|
|
As all Coolidge fans know, #30 is the only president born on the Fourth of July. Each year hundreds turn out to Plymouth Notch to celebrate America's independence and Plymouth's native son. This year's celebration was an especially memorable one. We hope you enjoy the photos and recap below.
The celebrations began with a public reading of the Declaration of Independence in the Union Christian Church. President Coolidge (as portrayed by Tracy Messer) presided over the ceremony which featured a blessing for the nation led by Brother John McGory, the Pledge of Allegiance led by the veterans in attendance, the Star Spangled Banner led by Bill Wiles. The ten recipients of the Coolidge Scholarship led the reading of the Declaration itself. We especially thank Mahesh Ganorkar who brought the idea and helped arrange the reading.
|
|
|
Tracy Messer, portraying Calvin Coolidge, reads excerpts of the Declaration of Independence to a crowd in the Union Christian Church.
|
|
The morning continued with an official Naturalization Ceremony during which nineteen immigrants from eleven different countries were naturalized as new American citizens. Coolidge Foundation Chairman Amity Shlaes opened ceremony and Jennifer Harville, great-granddaughter of Calvin Coolidge, led the national anthem. Coolidge Foundation Executive Director Matthew Denhart delivered remarks on the benefits that immigrants offer the nation. The Honorable Judge J. Garvan Murtha then presided over the swearing in of the new citizens.
|
|
|
Foundation chairman Amity Shlaes quotes President Coolidge on immigration: "Whether one traces his Americanism back three centuries to the Mayflower, or three years of the steerage, is not half so important as whether his Americanism of today is real and genuine. No matter by what various crafts we came here, we are all now in the same boat."
|
|
|
Judge J. Garvan Murtha administers the Oath of Allegiance to naturalization candidates.
|
|
|
Bill Wiles leads the crowd in rousing songs of patriotism in front of new American citizens.
|
|
At noon, Maj. Gen. Steven Cray and Sgt. Maj. Joseph Quick of the Vermont National Guard led a procession to the Coolidge gravesite for the annual wreath-laying ceremony, which included a three-volley rifle salute, taps, and the laying of the presidential wreath. Jenny Harville performed the National Anthem and the audience heard brief remarks from Maj. Gen. Cray; Laura Trieschmann, Vermont's Historic Preservation Officer; and Matt Denhart. Coolidge Foundation chairman Amity Shlaes gave keynote remarks explaining the significance of President Coolidge's July 5, 1926 speech, The Inspiration of the Declaration. Jenny Harville and Chris Jeter, great-grandchildren of Calvin and Grace Coolidge, read excerpts from the speech.
|
|
|
The presidential wreath, made by the White House, has been traditionally placed at the Coolidge grave site every July 4th.
|
|
|
The Vermont National Guard stands at attention prior to a three-volley salute.
|
|
Afternoon activities included tours of the Historic Site - on foot and via tractor-pulled wagon rides courtesy of Fred DePaul, performances by the Springfield Stringers, old-time games, and birthday cake. The public was invited to watch the final rounds of the Coolidge Cup, the Coolidge Foundation's national high school debate tournament. The day's celebrations concluded with President Coolidge (as portrayed by Tracy Messer), offering his thoughts on "Who Made Calvin Coolidge," the 1923 Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Herald article by journalist Frank W. Buxton.
The Fourth of July celebrations received prominent coverage, making the front page of both the Vermont Standard and the Vermont Journal newspapers. The Mountain Times also covered the festivities.
For more photos of this year's Fourth of July event, please click here. More photos of the naturalization ceremony are available here.
|
|
|
The festivities received front-page treatment from local periodicals, as seen here in the Vermont Journal.
|
|
Laura Trieschmann Headlines Summer Gala
|
|
|
|
State Historic Preservation Officer Laura Trieschmann delivers keynote remarks at the Summer Gala.
|
|
The Coolidge Foundation was honored to have Laura Trieschmann, Vermont's Historic Preservation Officer, keynote this year's annual summer gala, which took place July 3 in Plymouth Notch.
