Presenting Walter Houston with John McIntyre in The Man Who Taught Lincoln. The DuPont Cavalcade Theater, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Among the products of the DuPont Company, which are known to most everyone, are DuPont Duco, DuPont Nylon, DuPont Salifane, Plastics, Paints. Later in this program, we'll bring you the DuPont story of the week about polythene, an interesting new plastic product which you may not know about. Good evening, friends. This is Walter Houston. Tonight we honor the greatest champion of national unity our country ever had, Abe Lincoln. Of course, we wanted our cavalcade play to tell of Lincoln on this 136th anniversary of his birth. At the same time, we want to tell a story about him that hasn't been completely told before. We think we have found it. It's not the story of the great statesman, the great president. It's the more human story of the young man in the Illinois backwoods who had no polish, who knew no road to follow, who had only a vaulting ambition. It's the story of the redheaded, haired, freckled-faced country schoolmaster, not much older than his pupil, who shared that ambition and guided the first steps down the right road. I'm glad to have my good friend John McIntyre play the role of Abe Lincoln, as he has many times before this audience. And for me, there will be a particular pleasure of playing the part of his country schoolmaster, Mentor Graham. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] Presenting the DuPont Cavalcade Theater, starring Walter Houston with John McIntyre in The Man Who Taught Lincoln. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] March 4th, 1861. Outside the East Portico of the unfinished Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., carpenters have built a wooden flag-draped platform. And despite the chill late winter wind, a crowd of 10,000 people waits in solemn expectancy. And well up in front, a small, elderly, white-haired man, struggling to keep his place near the platform, is talking to one of the Capitol guards. But, uh, but, officer, do you think they'll begin soon? Well, I don't see how they can begin before your friend gets here. I suppose I'm too anxious. I came all the way from Illinois, Sangamon County, just to see this ceremony. That's little enough to do, if he's as good a friend as you say. I've been waiting here since early morning. I, I want to make sure I'd hear everything. Of course, you'd hear better up on the platform. There, there he comes now. Yes, and that's Justice Taney carrying the Bible. Graham? Are, are you Mr. Graham? Yes, that's my name. Oh, Mr. Lincoln wants you to take a seat on the platform, sir. If you'll come with me. On the platform? You? Excuse me, officer. Well, yes, I, I'd be glad to. I'll come right away. Yes, I sat on the platform at Abe Lincoln's first inaugural. I sat toward the back, and I don't think many folks noticed me, but it was a big day for me. The biggest in my whole life. I guess you wonder how it happened. Well, my name is Menter Graham. My occupation, farmer, carpenter, shoemaker, and a dozen other things. But most important to me, I was a schoolmaster. For years I taught school in New Salem, Illinois. And it was there more than 30 years before that I first met Abe Lincoln. And you know, almost the minute I met him, I could see, well, let me tell you about it. It was a summer day in 1831. There was no school because it was election day. And I was in Sam Hill's general store, which was the polling place, and I was worried. The man who was supposed to help me clerk the election was sick. And then I saw a tall, awkward, vaguely familiar frame. Mind if I have a gander at these election lists? No, go right ahead. Awful lot of job-hungry candidates. It's a statewide election. It's important to you. If you read their platform, some of them's mighty promising. They are that. You're Tom Lincoln's boy, aren't you? Yeah, Abe Lincoln's my name. I'm Menter Graham. Oh, Jerry Graham's boy? That's it, Jerry Graham's boy. Well, it's good you know you, Mr. Graham. I was wondering, Abe, can you write? Make a few hand tracks. Why? Well, I need someone to help me clerk the election today. Me? Clerk the election? Well, there's not much to do. You sit here beside me, and when the people start to come in to cast their vote, you put their name down in the book, and have them sign next to their names, that is, if they know how, and then write down how and who they vote for. All I write's the names? That's all. Well, I didn't try. Have any voted yet? Not a soul. I just opened the polls. But we'll work hard when they start coming. Yee-haw! Yee-haw! Who is there? That's Jim Hawkins. He's usually first. Yee-haw! That Jim? Well, if long power has votes, he'd make a landslide for somebody. I'm a rich, smartened son of Illinois. Meet me to the polling place. You're in it, Jim. I am? Then why do I vote for my friend, Tiger Dan Simmons? Right here at the table. Abe