All Growth Depends Upon Activity

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“All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.” – Coolidge

John Calvin Coolidge Jr. (1872 – 1933) ruled as the 30th President of the United States from 1923 to 1929. He took office following the sudden death of Pres. Warren G. Harding who had quite a scandalous reputation. Coolidge, nicknamed “Silent Cal,” cleaned up the rampant corruption and upheld the old moral and economic precepts of frugality and steadfastness in an era of modernization.

Coolidge’s climb up the political ladder was methodical: he started as a councilman in Northampton to Governor of Massachusetts. It was in the height of the Boston Police Strike of 1919 that he gained national popularity in demonstrating his firm and decisive leadership. Consequently, the Republic National Convention chose him as their vice president candidate for the 1920 U.S. Presidential Election. He won by landslide with his running mate U.S. Senator Warren G. Harding.

Two years after they took office, Harding’s sudden death unexpectedly put him into presidency. A Democratic admirer, Alfred E. Smith, described him as “distinguished for character more than heroic achievement.” Unlike Harding, whose leadership style was casual, he governed with a no-nonsense approach and with a somber nature, which wasn’t ill-fitted considering that Harding pretty much tarnished the people’s trust in the government. Coolidge main priority was to restore the public faith by investigating the controversies left by his predecessor and implementing strict policies.

In the era of major societal change, his quiet yet stern and practical leadership resuscitated the nation’s fundamental virtues and responsibility through leading by example.