NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2013 Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, Inc. STRAIGHT TALK Charter Sponsors Notes From the Director Herbert C. Hoover Greetings and welcome to the Coolidge Foun- Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower dation’s Spring 2013 Newsletter! We have much to John F. Kennedy report, as you will see while paging through this Lyndon B. Johnson edition. Whether planning for our future, fundrais- John Coolidge ing, or putting on meaningful events, we have been Jacqueline B. Kennedy very busy since our last newsletter communication. Paul Mellon First, I would like to recognize a distinguished Honorary Advisors Jimmy Carter and valued member of our Board of Trustees who Nancy Reagan recently stepped down from his role at the Coolidge David R. Serra Foundation. Bob Kirby has been a tremendous help Executive Director and catalyst for change since the beginning of his Officers tenure on our Board in 2008. Bob has been one Bob Kirby and Mimi Baird in 2010 Frank J. Barrett Jr. Chair, Board of Trustees of the main benefactors of the Coolidge Founda- head. At its vital core, its heart and soul, is the Catherine M. Nelson tion, both generously donating his own resources, ideal of civic education. That core is supported by Vice Chair and seeking donations from other civic-minded two legs – a classroom effort here at the Plymouth Owen J. Stearns philanthropists. He has also served as a Trustee, Secretary Notch historic site - and an institute, which is the Finance Committee Chair, Nominating Commit- part that includes his public service, and which Christopher C. Jeter tee member, and President and Chairman during Treasurer goes wherever Calvin Coolidge’s voice was heard. that time, at one point even performing the execu- Trustees tive management function. In addition to his du- Specifically, The Calvin Coolidge Memorial Milton F. Campbell, MD ties in those various capacities, Bob has also done Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Robert A. Cerasoli significant scholarly work, one article in particular with an educational mission. Its efforts are appro- Arthur E. Crowley Jr. priately centered in Plymouth Notch. Its mission of Hon. James H. Douglas being reviewed in this newsletter edition, even go- opening the eyes of the world to Calvin Coolidge Heidi B. Eldred ing so far as to compile a history of the Foundation Roby Harrington III from its inception in 1960. That volume, entitled goes far beyond the boundaries of our state or re- Sarwar A. Kashmeri A Chronicle: The First Fifty Years, 1960-2010 is an gion. Our strategic thinking matches our mission. Leslie Keefe essential piece in charting the way into the future. Our efforts reflect that the 30th President‘s ideals, Thomas A. Murray His work on our strategic plan spawned the idea, both during and after the presidency, are relevant, Hon. Alice W. Nitka needful, and national in scope. Ann Shriver Sargent and as with history in general, it enlightens the fu- Amity Shlaes ture by clarifying the past. We are grateful for Bob’s In presenting our educational mission, the Milton G. Valera support through the years. challenge is to do so in a way that recognizes Fred Wainwright In our last newsletter we included the remarks the value of all things Coolidge, from the cradle National Advisory Board I made at the beginning of my duties here at the to the grave, including everything in between. A Brian T. Allen Foundation. The vision I laid out at that time is message that comprehensive, along a spectrum Hon. Randolph D. Brock progressing steadily. Its main premise is that the that wide, is worthy of Calvin Coolidge and big Alvin S. Felzenberg enough to attract the support it deserves. Wyatt R. Haskell Foundation is a living thing with a vital message that should help it stand here in Plymouth Notch Hon. Vincent Illuzzi The Coolidge Center for Civic Education Patricia Krider for another 50 years, and take it other places as James H. Ottaway Jr. well. In order to best describe the organization in Within the legal and organizational frame- David Pietrusza 2013 one should visualize the silhouette of a hu- work of the Coolidge Foundation, we have created Leni Preston man being. Its head will always be the Coolidge The Coolidge Center for Civic Education. This David M. Shribman Foundation, the legal entity under which we op- educational effort currently includes two comple- Cal Thomas Jerry L. Wallace erate. But what we do is much more than just the mentary parts. continued on page 3 Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation • www.calvin-coolidge.org • 802.672.3389 1 Coolidge Institute – 2013 Speaker Series April 30 “The Coolidge Presidency” Hanover Inn, Ford-Sayre Room, Hanover, NH 5:30 - 7:30pm Amity Shlaes George H. Nash Economic historian and author of Herbert Hoover scholar The Forgotten Man and Coolidge May 28 “Civility in Political Discourse” Hanover Inn, Ford-Sayre Room, Hanover, NH 5:30 - 7:30pm Jim Douglas John Lynch