In addition to giving our readers the news every day -- and yes, some of it is very depressing -- the Press-Republican is currently involved in three education programs: presidents, stars and spelling.

In high school, we had to memorize the U.S. presidents -- their names and years in office. Our teacher, Father Joe Colligan, insisted this was a good idea. Memorizing in general didn't make much sense to me, but the priest was right. Knowing who was in office when is a good outline of American political history. It helps me locate some of the players, issues, controversies and conflicts that have shaped America.

(I told our own children how useful this was for me and that they should also memorize the presidents.

They reminded me that it was much easier when I was a kid because the list was so much shorter.)

Now, during this campaign season, the Press-Republican is printing profiles of each of the 43 presidents in the 43 days leading up to the day we elect No. 44. Sponsored by Bill McBride Chevrolet, the profiles that began Sept. 22 remind us of the difficulties our country has faced, as well as the very human and complex people who led us. The profiles highlight both the celebrated and the obscure facets of our chief executives.

For example, Thomas Jefferson, president No. 3, was a great writer but a weak public speaker. He struggled with the issue of slavery -- opposing it in his private letters but always careful in public in order to maintain political power.

Bachelor James Buchanan, No. 15, was very happy to leave the White House to Abraham Lincoln. Early in Buchanan's administration, the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott decision, declared that no slave or descendant of a slave could ever be a United States citizen. Thus we're reminded that almost 50 years after Jefferson and a few years before the Civil War, slavery was being argued in our courts.

Chester A. Arthur, No. 21, is today's subject, and I learned he was the first president to propose federal aid to education. He also pioneered the Civil Service system.

For teachers, students and parents, these 800-word essays are gifts that tell us who we are and where we've been.

If the presidential profiles have us looking back, our Wednesday series has us looking up. "Stories in the Stars," by former Press-Republican staff person Mike Peterson and sponsored by CVPH Medical Center, tells us about the constellations and the people who named them.

For centuries, we've been looking at the night sky to give us direction and creating stories to go along with the lights that we see. Peterson tells us those stories and how to find the stars that inspired them.

He also gives us scientific information about the stars, placing myth and science side by side.

Here in the North Country, most of us are blessed with beautiful night skies, free of the light pollution that hampers urban residents. This series encourages us to take advantage of our sky.

The Press-Republican is also, again, the media sponsor for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Last year, 47 students competed in the Champlain Valley Education Services Regional Spelling Bee, held at Saranac High School and won by Saranac Central's Nelson Moore.

Through the generosity of the North Country Parents for the National Spelling Bee and the Press-Republican, Mr. Moore's participation in the Scripps National Bee in Washington, D.C., was fully funded.