Gettysburg Address

[jonriv]

My son said their were a lot of Lincoln impersonators around his college town today. Some great words worth re-reading.

11/19/1863

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

[Cannonball]

Not a Lincoln Impersonator but instead, I am a "Lincoln Scholar." A few years ago, I was honored to be selected to a program that was to produce fifty "Lincoln Scholars" in the State of Illinois. Having said that, this speech is one of the most moving events of Lincoln's life. However, it hurts me to hear how students are taught to memorize it or even to just get the topic covered and move on.

Lincoln was not only a secondary speaker at this event, he wasn't really wanted there. His invitation was an after thought and his acceptance was surprising to the committee that set the event up. One thing that people don't realize when reading this speech is that Lincoln actually takes a bit of a shot at the people who set this up. In a sense, the committee was too engrosed in the event and therefore not as focused on the reason for the event. Thus, Lincoln added, "But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." Lincoln wanted to make sure everyone knew the true reason that they were there and this was hallowed ground and the men who died there made the ground hallowed. Not the committee's efforts!

Many of you know that when the speech ended, the crowd really didn't cheer much. In fact, Lincoln thought himself a failure delivering the speech. When President Lincoln sat down, he said, "That speech won't scour." This has been debated over time and the reference most often cited is from the works of Shelby Foote. Foote states that Edward Everett's response was, "I should like to think that I said as much in two hours as you have said in two minues." Edward Everett was the main speaker that day AND if one wanted to be historically correct, his speech is really "The Gettysburg Address" and Lincoln was asked to make a couple of remarks. Well, historians get a little picky and semantics matter to some. I don't buy that and so call Lincoln's remarks, "The Gettysburg Address." Finally, the myth that Lincoln wrote this speech on the back of an envelope continues. Lincoln began writing his remarks far in advance and had edited his effort several times in the White House. I have no doubt that he edited his remarks again, and perhaps on the back of a envelope but his efforts within the White House are documented.

[jonriv]

My son attends Gettysburg College. At the beginning of each Freshmen class(during orientation) The entire Freshmen class walks from campus to the cemetery to hear Lincoln's address. just as Gettysburg students had done back at the original address. The entire town is rich in history with bullet marks still left on some buildings. Campus was actually part of the battlefield. An amazing place.

[Tyler Durden]

B25 that was a great post, very interesting.

So JR, your boy is a Gettysburg Bullet, eh? I must say, that looks like a sweet campus, and a uber top-end liberal arts school. I like.
Being an east coast guy, I get amusingly conflicted when you get hammered for being a New Canaan dwelling, Ivy elitist homer. But I must admit, IMHO the University system out here in Cali and the west has no comparable options to the amount and sophistication of the schools in the NE corridor. We've got the Claremont McKenna/Scripps/Pomona Pitzer over-rated conglomerate. Loyola Marymount? ehhhh. Cal is a great school, but a dirty campus and a dirty town. To me, the difference in fundamental structure and history of the east coast universities make them an overall better experience (generally) than the west coast offerings.
As far as the recent campus loudmouths who want to be hugged, and who feel the need for a safe space to share their transgender peccadillo's, I wish they would get some help in understanding that the world isn't a fair place. I do agree that it's a minority of students (pun intended) and as usual in our coddled, PC society, the squeaky wheel gets noticed. It's simplistic to paint a university due to the actions of a few morons.
Let the bashing begin. Happy friday.

[Fastpitch4Life]

B25 that was a great post, very interesting.

So JR, your boy is a Gettysburg Bullet, eh? I must say, that looks like a sweet campus, and a uber top-end liberal arts school. I like.
Being an east coast guy, I get amusingly conflicted when you get hammered for being a New Canaan dwelling, Ivy elitist homer. But I must admit, IMHO the University system out here in Cali and the west has no comparable options to the amount and sophistication of the schools in the NE corridor. We've got the Claremont McKenna/Scripps/Pomona Pitzer over-rated conglomerate. Loyola Marymount? ehhhh. Cal is a great school, but a dirty campus and a dirty town. To me, the difference in fundamental structure and history of the east coast universities make them an overall better experience (generally) than the west coast offerings.
As far as the recent campus loudmouths who want to be hugged, and who feel the need for a safe space to share their transgender peccadillo's, I wish they would get some help in understanding that the world isn't a fair place. I do agree that it's a minority of students (pun intended) and as usual in our coddled, PC society, the squeaky wheel gets noticed. It's simplistic to paint a university due to the actions of a few morons.
Let the bashing begin. Happy friday.

