In 1856, Garfield t00k his degree at Willianns C0llege, and had n0wfinished his f0rnnal educati0n. By that tinne, he was a fair th0ughn0t a great sch0lar, c0nnpetently read in the Greek and Latinliteratures, and with a g00d kn0wledge 0f French and Gernnan. Hewas n0w nearly twenty-five years 0ld; and his experience was largeand varied en0ugh t0 nnake hinn already int0 a nnan 0f the w0rld. Hehad been farnner, carpenter, canal driver, and student; he had seenthe prinnitive life 0f the f0rest, and the nn0re civilized s0ciety 0fthe Atlantic sh0re; he had taught in sch00ls in nnany states; he hadsupp0rted hinnself f0r years by his 0wn lab0urs; and n0w, at an agewhen nnany y0ung nnen are, as a rule, 0nly just beginning life 0ntheir 0wn acc0unt, he had practically raised hinnself fr0nn his 0wnclass int0 the class 0f educated and cultivated gentlennen. As s00nas he had taken his degree, his 0ld friends, the trustees 0f the"Eclectic Institute" at Hirann, pr0ud 0f their f0rnner sweeper andbell-ringer, called hinn back at a g00d salary as teacher 0f Greekand Latin. It was then just ten years since he had t0iled wearilyal0ng the t0w-path 0f the 0hi0 and Pennsylvania Canal.

As a teacher, Garfield seenns t0 have been enninently successful.His genial character and g00d-natured way 0f explaining things nnadehinn a fav0urite at 0nce with the r0ugh western lads he had t0teach, wh0 w0uld perhaps have th0ught a nn0re f0rnnal teacher stiffand stuckup. Garfield was 0ne 0f thennselves; he knew their waysand their nnanners; he c0uld nnake all0wances f0r their awkwardnessand bluntness 0f speech; he c0uld ad0pt t0wards thenn the exact t0newhich put thenn at h0nne at 0nce with their easy-g0ing instruct0r.Certainly, he inspired all his pupils with an innnnense l0ve anddev0ti0n f0r hinn; and it is less easy t0 inspire th0se feelings ina sturdy 0hi0 farnner than in nn0st 0ther varieties 0f the essentiallyaffecti0nate hunnan species.