--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I studied history in college, and I've…" description: "\"“I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed reading, especially political biographies, and I can state that in all my studies and all my exp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg" --- # I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed… ![“I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed reading, especially political biographies, and I can state that in all my studies and all my experiences, I have come across just one truly honest politician: my great-grandfather, William Eichner. ... According to my grandmother, when he was…” quote by John W. Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg) > ““I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed reading, especially political biographies, and I can state that in all my studies and all my experiences, I have come across just one truly honest politician: my great-grandfather, William Eichner. ... According to my grandmother, when he was elected to the General Assembly, he stopped going to religious services and never set foot in a church during his two terms in office, stating, "You can't serve God and politics at the same time".”” [John W. Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-hartmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator claims his great-grandfather was the only truly honest politician, refusing to mix religion and politics, illustrating personal integrity. **In simple terms:** Great-grandfather valued integrity over politics. Key Takeaway Separate faith and public service. Themes integrity politics honesty family legacy secularism Mood respectful reflective Type Great grandfather:1 History:0 Politician:1 Politics:1 Honest Politician:1 Politician Great:0 Political Biographies:0 When to use this quote - biography - family stories - public discourse Key Concepts political ethics personal values historical anecdote Questions to Reflect On - What defines an honest politician? - How do personal beliefs influence public duty? A Different Perspective Idealizing ancestors may overlook nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great grandfather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-grandfather/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Honest Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-politician-554238/) [Political Biographies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-biographies-2152083/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politician Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician-great-2152082/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals is instructive in painting a realistic portrayal of Lincoln and his methods for accomplishing his objectives. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/doris-kearns-goodwin-s-team-of-rivals-is-instructive-in-painting-a/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [A great politician has great charisma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/a-great-politician-has-great-charisma/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [“If you look at Mugabe's entire political career, what is always missing is the essence of the person. He is a shrewd politician, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-moyo/if-you-look-at-mugabe-s-entire-political-career-what-is-always/) [Jonathan Moyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-moyo/) > [He's an honest politician--he stays bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/he-s-an-honest-politician-he-stays-bought/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [An honest politician has no goodies to toss around. This limits his effectiveness profoundly, because political power in India is dispersed throughout a multi-tiered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/an-honest-politician-has-no-goodies-to-toss-around-this-limits-his/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [An honest politician is one who when he is bought will stay bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cameron/an-honest-politician-is-one-who-when-he-is-bought-will-stay-bought/) [Simon Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cameron/) > [“An honest politician is one who, when bought, will stay bought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cameron-pa/an-honest-politician-is-one-who-when-bought-will-stay-bought/) [Simon Cameron PA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cameron-pa/) > [It is hard for any one to be an honest politician who is not born and bred a Dissenter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/it-is-hard-for-any-one-to-be-an-honest-politician-who-is-not-born-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [An honest politician is an oxymoron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/an-honest-politician-is-an-oxymoron/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The idea of a vegetarian butcher is absurd; but there is something more absurd than this: The idea of an honest politician!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-idea-of-a-vegetarian-butcher-is-absurd-but-there-is-something/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [You show me a politician with his heels ten feet in the air, and by Judas priest, Ill show you an honest politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/you-show-me-a-politician-with-his-heels-ten-feet-in-the-air-and-by/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [An honest politician is either a hypocrite - or he is doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/an-honest-politician-is-either-a-hypocrite-or-he-is-doomed/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [An Honest politician will not be tolerated by a democracy unless he is very stupid ... because only a very stupid man can honestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/an-honest-politician-will-not-be-tolerated-by-a-democracy-unless-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There are two impossibilities in life: "just one drink" and "an honest politician."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-are-two-impossibilities-in-life-just-one-drink-and-an-honest/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Looking for an honest politician is like looking for an ethical burglar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/looking-for-an-honest-politician-is-like-looking-for-an-ethical/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More by John W. Hartmann > [“Dealing with politicians is almost identical to dealing with criminals; the only difference between the two is that occasionally a criminal will tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-hartmann/dealing-with-politicians-is-almost-identical-to-dealing-with/) [John W. Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-hartmann/) [Explore all 2 John W. Hartmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-hartmann/) ## More Great grandfather quotes > [My dad died, and my grandfather died, and my great-grandfather died. And the guy before him, I don't know. Probably died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/my-dad-died-and-my-grandfather-died-and-my-great-grandfather-died-and/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [I don't have a traditional design background, but it's inherent to me. My father was in the fabric industry, and even my grandfather and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-bendet/i-don-t-have-a-traditional-design-background-but-it-s-inherent-to-me/) [Stacey Bendet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-bendet/) > [My great-great-grandfather Julius founded the Communist Party in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/my-great-great-grandfather-julius-founded-the-communist-party-in-new/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [My family is all from the Southwest. My great-great-grandfather was at the Battle of San Jacinto with Sam Houston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-elliott/my-family-is-all-from-the-southwest-my-great-great-grandfather-was-at/) [Sam Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-elliott/) > [My great-grandfather was a variety hall comedian called Billy Mack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/my-great-grandfather-was-a-variety-hall-comedian-called-billy-mack/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/what-children-need-most-are-the-essentials-that-grandparents-provide/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [We will never forget those like my great-grandfather who fought at Vicksburg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-will-never-forget-those-like-my-great-grandfather-who-fought-at/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [To a small child, the perfect granddad is unafraid of big dogs and fierce storms but absolutely terrified of the word "boo."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/to-a-small-child-the-perfect-granddad-is-unafraid-of-big-dogs-and/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [My great-grandfather fought with the Colonial Army in New England in the American Revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/my-great-grandfather-fought-with-the-colonial-army-in-new-england-in/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [To my great-grandfather I owed the advice to dispense with the education of the schools and have good masters at home instead - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/to-my-great-grandfather-i-owed-the-advice-to-dispense-with-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [They were indeed what was known as 'old money', which meant that it had been made so long ago that the black deeds which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/they-were-indeed-what-was-known-as-old-money-which-meant-that-it-had/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The way I see it," King said, "your great-grandfather fought and died because he believed my great-grandfather should stay a slave. I'm supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/the-way-i-see-it-king-said-your-great-grandfather-fought-and-died/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [When anything bad happens to me or someone I know, I always know who to blame. My no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/when-anything-bad-happens-to-me-or-someone-i-know-i-always-know-who/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [People can't believe how hard I work… I love it. I think it just runs through my veins. My great-grandfather was a bellboy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/people-can-t-believe-how-hard-i-work-i-love-it-i-think-it-just-runs/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [Did your great-grandfather have any children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fern-britton/did-your-great-grandfather-have-any-children/) [Fern Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fern-britton/) [Browse all 121 Great grandfather quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-grandfather/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed reading, especially political biographies, and I can state that in all my studies and all my experiences, I have come across just one truly honest politician: my great-grandfather, William Eichner. ... According to my grandmother, when he was elected to the General Assembly, he stopped going to religious services and never set foot in a church during his two terms in office, stating, \"You can't serve God and politics at the same time\".”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John W. Hartmann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-hartmann/i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-always-enjoyed-reading/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great grandfather" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-hartmann/i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-always-enjoyed-reading/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/john-w-hartmann-95621_history_i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-al_207789.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I studied history in college, and I've always enjoyed reading, especially political biographies, and I can…” — John W. Hartmann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John W. Hartmann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-hartmann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I studied history in college, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-hartmann/i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-always-enjoyed-reading/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-hartmann/i-studied-history-in-college-and-i-ve-always-enjoyed-reading/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```