Biography: Mark Twain

Birth

Although Samuel was known as Mark Twain to the public, his real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens.  He was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri.  He became accustomed to being called Sam as a nickname when he was younger.  Sam’s father moved them from Kentucky to Florida, Missouri before Sam was born.  Since Sam was born two months early he was frail and sickly until the age of four.  They then moved four miles west of town to Hannibal, Missouri. 

Childhood

When they moved to Hannibal, the river’s “spell” is what shows up in Twain’s books.  He witnessed many murders, Indian massacres and hangings along the river.  When he was twelve his father died of pneumonia.  The death of his father almost drove the family to the brink of poverty.  After the death of his father Mark’s formal education ended all together.  His brother, Orion, started his own weekly newspaper so Sam completed his apprenticeship there.  His apprenticeship ended up inspiring him to try journalism.  His first real humorous piece of writing was called “Pseudonym Devil.”

Birth Order

Mark was the sixth of seven children.  Unfortunately only three of his siblings survived childhood.  He had a brother Orion, a brother Henry, who died in a riverboat accident and his sister Pamela.  He also had a sister Margaret, who died when Twain was three-years-old, Benjamin who died three years later and another brother, Pleasant who died at six months old. 

Hobbies

Since Mark grew up on the river is hobbies revolved around that.  At first he became and apprentice for his brother’s newspaper.  His articles always had something to do with what happened around the river and readers enjoyed them.  After awhile Twain decided that he wanted to travel the world.  In 1857, he traveled to South America where his hobbies changed once again.  He decided he wanted to be a riverboat pilot and that’s exactly what he did.  Finally in 1862, he became a full-time writer for the enterprise.

Anecdotes

When Mark started his riverboat apprenticeship he had a little accident.  He always had an urge for adventure.  To pass the time on the river, he would race other riverboats.  On time while racing he caused a boat to blow up.  In the accident, Twain ended up killing hundreds of people including his brother. 

When he traveled Europe and the Italy Land he had many experiences that were the basis of his first major book.

Career

Twain’s writing career started off with his just writing humorous verses for the newspapers.  Whichever town he moved to, twain would write for the local newspaper.  During 1870, Twain wrote his well-known books.  His fame grew from 1872-1889 with the books he wrote.  The following books were published: “Roughing It,” “The Glided Age,” “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “A Tramp Abroad,” “The Prince and the Pauper,” “Life on the Mississippi,” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.”  Most of Twain’s books had a lot to do with his childhood on the river.  The year that Huck Finn was published Twain formed the Charles L. Webster company.  The company ended up filing bankruptcy in 1894.  In 1901 he received and honary degree from Yale University and from the University of Missouri in 1902.

Reason For Fame

The reason why Mark Twain was so famous was because of the books he wrote.  He has multiple books that were successful, but he had a couple that really put his name out there.  In 1876, Twain wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”  The book reflected how he saw his childhood on the river.  All the violence, slaves and adventures are included.  Then in 1884, he wrote a sequel called “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”  This book was soon used in classrooms across America.

Later Life/Old Age

In his later life, Twain lost almost all of the money he made from all of the books he wrote.  In 1894, he began the lecture circuit that was an around-the-world tour.  Twain didn’t love his last years very happily due to the death of his daughter, wife and many close friends.

Death

On April 21, 1910 Mark Twain ended up dying of a heart attack.  He is buried in his wife’s family plot in Elmira. 

Every 15 Minutes

2013 Every 15 Minutes group for West Hills High School 

West Hills group at the Pine Valley retreat

Drinking and driving is one of the top three leading causes of accidents and deaths each year.  In the program "Every 15 Minutes", police officers, like Officer Brian Pennings, raise awareness in high school students of the dangers of drinking and driving.  
A selected staff at the high school chooses approximately 30 to 40 juniors and seniors who they believe are leaders among their peers at school to participate in the activities.  The staff usually knows for about 8 months prior that the program will be held at their school, the students involved don't know about it until about 2 weeks before it occurs and the students of the school don't know about it until the day of the activity.  The reason for this is that they want it to be more realistic and for it to have more of an emotional impact on the students.  The students selected who are considered the "walking dead" are removed from their classrooms by the grim reaper, every 15 minutes.  The walking dead students are suppose to represent the amount of people killed in an alcohol related accidents while they are at school each day.  The same day they have a reenacted accident scene at the front of the school.  In the accident, the drunk driver survives, while the passenger and pedestrian involved are pronounced dead and the victim in the other car ends up paralyzed.  Just like in a real accident, the drunk driver goes to jail and to court, while the rest of the victims go to the hospital and or mortary.  The families of the deceased, the survivor, and the driver all appear in court to speak on the behalf of their loved ones.  The walking dead also get to listen in on the case to see how a real drinking and driving case would play out.  After the court house scene, the students in the accident meet back up with the walking dead students and they all go on a retreat for the night.  At the retreat, the students listen to speakers talk about their personal experiences with alcohol.  The stories vary from drinking and driving accidents, alcoholism, or family members who struggle with alcoholism.  The students are asked to write their parents letters all starting with "Dear mom and dad, every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol related traffic collision, and today I died. I never had the chance to tell you..." and the parents do like wise for the students.  Officer Brian Pennings assures you that at the end of the retreat you are going to want to hug your parents more than ever.  After eating breakfast the next day, they all go back to school to be part of an assembly in front of the rest of their junior and senior class.  The parents of the students involved are present at the assembly as well.  During the assembly, the students get to listen to guests speak about drinking and driving accidents, as well as a doctor who deals with the people who come in after such accidents and a judge who has dealt with drinking and driving cases. Needless to say, after this eye opening experience, the students appreciate their parents and the rest of their classmates a lot more.  It opened their minds to the real dangers of drinking and driving and how one mistake can effect not just them, but everyone around you for the rest of their life.  

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