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Show Page 10 The Ogden Valley news Volume XXI Issue IV June 1, 2013 Coolidge: A Book Review By Forrest Brown Calvin Coolidge was the thirtieth president of the United States. He had been a Republican lawyer from the state of Vermont who had worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. He was the 29th Vice President in 1920 with Warren G. Harding’s election to the presidency and became President with Harding’s sudden death in 1923. This shy man who was known as “Silent Cal” had long been dismissed as quiet and passive, but history has shown us that the decade in which he served as our national leader proved to be one of greatness prior to the devastating Great Depression of the 1930s. Join me on this incredible journey! The author of Coolidge, Amity Shlaes, also writes a syndicated column for the Bloomberg View and directs the Four Percent Growth Project at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. In her book she systematically captures the remarkable story of Calvin Coolidge and the decade of extraordinary prosperity that grew out of his unique leadership. John Calvin Coolidge, Jr., was born in Vermont on July 4, 1872. At that time his father was engaged in many activities—farmer, storekeeper, public servant, notary, school teacher, justice of the peace, selectman, sheriff, and tax collector. This variety gave young Calvin the opportunity to learn much in his formative years while growing up. At a young age Calvin developed an interest in politics as noted by the author. She writes, “In 1888 Coolidge turned sixteen and gave his attention to a national election, that between Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison, for the first time. One question of the contest was protectionism; another was the durability of prosperity . . . . Calvin became so interested that the contest even penetrated his dreams. (He) dreamed Cleveland carried Indiana by some over 4000 and New York by 30.” Calvin soon continued his formal education at Amherst College, a private liberal arts school in Amherst, Massachusetts where he graduated in May 1890. The author writes, “The quality of the education (at Amherst) was seen as high enough to create leaders.” This is evident in Amherst’s motto, “Let them illuminate the earth.” Other prominent graduates from Amherst include Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Garman, William James, and Melvil Dewey. For his graduation day, Calvin “wrote and memorized a speech about the power of oratory; he noted that it was Cicero’s voice, the force of Cicero’s oratory, that helped drown out dictators and made even Caesar tremble.” We can thus see, even at an early age, Calvin Coolidge exhibited a strong passion for knowledge and understanding. He also displayed a knack for business as illustrated by Ms. Shlaes following explanation. “But with school ending, the question pressed: what might Calvin do now back in Plymouth . . . . He and the nearby farmers therefore thought they would try their hand at making cheese. Cheese, after all, could be preserved and could withstand slow transport.” With a strong education Calvin, like many other leaders in history, was prepared to fulfill a great mission during his mortal existence. In 1905 Calvin met and married Grace Anna Goodhue, who was a teacher at the Clark School for the Deaf in Northhampton, Massachusetts. They were almost complete opposites in personalities. She was talkative and fun-loving while he was quiet and serious. In the book the author points out some of their major differences. She writes, “Grace’s father, Andrew, was a Glover Cleveland Democrat, whereas the John Coolidges were Republicans. Grace’s house on Maple Street in Burlington had steam and electricity, whereas the Colonel (Coolidge) still scratched out his notes by kerosene light. Calvin hung away from the church, unaffiliated and uncertain, while as a girl Grace had already known her mind, dropping the Methodist Church and determinedly leading her parents to the Congregationalist. He retreated into law books; she loved theater. He disliked sports and lacked skill in them. She could dance, skate, and play baseball . . . . Coolidge was fair, she was dark.” In time they had two sons; John, born in 1906, and Calvin, Jr., born in 1908. Consequently, as the author points out, even though Calvin and Grace were close to being total opposites, they developed a friendship and a love that lasted the rest of their lives. Coolidge began his political aspirations in 1896 when he campaigned for the Republican presidential candidate William McKinley. The next year Calvin was selected to be a member of the Republican City Committee. In 1898 he was elected to the City Council of Northhampton, Massachusetts, but was defeated in 1904 when he ran for the Northhampton school board. In 1906 he was nominated for election to the state House of Representatives and elected for a second term in 1907. Coolidge returned home in 1908 and decided to run for mayor of Northhampton, which he won by a small margin. Then, in 1911, he ran and won a seat in the State Senate and by 1913 he was chosen to be the president of the same governing body. His popularity and recognition had grown immensely and in 1915 he was elected Lieutenant Governor running alongside gubernatorial candidate Samuel W. McCall. In 1918 he ran and was elected as the Governor of Massachusetts. This was a time of great change in our nation as the First World War in Europe had just ended. Ms. Shlaes notes, “Massachusetts, too, was a fiscal disaster: the budget he would present the following year would be $39 million, higher that what the state had spent that year . . . . Reversing the spending would be difficult . . . (and) the old way of life was changing.” One situation that significantly challenged the new governor and where he proved his ability to stick to his principles was the Boston police strike of 1919. The police were affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. They went on strike, hoping to bring the city and state governments to their knees. Most of the citizens of the city expected Governor Coolidge to at least negotiate with the strikers. But Calvin held strong, declaring, “The action of the police in leaving their posts of duty is not a strike. It is desertion. There is nothing to arbitrate, nothing to compromise. In my personal opinion there are no conditions under which the men can return to the force.” Sticking to his beliefs would serve Mr. Coolidge well for the rest of his life. Next, the author describes the details of the 1920 Presidential Election and what led to Calvin Coolidge becoming the next VicePresident. Warren G. Harding of Ohio proved to be the most popular candidate at the Republican National Convention that year, with Calvin being selected as his running mate. In the national election, Harding and Coolidge won in a landslide over James M. Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt. As Vice President, Calvin did not carry out very many official duties, but he did make it a point to attend the President’s Cabinet meetings. Many soon began to call him “Silent Cal” because he would typically take some time to think before responding to other people’s questions. He soon learned to use his silence to his advantage. Ms. Shlaes writes that his silence “had rather a charm” and “his silence was now established lore.” After some time Calvin’s wife Grace hung an epigraph in their living room to remind visitors of his quietness: A wise old owl lived in an oak The more he saw, the less he spoke The less he spoke, the more he heard Why can’t we be like that old bird? However, in 1923 things changed dramatically. President Harding suddenly died while on a speaking tour in the western United States. Vice-President Coolidge was in the state of Vermont visiting family when word came that he was the new president of the nation. He decided to carry on with President Harding’s political agenda and actually changed very little in his administration. At the next national election in 1924, Coolidge was elected as the thirtieth President of the United States, winning every state outside of the South except Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the early part of his new presidency was traumatized by the death of his young son Calvin, Jr., who had developed a blister on his toe from playing tennis. This caused Calvin Coolidge to become even more withdrawn than he was before. His presidency followed closely the path that President Harding had laid out as Calvin felt that many of the President’s policies were very sound principles of frugality and smaller government. From the book we read, “Coolidge, a shrewd politician, knew when to fight and when to wait. A thorough understanding of the devices of government, and a willingness to use them, also proved key. Also crucial was the Coolidge willingness to be unpopular.” As the author declares, we see the characteristics of Calvin Coolidge in many of our other successful presidents. “Like Woodrow Wilson, he deemed international law the best approach to prevent war, and poured his heart into campaigning for such a treaty. Like Warren Harding, Coolidge understood the value of predictability in government . . . . Like John Kennedy, he looked to the skies and new technology to lift the spirits of men below. Like Lyndon Johnson, Coolidge was a former vice president who masterfully completed legislative work left unfinished after the untimely death of his predecessor. Like Gerald Ford, Coolidge healed a country with civility after a period of scandal involving his predecessor. Like Ronald Reagan, who did appreciate him, Coolidge understood that a government that was too large could infringe upon freedom. Like Reagan, too, Coolidge took a controversial stand against a powerful publicsector union at a key moment in U.S. history . . . . Like George H.W. Bush, Coolidge understood the great importance of civility and character in the presidency; that a man lived not for himself but for service. Like George W. Bush, Coolidge saw that individual freedom and religious faith can go hand and hand.” Thus, we see that this book has captured the life of probably one of our better presidents, even though he did not seek for fame or fortune as the thirtieth president of the United States. Take the step, read the book, and let me know what you think at the following email address, <brownfamily09@msn.com> Community Invited to Enter 3rd Annual Patriotic Essay Contest and Mini Film Festival for 4th of July Celebration This year’s theme for the 4th of July Third Annual Patriotic Essay Contests hosted by Huntsville Town is “Sweet Land of Liberty.” The prize for a First Place win is $200; Second Place, $150; and Third Place, $100. Those from the Ogden Valley community, including Ogden Canyon, ages 12 to 100+ are invited to enter. Guidelines - Essay entries must meet the following guidelines: l One full, single-spaced page (700-750 words) on what our “Sweet Land of Liberty” means to you. l Entries due by June 10, 2013. l Mail entries, with your name, address, and phone number, to: HUNTSVILLE TOWN ESSAY CONTEST PO BOX 267 HUNTSVILLE UT 84317 l Essays may also be emailed to <Huntsvilletown4th@gmail.com> For more information, please contact Rosemary Waite at 801-927-8424. Entries will be judged by a panel of nonresident judges. Winning essays will be asked to be read during Huntsville’s Patriotic Program on the 4th of July. Call for Entries for 4th of July Mini Film Festival - Huntsville Town is also asking for entries for its 4th of July Mini Film Festival. This competition is open to the Valley-wide, including Ogden Canyon, community. Winning movies will be shown on the 4th of July in the Huntsville town LDS church. Prize for First Place is $200; Second Place $150; and Third Place, $100. Make us laugh, touch our hearts, or make us think . . . . Use your imagination! Guidelines - Mini Films must meet the following guidelines: Family friendly; rated G! 2 - 2.5 minutes in length Burned to a DVD Any genre accepted . . . patriotic, comedy, historical, imaginative, etc. l Open to those ages 12 to 100+ years old l Must reside in Ogden Valley or Ogden Canyon l Entries due by June 210, 2013 Entries will be judged by a panel of nonresident judges. All entries are due by June 20, 2013; there are no exceptions to this deadline as we will be compiling all winning mini films onto one DVD. Please mail DVD’s, with your name, address, and phone number to: l l l l JULY 4 MINI FILM FESTIVAL C/O WENDY MCKAY PO BOX 108 HUNTSVILLE UT 84317 For more information, call Wendy at 7913001. ECO Join us June 15 forShoppeRS! our 9th Annual RemembeR Guest Appreciation Breakfast MenTion VAlley eleMenTAry AT BuildErs inC. Huntsville, utah 801-791-9171 801-745-4000 2555 WOLF CREEK DR. 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