Lynne Cheney, author and wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, participates in the Pledge of Allegiance with third-graders Allison Stephenson and Christopher Wales II at W. W. Ashurst Elementary School at Quantico Marine Corps Base yesterday. ram

Cheney reads to students at W. W. Ashurst Elementary. The author of nine books, including two especially for children, Cheney spoke at two elementary schools on the base, about the importance of American history and freedom. ram

Lynne Cheney talks to students at Marine base about America's heritage

By RUTH FINCH

Date published: 10/24/2003

Pupils urged to pursue U.S. history

Lynne Cheney may be the wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, but the children at W.W. Ashurst and John H. Russell elementary schools at Quantico Marine Corps Base know her better as a historian and children's author.

Cheney visited about 80 third-graders from the two schools yesterday to talk about her two illustrated alphabet books, "America: A Patriotic Primer" and "A Is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women."

Eight-year-old Taylor Smith said her favorite part of Cheney's hourlong visit was hearing the story of Abigail Adams, who was once the wife of a vice president, too.

"I'm really into history," Taylor said. "I like [19th-century physician] Elizabeth Blackwell and Abigail Adams."

Cheney earlier this year launched an annual awards program for books that teach children about American history. She said she often visits schools to talk to children about the American leaders in her books, but yesterday's visit was especially nice.

"I did want to come here because all the parents are military serving our country," she said. "Many of them went to Iraq."

After learning about such important figures in American history as Adams, Blackwell, abolitionist Frederick Douglass and suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the children had an opportunity to ask Cheney about her life in Washington and her career as an author.

She said that though she has written or helped write seven books for adults, her two children's books are special to her.

"There's something about writing for children," she said. "You get to write about things that are really important. Grown-ups know they are important, but they think everybody knows about them."

Before the visit was over, a child asked Cheney about her world travels. He wanted to know which country was her favorite, after visiting so many of them.

"This one," Cheney replied. She then took the opportunity to expound on the main purpose of her visit, impressing children with the importance of America's history.

"We are so lucky to be Americans and to live in this country," she said. "We need to stop once in a while to think about that. There are millions of people in this world who never even dreamed they could be as free as we are."

To reach RUTH FINCH: 540/720-1622 rfinch@freelancestar.com

Date published: 10/24/2003