t the age of
eighteen.

One September morning, the next fall, Calvin's father hitched up the
old, bay mare and drove his son to Ludlow where the boy took the train
for Amherst College. At that time, the college had an enrollment of
only about four hundred students.

While in college, young Coolidge lived very modestly, paying only
$2.50 a week for room and board. His nickname in college was "Cooley."
We were able to learn very little about his college days. From one of
his professors, we learned that he never took part in athletic
sports, never danced, and attended but few of the social functions of
the school. We were able, however, to find the following in the
_Amherst Olio_, the school paper:

"The class in Greek was going on,
"Old Ty" a lecture read,
And in the row in front there shown
Fair 'Cooley's' golden head.

"His pate was bent upon the seat
In front of him: his hair
Old Tyler's feeble gaze did meet,
With fierce and ruddy glare.

"O'ercome by mystic sense of dread
"Old Ty" his talk did lull,--
'Coolidge, I wish you'd raise your head,
I can't talk through your skull.'"

While in college, his favorite studies were debating, philosophy,
history and the political sciences. His greatest achievement came when
he was a Senior. The Sons of the American Revolution had offered a
prize for the best essay on "The Principles of the American
Revolution." The contest was open to all college students of America.
Coolidge won first place.

After graduating from college, young Coolidge returned to the farm and
worked all summer. That fall he went to Northampton, a mill town in
Massachusetts, where he entered the law office of Hammond & Field.
Here, under the guidance of two able lawyers, he studied so hard that
within less than two years he was admitted to the Bar. As soon as he
became a full-fledged lawyer, he organized the law firm of Coolidge &
Hemenway.

From this point his advancement was steady and rapid. There were no
jumps in his career. In 1900, we see him City Solicitor; in 1904,
Clerk of Courts; in 1907-1908, a member of the State Legislature; and
in 1910, Mayor of Northampton. In 1912, he was elected a member of the
State Senate, and in 1914 was chosen President of the Senate. In
1916-1917-1918, he was Lieutenant