Lincoln comes to life
The Franklin College community, along with some Abraham Lincoln enthusiasts came to the chapel Wednesday to hear Hope Baugh speak and sing about the life of the 16th president. Baugh, a professional storyteller, spoke about a personal connection she feels she had with Lincoln: His love of art. "I love reading about him. He [was] as interested in the arts as I am," she said. "Different people remembered him for different things, but people embraced him during his time." "Abraham Lincoln was an inspirational speaker and leader," sophomore Sam West said. "By coming here, I feel that I gained knowledge and experience of him." Baugh noted that Lincoln lived in Indiana as a young man. "We had Lincoln during his teen years," she said. "…Teen years are the most formative in a person’s life." Baugh told a story of Lincoln just after he received word of Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. On the evening of the surrender, he heard a young girl sing "Dixie," a popular song of the South. He encouraged the young girl to keep singing, as he loved that song all his life, even as a northerner. "He was already thinking about healing the wounds of the broken country," she said.
