Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-12-03
COOLIDGE STUDIED
WHILE AT COLLEGE
Thought Himself "A Poor Stick "
With the Girls


mission to Amherst College in the fall
OF 1891, Calvin Coolidge was shy,
slight, auburn haired lad of 49, He may
have lacked, as he remarked in his
Commencement Day address a year
ego, "a proficiency in the arts OF
the drawing room, which sometimes
brought smile" but those who then
met him for the first time were inn
pressed with his seriousness and the
strict attention he paid to every in
struction given by those in authority
over the student body.
He was there to improve his mind
and broaden his education, and he
never permitted anything to interfere
with this purpose He appreciated the
financial sacrifice his father was max.
ing to send him to college
Calvin had chosen Amherst chiefly
because ne was convinced that small
college was the best for boy and
because Amherst still chung to the old
broaden and train young minds was
thorough course in the classics.
There were few rich mems sons at
Amherst and no millionares. The stu
dents came from the great middle
class of New England Because of the
small size of the classes the teachers
were able to give their individual at
tention to those requiring it. There
was a camaraderie at Amherst usually
lacking in a big college Everybody
knew everybody else The boy who
tried to "loaf was soon detected and
dealt with effectively.
Cal the Silent
Coolidges vacations were spent on
the old farm in Vermont, doing a mans
work, putting himself into better shape
physically and mentally for the next
college term His roommate was
scion of a well-kuown Maine family,
John P. Deering Of Portland, who is
still alive end elated over the great
success of his classmate 1t was not
until many years later that the title
of "Cal the Silent was conferred on
Coolidge, but Mr. Deering declares
that he was as much of a clam in
mis- college days" as he is today.
Mr. Coolidge didn't have to work"
his way through college, as did some
Of his classmates His father provided
him with funds sufficient for his educa-
ton, but Calvin never squandered
money He lived within his budget
His classmates say that he entered
into the spirit of rush" week on his
entrance Indeed. they aver he seemed
to enjoy the rushing" immensely In
his senior year he was member of the
Phi Gamma Delta fraternity
Kept His Room Neat
His life at college was as orderly
as his life at home His room was
scrupulously neat, his books carefully
and orderly arranged, and his clothes
neat and modest Realizing that he
was not a "husky" young Coolidge did
not enter into athletics, but always APP
peared to enjoy the games and feats
OF the more strenuously inclined.
Somebody asked him later in life
II he took part i'll the college athletics.
Yes" said he, 81 used to act as stake
holder I tended to the education OF
my head not my legs"
before he manifested his intellectual
bent He spent much time in his jun
,or years reading and studying history
and political economy. Biography,
too, was one of his favorite readings,
Modern fiction he eschewed He was
not a grind. but when he went into
class he knew his lesson thoroughly
In his senior year he won a place on
what is known as The Hyde Fifteen"
because of his mastery of English.
When it came to picking the Grove
orator for commencement, the greatest
honor Amherst can bestow on a stu
dent, Calvin Coolidge was, by common
consent, picked for this distinction.
Dropped His First Name
1t was during his senior year that
he won the gold medal offered by the
Sons of tie Am can Revolution for
thu best essay en- the Principles OF
the War for Amer can independence"
The prize was open to all graduates OF
Universities and Colleges in the Uni
ned States, The award of the judges
was not made until that fall. after he
had entered the Office of Hammond &
Field to study law. One day, Judge
Field picked up the Springfield Repub-
lcan and read an item which stated
that "Tohn Calvin Coolidge, student
at-law of Northampton, has been
awarded the gold medal and 500 prize
Tor the best essay OH ;he Principles Of
the war for American independence by
the Sons of the American Revolution,
open to all the graduates Of American
Colleges and Universities" Judge
Field read it again. Turning to young
Coolidge. he pointed out the announce
ment and asked.
as this you, Calvin"
Calvin glanced at the newspaper ant
said, simply. "Yes."
1t was the first time that Judge
Field knew that his young law stu
dents full name was John Calvin
About the time he entered the law Of
6ce Coolidge dropped the John in hi
name and was known in the law offic'
as Calvin Coolidge.
where's the medal" asked Judg
Field, showing a deep interest in thu
honor won by his young friend. Cool
idge picked up a dusty leather cas-
F. 800 of tho drougare Of b;e dact