Grace Coolidge, the stylish and
intelligent first lady of the United States from 1923 to 1929, brought a unique
perspective to the role. Born in Vermont in 1879, Grace was the daughter of a
mechanical engineer and grew up with a passion for education. After earning her
degree from the University of Vermont, she dedicated herself to helping the
hearing-impaired at the Clarke Institute for the Deaf in Massachusetts. It was
there that she met her future husband, Calvin Coolidge, a young lawyer with a
promising career in politics. Their marriage in 1905 marked the beginning of a
partnership that would see them raise two sons and navigate the challenges of
public life together. Grace's grace and poise endeared her to the American
people, making her a beloved figure in the White House during her husband's
presidency.
Calvin's rise in local government was
met with Grace's complete disinterest in politics, as she simply stated,
"Better not." While he took on the role of governor in Massachusetts
in 1919 and worked in Boston, Grace stayed back in Northampton with their
children. Their move to Washington, D.C. came when Calvin was elected vice
president in 1920, and they resided at the Willard Hotel. Grace quickly won
over hearts with her humor, charm, and love for animals. Despite Calvin's
reputation for being frugal, he indulged her passion for fashion, even
purchasing some of her clothes himself. Grace was active in various charitable
causes, yet remained neutral on controversial topics like women's rights. Her
modern style, hobbies like baseball and hiking, and past career made her a role
model for young women. Adhering to Calvin's wishes, she avoided the press, but
once delivered a brief sign language speech at a luncheon.
Grace Coolidge's life took a tragic
turn in 1924 when her son, Calvin Jr., passed away from blood poisoning.
Despite her grief, she chose to continue her duties as first lady, setting an
example for future first ladies facing personal tragedies. Grace found solace
in renovating the White House living quarters and even convinced Congress to
allow individual donations for the project, though few Americans contributed.
One notable change she oversaw was the addition of a third floor and a sunroom
known as the "sky parlor."
After her husband's decision not to
seek reelection in 1928, the Coolidge’s returned to Northampton. Grace remained
active in various causes, including those for the deaf, and continued to travel
and write articles. She later built a house that she offered to Navy personnel
during World War II. Grace passed away in 1957 and was laid to rest beside her
husband and son in Vermont. Despite the challenges she faced as first lady,
Grace Coolidge's dedication and accomplishments set her apart as one of the
more successful occupants of the role.
Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of
experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author
of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Pheonix University in
Business Management, then a degree in Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis
from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in
criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently
studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology, her work portfolio includes
coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. In
her spare time, Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist,
proficient in watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, Gouache, and pastels. As a
political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career,
Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using
history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from
art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each
week.
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