Show VI WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Lives of Great Men Menn all rem remind d us we wo can ma make k e o our 11 lives v s sublime and departing leave leavo b behind hind us footprints in the sands of time I George Washington the tho gentleman farmer and soldier whose whoso efforts founded und d a Do m nation tion Nearly every nation looks back to some hero whom it calls The Tho The Father bather of His Hid Country That person may be imaginary ary or some leader lost in legends But Dut the tho United States of America is a n new nation and so sq it has n no use se of f the fables about the tho man who is truly th the Father of his country who protected it in his youth and w watched over it with unselfish love lore e. e w W Washington was pioneer a a scout a pathfinder and andI an Indian I fighter He actually hunted buffalo Children of his own state were were sc scalped ped i-ped by the Indians or killed or carried off ff iI into I captivity I great man once said 1 J After what I owe to God n nothing I sh should be e more dear 0 or more sacred to me than the he l loi loye o and respect t I o owe e to my DY country William McKinley told us cc God lod will keep no no pat nation n in supreme peace that Vf will ll I not t do supreme duty Washington measured up in every way fay to to I I two sayings During the long conflict th that t brought the colonies colonies' into conflict with the mother country he he- made this offer I I I. I will raise on thousand me subsist them At my own expense and m march myself at their head for the relief of Boston He had grown rich enough to tobe be able to make make such an offer He was brave brav enough to risk risk rill all Ul His His' iS and th and d also his 1 life life orthe f t t or r the ause No No gen general in history J ha had a more difficult o e t time e recruiting c itiE jl an an arms Y yr holdin er i a I wr V ji jia i iI r r We W all all' know ow that thai in the hi history ry of the Re Revolutionary lufi y War i it was Washington who the held Colonies ies w together th r 1 He ll w was one person every very one trusted Christmas night 1776 h he crossed the Delaware through floating in i e cd captured pt i tired ed aJl at Trenton Tenton held by the th Hessian soldiers whom t their Prince had hired to the British k kWaSh w WaSh r dearly a a th thousand Usand prisoners and d changed the tre whole spirit spirit of o the country country from despair to confidence ot A I that he made I made 1 de the whole country a Christmas present of hope I The winter of 78 1777 was spent in bitter suffering Buffering at i Valley Forge Washington lived in a tent until tiis soldiers soldier I could build huts for themselves I j v Cornwall Cornwa l surrendered on October 19 1781 The Union was falling to pieces after winning th the long struggle snuggle The The- only thing that saved it was the courage and nobility of I Washington j I I Instead of keeping his army together to enforce e his will on oil on I I Ithe tho the country he had saved he disbanded the army and went wen alone alono to Philadelphia where her Congress met and meekly asked for his discharge It was given and he turned back to his hie i I farm I The war left the l IJ colonies in a lose alliance under what they called the Articles Article of ot of Confederation In 1787 a movement movement move move- I ment was started to call a Constitutional Convention for a new and peaceful revolution Washington was present as a delegato delegate dele gate gato from Virginia He lie was made chairman but did not at at- in to force his Ws will upon the tho others Long quarrels f followed and only the trust in Washington's unselfishness made possible tho the final a agreement nt on a new Constitution Two more years needed before enough states would accept this famous document to permit 00 ail ati election Washington was unanimously chosen President and was Wa inaugurated April SO 1798 The nation was at last th J United States tes At the end of his first term he ho was again elected and offered a third term which he refused In his farewell address of September 19 1796 he lie urged his fellow countrymen to remain true to their ideals and to avoid the evils that would endanger the safety of tho the union In December 1799 riding about his fields he caught a cold and died December 14 1799 The Tho news of his death rekindled tho the nations love lovo of him Even his enemies mourned him with reverence as a patriot and a hero her without an equal without a blemish in his devotion to his people But let us remember hire him as a very human boy who grew to be a very human man Ills His glory is due duo to JO to the love he bore I his fellow man around I Let each one oue of ot us Build a little fence of trust around today fill the 81 space aco with loving work and therein stay look not back upon tomorrow but take what ever comes today today today- I Mabel B. B Larsen I |