Last week, President Trump announced his administration's plans to implement a 25% tax on steel imported to the United States and a 10% tax on aluminum imports. While this signals a break from the modern Republican orthodoxy on free trade, protectionism, for better or worse, is hardly historically unprecedented within the GOP. President Coolidge himself was a proponent of the tariff. Be on the lookout for our forthcoming issue of the Coolidge Quarterly, which features an interview with Mary O'Grady of the Wall Street Journal and an article by historian David Pietrusza. The entire issue is dedicated to Coolidge, tariffs, and trade.
On April 14th, the tariff debate will continue not just in Washington, D.C., but also in Apex, North Carolina where local high school and middle school students will debate the resolution, "RESOLVED:A significant tariff on imported goods from Mexico is a good policy for the U.S. economy," at the next tournament of the Coolidge Debate League. The tournament will take place on the campus of Thales Academy Apex. More details on the tournament will be forthcoming and available on the Coolidge Foundation's website.
Tracy Messer, as Calvin Coolidge, reenacts a speech that Coolidge delivered on February 22, 1926 in honor of George Washington.
Before a packed crowd, President Coolidge (as portrayed by Tracy Messer) returned to Plymouth Notch for Presidents' Day to deliver a speech he originally gave on February 22, 1926 in Washington, DC honoring George Washington. In that 1926 speech, delivered to the Department of Superintendence of the National Education Association, Coolidge called Washington a "prince of teachers," and spoke of the role education played in the continued prosperity of the United States. Okemo Valley TV filmed the event, the video of which can be found below.
In addition to Messer's performance, the Presidents' Day event also featured classroom activities, a preview of this year's exhibit hosted by site administrator Bill Jenney, and a talk with Foundation Education Director Diane Kemble on research materials available to help students compete in this year's Calvin Writing Prize. The Foundation thanks all who attended, and offers a special thank you to Tracy Messer for a wonderful recreation of this important Coolidge speech.
Washington Revisited: President Coolidge's 1926 Address to the National Education Association, recreated by Tracy Messer.
Calvin Writing Prize
Each year the Coolidge Foundation encourages Vermont students to discover lessons from the Coolidge presidency by competing for the Calvin Writing Prize.
This year's contest asks students to write a speech theywould deliver as president of the United States urging their fellow citizens to correct an injustice with respect to equal rights for all. Students must use examples from President Calvin Coolidge’s life and values when preparing their speech.
The first place winner will receive $1,500 and the runner-up will receive $500. More information is availablehere.
The deadline to submit is May 11, 2018.
Coolidge Cup Online Tournament
The Coolidge Foundation invites all high school students to compete in the Coolidge Cup Online Tournament qualifier! At minimum, the top four placers from the online tournament will be invited to compete in the Coolidge Cup Championship Tournament taking place July 2 - 4 at Plymouth Notch! More than $10,000 in scholarships and prizes will be awarded to the winners of the 2018 Coolidge Cup — including a $7,500 scholarship for the overall winner.
Students complete by submitting a five minute video either affirming or negating the resolution: “A significant tariff on imported goods from Mexico is a good policy for the U.S. economy.”
The deadline to submit is Friday May 4, 2018. More information, including the online submission form, can be found here.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
April 14, 2018: Coolidge Debate Tournament at Thales Academy Apex
May 4, 2018: Coolidge Cup Online Debate Tournament deadline
May 11, 2018: Submission deadline for the Calvin Writing Prize
About News from the Notch
News from the Notch is the Coolidge Foundation's weekly e-Blast, designed to keep you connected and up-to-date on all the activities of the Foundation. We encourage you to contribute to the e-blast! Share stories, photos, tips, or tidbits for inclusion. Please forward the e-blast to a friend! Click here to subscribe to News from the Notch, and head over to our website to access the News from the Notch Archive.
