Emphasis Preaching Journal

It's a great story and probably true. College student Herbert Hoover (in the first-ever class of Stanford University) engaged the newly risen piano virtuoso Ignace Jan Paderewski to come to Stanford and present a piano concert. Hoover and a fellow student promised a stated amount of money to Paderewski; the students would sell tickets expecting to make a profit for themselves for room and board in college. The total sales fell short, but the pianist was great in spirit. He told young Hoover not to worry, to keep all the ticket money they had taken in. After all, these college students were obviously in need for personal needs such as food and shelter in the new college. About 25 years later, Europe was starving from World War I. Paderewski was then president of Poland. Yes, the same Paderewski. Hoover, by then in charge of feeding Europe on behalf of the American Government, called on Paderewski in his presidential offices in Poland. Hoover spoke first of Paderewski's generosity when young Hoover had needed to feed himself in college. Now Hoover had come to Poland to feed Paderewski's starving nation. Shakespeare's thought is provocative. "Some are born great; some achieve greatness; and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." (Twelfth Night, Act II., Scene 5). -- Hoornstra