FOR THE PEOPLE NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION 1 F O R T H E P E O P L E A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION www.abrahamlincolnassociation.org VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2018 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS Lewis E. Lehrman Receives Logan Hay Medal Doctor’s orders may have prevented Lewis Lehrman from traveling to Springfield on Lincoln’s Birthday, but his presence was clearly felt by those attending The Abraham Lincoln Association’s 2018 Banquet. Mr. Lehrman was the recipient of ALA’s Logan Hay Medal, and a large video screen gave all in attendance the opportunity to see ALA Director (and newly elected 1st Vice President) Michael Burlingame present the Medal in Mr. Lehrman’s Connecticut office a few weeks earlier. Professor Burlingame read the accompanying citation, which said in part: “Few people in our time have done more to promote the study and appreciation of Abraham Lincoln than the venture capitalist, philanthropist, and author Lewis E. Lehrman. A graduate of Yale University with an advanced degree in history from Harvard, he has published several books, among them Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point (a history of Lincoln’s anti-slavery Michael Burlingame shows Logan Hay Medal to video camera campaign from 1854 to 1865); Lincoln “by Littles” (a collection of before presenting it to Lewis E. Lehrman. essays about the sixteenth president); and most recently Lincoln & Churchill: Statesmen at War, a comparative study of the leadership Logan Hay family, established the award to recognize an individual qualities of those two remarkable men. who had made outstanding contributions to the purposes for which “As a philanthropist, Mr. Lehrman has encouraged Lincoln the Association was formed. Because Mr. Hay played so large a scholarship in many ways, not least by his generous support of The role in the formative years of the Association—including service as Abraham Lincoln Association. In addition, he founded the Lincoln President from 1920 to 1942—and in developing Lincoln Institute, which for many years provided support and assistance to scholarship and research, the award was named in his honor. scholars and groups devoted to the study of Springfield’s favorite In accepting the Medal, Mr. Lehrman said, “I have long admired son. The Institute promoted the development and dissemination of and supported the work that The Abraham Lincoln Association has printed materials, conferences, and Internet resources on Lincoln. It ‘thus far so nobly advanced,’ as the great man himself might have encouraged scholars to cooperate with one another and to said – that is, to honor Mr. Lincoln’s memory; to celebrate his contribute to the development of historical materials and the achievements; to promote scholarship about his life and times; and transcription of primary sources for both physical and virtual to perpetuate his legacy.” display.” The video of the entire presentation can be seen online at: The Logan Hay Medal is the highest award presented by ALA. In vimeo.com/247857311 the mid 1960s, the Association, with the enthusiastic support of the Lincoln and Churchill: The Rhetoric of Leadership By Lewis E. Lehrman century, readers of the Columbian Orator selective syntactical repetition, with climax “included ... Abraham Lincoln, Ralph as the moment of maximum sense rather “I got into my bones the essential structure Waldo Emerson, and Harriet Stowe. than of the highest oratory,” wrote Lincoln of the ordinary British sentence, which is a Although the book does not appear to have scholar Fred Kaplan. “He studied noble thing,” recalled Winston Churchill of 1 been printed in any state south of Maryland composition, continuing his analysis of his school days. Like Churchill, Abraham -- perhaps not surprisingly, given its overt model essays and speeches from the Lincoln became a master of the English antislavery sentiments -- it was certainly ancients to the moderns that his first sentence. Both understood the power of circulating in parts of the deep South,” anthologies had provided.”3 words. And, they understood that words observed historian François Furstenberg.2 could be abused and abusive. Writing and “Each selection [of The Columbian Orator], speaking were serious undertakings. Words With help from The Columbian Orator, designed to be read aloud, was meant to mattered. Lincoln had begun developing his speaking ‘inspire the pupil with the ardour of and writing style as a teenager. “From the eloquence, and the love of virtue.’ Most of Familiarity with great English literature and start, his stylistic model served him well: the selections were speeches, though the speeches helped prepare Lincoln and plain speech -- the direct sentence, the book contained a number of dialogues as Churchill for leadership. In the early 19th building of rhythm and emphasis through (Continued on page 9) 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE Lincoln Roundup By James Cornelius and Bob Willard Frank Keating, former governor of Okla- April marked the first anniversary of the homa and author of the children’s book Korean Abraham Lincoln Society. ALA Abraham, with illustrations by Mike Wim- President Bob Willard was invited to Seoul mer (Simon & Schuster, 2017), visited where he gave three presentations on Lin- Springfield in April 2018 for a reading to coln; he was accompanied by Fred Martin, fifth-grade students from Ridgely Elemen- Jr. of San Francisco, who spoke on his tary School at the Abraham Lincoln Presi- book, Abraham Lincoln’s Path to Reelec- dential Library. Keating, with his son-in- tion in 1864: Our Greatest Victory. Both law and grandson, also met with leaders Mr. Martin (in the 50s) and Mr. Willard (in Illinois Governor’s Mansion from the ALA and other Lincoln organiza- the 60s) served as U.S. Army officers in tions. will be open for public tours beginning on South Korea. Saturday July 14th. A major component of the project was to stop the now-buried Town Branch creek – which was open for washing and swimming in the days when Lincoln visited the Mansion after 1853 – from overflowing into the elevator shaft of the mansion’s basement and/or into neigh- borhood streets during very heavy rains. The yard is being re-landscaped, as is the empty block across Jackson Street on the north. Governor Frank Keating President Bush signed the Abraham Lin- Fred Martin An 80-page Armenian book about Lin- coln National Heritage Area into law on coln, published in the Georgian capital of May 8, 2008. The original legislation was The Abraham Lincoln Home National Tblisi in 1885, and previously unknown, sponsored by then-Representative Ray La- Historic Site welcomed back Timothy S. has come into the possession of a private Hood and Senator Dick Durbin. The Board Good, a former employee, as its newly owner in Illinois. Assistance from bibliog- of Looking for Lincoln took on the new named Superintendent in April. For the past raphers and Armenian speakers in 3 states responsibilities of the Heritage Area and eight years, Good was superintendent of the helped determine that the author was Anna forged ahead. On April 28, 2018 at the Grant historic site in St. Louis. During his Petrovna Valuev-Munt (1856-1902) a chil- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum the nearly 30 years with the National Park Ser- dren's book author who wrote many biog- 10th anniversary was celebrated with repre- vice, Good has been raphies in a series called "Our Youth - Sto- sentatives of Lincoln sites all over the state assigned to a number ries about Good People," including works of Illinois. In conjunction with the anniver- of locations includ- on Columbus, Lincoln, Washington, and sary, the coalition released a new 32-page ing the National Mall Franklin. visitors guide which is available at tourist and Ford’s Theatre information locations around the state and National Historic The Sangamon River Alliance, formed can be downloaded from: Site in Washington, about a decade ago to promote the conser- www.lookingforlincoln.com D.C.; he worked at vation and use of the historic stretch known the Lincoln Home to young Abraham Lincoln and his family, 1996 to 2001. He has is moving ahead. Dedicated to upgrading written three books the lands, water, and culture of the Lincoln on Abraham Lincoln: Tim Good National Historic Heritage Area, they have Lincoln for Presi- installed a canoe dock near the site of the dent: An Underdog’s Path to the 1860 Re- Lincoln Homestead State Historic Site, in publican Nomination (2009), The Lincoln- Macon County, Illinois. Plans exist for a Douglas Debates and the Making of a Pres- dock near New Salem and other improve- ident (2007), and We Saw Lincoln Shot: ments in-between. The projects are a public/ One Hundred Eyewitness Accounts (1996). private arrangement. The Illinois Governor’s Mansion is the new name of the Illinois Executive Mansion with effect from July 1, 2018. “That’s what everyone has long called it anyway,” Gov. Former Looking for Lincoln executive directors rd Nikki Stratton, Kay Smith, and Hal Smith, here Bruce Rauner explained. It is the 3 -oldest with Lincoln presenter George Buss and current governor’s residence in the nation. A pri- director Sarah Watson (right), were recognized vately funded restoration, costing about $15 and thanked for their early efforts. million, will be completed and the home For The People (ISSN 1527-2710) is published four times a year and is a benefit of membership of The Abraham Lincoln Association. James Cornelius, Editor. Richard Hart, Mary Shepherd, and Robert Willard, Assistant Editors. FOR THE PEOPLE NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION 3 The Abraham Lincoln Association President’s Message Bob Willard President It is my honor to be the newly elected President of The Michael Burlingame Abraham Lincoln Association.