will take care of you. Abe? Abe Lincoln. What are you doing here? I'm clocking the election, Jim. No. Sitting at the table like a regular justice of the pees. You're Abe's first customer. I am? Well, in that case, Abe, put me down for two votes. Two? What for? Well, one for politics and one for friendship. Ah, no, none of that, Jim. You know the law. No. What about the law? Says one voter, one vote. That's the way it is to be. Sounds to me like the law's kind of prejudiced. You've got no feeling for friendship. The law isn't supposed to have sentiment. That's right, Jim. Law's not supposed to have sentiment. Seems to me it really has a heap of it. Of course, I've got no learning like men are here about law, but... What do you mean, Abe? Well, seems to me that just because every man has one vote, no man has more than one, that's what makes a difference. That's what makes us all free men, as I see it, free and equal. Abe's got it right, Jim. You know something else? No. What? Well, Abe says he hasn't got learning like me, but he's got the thing that really goes before any learning. He's got wisdom. Yes, right from the first I could see it in Abe, this backwoods boy. I could see the wisdom, and with it I could see the questions and the hungry. After we closed the polls that night, I asked him to come home for supper to meet my wife Sarah and my two little daughters. The family took to Abe right away, like I had, and after supper the girls spied up on his lap and he told them stories and sang songs with them. Poor Dan Tettle was a fine old man. He washed his face in a frying pan. He combed his hair with a wagon wheel. And died with a toothache in his ear. Oh, Landy, the children haven't enjoyed themselves so far, I don't know how long. Well, I thank you, Miss Grail. Well, it seems to me it's time they went to bed, Sarah. Oh, no, please, Father. Oh, what time? Mercy, it's his your bedtime. Come along now. All right, Mother. Yes, Mother. And tell Abe good night, girls. Good night, Abe. Good night, Minerva. Good night, Abe. Good night, Elmira. Poor girls, be quick. Well, Abe? Yes, Mender? What were you thinking? I was just thinking, those are likely little girls. They're lucky to be living right here with a teacher like you. How's that? With all these books you got, you to talk to them, learning will come easy for them. Hmm. Maybe, uh, how did you like trekking today? Well, it's good work. Makes you feel responsible. Yes, yes it does. The kind of work you ought to be doing one way or another. I reckon I won't have much time for much of it. Oh, you have plans? No, just a piece of floating driftwood, I reckon, but still I got to earn my living. That's true. But do you mean to stay on here in New Salem? For Spell, anyway. Denton Offutt's opening a store. He wants me to work for him. Why? Well, I was thinking, I'd like you to drop in at my school, Abe, any time you've a mind to. Oh. Well, I don't know, Mender. Why not? Well, I kind of outgrew my school days. Seems to me it's a little late for me to be coming to school. You know the proverb, Abe. It's never too late to learn. Yeah, I hear it, yeah. There is a heap of subjects in this world that'd pleasure me to learn. Well? But while I just can't see myself being a schoolboy, Mender, there is one thing. Yes, Abe? I've just been itching to look at your books ever since I come in. Do you think I might, might borrow some? Good. That's very good, class. Yes. And now that we've refreshed with songs, we'll study our lessons. Mr. Graham? Yes, Dennis? Yes, Daddy, with Robert, sir. He knows us better than I do. What are you studying? A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases. Oh, yes. Let Robert listen to you. Thank you, sir. I do, thou dost, he does, we do, they do. Rosie, I'd like you to work on your sums first, then the verse. Yes, Mr. Graham. Mr. Graham, look. Look and come in. Good morning, Mender. Mr. Graham? Come in, Abe. Come in. I've been thinking about what you said about me coming to school. Oh, I'm glad to hear it. I thought I just might give it a try. Rosie? Yes, Mr. Graham? Did you hear anything funny? Why are you laughing? Why, why, I was just laughing at Abe Lincoln, sir. Yes? Saying he's starting school. Why, he's bigger than you are. Sure, Rosie. There's one thing all of you forget. It doesn't matter how big you are when you start school, but it does matter how much you learn when you get there. Sit down, Abe. On that bench there with the advanced learners. But sir, I don't reckon... I know you've got the capacity to learn, Abe. You'll catch up with them soon enough. I can take this room for me. Plenty of room. Sit down there. Next to Ann Rutledge. Abe had the capacity to learn, the hunger to learn. Day by day I could see his mind leaping ahead, looking for answers to his questions. He made me proud of him. Then one evening I found him waiting for me at the closing school. Hello, Abe. I thought you'd gone home long ago. I was