Abraham Lincoln would have been 200 years old today and it was a big deal at our school.  Of course, this is Illinois the Land of Lincoln, and I just happen to have a dining room decorated with Lincoln pictures and collectibles.  (Every bit of which is at school at the moment.)  No way around it, I’m a fan of the man. 

Our school celebrated by participating in the simultaneous reading of “The Gettysburg Address”.  Dubbed “The Four Score and Seven” project, this is a national attempt to establish a new Guinness Book of World Record for the most people reading aloud simultaneously.  Our second thru sixth graders all participated in the choral reading.  Hearing their voices at the end, “of the people, by the people, for the people” was moving. 

In addition to coordinating the event, today was story day for K-3.  How do you choose which of the many new Lincoln books to read aloud?  I didn’t.  I gave commercials for several of our recent purchases.   

To begin, the students and I discussed the word Bicentennial with the roots bi and cent.  I explained that because of the Lincoln Bicentennial publishers have recently released a number of wonderful new titles.  Rappaport’s “Abe’s Honest Words” is one I introduced to them, but did not read all aloud.  First grade and up know about quotation marks, so I related their knowledge to the fact that the “honest words” in the books were quotes or quotations from Lincoln.  (Information Literacy skill!) With second and third grade I read them the last quote in the book.  They quickly recognized the ending of “The Gettysburg Address”.  It was a special moment with each class for they all spontaneously joined me in the ending and I was able to again hear their voices.  “…government of the people, by the people, for the people…”. 

I allowed classes to indirectly chose which of the titles I would read aloud in its entirety by asking them to vote (with eyes closed) on whether they were in the mood for a happy story or a sad story.  The happy story was going to be Jim Aylesworth’s “Our Abe Lincoln”, but EVERY class surprised me and voted for sad.  They must like to see me cry when I read???  I sang them bits of “Our Abe Lincoln” anyway as a book commercial.  The subtitle is “an old song with new lyrics” and you indeed MUST sing (not read) it to the tune of “The old gray mare.”  

But the kids chose sad and “Abe Lincoln Comes Home” by Robert Burleigh fits the bill!  They kids all know about Lincoln’s assassination, therefore I actually begin introducing the book by telling them about Lincoln’s Farewell Address, his brief words to his friends and neighbors in Springfield as he left to assume the presidency on February 11, 1861.  Lincoln’s Farewell was final, for his only return was via his funeral train on May 2, 1865.  I showed my students the map at the back of the book and told them that what impressed me was the common man’s reaction.  Sure the big cities had the train stop for huge memorials, but it was the many who waited by remote tracks all along the route that touch my heart.  And this is the subject of Burleigh’s book.  I also took the opportunity to remind the students of a wonderful but dying custom of today; when passing a funeral procession on the highway it is courtesy to pay your respects by pulling over and stopping.  A few kids knew the custom, but I encouraged them to practice it and educate their parents if necessary.  This seemed to help them understand why folks in 1865 would drive miles and miles to simply stand by the tracks to watch a funeral train pass. 

On a lighter note, each student in my schools were given a penny pin today.  My aide and I made all 900 of them and pinned them through Lincoln Bicentennial cards I made from white cardstock.  The penny pin project was fraught with setbacks, but the genuine appreciation from students Kindergarten through 8^th grade made it worth all the trouble.

Today was the Lincoln Bicentennial.  My efforts today were “for the people” – for the young people whom I hope will remember today as a special time in their learning experience.  To quote Lincoln:  “Upon the subject of education, I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.”  Perhaps it is the fact that Mr. Lincoln (don’t call him Abe!) acquired the bulk of his education from reading books that serves to endear him to my librarian’s heart.  I celebrate his memory!