New Britain herald., 1927-01-06
TEACHER EXPLAINS
 COOLIDGE SILENCE
No One to Talk to When PreSi-
 dent Was a Boy
Calvin Coolidge's early environ

Calvin Coolidge's early environ ment had a great influence on the | forming of his character, according to F. C. Carpenter. of Plymouth. Vt, a former school teacher of the presi- dent, who spoke at a meeting of the Rotary club at the Burritt hotel to- day.
 Mir. Carpenter told of the town of Plymouth which he said once had 14000 people but gradually dwindled until it now has but $500. He describ- ed the various small hamlets making up the township, and told of "The Notch" on a plateau 1400 feet above sea level where President Coolidge was born.
 The place was so high and the weather so cold that snow lay on the ground until the middle of May, he said. It was 10 miles from a rail- road, 20 miles from trolley line and 40 miles from college. The
 town at the time of Coolidges birth had no regularly organized church and it's only school house was a small one room building made of
 field stones. There never was graded school or high school in the town. Yet it produced five min
 isters, many high government off
 cials, one governor, the present at n
 the United States.
 At the time of Calvin Coolidge's birth the Notch" had five dwelling houses, a store. church, a school
 house and a cheese factory. The post
 office was about as large as a piano box and was in the general store.
 The store is run by a woman who sells everything from calico, plug to- bacco. molasses to cod fish. It was
 regular meeting place for 'The Hot
 said might proftably be "swapped" occasionally for the L. s. Senate. Not Brilliant Student. Calvin Coolidge was not bad boy, | neither was he an exceptionally bril- liant student in school Despite pop
 ular opinions to the contrary the
 speaker says he has keen sense of | humor and was noted for his hon.
 esty, sincerity and reliability. If he
 said he would do thing, he would
 stick to it until it was done.
 He got his habit of silence from
 the fact that there were only two
 houses within a half mile of his
 home and there was nothing much l to talk about. The last man who
 shingled his roof. the last woman who set a hen, or the newest baby | born were the outstanding topics of | conversation. MT. Carpenter said the people there had a chance to let ! their thinking catch up with their conversation.
 Ecohomy was easy to learn because there was no money to squander. Colonel John Coolidge, the presi- dents father, was superintendent of schools and received $11.40 for years service. Selectmen when away from home on town business re- ceived 50 cents for half days serv- ice or S1 for whole day. The town clerk recorded r births and II deaths for year and was paid $1.4O for his trouble. The undertaken who buried the town poor" furnished a coffin and robe and received for this SIG, which included his services. School teachers were paid from $S.Sv to S5 q week.
 There were a number of guests present, including George Leewitz of Paris, who was there as the guest of Howard Bruemmer. Other guests included H. R. Buck of Hart ford, Dr. George Tucker of Hart Buckley Of Torrington. w. II, Brooks of New Haven and F.. C. Corbin of this city, son of President A. r. Corbin.
 A number of members Of the club are planning European trips within the next few months. Isaac Black, Arthur White and John W. Lockett will attend an internation- al Rotary meeting in Ostend. Bel gium Dugald McMillan will start out in the near future for a trip around the world; Ossian Bennett is on his way to the Mediterranean and F.. w. Pelton and w. l.. Hatch will take a similar journey within a few weeks.
 Next Thursday will be surprise meeting.