Date: February 3, 1895
Location: Amherst, MA
(Original source available here)
My Dear Father:—
It has been rather cold here for some time now but the sleighing is fine. Dr. Johnson of Chicago spoke at the college church this morning, I did not like him so well as some others but think he speaks the truth.
My landlord wants some pay for board; I owe him about $20. And in connection with my fraternity I shall have to pay about $50, soon for initiation, term fee and pin. There will be another term fee due next spring but they are small, just how much I believe it is not said outside the members but something like $5.00; then there will be some extras in the same connection that will probably make up the cost at the end of the year to about $75, as I wrote you before. But as I was going to write I must pay some board right away and the other bill may be paid any time but should like the pin soon. College men are always proud to wear a society, greek letter pin and are very seldom seen without it.
I should like it very much if my expenses were less but as far as I can judge I do not pay out except where the return is of more value to me than the money but were my circumstances different I of course should act on another basis. I am simply trying to get the most I can out of my opportunities whether I consider them as a chance to improve by hard study or to improve in some other lines by a judicious use of the money that my circumstances affords me. I have paid out about $5.00 of the money you sent me before for current expenses so I have some by me though I have lent some which will be returned in a day or so I expect. There! that is my currency bill and I hope you will give it more approval than Congress gives Cleveland’s ideas of currency.
My work is keeping me pretty busy most of the time so I do not have so much time as I should like to write my essays and orations About all I have done so far is to read up some on my subjects. At present I am writing a history essay on Daniel Webster. I should like very much to read all his great speeches and other works but cannot do so now. If I could read and digest the principle works of Burke, Hamilton, and Webster, I should get a very strong hold on legal and political ideas, and then if I could add to it some actual experience of my own I should have a wisdom that at least would insure me a living if it did not give me power to direct great measures for the welfare of communities or states
But I am only trying to get some discipline now. I never earned any money and I do not know as I ever made any happiness but I hope these may come later.
I am almost ready to think of coming home again though there are a number of hours of work for me to do before the term is done.
I hope I may hear from you often.
With love
J Calvin Coolidge
Citation: Your Son, Calvin Coolidge
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Marisol Balderas, who prepared this document for digital publication