It isn’t always easy to do the right thing, even in the sunniest of times. It’s even more admirable when it is hard. How does this happen? One thing is for
sure, it isn’t automatic. Instead, it takes caring, committed growth! It is fascinating to
see how such growth occurred in the lives
of the American presidents and how the
parents contributed.
One of the great presidential stories is
that of Mr. John Adams! His life shows that
everyday people can serve the nation in big
ways, because like most of us, he was not
born into surpassing affluence or position.
His family did have tremendous wealth of
another sort, however: a deep reverence for
the values of the early Puritans who were his
own ancestors, and this nation’s forebears.
Family
This is no small thing! John’s parents fo-
cused greatly on his character, and that of
his two younger brothers, Peter and Elihu.
Together, the family worked very hard on
their farm, and his father showed entrepre-
neurial courage in earning extra income in
other ways, including shoemaking. John,
Sr., showed his son a great work ethic
and love of family, for he carefully earned
money to patiently and gradually purchase
more and more land, in order to help his
three sons advance. What foresight, com-
mitment, and others-orientation was mod-
eled by the father of young John Adams,
who would later become an appreciated
husband and father himself!
Education
There was another focus for Father and
Mother Adams in raising John: education.
They knew it was essential that he grow
in wisdom, knowledge, discipline, and
the capacity to bless the community. His
Harvard-educated father dreamed that his
oldest son would go to college to become
a minister. But John preferred the thought
of being a farmer, in part because of his
aversion to the schoolmaster at Braintree’s
Latin school. Later, perhaps providentially,
he met a neighboring teacher with a different approach. This worked wonders with
young John, renewing his commitment to
higher learning, and in just twelve months,
he earned a scholarship to enter Harvard
at just 15 years old! There, he found that
others with higher social status were given
preference, but with that great childhood
work ethic, John finished in the top three!
Godly Government
We get to share one more tremendous in-
vestment from John’s mother and father,
No wonder John moved toward the po-
litical discussions at Harvard, thinking
deeply about church, family, and nation,
seeking the input of mentors, and weigh-
ing his life’s work. It is admirable that
he placed a high value on what his par-
ents contributed to his life. I’m reminded
of an episode in his boyhood when he
snuck away from school early to enjoy a
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
By Paula Winget & Nancy Fileccia with Michelle Howard Miller
The Making of
President
John Adams
That good start at home—family,
church, work, and education—yielded
wonderful strength for our nation!
