First Picture: A high reading-desk to which a book is chained. The light feebly burns above.
Second Picture: Abraham Lincoln, the boy, reading close to the light of the fire. The light of education burns brightly above his head.
The curtain is dropped for a moment between the two tableaux.
When the curtain is lowered after the pictures, Education and Any City again appear before it.
Any City (speaking as if continuing a conversation begun behind the curtain). But the chained book is but a symbol!
Education. No, it is a pictured fact. The book was so chained during the Dark Ages.
Any City (with satisfied manner). Well, thank fortune that we live in a democracy, where anyone who wants it may have learning.
Education. Congratulate yourself not on that fact. How many Abraham Lincolns, think you, are in this land to-day—boys who will travel miles of rough road in stormy weather and work at hard labor for weeks, for the privilege of reading a book? The few such give us no care. They mould their own future. But can we allow the millions of less ambitious young citizens, the lawmakers of the future, to go without the education they so sorely need, but never would secure through their own efforts? No! No! No! “The Spirit of Democracy is the fruit of Education.” And he who in any way curtails the opportunities for the education of American boys and girls is working directly against the Spirit of Democracy.
As Education speaks the last sentence, her light plays on the paper. Any City raises it as if to toss it away, but reconsiders his action and places it out of sight.
Any City. But I still maintain that things are made too easy for the children of the present day. They should be forced to learn as they were in the past.
Education. Have you ever seen “forced learning” in operation?
Any City. No, but I know it is good for children to be forced into right ways at times.
Education. Come with me into the past and see Force at work.
Any City. No, I really don’t care to.
Education. To paraphrase your own words, “It is good for a city to be forced into right ways at times.” Now is such a time for you. Come!
Education leads the reluctant Any City behind the curtain.