Calvin Coolidge writing his father from Washington, DC: May 10, 1921.

About two months into his vice presidency, Coolidge tells his father, “You have no idea how my time is taken up.” As vice president, Coolidge presided over the Senate and was the first in the job to regularly attend Cabinet meetings. He was also a “social butterfly,” as Grace described him in a letter to Frank Stearns. Coolidge was more frank about the social part of the job, saying in his Autobiography that “very much is said and written concerning the amount of dining out that the Vice-President does. As the President is not available for social dinners of course the next officer in rank is much sought after for such occasions.”

Coolidge comments in this letter on their dog, possibly “Nip/Judy the First”, who had to be put down due to a “nervous condition.” He also comments that he was thinking of his father “these May days,” most likely as May 6th was the wedding anniversary of Coolidge’s parents.

Coolidge ends by commenting on Grace being home in Northampton. She arrived on May 7 for a twelve day stay to check up on the boys. The Daily Hampshire Gazette said she “declined all invitations to receptions and parties here.”