I.T.I. (Isn't That Interesting?)
by Ed Scott
Summary
You remember the images of George Washington that were in your school textbooks. The famous painting by Gilbert Stuart that made him appear somewhat stern. The formal portraits of him speaking before Congress, and the dangerous boat trip across the Potomac in cold and icy weather. There are also various pen-and-ink drawings that supposedly illustrate a young George explaining to his father that he had, indeed, chopped down the cherry tree.
So, who was the real George Washington? Was he the brave warrior who was a soldier at heart; a stern, somewhat lonely man with wooden teeth, who suffered periodic bouts of depression; or a natural leader who was exactly what a nation about to be born truly needed?
This book attempts to answer those questions, and provide glimpses into a George Washington that was a true flesh-and-blood hero of the infant United State of America. Filled with anecdotal material that rarely made it to the textbooks, it allows us to see a man that was strong, yet had his weaknesses; a man who was fervently loyal and highly ethical; a businessman who clearly understood how to build his own successes.
There was no doubt of his leadership qualities. He led and motivated by demonstrating what needed to be done. He inspired his soldiers by his strong belief that they would eventually go home, and by stubbornly continuing to have his Mount Vernon estate re-modeled and improved while the battles continued to rage. He suffered many personal losses in his life, yet continued to have a strong faith in a loving God and an everlasting life.
This series of vignettes also clearly describes a man who was able to motivate others by his own actions, whether it was on the battlefield or when conducting his personal business.
Our children all need and thrive on heroes. They allow us to believe in reaching for the stars and to aspire to be the best we can. At the same time, men like George Washington, who questioned themselves even as they are succeeding, reveal themselves as true heroes because they are strong enough to acknowledge their weaknesses.
"I.T.I." allows young people to know George Washington as something more than a rather stuffy historical figure who couldn't avoid the place he earned in history. Instead, they will find a George Washington who is a friend.
