1. I want the people of America to be able to work less for the government, and more for themselves. Once in a while, for example, Coolidge would press all the buttons on his desk, causing bells to ring all over the White House and all the servants to come running for the fun of it. Calvin Coolidge, His Ideals of Citizenship as Revealed Through His Speeches and Writings. A Unique Collection of 70 Inspiring and distinctive quotes by Calvin Coolidge. A version of this story ran in 2019; it has been updated for 2022. A little cooling down of animal excitability and instinct, a little loss of animal toughness, a little irritable weakness and descent of the pain-threshold, will bring the worm at the core of all our usual springs of delight into full view, and turn us into melancholy metaphysicians. We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once. There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means. The score is good, the team played well, the supporters enjoyed it and at the end I'm very happy. When he was elected to the Northampton City Council in the year 1898, he went on to serve as the citys solicitor and clerk of courts. Coolidges response: You lose.. The best way to live is to live within your means. Once as first lady, she and the president visited a government farm on separate tours. Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Coolidge was always praised for his steadfast support of racial equality. If we judge ourselves only by our aspirations and everyone else only their conduct we shall soon reach a very false conclusion. His response to the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight and gave him a reputation as a man of decisive action. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. Susie if you want to see your doll again, leave $100 in this envelope by the tree out front. Unless citizens perform their duties there, such a system of government is doomed to failure. ~, The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country. ~, They criticize me for harping on the obvious; if all the folks in the United States would do the few simple things they know they ought to do, most of our big problems would take care of themselves. ~, Wherever we look, the work of the chemist has raised the level of our civilization and has increased the productive capacity of the nation. ~, It is hard to see how a great man can be an atheist. In the discharge of the duties of this office, there is one rule of action more important than all others. A stern figure, Coolidge was all business, practicing minimalism in both his social activity and in his political career. If you just sit still, nine cases out of ten, someone will intercept it before it reaches you. TALKATIVE PRESIDENT OFF, Dissertations-G, Former United States Secretary of the Treasury, There is a mistake in the text of this quote. Fairfield, Connecticut May 8, 2015 Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. BrainyQuote has been providing inspirational quotes since 2001 to our worldwide community. We do not need more of the things that are seen/ we need more or the things that are unseen. We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. ~, Unless the people, through unified action, arise and take charge of their government, they will find that their government has taken charge of them. Grace was interested in raising awareness; she educated the public and invited Helen Keller to the White House. Calvin : Last-minute panic. Rebecca was eventually donated to a zoo in 1928, Coolidge's final full year in office. The business of America is business and the chief ideal of the American people is idealism. -Calvin Coolidge, No person was ever honored for what he received, honor has been the reward for what he gave. -Calvin Coolidge, 7. Always remember that you are absolutely unique. We do not need more law, we need more religion. Grace was able to raise $2 million for the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, assisted by her husband, who often told friends to contribute to the school. I should be very sorry to see the United States holding anyone in confinement on account of any opinion that that person might hold. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. ;"Dorothy Parker, upon hearing that President Coolidge had died. Photo courtesy Library of Congress. Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped. The problem Mitt Romney has connecting with the other 75 percent of his own Republican party is that he appears reluctant to let his true self be known. Complementing his understated political style was Coolidges economy of words. Being a good listener is a virtue that will help you a lot in life. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Once, at a dinner party, the woman sitting next to him said she bet she could get more than two words out of him. Democracy is not a tearing down; it is a building up. If you really want to know what a president and first lady were like, find out what they ate. One day the President and Mrs. Coolidge were visiting a government farm. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody. ~, We are too solicitous for government intervention, on the theory, first, that the people themselves are helpless, and second, that the Government has superior capacity for action. She had bet, she told the reticent president, that she could get more than two words out of him. I have never been hurt by what I have not said. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Calvin Coolidge was a distinguished Republican politician who served as the 30th President of the United States. No nation ever had an army large enough to guarantee it against attack in time of peace or insure it victory in time of war. Genius will not unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. -Calvin Coolidge, 4. Every . Calvin replied, If my father were your father you would.. -Calvin Coolidge, 5. About the forthcoming senatorial campaign? Do not take life too seriously. "They criticize me for harping on the obvious; if all the folks in the United States would do the few simple things they know they ought to do, most of our big problems would take care of themselves." ~ Calvin Coolidge "One day the President and Mrs. Coolidge were visiting a government farm. When large numbers of men are unable to find work, unemployment results. Coolidge then famously responded: You lose., In 1925, someone asked how it felt to be president of the United States. As an example, John Coolidge once received an invitation to attend a presidential event. "It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones." . He retired as a widely popular figure. John Calvin Coolidge Jr. was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, and is the only US president to be born on Independence Day. Calvin Coolidge (2001). If you will just sit still, nine cases out of ten someone will intercept it before it reaches you. Rushmore of sorts of stand-up standouts. Have you anything to say about Prohibition? Address before the Holy Name Society, Washington, D.C., archive.org. America could not be America, if the people were shackled with government monopolies. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of face within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity. A nation that easily forgets its defenders and the sacrifices they make for their country, is a dishonorable country. You may not be able to do everything all at once. All Roosevelt had to do in 1932 was to point to Hoover. The weak have to be built on through continuous efforts to reach the level of the strong. No enterprise can exist for itself alone. Calvin Coolidge We revere that day because it marks the beginnings of independence, the beginnings of a constitution that was finally to give universal freedom and equality to all American citizens the beginnings of a government that was to recognize beyond all others the power and worth and dignity of man. His death caused Calvin Coolidgeto fall into a deep depression. The people have no obligation to work for the government. Perhaps because of his famously secretive religion, or the fact that he signed a thousand too many non-disclosure agreements from his days at Bain, Romney is the candidate incapable of candor. