Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-08-08
OUR NEW PRESIDENT.
Brief Sketch of Calvin Coolidge, of
Massachusetts,,
(By the Associated Press.)

Calvin Coolidge is perhaps better
equipped by experience to take up
his administrative duties in the
White House than was any of his
predecessors who have been called to
that high office by the death of a
President.
Having won for himself in large
measure the vice presidential nomi-
nation by his executive forcefulness
as Governor of Massachusetts, par
ticularly by his attitude in the police
strike, he has kept throughout the
Harding administration closely adj
vised as to the problems of the gov
eminent and has aided in preparing
many policies by his constant at
tendance at cabinet meetings. AL
though vice presidents usually have
no other duty than that of presiding
over the Senate, casting the deciding
vote when that body finds itself in a
tie, Mr.. Coolidge has absented him
self from its sessions every Tuesday
and Friday to participate in the
cabinet deliberations. Thus he be-
came familiar not only with all
| angles of the public questions but
1
President in his decisions.
Not only has he given his best
ability to the work but he has done
as much as any other member of the
administration to place its accom-
plishments before the people. He
has travelled a great deal making
addresses and is said to have made
more public addresses than the
president or any member of his cabi-
net
His intimate touch with admins
! tratlon affairs sometimes has
brought upon him considerable pres
sure and some embarrassment from
senators and others who sought to
obtain through him information con-
corning developments at the White
, House or to have placed before the
/ President views on pending ques-
lions. He usually has remained reti-
cent, however, refusing to discuss
cabinet meetings or to act as a go
between for those interested in hav-
ing their views presented to the
President
President Coolidge was born, on
Independence Day, 1872, in Ply
mouth, remote country village in
the hills of Vermont, the son of
John c. and Victoria J. (Moore)
Coolidge. Descended from John and
| Mary Coolidge, who had settled in
| Watertown, Mass, about 1880, his
ancestry runs through a long line of
farmers who lived in Massachusetts
until the Presidents great great
grandfather moved from Lancaster
into Vermont. Here the Coolidge
family through generations titled
the soil, raised livestock, produced
maple syrup mad sugar, and were
among the persons of influence in
their community.
To him in boyhood came the I'M
usual experiences of a country boy
living on lonely farm, the son of
the village storekeeper Here was
born in him the industry, frugality
and self-reliance of later years. His
mother died when he was thirteen
and four years later he lost his only
sister but there was always deep af-
lection and a warm bond OF SYM
pathy between him and his step
mother.
AAIbCi ttltSuulLS Tic uISIdu6u
country school in Plymouth, the
! President continued his studies at
Black River academy in Ludlow and
later went to the academy at St.
Johnsbury. From there he went to
Amherst college where his career
was marked with persistency and
frugality. He paid SO a week for his
. board because he could not find a
cheaper lodging house
He was keen student and great
reader of books, especially of those
! on history and government. Only
in a modest way did he enter into
I college activities. He took no active
part in sports.
In his senior year, in open com
/ petition with students in all Ameri-
/ can colleges he won the first prize
( for the best essay on THE Causes Of
! the Revolutionary War" In 1895
he graduated and not having enough
money to so to law school, he OBJ
| tanned employment in the Office of
/ Judge Hammond, one of the leading
lawyers of the state. There he de-
/ voted his attention to the study of
| law with the result that in twenty
| months he was admitted to the bar.
He has continued since then to prac-
| tice law in Northampton.
On October 4, 1905, he married
Miss Grace A. Goodhue, of Burling-
ton, VT, making home for his
bride in two family apartment
house which they still occupy in
| Northampton.
He has two sons, John and Cal
win, jr.
In 1899, Mr.. Coolidge was>a mem
! Der of the northampton city council
and in 1900 and 1901 was city solic
| itor. In 1904 he was appointed coun-
| ty clerk but declined the nomination
| to succeed himself, In 1907 and
1908 he served Northampton as it's
| representative to the general court
and in 1910 and 1911 was mayor of
| the city