Little Known First Ladies: Grace Coolidge Quiz

Answer: Vermont

Grace Coolidge was born Grace Goodhue in Burlington, Vermont on January 3, 1879. Despite both her and Calvin being commonly associated with Vermont, her husband spent much of his political career in Massachusetts, although both are buried in Vermont.

Her father Andrew was a deacon and steamboat engineer and her mother Lemira was a housewife. Grace was an only child and her parented doted on her constantly. Her ancestry can be traced to the pilgrims who arrived in Plymouth Colony on the Mayflower.

Answer: First First Lady to achieve a four-year college degree

Grace Goodhue attended the University of Vermont in 1898 and earned a four-year degree there. While attending the university, Grace was a very popular student. She founded the University of Vermont's chapter of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for women (sororities were called fraternities at the time), starred as the leading lady in several Shakespearean productions and was elected class president. Grace was an exceptional student and was well known for her public speaking abilities.

Her father encouraged her education but her mother preferred she pursue more domestic endeavors.

Answer: Deaf students

A friend of Grace's had been a teacher for the deaf and this inspired Grace to take up a similar career path. She took a teaching position at the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, Massachusetts and learned to lip read to assist the students there. During her time as First Lady and afterwards, Grace continued to be active in charities and schools for the deaf even though she no longer taught.

Answer: Grace's mother

Grace's mother did not approve of Calvin. Grace was a social butterfly with an entertaining personality while Calvin was considered dull and uninteresting. Grace's mother accused her future son-in-law of wanting to marry Grace to advance his law and political career because he was too boring to make good impressions at social events. Calvin and his mother-in-law argued constantly until she died in 1929. The two hated each other and Calvin once claimed his mother-in-law didn't even vote for him when he ran for re-election in 1924.

Calvin also had minor issues with his father-in-law. Andrew Goodhue was active in Democratic politics in Vermont while Calvin was a Republican from Massachusetts. Mr. Goodhue died shortly before Calvin ascended to the presidency but the two never had the severe issues as Calvin had with his mother-in-law.

Answer: They hardly saw each other

When Calvin was first elected to the state legislature in 1907, Grace stayed in Northampton to raise their sons. Calvin lived in Boston and spent very little time with the family in Northampton. Grace was left to raise the children alone. The Coolidges had very little money during this time and Grace had to use her domestic skills to get by.

She often made her sons' clothes and toys herself. Grace seldom appeared at public events with her husband until he was elected Governor in 1919 and Grace was thrust into the spotlight.

Answer: True

As Second Lady of the United States, Grace Coolidge hosted many social events and was quite popular with the public and politicians alike, especially when compared to the First Lady Florence Harding. Grace held social events for the wives of senators from both parties and forged excellent relationships with them. During the Teapot Dome Scandal that rocked the Harding Administration, Grace served as a confidant to the wives whose husbands were involved.

Rumors persisted that Grace and Mrs. Harding hated each other. There is no evidence to suggest they did or did not get along. It is known that Mrs. Harding hated Calvin Coolidge. After President Harding died in 1923, Grace let Mrs. Harding continue to live in the White House but the widowed First Lady declined.

Answer: She was in mourning

In the summer of 1924, the Coolidges' teenage son Calvin Jr. died from blood poisoning. It is speculated that he caught an infection from playing tennis with his brother barefoot, causing a blister to form and get infected. It was a popular rumor at the time that Calvin Jr. died when a cut on his foot became infected with black dye from his socks, although this is entirely false.

Grace, in mourning, made very few campaign appearances and mainly encouraged women to vote in the second election they were eligible to do so. Calvin suffered from depression as a result of losing his son and also cut back his public appearances.

Answer: Raccoons

Grace adopted Rebecca the Raccoon in 1926. Rebecca was intended to be killed and served at the White House Thanksgiving Dinner that year but was rescued when Grace fell for her. Reuben came along later as a male companion for Rebecca. Rebecca was loyal and enjoyed playing with children at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Rebecca was also known to be mischievous and steal and hide things around the White House including lightbulbs and food.

She ate eggs almost everyday and traveled with Grace wherever she went. Reuben was more rambunctious and liked to escape but was usually captured and returned quickly. Reuben disappeared for good toward the end of the president's term.

After leaving the White House, Grace donated Rebecca to the National Zoo.

Answer: Charles Lindbergh

The most famous party thrown by Grace during her tenure as First Lady was when she hosted Charles Lindbergh in June 1927 after he received the first Distinguished Flying Cross medal. It was considered one of the most lavish parties thrown by a First Lady at the time. Lindbergh famously offered to fly Grace around Washington in his airplane but the president refused to let her go saying it was an unnecessary spectacle.

Another famous event held by Grace was when she met with Helen Keller. Keller was deaf and blind and worked closely with Mrs. Coolidge who had previously worked with the deaf as a teacher.

Answer: She aided Jewish refugee children

By World War II, Grace was a widow. She became a vocal supporter of FDR's foreign policies, something that isolated her away from her old Republican friends. Grace was most active in aiding Jewish children in Germany and the Netherlands get to America and start a life in their new country.

She was also active in training nurses in Northampton. Grace was very active and supportive of launching the United Nations and became a key surrogate for that cause. She made many public appearances on the matter and urged the public to support it.