Nathan Hale

Here is a biography of Nathan Hale, written for the 3^rd through 6^th grade student. It travels through the short life of this American patriot and hero, and in doing so reveals for us the remarkable qualities of Hale’s virtuous character.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Hale’s life is his work ethic and his readiness to do every job well and to the best of his ability. For example:

“At Union School, Hale taught Latin, literature, mathematics, and writing to about 30 boys. In the morning from 5:00 to 7:00, he also taught a class of young ladies. Hale wanted to make the most out of every hour of the day. Some evenings, he tutored boys after school hours. On his off nights, he conducted science experiments.” (30)

Another characteristic of Hale is his care and concern for the people around him, almost in a pastoral-shepherding manner. In addition to the above quote regarding his diligence with the students, it is also said of him:

When he resigned [his school teaching position to join the Continental army], one townsperson remembered how sincerely he cared about the future of his students. “He gave them council, prayed with them, shook each by the hand,” before saying goodbye.”

And when Hale became a captain in the Continental Army, he cared for the men who served under him:

“In those days, soldiers often left the army when they became tired or sick. When Hale’s men were anxious to return home, he pleaded with them to stay. He spoke with such smooth and inspiring words that the soldiers turned around and unpacked their sacks. Hale generously divided up all of his own army pay and gave it to the men. He sacrificed personal items and private supplies just to keep his company together. His men eventually transformed into hardened, strong soldiers. Despite the hardships, none of his company murmured a complaint. They were always ready to take on the greatest of dangers.”

Throughout his short life, Hale was known for doing what needed to be done, and doing it with excellence:

His father’s friend said of Hale, “That man is a diamond of the first water, calculated to excel in any station he assumes. He is a gentleman and a scholar, and last though not least, of his qualifications, a Christian.”

This quality of willingness would lead ultimately to his death, as Hale volunteered to George Washington for the task of spying:

“Spying was not admirable, even though it was courageous, but this was exactly what Washington needed to be done. ““The American general needed information of the strictest kind. This intelligence could only come from inside the enemy lines. Washington needed a spy. To take the name of a spy was a disgraceful thing, even under honorable circumstances. Usually, a spy or traitor was associated with greed and revenge. A spy also had a dangerous job. If the traitor was discovered, he would be sentenced to death by hanging.” (72)

The production quality of this book is simply outstanding. Each chapter ends with summary review questions that are multiple choice. These are not difficult to answer, but they gave me an idea of the listening comprehension of my sons as I read it to them.

The illustrations are beautiful, combining photographs of historical sites with historical paintings depicting events from the Revolutionary War.

The typesetting is just the right size for young readers and the page layout is aesthetically pleasing. The book comes with end notes, an index, online resources for further study, and a bibliography. Having these in a children’s history book will introduce them to these tools for their reading in future days.

The volumes in this series have very interesting sidebars of related material. Three in the Nathan Hale volume are - “Fly a new flag” which talks about the various American flags in existence in the colonies, “Who were the minutemen?”, talking about the difference between an army and a militia. “Invisible Ink” which explains why invisible ink was necessary in spy work, and how kids can make their own in their home.

The aspect of the book that I appreciated the most is that the author tells the story of an American hero by showing him to be both heroic and human, and explaining both of these to the children. Hagiography is not needed when the flesh-and-blood man displayed such admirable characteristics. The book closes with these words:

“Nathan Hale’s example and sacrifice embodies the patriotic spirit of America. Although his story is adventurous and exciting, there was nothing romantic about Hale’s life. He was a simple intelligent, courageous man, doing what he felt was right. Even when faced with death, Hale only regretted the thought that he could do no more. Today, his life is a symbol of selfless dedication to the cause of liberty.” (111)

This a fine book in what looks to be an excellent series of “Leaders of the American Revolution”. I look forward to sharing more of them.