american conservative union, and by harvard historian annette gordon-reed. welcome, all. >> we think pea is just seconds away but mark what are you looking for tonight. >> i will tell you what i am not looking for, eight years ago this week president george bush spoke of his successor and spoke of barack obama, he said a man whose history reflects the enduring promise of our land and this is a moment of hope and pride for our entire nation after the election of barack obama. i don't think similar sentiments will be expressed this evening. >> and gordon reed, what about you? what do you look for? >> i am looking for him to defend his legacy and talk about what he tried to accomplish as president. this is a moment to sum up and i think that that is what farewell addresses do. >> it is a president approaches the lectern, matt schlapp what are you look for? >> i think what is interesting is democrats are still looking for their leader and leadership doesn't come from the hill or congress, then i think baron is talking to a lot of democrats

and so it's fitting that he would be here. >> woodruff: annette gordon-reed, thank you very much, michael beschloss, thank you. >> thank you. >> woodruff: and we want to add, before the president's address tonight, head to our website, where we have compiled the best moments from his speeches over the years. that's at www.pbs.org/newshour. >> woodruff: now, using the power and appeal of the arts to boost low-performing schools. arts frequently get cut from schools due to money and time, but a pilot program around the country is trying to use music, performance and other arts in dozens of schools to motivate kids. jeffrey brown has the story, part of our weekly series on "making the grade." >> ♪ 9, 18, 27, 36, 54, x, 99, 108. >> brown: making music and using the arts to build math and other skills, that's the theory here at the renew cultural arts academy, a public charter school in new orleans-- not long ago, one of the lowest performing schools in louisiana, a state ranking near the bottom in the nation. it's a school now showing measurable signs of educational advancement. why does the