Ms. Trieschmann discussed national efforts to preserve heritage sites related to America's presidents. She remarked that as a child she was impressed by the story of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association being formed to preserve George Washington's estate, which by 1853 had fallen into disrepair. Ms. Trieschmann then shared a detailed history of the preservation effort that has resulted in the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, often referred to as the "best preserved presidential birthplace in America." Ms. Trieschmann credited the Coolidge family and countless others who have devoted significant energy, passion, and resources for decades to preserve the Notch. Indeed, Plymouth Notch is a national treasure -- an entire village preserved to appear just as it did in the 1920s when Calvin Coolidge was president. The Coolidge Foundation is proud to partner with the State of Vermont to continue the preservation effort and to draw more and more Americans to Plymouth Notch to learn the Coolidge story. We salute Laura and all her colleagues at the Division for Historic Preservation, especially Bill Jenney, for their continuing work.
Earlier in the evening, Coolidge Foundation program manager Rob Hammer presented this year's Calvin Prize awards to the essay contest winners: first place Harrison Bushnell (received by his parents) and second place William Kimber. The gala also saw the official induction of the 2018 class of Coolidge Scholars. Phillip Meng, Matt Muellner, Katherine Sylvester, and Alison Xin were called to the stage by executive director Matt Denhart and presented their Coolidge Scholarship medallions by chairman Amity Shlaes. With four new Scholars this year, the scholarship continues to grow, bringing the total number of Coolidge Scholars to ten, a milestone for the Coolidge Foundation.
|
|
|
Coolidge Foundation trustee Bob Luddy converses with new Coolidge Scholar Philip Meng as the gala commences.
|
|
|
The class of 2018 is officially inducted as Coolidge Scholars. From left to right; Amity Shlaes, Coolidge Foundation Chairman; Katherine Sylvester; Phillip Meng; Alison Xin; Matt Muellner; and Matthew Denhart, Coolidge Foundation Executive Director.
|
|
While a dessert of chocolates was enjoyed, Coolidge Foundation debate director Jared Rhoads and debate fellow Ben Voth gave out the Coolidge Cup Speaker Awards. Matt Denhart gave closing remarks, and shortly after Tracy Messer, once again in-character as Calvin Coolidge, reenacted the Inspiration of the Declaration speech.
|
|
|
"Calvin Coolidge" (Tracy Messer) gives his speech on the Constitution to a crowd following the Gala.
|
|
The gala concluded with a literal bang when, for the first time in twenty years, fireworks lit up the Plymouth Notch sky in a half-hour spectacle open to the public. A large crowd gathered to watch the vibrant display, and gave the colorful finale a round of applause. To all who helped make the 2018 Summer Gala a resounding success, the Coolidge Foundation gives its sincere thanks.
For more photos of the Coolidge Foundation 2018 Summer Gala, please click here.
|
|
|
Fireworks put on a lively display in front of watching crowds on the night of July 3rd, immediately following the gala.
|
|
Coolidge Cup Championship
"Socialism vs. Capitalism"
|
|
|
|
Congrats to the top finishers in the 2018 Coolidge Cup! Bottom row (left to right): Maria Luddy, Coolidge Cup benefactor; Devesh Kodnani, Coolidge Cup Champion; Abdulkareem Odeh, 2nd place; Brian Kong, 3rd place; and Max Jackman, 4th place. Top row (left to right): Bob Luddy, Coolidge Foundation Trustee and Coolidge Cup benefactor; Dr. Benjamin Voth, Coolidge Debate Fellow; and Jared Rhoads, Coolidge Debate Director.
|
|
The Coolidge Cup is the Coolidge Foundation’s national high school debate tournament. The 2018 competition, the third annual contest, began last fall and continued throughout the winter and early spring with regional qualifying tournaments that took place across the United States. Students debated a number of topics at these tournaments, with a special emphasis on the capital gains tax, a topic the Coolidge Foundation helped bring before 20,000+ students in the month of February thanks to our partnership with the National Speech and Debate Association.