waiting for you, Manter. Oh? What's on your mind? Well, I've been thinking, Manter, I believe I can go it alone now. How's that, Abe? I mean, I reckon I don't need to be coming to school anymore. I can read, write, cipher pretty fast. That's true. Matter the most. Well, so I thought I'd just tell you. Thank you. Manter, Abe, if you knew a man who was given a strong box full of money and then he was given the keys to the box, what would you tell him to do? What would I tell him? That's right. Or tell him to open up the box money no good if it's locked up. And learning is no good locked up either. What do you mean, Manter? You know how to read and write and cipher, and those are the keys to learning. And with those keys you can unlock all the rest to become anything you want to. You want to make something of yourself, don't you? What a kid. Then think about what I've told you about the strong box. I am, huh? I am thinking. Well, Abe? I'll see you Monday morning, Manter. You're listening to Walter Houston with John McIntyre in The Man Who Taught Lincoln on the Cavalcade Theater, sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, maker of Better Things for Better Living through chemistry. So we begin Act Two of The Man Who Taught Lincoln, starring Walter Houston as Menter Graham and John McIntyre as Abe Lincoln. Abe came to school regularly for three or four weeks. Then he had to go to work again, but he didn't let his education stop. He kept borrowing books from me. He told me the things I want to know are in books, and my best friend is the man who will get me a book I ain't read. After work, Abe and I would meet and I'd hear him recite lessons, or I'd do my best to answer his questions. Then one evening I came home with news for my wife. Is that you, Manter? Yes, sir. Sorry I'm late. You've missed your supper. No, I've been taking care of some things. Uh, Sarah, how would you like a boarder? Why, that's a practical idea. We could use the money. Oh, not a paying boarder, Sarah. Uh, someone who'd do the chores. Why, who are you thinking of, Manter? I was thinking about young Abe Lincoln. Oh. Don't you like the idea? As a matter of fact, I do, but why pretend about it? You're bringing him here to teach him, aren't you? Well, as a matter of fact... And he's out on the porch right now, isn't he? Well, yes, Sarah. Well, call him in, Manter. All right, Sarah. Don't keep him out there to freeze. Abe, come in, Abe. Seems you're expected. Well, Abe, now that you're living here, we can really get to work, plan your studies. Do you know yet what you want to do? Well, sounds like a lot, I know, but I'd like some kind of public life, Manter. This is a big country, growing fast. It'll likely have lots of growing pains during my lifetime. I'd like to be where things happen. Yes, and you will, Abe. I've got a notion that I ought to study about speaking. My speech is too rough. Too rough? I've been thinking words are about the most important thing there is. You can have good ideas, but if you don't express them right, they don't do nothing to forward the world. You mean I'm wrong, Manter? No, no, you're right. Words are the power, the real power of knowledge. Now, where's that book? Ayas here. We'll start right now, Abe. What book's that? It's Kirkham's, the only one in Sangamon County. You're going to study grammar. What is a noun? A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing. Great. Greater. Greatest. Frugal. More frugal. Most frugal. Not ain't, but are not. Not clerk, but clerk. What is the foundation of all good writing? Good sense is the foundation of all good writing. One who understands a subject well will scarcely write ill upon it. So my partner skipped him alone, so my partner skipped him alone, so my partner skipped him alone, skipped him alone, my darling. Abe, I am. You calling us, Manter? Yes, I was about to leave the party, Abe, but I wanted to have one more look at that corn silk hair of Abe. Well, here I am, Mr. Graham. I want to talk to both of you. Will you come outside a minute? We will, Manter. Sorry you're leaving so early. It's the best Fourth of July party I can remember. I've seen more than you that, Abe. Sarah's tired. I promised to get her home. What did you want to talk about, Mr. Graham? Well, there are one or two things about Abe's study. You're going to keep on, aren't you, Abe? Yeah, I guess I am. Well, I got a new book. It's much more advanced than the one we've been using, much more advanced. I'll study it with you if you think I should. Really do, Abe. Of course there is one hitch. What's that? I have one other advanced grammar student, and since there's only one book, I'll have to tutor both of you at the same time. Is that all right? Why, yes it is. Yes. And it's all right with you, Anne? Yes, sir. I mean, I think it will be more sociable. Anne's the other student? Yes. I'm tutoring to go to the Academy in Jacksonville, Abe. Yes, too bad I can't have a separate book