The decade of the 1920s is often referred to as the Republican ascendancy because of the return to conservatism in contrast to the progressivism of the early 20th century. Presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover dominated this era and tended to govern with a conservative philosophy. Nevertheless this decade was also a battleground of political philosophy between conservatives and progressives and often the role of government and the Constitution was at the center of this war of ideas. This was especially true in the United States Supreme Court.

“[W]hen once our feet have touched this soil, when once we have made this land our home, wherever our place of birth, whatever our race, we are all blended in one common country. All artificial distinctions of lineage and rank are cast aside. We all rejoice in the title of Americans.” Calvin Coolidge

August 2nd was a busy day for the Coolidge Foundation, with annual meeting, Plymouth Old Home Day, Reeve Lindbergh’s lecture, and the homestead inaugural keeping us occupied from sun up to sun down. We were pleased to round out the day with our annual Gala Dinner “Under the Tent,” which featured remarks by former Vermont Governor James H. Douglas, who spoke about the unfortunate degree of incivility that exists in the contemporary public discourse. The dinner also included a recitation of President Coolidge’s famous speech “Have Faith in Massachusetts,” which was performed by Kathryn Bassette, a 12th grade student from Hartland, VT, and Rebecca Black, an 11th grade student from Tyngsborough, MA, who both attended our home school debate camp.

“Calvin Coolidge took the Presidential oath in his father’s home and by his father’s hand with only the awed faces of a tiny group of witnesses to share the solemnity.”Donald Tobin