Some 59 students hailing from over 20 states emerged from the qualifying tournaments and earned invitations to the Coolidge Cup Championship which took place July 2-4, 2018 in Plymouth Notch where Coolidge himself had early exposure to debate in the local town meetings. The stakes were high with a grand prize $7,500 scholarship on the line for the first place debater and smaller scholarships for other top finishers.
All the debates were open to the general public and the debaters debated in a one-on-one format. This year’s championship tournament resolution was:
“Resolved: For the United States, socialism would be a better economic system than capitalism for promoting the well-being of the average person.”
We think President Coolidge would have been pleased to hear so many young people grappling with a topic that has continued relevance from his time nearly 100 years ago.
After more than 200 debates, spaced over the three days, Devesh Kodnani of California was named the 2018 Coolidge Cup Champion, defeating runner-up Abdulkareem Odeh of New Jersey in a lively debate before a standing-room-only crowd in the Union Christian Church. Other top finishers included Brian Kong of California who came in third place and Max Jackman of California who came in fourth.
Congratulations to all our Coolidge debaters. In addition to debating, the competitors toured the Coolidge Historic site, took part in the Coolidge Foundation’s summer gala, attended the naturalization ceremony hosted by the Coolidge Foundation, and participated in the Fourth of July festivities.
This year’s Coolidge Cup debate effort was spearheaded by new Coolidge Debate Director Jared Rhoads, who joined the team this past spring, and by program manager Rob Hammer. Also critical to the success of this year’s Cup was Coolidge Foundation Debate Fellow Dr. Ben Voth who traveled to Plymouth from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas where he serves as professor of communication and debate coach. We are grateful to Bro. John McGrory who played a key role in tournament management. We offer a very special thanks to the dozens of volunteers who persevered through the unusually hot weather to judge the contests. And finally, we thank Bob and Maria Luddy for generously sponsoring the Coolidge Cup.
For photos of the 2018 Coolidge Cup, please click here.
|
|
|
Education Director Diane Kemble leads Coolidge Cup debaters on a tour of the Historic Site.
|
|
|
Max Jackman and Sathvik Kolli compete in the Wilder Barn.
|
|
|
Coolidge Foundation Debate Director Jared Rhoads watches on as the final debate ensues, the prizes to his left.
|
|
|
Devesh Kodnani and Abdulkareem Odeh compete in the championship round of the Coolidge Cup. Mr. Kodnani, arguing for the negative side of the resolution, prevailed.
|
|
|
Thanks to the dozens of Coolidge Cup debate judges who make the tournament possible.
|
|
ProVision Returns to Coolidge
|
|
|
The Coolidge Foundation was proud to host students from Pro-Vision Academy's Manhood and SHE Programs of Houston, Texas for the fourth consecutive year. From August 2 - 4 the students learned about President Coolidge, developed public speaking skills, and explored New England.
On August 2nd, the students came to Plymouth Notch where they toured the Historic Site and learned the basics of public speaking from Coolidge Foundation Executive Director, Matthew Denhart. The students first developed a speech about the person who has had the greatest impact on their life and presented this speech before a small audience of their peers and teachers.
With one speech under their belts, the students then built on their skills by researching and writing a second speech related to the presidency of Calvin Coolidge. Students chose from three Coolidge topic areas -- foreign policy, fiscal policy, or civil rights -- and then attended a seminar on their topic and prepared a speech to be delivered in a final speech competition before the full group.
Congratulations Treveon Brown, Ashley Ligon, and Tymmon Varleck came in first place, second place, and third place respectively in the varsity speech division. Congratulations also to Zayvian Cannady and Taylor Cornish who tied for first place and Keon Clark who came in third place in the junior varsity division.
In addition to learning about Coolidge and developing speaking skills, the ProVision students also toured Dartmouth College and traveled to western Massachusetts for an exciting excursion at Ramblewild, a treetop zipline and obstacle course. The Coolidge Foundation would like to thank Paolo and Giovanna Cugnasca for hosting ProVision at Ramblewild for the second year in a row.
The Coolidge Foundation is especially grateful to Alan Hassenflu, Roynell Young, Diana Seifert, Dwayne McGary, and the Pro-Vision teachers and coaches for their continued support and partnership.
|
|
|
|
|
|