It’s a long way from 1850s Springfield, Ill. to Pine Tree Elementary School in 2009, but that didn’t stop Abraham Lincoln from making an appearance Feb. 12 to celebrate his 200th birthday.
Continuing a tradition he started nearly 20 years ago, fifth-grade teacher John Rief donned a stove-pipe hat, bow tie and grew out his beard to portray the 16th president, who has experienced a resurgence due to his bicentennial as well as the election of President Barack Obama, who frequently cites Lincoln as an important influence in his life.
“It kind of brought it alive to the little ones,” Rief said, adding that he started when he was a kindergarten teacher looking to stand out from his entirely female colleagues.
Rief said he picked up an old tuxedo at a swap meet, made the hat and shaved his beard into Lincoln’s familiar mustache-less look.
“When I first started I didn’t have to diet,” Rief said with a laugh, before tossing a thumb over his shoulder at his classroom of fifth-graders. “My hat’s older than they are!”
Since the curriculum in fifth grade only goes up to 1800 (and Lincoln was born nine years later), Rief said the costume was mainly for fun, but it did reinforce the value of hard work and equality to the kids.
“Things aren’t impossible to these guys when they work,” he said, adding that Lincoln came from a poor family and worked his way up to the highest office in the land. “They can do whatever they want.”
Because of the 200th birthday and the increased focus on Lincoln, Literacy Specialist Dee Green said this year they decided to do a school-wide focus on Lincoln.
“John became the symbol,” she said.
Rief visited some classrooms and posed for pictures and a special birthday cake was served to celebrate Lincoln’s 200th year.
Green said Lincoln brings “possibility” to the kids and highlights the importance of reading, something the late president did voraciously.
“Even then it was important to read,” she said.
Principal LaWonda Smith called Rief an “interesting character.”
“He wants the kids to make real-world connections with learning,” Smith said.
Smith explained the theatrical aspect of dressing as Lincoln will help solidify in many kids minds the 16th president and it will become a memory the treasure for years to come.
“They will talk about Lincoln as part of their memories of school,” Smith said, adding that hopefully Lincoln’s message will reverberate as well.
“I think he was a person of equality for all people and that’s the message we want our kids to hear,” she said, adding “I think this year’s election really helped with that.”
Rief said he knows the Lincoln costume sticks with kids because former students in high school and beyond still come up to him and talk about the costume and the day he dressed as Lincoln.
And while the memories linger, one thing will not: each year on Feb. 13, Rief lets his students help him shave off the beard.
But fear not, as winter begins to creep in again next year, Rief’s beard will again start to grow and come Feb. 12, 2009, you can bet that our 16th president will once again make an appearance at Pine Tree Elementary.
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