Abraham Lincoln's letter to his son's Headmaster

He will have to learn, I know,

that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader...
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy,

if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick...
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books...
But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.
In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat...
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong...
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon...
Teach him to listen to all men...
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.
Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad...
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness...
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he's right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.
Let him have the courage
to be impatient...
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order,
but see what you can do...
He is such a fine fellow,
my son!

http://www.pitara.com/parenting/school/sedu/online.asp?story=3

Abraham Lincoln's letter to his son's Headmaster

"He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that
for every1 scoundrel there is a hero: that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader….
Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend, it will take time, I know; but teach him if you can,
that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found…. Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy
winning. Steer him away from envy, if you can. Teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn
early that the bullies are the easiest to lick… Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books… but also
give him quiet time to ponder over the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers
on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat… Teach him to have faith in his own
ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong… Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and
tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crown when everyone is getting
onto the bandwagon2, teach him to listen to all men, but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen
of truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad… Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him
to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness… Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the
highest bidders; but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a
howling mob… and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right.

Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel3. Let him have
the courage to be impatient… let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him to always have sublime
faith in himself because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do… he is such a fine little fellow, my son."

Sent by C.

http://www.pedagonet.com/blog/2004_11_01_pedagonet_archive.html

1
Cu co mot...thi cung co...
2
Gio chieu nao theo chieu do; dong vui thi vo tay vao
3
Lua lam thep cung
 Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States

In office
March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Vice President(s)
Spouse

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was President of the United States from
March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865. As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery and a political
leader in the western states, he won the Republican Party nomination in 1860 and was elected
president later that year.

Lincoln helped preserve the United States by leading the defeat of the secessionist Confederacy in the
American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his
Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the
Constitution in 1865.

Lincoln's leadership qualities were evident in his close supervision of the victorious war effort,
especially in his selection of Ulysses S. Grant and other top generals. Historians conclude he brilliantly
handled the factions of the Republican Party by bringing the leaders into his cabinet and forcing them
to cooperate. In crisis management, he defused a war scare with the United Kingdom (1861), he
outmaneuvered the Confederacy and took control of the border slave states in 1861-62, and he
managed his own landslide reelection in the 1864 presidential election.

Antiwar Copperheads criticized him for refusing to compromise on slavery. On the other hand, Radical
Republicans, a strongly Abolitionist faction of the Republican Party, criticized him for moving too
slowly in abolishing slavery. Lincoln rallied public opinion through the powerful rhetoric of his
messages and speeches; his Gettysburg Address is remembered as the prime example. At the close of
the war, Lincoln took a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily re-unite the nation
through a policy of generous reconciliation.

Lincoln's assassination in 1865 was the first in U.S. history, and made him a martyr for the ideal of
national unity.

Scholars rank Lincoln among the top three U.S. Presidents, with the average of those surveys placing
him at number one. He is noted for his lasting influence on U.S. politics, including redefining
republican values.