Have faith in Massachusetts; 2d ed.: A Collection of Speeches and MessagesCoolidge, Calvin
History
Have faith in Massachusetts; 2d ed.: A Collection of Speeches and Messages
Coolidge, Calvin
Massachusetts
So this town has had a long and interesting history, and has done its
part in building up Massachusetts and giving her strength to take her
part in the history of this great Nation. And it is pleasant to see how
the work that the fathers have done before us is bearing fruit in these
times of ours. It is interesting to see this beautiful building. It is
interesting to know that you have a town planning committee who are
placing this building in a situation where it will contribute to the
physical beauty of this historic town. We have not given the time and
the attention and the thought that we should have given to things of
that kind in Massachusetts. We have been too utilitarian. We have
thought that if a building was located in some place where we could have
access to it, where it could be used, where it could transact the
business of the town, that was enough. We are coming to see in these
modern days that that is not enough; that we need not only utilitarian
motives, but that we need to give some time, some thought and attention
to the artistic in life; that we need to concern ourselves not only with
the material but give some thought to the spiritual; that we need to
pay some attention to the beautiful as well as to that which is merely
useful.
These things are appreciated. Weston is doing something along these
lines and building her public buildings and laying out her public square
or her common (as it was known in the old days) so they will be things
of beauty as well as things of use. Let us dedicate this building to
these new purposes. Let us dedicate it to the glorious history of the
past. Let us dedicate it to the sacrifice that is required in these
present days. Let us dedicate it to the hope of the future. Let us
dedicate it to New England ideals--those ideals that have made
Massachusetts one of the strong States of the Nation; strong enough so
that in Revolutionary days we contributed far in excess of our portion
of men and money to that great struggle; strong enough so that the whole
Nation has looked to Massachusetts in days of stress for comfort and
support.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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