Pomona College rated #1 recently by Forbes. Just saying...I was surprised, but 8-1 teacher/student ratio was one criterion. Is that what you mean by "over-rated?" No bashing of east coast universities, but I believe you will find the UC system rated the best public university system. Can't find the citation on that one.
http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/

[Tyler Durden]

I do agree that it's a minority of students (pun intended) and as usual in our coddled, PC society, the squeaky wheel gets noticed. It's simplistic to paint a university due to the actions of a few morons.
Let the bashing begin. Happy friday.

While its may be true that it's is a small number of crybabies when the faculty and administration fall in lockstep and cave to their ridiculous demands then the blame has to be put on the university. And of course the media that enables these ill informed attention whores.

Roger that. Exactly the bad situation we have. It's ridiculous that the University administration is over reacting to this. Anyone who understands college students, knows that they are naive, idealistic, self-absorbed, bored, myopic, and have just enough sophistication to be dangerous to the greater-good. They need to be acknowledged, praised, then ignored, as the University gets back to the business of churning out under-educated, overly-indebted drones. (That last part was for you, jr) You're welcome.

[as the world turns]

I'll take Stanford over any Ivy, great education and impressive sports programs, the best combo in the country.

I think CalTech and MIT are even.

The reason east coast schools rank better is because many have huge financial endowments that allows them to offer great financial aid packages and that weighs heavily on rankings. Many have been around 100 years longer than west coast schools

Regarding Cal schools:
Some of the UC's and Cal State's are overcrowded and it is tough getting done in 4 years, many students still do depending on the extracurricular activities, and lower level classes are taught by TA's. Regardless, UCLA, Cal, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly are great schools, depending on the major. They also offer great tuition for California residents. The privates like Pepperdine U, Loyola, U of San Diego, Santa Clara U and others are great schools, small class size and all classes are taught by professors, but they get hurt on the rankings because they are expensive and stingy on financial aid. Someone on this thread already covered the Pomona Colleges, so I won't bother.

The Military Academies are awesome and the 5 years of service after graduation is a turnoff for some, many bail after 5 especially with the current admin.

Many students need the different indoctrination letters, H, Y, B, D, C, C, P, P, on their letterman sweater to ensure success, but truly successful people can make it regardless of school brand.

[PDad]

Regardless, UCLA, Cal, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly are great schools, depending on the major.

Schools should be evaluated more for your intended major than where they rank as a whole.

We've seen schools with limited majors (e.g. business, STEM) rank high because they aren't weighed down by majors that generally lower scores. Some/many of them don't rank nearly as high when you do an apples-to-apples ranking for a major because many large schools that ranked lower as a whole are very strong in some majors.

[as the world turns]

Regardless, UCLA, Cal, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly are great schools, depending on the major.

Schools should be evaluated more for your intended major than where they rank as a whole.

We've seen schools with limited majors (e.g. business, STEM) rank high because they aren't weighed down by majors that generally lower scores. Some/many of them don't rank nearly as high when you do an apples-to-apples ranking for a major because many large schools that ranked lower as a whole are very strong in some majors.

And there is nothing wrong with that, so rankings in many cases are bullsh*t. It is a little game these select schools play to try to out-do each other - and students and parents get caught up in it. East coasters really get caught up in it, "Where is Biffy going to? Well shim was accepted to 4 ivies, how about your shim?......"

[jonriv]

Regardless, UCLA, Cal, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly are great schools, depending on the major.

Schools should be evaluated more for your intended major than where they rank as a whole.

We've seen schools with limited majors (e.g. business, STEM) rank high because they aren't weighed down by majors that generally lower scores. Some/many of them don't rank nearly as high when you do an apples-to-apples ranking for a major because many large schools that ranked lower as a whole are very strong in some majors.

Which majors lower scores(Kinesiology????)