Remembering the Country’s Leaders on President’s Day

Monday, Feb. 19, is Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day started with Washington’s Birthday celebrations, which happened on or near his birthday. George Washington was born on Feb. 22, 1732 and has been called the ‘Father of the Nation.’ From his days as commander of the Continental army to his two terms as President from 1789-1797, Washington was, and still is, a larger-than-life figure.

Abraham Lincoln is often known as the ‘Savior of the Country,’ who led the nation through the Civil War and reclaimed the Union, was born on Feb. 12, 1809, was president from 1861 until his assassination in 1865, is probably the second best remembered of our Presidents.

Back in the early part of the 20th Century, the birthdays of both Presidents’ seemed to be celebrated more than they are today. Washington’s birthday has been a federal holiday since 1879, and in 1970 his birthday and Lincoln’s birthday were combined in one celebration.

In this Centennial Post article on Feb. 29, 1908. – Washington’s Birthday at the University.The University of Wyoming has been celebrating Washington’s birthday in special manner. At the regular assembly hour on Friday, which has this year been devoted largely to lectures upon the resources of Wyoming and the opportunities open to young men with extended education, was given over to an exercise on Washington.

The Girls’ Mandolin Club rendered three or four selections, under the direction of the new instructor in music, Mr. Rickels. The address of the occasion was delivered by Dr. Agnes M. Wergeland, Professor of French and History, who spoke graphically of the character and work of Washington. In the evening at 7:30 in the University auditorium the children of the training school of the Department of Education gave patriotic entertainment, to which the Grand Army and the Woman’s Relief Corps of Laramie had been especially invited. The auditorium was crowded with an appreciative audience. While the University orchestra played the opening number, the children took their places upon the platform, singing songs of welcome. The first and second grades then sang the following motion songs: “The Happy Eskimo,” “The Fiddle,” “The Clock,” “Teddy Bear,” “My old Dan,” finishing with charming and graceful dance.

Then came dramatization of the story of George Washington and his hatchet, the characters appearing in 18th century costumes. After this was reading lesson on the’ Home of Washington, in which the children illustrated their reading by references to geographical globes and pictures of the interesting things about Mount Vernon, finishing with song called “A Song of Washington.”

Then came dramatization of the History of our Flag, visit to the home of Betsy Ross. Mr. Washington and Mr. Morris visit Betsy and ask her to make the flag. She. consents, makes the flag on the stage, and presents it to Mr. Washington. This was followed by pageant entitled Liberty and her Attendants. While the University orchestra plays “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,” Columbia, dressed in white, crowned, and seated in chariot decorated with flags and with the national colors, enters, the chariot being drawn by four children dressed in white, preceded by heralds and followed by attendants all in white, with flags and fans of the national colors. Then came song, “Wave our Bonny Flag on High,” with recitations on the colors of the flag, and closing with flag salute. The program was ended by soldiers in drill and in camp. The children sat upon the stage during the singing of “Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground.” They then lay down to sleep and the sentinel marched up and down before them calling the hours.

In The Enterprise, February 15, 1907 – Lincoln’s birthday, which is a state holiday in Wyoming, was generally observed in Sheridan. Several business houses suspended during the afternoon, and public offices were closed throughout the day.

Of course, Lincoln’s birthplace, Illinois, would go all out in celebration of the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, but Texas, that had joined the confederacy during the war, was not as enthusiastic.

In the Guernsey Gazette, Feb., 26, 1909: It is reported that every city, village and town in Illinois, Lincoln’s home state, held centennial exercises on Lincoln’s birthday. For the first time in the history of Texas many of the entities this month observed the anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. The day was also celebrated at Little Rock, Ark. There were few if any towns In Colorado where the centenary of Lincoln’s birthday was not fittingly celebrated. Many of the orations were of high order. School children took a large part in the exercises.

In the Greybull Tribune, Feb, 24, 1922 there is an article about a patriotic display. – Unique Washington’s Birthday Display – The California grocery had on Wednesday, February 22, a very appropriate window display in honor of Washington’s birthday. A miniature Valley Forge was shown, composed of a tent, small camp fire electrically lighted, barren trees, and white background to represent snow. Everyone who has studied American history will recall the historic place of Valley Forge, where Washington encamped on December 19, 1777, and held together what remained of his army, a mere handful of men, who survived cold and hunger only thru his personal firmness, patience and judicial handling of men. In the display was shown how these starving men would have welcomed the contents of a cup of delicious Richelieu coffee. This memory could well be kept alive by the great flurries of snow in evidence on Wednesday. Crowds of adults and school children were attracted by the display during the days of its appearance in the window.

The Laramie Republican, February 22, 1907 – Flags Unfurled For Washington’s Birthday. Flags are being displayed today at the university, the school buildings, the preserving plant, some of the store buildings, the court house and on many residences, on account of Washington’s birthday. The letter from the patriotic instructor of the Grand Army, referred to in The Republican yesterday afternoon, is said to have resulted in an unusually liberal display of flags in the department of Colorado and Wyoming.

The Wyoming Times February 5, 1914

And typical Wyoming weather could be snowy in February. But it sometimes warms up the next day.

The Riverton Review and the Riverton Republican February 27, 1914

In this article in the The Newcastle News-Journal, on Feb. 12, 1909, the writer compares these two great men.

We are indeed beyond measure fortunate in the characters of the two greatest of our public men, Washington and Lincoln. Widely though they differed in externals, the Virginia landed gentleman and the Kentucky backwoodsman, they were alike in essentials they wore a like in the great qualities which rendered each able to render service to his nation and to all mankind such as no other man of his generation could or did render. Each had lofty ideals, but each instriving to attain these lofty ideals was guided by the soundest common sense. Each possessed inflexible courage in adversity, and soul wholly unspoiled by prosperity…. There have been other men as great and other men as good: but in all the history of mankind there are no other two great men us good as these, no other two good men as great. Widely though the problems of to-day dlffer from the problems set for solution to Washington when he founded this nation, to Lincoln when he saved it and freed the slave, yet the qualities they showed in meeting these problems are exactly the same as those we should show in doing our work today.

After many years of celebrating each president’s birthday separately, the government created the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971, and moved Washington’s Birthday to the third Monday in February, and it eventually became known as presidents’ day, and honored Lincoln at the same time. It is a federal holiday, with banks, post offices and government offices closed for the day. Although it is ‘Presidents’ Day’ most people think of it as honoring Washington and Lincoln, as in historical rankings of Presidents’ they are in the top two spots.

On Presidents’ Day, let us pause a moment and reflect on these men and others who made this great nation.