The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

58
THE LAUNCHING OF A MAN
"He swam, he rowed, he ran, he tramped the hills back of
the Bay, for pastimes, studying and cataloguing the birds
native to his neighborhood, and thus he laid the foundation of
that incomparable physical vigor from which rose his future
prowess as a ranchman and hunter."
HIS BROTHER ELLIOTT
President Roosevelt's father was wise enough to patronize
the public schools by sending his children through them.
Here they learned the American lesson of mixing with their
neighbors' children and of taking the place their abilities
entitled them to in the classes. There were two boys and two
girls in the family. Theodore's brother Elliott was the
stronger and hardier of the two. Very naturally, the brother
in a large measure became the champion and guardian of
young Theodore. The future President, however, was aggres-
sive enough, and even in his boyhood days his individuality
asserted itself on all occasions. He had not, however, the
strength and endurance to keep pace with his brother and
their companions at the games and on that leveler of all pub-
lic school children, the playground.
THE TRUE AMERICAN SPIRIT
The children were given the best educational advantages
to be obtained. They attended private institutions, as did
most of the children whose parents were wealthy and belonged
to the same set. The family lived right in an atmosphere of
the old Dutch stock, which had advanced to a high premium
years before Theodore was born. The spirit of his famjly,
however, was for sterling quality, merit and high character in
their children rather than an exclusiveness from those around
them who happened to be less fortunate. They were intent
upon preserving close and intimate relations with the world