Mr. Lincoln's Way By: Patrica Polloco

Mr. Lincoln was the coolest school principal-The children admired him and he did very thoughtful things and was involved with the school. Everyone had good thoughts about Mr. Lincoln except for Eugene Esterhause (Mean Gene)-he was a bully, tormenter to students AND teachers. One day Eugene was bullying a girl-she said she was going to tell on him to Mr. Lincoln-Eugene started to call him a very inappropriate name when Mr. Lincoln came up he stopped and ran off. One day Mr. Lincoln was helping the 5^th grade class plant a tree in the new atrium-He noticed Eugene staring at birds more than once. Mr. Lincoln called Eugene into his office with a bird question-he pulled out a beautiful bird book-Eugene told Mr. Lincoln about his grandfather’s farm when he used to live there and all the different types of birds-he then turned his back on Mr. Lincoln and left. Mr. Lincoln had a “problem”-he wanted to attract more birds to the atrium and asked Eugene about it-Mr. Lincoln gave Eugene the beautiful bird book. As days passed Eugene had the book with him every single day and was always reading it. His teacher was very pleased he was reading and he spent most of his other time in the new atrium. Eugene and Mr. Lincoln made a list of plants and shrubs and types of grain and seeds to buy for the birds. Massive amounts of birds started flocking in-Eugene practically ever teased the other children anymore. One day a teacher burst into Mr. Lincoln’s office and told him that there were two mallards nesting in the atrium and they had 5 eggs-Eugene new that the new ducklings would need water and would not be able to fly out of the atrium yet like their parents-Mr. Lincoln new Eugene would think of something. Eugene was rushed into Mr. Lincoln’s office-he had insulted two Mexican students with acts of racism-Mr. Lincoln said his skin was brown too-Eugene began to cry and told Mr. Lincoln that his father had gotten extremely mad when he found out he came home late one night while helping him. Mr. Lincoln took Eugene to the atrium and pointed out all of the different types and variety of birds-He explained how god made everyone different just like the birds-Mr. Lincoln called his students his little birds. Mr. Lincoln asked Eugene to promise not to name-call or tease any of the other children anymore-Eugene said his grandfather wasn’t like his dad-Mr. Lincoln explained how people can be trapped in their thinking like the ducklings will be trapped in the atrium. Eugene kept his word and became a model student-the duckling hatched one day and he got the whole school to come and watch. The mallard’s flew out of the atrium and as more time passed they were gone for longer periods-Eugene and Mr. Lincoln new the time was approaching when they needed to get the ducklings out. Mr. Lincoln and Eugene practiced the mallard call and led them through the school and out the door and to the pond. Parents were invited to watch the ducklings from afar and Eugene’s grandpa turned up and shook hands with Mr. Lincoln-Eugene asked to live with his grandpa again. Mr. Lincoln and Eugene walked down to the pond and Mr. Lincoln thanked Eugene for showing the ducklings the way out and Eugene thanked Mr. Lincoln for showing him the way out-Eugen promised to make Mr. Lincoln proud.