Former Governor of Former Governor of Vermont New Hampshire June 15 “Grace Coolidge: First Lady of Baseball” President Calvin Coolidge Museum and Education Center, Plymouth Notch, VT 2:00 - 3:30pm David Pietrusza Coolidge historian, author of Calvin Coolidge: A Documentary Biography July 18 Panel Discussion: “The Role of the Media in Civil Public Discourse” Hanover Inn, Ford-Sayre Room, Hanover, NH 5:30 - 7:30pm Cal Thomas Chris Graff Nationally syndicated columnist Former Vermont AP Bureau Chief; and FoxNews contributor current VP at National Life Jane Lindholm Sarah Ashworth Host, Vermont Edition, VPR News Director, NHPR August 2 High School Debate Competition and CCMF’s Annual Fundraising Gala President Calvin Coolidge Museum and Education Center, Plymouth Notch, VT 5:00 - 8:00pm Brian Lamb Founder & Chairman Emeritus, All events are free and open to the public with the exception C-SPAN of the Gala dinner for which tickets are sold in advance. 2 Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation • www.calvin-coolidge.org • 802.672.3389 continued from page 1 1. The Coolidge Classroom, which is the living history envi- With the benefit of the hard work of the past, and with ronment in which we, in cooperation with the State of Ver- a clear course charted for the future, we move forward with mont, teach visitors to Plymouth Notch about the unique a full schedule of events, a growing membership base, an an- civic and communitarian ideals which shaped and fitted nual appeal to fund operations, and plans for a multi-year the man for public service, and which followed him to his Endowment Drive to create revenue for perpetual program- resting place. Coolidge Classroom programs are executed ming. Thank you for your part in preserving the legacy of and led by our staff and volunteer docents. Calvin Coolidge, and in extending the reach of his ideals 2. The Coolidge Institute, which is a specific-purpose initia- across the nation he served. We believe that the ideals that tive implemented through symposia, seminars, lectures, shaped his life, and that informed his public service, are more and other scholarly events, either at Plymouth Notch or needful now than ever before. projected to other venues through cooperative arrange- —David Serra ments. This effort seeks to put Coolidge’s record of public Executive Director service before the nation he served. These types of pro- grams are executed through, among other events, our ac- Vermont History Day claimed speaker series, which is held in collaboration with institutions of higher education, and led by public figures CCMF staff members Kate Bradley and Diane Kemble and academics. were both judges at Vermont History Day on April 6th. Held by the Vermont Historical Society at the Spaulding High We are currently advancing these ideals on the local and School in Barre, VT, the day featured a few hundred Ver- regional level. We will also execute worthy programs on a mont students and their history projects. This year’s theme larger scale as part of a national effort. All of our initiatives was “Turning Points in History.” Projects took the form of support education, thus ensuring the success of our educa- papers, exhibits, websites, documentaries, and performances. tional mission as a whole. We endeavor to open the eyes of Categories within these headings included: senior and junior, the world to the ideals of Calvin Coolidge. They are timeless, timely, and worthy of close scrutiny today. That prize is wor- group and individual. As well as sending judges, CCMF spon- thy of the 30th President of the United States. sors one of the special prizes every year. The Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation History Prize is awarded to a first place The Coolidge Center for Civic Education encompasses winner with a Superior ranking for an outstanding entry on our two current, simultaneous efforts, and will be supported a United States history topic. This year’s CCMF History Prize by those who value principles of economic liberty and com- went to a Junior Group Exhibit titled, “The Civil Rights Act munitarianism. This type of civic education is the kind of of 1964: The Turning Point of a Living Document.” The group nonpartisan effort around which people of all persuasions co- members were Jakob DeArruda and Morgan Brown of Black alesce. Information supporting the Coolidge Center for Civic River High School/Middle School. Their exhibit was exem- Education is available on our website (www.calvin-coolidge. plary on many levels. org). The programs that constitute it are presented there in detail. We will keep our efforts relevant and clearly focused Here is the text from the award presentation, as given by through our Coolidge Center for Civic Education here at the Kate Bradley: Coolidge State Historic Site and Museum & Education Cen- “The Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation is dedicat- ter, and by programs executed by the Coolidge Classroom ed to the life and legacy of President Calvin Coolidge.