Evening star., 1926-03-19
PRESIDENT WALKED
IN MEMBERSHIPS
Gave Parent Credit for Mold
ing Character After EIeC-
ton Victory.

President Coolidge. in an interview
just after his reelection as Governor
Of Ma ssachusetts following the Bos
ton police strike. was asked What
WAS the most tormulative influence in
your life"
My father" were the two words OF
response quoted from the then MaSsa
ChuSottS governor. There was nc
elaboration of the reply; just those
two words.
But they carried ample conviction
and acknowledgements by the son who
was destined to become President OF
the pPedominating influence of his
father in the forming of the character
and strength of purpose that lay be-
hind the achievements that have ele'
waited him to that office.
Col John {. Coolidge was of the
third generation of the Stalwart stock
OF CoolidgeS who were born on the
Vermont soil of the little hamlet of
Plymouth and titled that soil with the
thrift and industry that has charac-
terized each of them. But he had
other ambitions for his son. Calvin
Coolidge.
Asked Of Plans for Son.
col. Coolidge was once asked in an
interview on the front porch of his
little Plymouth homestead, just after
his son had succeeded to the presi-
dency on the death Of President Hard
ing. if he himself had ever desired TO
50 to college.
Never considered il. was the
laconic. stole answer of the man to
whom opportunity had never given
The chance.
Was it your idea or your sons that
he so TO College,"
u don't know about that. Guess
il was his l asked him what he
wanted TO do. He said he wanted an
education. I thought he might make
q good doctor"
You didn't want him to stay here
on the farm?'
He once asked me if | wanted him
10 take up my work. | said, No AS
tax collector for 35 years here. JUS
tice of the peace and so on, I've set
tied a good many estates, settled
good many demands. None of it was
work Of much caliber. OF course. it
was important to the people con-
Cerned, and, of course, [ was glad to
do il. for it was the work that fell
I" me and that gave me and my
family a living But | felt that if
Calvin had the chance he could do
work of a bigger caliber.
Saw Own Education Need.
No, | didn't urge him to go to
college. But il he wanted to go,
WAS very anxious that he should
You thought it opened bigger op-
nortunities IN life
''Of course, I've seen many times
when felt the want of an education.' -
Did Your son work his way
through college,
lie helped that way some. but |
paid most of the bills. | didn't want
him TO have any scholarship; if he
didn't make good I didn't want to feel
that he'd used some one else's money
for nothing
How did you feel when your son
started out in politics.
Don't know that there was much
start out about it, He got a small
Job at first. Then he got d little big
GER job. And so on from that. When
Calvin was boy on the farm, if /
was going away and there was any
thing that I wanted him to do. would
toll him: but when | came back l
never thought of going to see if he
had done it: knew it was done. Cal
wins sort of got that habit. 1t hasn't
hurt him any"
Did he ever talk political matters
over with you"
I'VE talked some
And get your advice
Recalled Sons Wit.
Il wouldn't exactly say that, but
we talked some
Tho colonel bacap m tauc, or ra her