New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-03
COOLIDGE TAKES
I Oath OF OFFICE
Continued from First Page)


and Mrs. Coolidge Joined IN sending
the following telegram:
I'VE offer you our deepest SYM
pathy. May God bless you and keep
you"
Mr.. Coolidge, who had come here
for complete rest, had welcomed the
absence of telephone from his
fathers home. But, with the news of
the Presidents death, telephone COM
pany officials Immediately set to work
land within an hour telephone had
been installed in the farm house.
1t was through telephone COM
munication with Washington that the
Vice President obtained the form of
oath which the president must take
upon assuming office. Then in the
presence of Mrs Coolidge, Congress-
man Porter H. Dale and little party
of friends, Mr.. Coolidge went through
the simple ceremony which made him
president. His father read by the
light of an oil lamp:
| Takes The Oath
| II do solemnly swear that will
faithfully execute the office of presi-
dent of the United States and I will to
the best of my ability preserve, pro-
tect and defend the Constitution of
the United States"
| Mr.. Coolidge calmly and clearly re-
peated the words and added:
| so help me Cod
| The ceremony ended, the President
turned at once to preparations for his
journey to Washington.
Coolidge's Career
Calvin Coolidge, twsnty-ninth man
elected vice-presi1hnr of the United
States and fourth from tn, State of
Massachusetts,, was born in the tiny
town OF Plymouth, VT, July 4, 1872.
Running in his veins by direct lin
cage is the blood fthe Mayfiower pill
grims. From them he inherited a
predominant Puritan respect for law
and order such as characterized his
conduct as governor of Massachusetts,,
III refusing to temporize with leaders
OF the Boston police strike.
Silent reserved, uncommunitive al
most to the point of brusqueness, he
rose to national political ascendency in
1919 when he was mentioned for the
republican nomination, for president
when the nomination went to Hard
ing, Coolidge was first and there was
no second in the contest for vice-pres-,
ident.
During his political life, Coolidge
ran for various offices, state and mu-
nicipal, total of Z times. He won
every race, land only once was the
fight close, that OCCASION being in his
second contest for the Massachusetts,
state legislature, when he received a
plurality of only So votes.
Born to a life on the farm. during
his boyhood Coolidge Occupied himself
doing chores and helping out in his
fathers general store.
He attended the little red school,
house at Plymouth. From there he
went to the old Black Rock River
academy at Ludlow, VT, to prepare
himself to enter college. He had vague
hopes of reaching so high, for the
family farm and store were not over
productive and money in the Coolidge
family was scarce.
In 1891, however, though consider
ably older than the average freshman
because scanty means had prevented
him leaving home, he entered AM
herst.
Prize Winner
There, in his senior year, he won q
gold medal offered for the best essay
on the principles of the Revolutionary
War, the competition being open to
the undergraduates of all American
colleges. In 1895 he was graduated
with high honors.
In 1897 he was admitted to the
bar and began the prac-
tice of law at Northampton. Follow
ing two terms as mayor of that city,
two as city solicitor, two in the state
legislature, four in the senate, three as
lieutenant governor and two as gov
arnor, his political star shot into the
national constellation.
In person, Coolidge typiies the New
England gentleman. He has probably
never slapped a man on the back. He
S quiet to the point of taciturnity in
his speech and possesses a twinkling
we and mouth and chin that, with
I'll his kindly smile, are as firm and in
lexible as Plymouth Rock itself.
In 1905, he married Miss Grace
ioodhue then teacher in the Clarke
choo, Northampton. Two sons have
'een born to them. At the time of his
lection as vice president, the couple
lived in a modest home at Northamp-
on for which they paid s22 a month
entail.
He is said to own no real estate, and
las never owned an automobile.
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