for each of you, but... Oh, I don't know, men. Sometimes one book's better than two. Brings two minds closer together. You mean two heads, don't you, Abe? ABE LINCOLN Abe Lincoln and Anne were engaged, so Abe was even more anxious to make a living. He ran for the legislature and lost, but he kept on working and studying. I taught him what I knew about surveying, and he got a job as a deputy surveyor. Then he ran for the legislature again, and this time he was elected. Yes, he was moving on. He was already ahead of his teacher, except in one great lesson, a bitter lesson he had to learn alone. It happened one sultry August afternoon in 1835. Abe had stopped by and was sitting with Sarah and me on the front porch, and we could see that he was worried. It's the drought that's doing it, I'm sure. It's doing what, Abe? Bringing all the fever. So many sick, with only rain. Yes, we've lost some of our friends, too, but the plague seems to be coming to an end. It hasn't rained, corns parched everywhere I see. Everything's stunted, dying. Abe, you look drawn. Are you sick? No, no, Miss Graham. Not that way, but it's Anne. I heard she was much better. No, she's no better. How can you tell, Abe? They sent for me yesterday. Mr. Rutledge did. I went and sat beside her. She was burning up with the fever. And today? I haven't gone. I started, but I couldn't go. Couldn't bear to go. Why not, Abe? Because yesterday, when Mr. Rutledge sent for me, it was because Anne was calling for me. Yes. When I got there, she didn't know me. Sat with her, kept calling for me, calling for me. I was right there. I mean it. Anne's dying, I'm sure of it. They buried Anne in Concord, seven miles away, and for weeks afterward, no one could talk to Abe. Sometimes he was found lying with one arm thrown across her grave, or in the stormy weather he was seen walking, walking, with the rain running on his gaunt face. Then one day, about two months after Anne's death, I met Abe coming toward our house, and I walked along with him. I was just coming to talk to you, manny. Yes, I, I wondered when you'd get around to it. I've been doing a lot of thinking. Yes. I knew you were thinking, Abe. You see, the first minute after Anne died, I thought there was nothing left to live for. But you know now that there is. Not exactly. It's hard to think of life without Anne. Very hard. But I kept remembering some of the things you told me about knowledge, about learning. What were they, Abe? Well, one time you showed me what someone said about learning. It could be gotten by reading books, but the knowledge of the world could be gotten only by reading men and all the various editions of them. Yes, that's right. Well, I thought maybe I had to love Anne to know about the love of other people. Maybe, Abe. And maybe I had to lose her to know how men can suffer. Do you really think that, Abe? I'm not sure, manny. I only know that now I do understand about suffering. I can see that. And that now I'm going to spend my life to end whatever needless suffering and misery I find. Abe, you see, there is a law. I always knew you had a great capacity. And now I knew it wasn't given to you to be wasted. It wasn't wasted. And so on March 4, 1861, I, Menter Graham, an obscure aging country schoolmaster, sat on the platform in Washington, D.C., and saw a great man who was a friend of mine take the oath for President of the United States. I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Menter, Menter Graham, you came all the way to Washington. Yes. I came to see the ceremony, Abe. You came here just to see me inaugurate it. In a way, you're my life work, Abe, the life work of a teacher. Our thanks to you, Walter Houston, and to John McIntyre, and all other members of tonight's DuPont-Cavill-Cade Theatre cast. The month of February is when we celebrate the birthdays of two great Americans. Tonight on Cavill-Cade, we've celebrated the memory of Lincoln. Next week, we will bring you a tense and little-known story of George Washington, a story of 24 hours when the fate of the young American Revolution hung in the balance and treason ticked like a bomb, ready to explode in General Washington's face. And as our star next week, we will welcome to the DuPont-Cavill-Cade Theatre that fine actor of stage and screen, Herbert Marshall, to star in Washington and the Traitor. Walter Houston may soon be seen in Renée Claire's production, Ten Little Indians. The music on tonight's Cavill-Cade was composed and conducted by Robert Ambruster. This evening's Cavill-Cade play was written by Bernard Rines. It was based upon the recently published biography, Mentor Graham, by Conaghan Duncan and D.F. Nichols. This is Gain Whitman inviting you to tune in next Monday to Washington and the Traitor, starring Herbert Marshall on the DuPont-Cavill-Cade Theatre, brought to you by E.I. DuPont, Ginny Moors & Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is the National Broadcasting Company.