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race. To dissipate it in waste and extravagance is disloyalty to humanity. Famous Calvin Coolidge Quotes "No person was ever honored for what he received. Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. -Calvin Coolidge, 13. I have never been hurt by what I have not said. The government serves the people, not the other way round. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. took the oath of office as president in Plymouth Notch, Vt. We do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. He restored integrity to the executive branch of the government and gained back the confidence of the people while continuing the conservative pro-business policies of his predecessor. -Calvin Coolidge, 6. All Coolidge had to do in 1924 was to keep his mean trap shut, to be elected. I want the people of America to be able to work less for the Government, to have the rewards of their own industry. I have never been hurt by what I have not said. Our great hope lies in developing what is good. It takes a great man to be a good listener. The Quotable Calvin Coolidge: Sensible Words for a New Century, Images from the Past Incorporated. Calvin, Jr., probably inherited the Calvin Coolidge wit. "Authority and Religious Liberty". Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. "We do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Honor has been the reward for what he gave. The main idea of America is its principles of liberty. If you don't say anything, you won't be called on to repeat it. Is there any other nation on earth so enamored with the idea of a funny chief executive? My favorite Calvin Coolidge Quotes: It takes a great man to be a good listener. I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people. Or is he just a straight-as-an-arrow Eagle Scout, far more Clark Kent than Superman? It seems impossible that any man could adequately describe his mother. After sending in the state guard to quell the tension, Coolidge admonished the officers for leaving their posts. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race. There is no force so democratic as the force of an ideal. "Dozens of times, was the reply." They are meant to serve and protect the people, not rule them. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Then I want to move in with them. The machine ran on electricity and was able to mimic the bouncy agitation of trotting or galloping, and Coolidge rode the contraption up to three times a day, believing it was beneficial to his health. Coolidge solemnly told him, Call again.. One of the funny things about the racism of the system, when I started 30 years ago, I'm in an area called Koreatown and most of the kids were Asian. born on July 04, 1872, The 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), left office just as America was about to shift from an era of great joviality, the Roaring Twenties, to one of unprecedented economic despair, the Great Depression. We do not need more government, we need more culture. What is missing is passion, persistence, commitment, and dedication. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Mrs. Coolidge said, Tell that to the president when he comes by., The farmer told the president. What we need is not more Federal government, but better local government. Calvin Coolidge Strength, Peace, Strong Calvin Coolidge (1924). It is only when men begin to worship that they begin to grow. It was a high-wire act to be sure, but Calvin Coolidge managed to pull it off. This would have been his strong preference; like the silent movie stars of his day, Coolidge earned his laughter by way of restraint. ", Follow AzQuotes on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Changing a college curriculum is like moving a graveyard--you never know how many friends the dead have until you try to move them! Every day we present the best quotes! It takes a great man to be a good listener. He told her, No, but I find it mighty handy.. The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten. Nothing in the world will take away persistence. Coolidge turned to her and said, You lose.. Is he lactose-intolerant? Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. Coolidge acceded to the presidency after the death in office of Warren G. Harding, just as the Harding scandals were coming to light. He often answered yes or no to questions posed by the press or associates and prided himself on remaining largely quiet in social settings. Liberty is not collective, it is personal. Your ability to face setbacks and disappointments without giving up will be the measure of your ability to succeed. On the morning after his fathertook the oath of office as president in Plymouth Notch, Vt., he went to work bundling tobacco. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. In 1919, Coolidge faced . as living within your means. Always serve your country and your people to the best of your abilities. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Industry, thrift and self-control are not sought because they create wealth, but because they create character. When the President passed the pens and was told about the roosters, he asked "Same hen every time?" President Calvin Coolidge served in that role from 1923 until 1929. Coolidge then famously responded: "You lose." In 1925, someone asked how it felt to be president of the United States. Dont expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Coolidge gave a speech titled Have Faith in Massachusetts to describe his political beliefs. Calvin Coolidge > Quotes > Quotable Quote . Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. Men speak of natural rights, but I challenge any one to show where in nature any rights existed or were recognized until there was established for their declaration and protection a duly promulgated body of corresponding laws. There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your means. Coolidge asked, Same hen every time? The reply: Oh, no, Mr. President, a different hen every time., Coolidge said, Tell that to Mrs. Coolidge.. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. That modest office sparked an escalating interest in politics that led to his election as governor of the state in 1918. We draw our Presidents from the people. Calvin Coolidge was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. He turned back the soil with a golden trowel, the Army and Navy bands stood waiting on cue, the crowd quietly anticipated Coolidges words. The government of the United States is a device for maintaining in perpetuity the rights of the people, with the ultimate extinction of all privileged classes. Calvin Coolidge Funny Hurt Never Said Been Related Authors Abraham Lincoln , Theodore Roosevelt , Ronald Reagan , Barack Obama , Joe Biden , George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , John F. Kennedy Info Rather than be saddled with a comic persona foisted upon him by others, Coolidge fostered his own: a lackadaisical loafer largely disinterested in his own presidency. -Calvin Coolidge, There is only one form of political strategy in which I have any confidence, and that is to try to do the right thing.