charge, for I have
learned to love them, but I am to enter a law office at once."
"That teacher was Chester A. Arthur, now President of the United States;
the teacher of the primary department was his sister, now Mrs.
Haynesworth, and the first of the three refractory boys was the writer.
When it was announced that our beloved teacher was to leave us, many
tears were shed by his scholars, and as a slight token of our love, we
presented him with an elegant volume of poems."
CHAPTER XVII.
LIFE IN COLLEGE.
Probably young Garfield never passed two happier or more profitable
years than at Williams College. The Seminaries he had hitherto attended
were respectable, but in the nature of things they could not afford the
facilities which he now enjoyed. Despite his years of study and struggle
there were many things in which he was wholly deficient. He had studied
Latin, Greek, and mathematics, but of English literature he knew but
little. He had never had time to read for recreation, or for that higher
culture which is not to be learned in the class-room.
In the library of Williams College he made his first acquaintance with
Shakespeare, and we can understand what a revelation his works must have
been to the aspiring youth. He had abstained from reading fiction,
doubting whether it was profitable, since the early days when with a
thrill of boyish excitement he read "Sinbad the Sailor" and Marryatt's
novels. After a while his views as to the utility of fiction changed. He
found that his mind was suffering from the solid food to which it was
restricted, and he began to make incursions into the realm of poetry and
fiction with excellent results. He usually limited this kind of reading,
and did not neglect for the fascination of romance those more solid
works which should form the staple of a young man's reading.
It is well known that among poets Tennyson was his favorite, so that in
after years, when at fifteen minutes' notice, on the first anniversary
of Lincoln's assassination, he was called upon to move an adjournment of
the House, as a mark of respect to the martyred President, he was able
from memory to quote in his brief speech, as applicable to Lincoln, the
poet's description of some
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