“Learning from Washington and Lincoln”

From Hillsdale College:

First Principles on First Fridays

“Learning from Washington and Lincoln”

Terrence Moore

February 5, 2010

Americans once celebrated Washington's Birthday, and that remains the official name of the federal holiday held on the third Monday in February. Over the past two decades, however, this holiday has come to be known as Presidents Day—as if all presidents are equally worthy of veneration. This forum offers a return to the holiday's original purpose—to honor and celebrate our greatest presidents. Focusing on the educations of Washington and Lincoln—educations largely undertaken on their own—this talk will explore lessons we can draw today from America's greatest statesmen.

Terrence Moore is assistant professor of history at Hillsdale College. A former lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, he earned his B.A. from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh. From 2001 to 2008, he served as the principal of Ridgeview Classical Schools, a K-12 charter school in Fort Collins, Colorado, whose high school twice ranked first in the state and in 2008 was ranked 15th among America's public schools by U.S. News and World Report. He has published widely in newspapers and journals, including Human Events and the Claremont Review of Books.