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MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
' Pardoned raccoon became Presidential favorite
or quite some , Although this might
time now, turkeys seem to be the end of the
have graced the story, such was not the case.
\Nhite House It seems that President
Thanksgng Coolidge and his family
table. However, in 1926, were extremely fond of ani—
President Calvin Coolidge mals. During his six years
almost became the first in the White House the
American president to Coolidge
serve raccoon at the . family was{
White House Thanks- accom- v
giving dinner. panied by
This bizarre story a host of
has its roots in rural pets.
Mississippi. It seems Coolidge
an ardent Coolidge wrote, ‘ We
supporter named always had
Vinnie once shipped more dogs
a live raccoon from . than we
his hometown of Nitta TERRY w. JOHNSON could take
Yuma to the White care of.” In
House in hopes our addition,
30th President would many people presented
dine on the animal at his Coolidge with animals. As
Thanksgiving dinner. Upon a result the White House
the animal’s arrival in and its grounds became a
Washington Coolidge gave haven for cats, dogs, a black
the raccoon what amount— bean Canaries, an African"
ed amounted to aPresi- pygmy hippopotamus and
dential Pardon when he even two lion cubs. Being a
declined the opportunity to fiscal conservative Presi-
have raccoon served as the dent Coolidge named the
entree at Thanksgiving din- lions “Budget Bureau” and
ner at the White House. “Tax Reduction? In fact,
surprisingly, in spite of the President befriended
his rural Vermont upbring- 80 many animals the White
ing, the President stated House and grounds were
that he had never tasted POPUJarlY known as the
raccoon meat. The Press Pennsylvania Avenue Z00.
Corps covering theevent Wlth 50 many different
reported that when the ammals runnmg and flylng
President was queried as about the President’s official
to whether or not raccoon residence, it should not be a
was edible, he commented, surprise to learn the fatnflY
“...it might be for some adopted the raCCOOD that
people, but not him? literally had its neck on the
eReiiorter
November 27, 2019
chopping block. and forRebecca was clearly
Much to the dismay of demonstrated by the fact
the White House staff, that in the summer of 1927
the Coolidges moved the they took the raccoon, five
furry creature into the canaries and two collies
White House. In spite of with them on a three—
its propensity for shred— month vacation to South
. ding clothes and damaging Dakota.
furniture, and even report- A year later Rebecca
edly biting the President, had a new companion--a
the raccoon soon became raccoon Coolidge named
a family favorite. How- Reuben. As it turned out,
ever, after the wild animal Rebeccaldid not take too
proved adept at escaping kindly to Reuben. Per-
from cages and harnesses, haps as a result of having
it became clear it would another raccoon suddenly
be best if the raccoon took thrust into her world, Re-
up residence on the White becca soon began making
House grounds. To this forays away from the White
end, President Coolidge House grounds. Fearing for
had a special raccoon Rebecca’s safety, the First
abode built and placed in Family eventually donated
a tree outside his oflice their masked friend to the
window. national zoo.
By Christmas the fam- Who would have ever
ily was so enamored with thought a raccoon from
the raccoon they named rural Mississippi sent to the
it Rebecca. Rebecca was White House to be featured
even presented with her at a White House Thanks-
ve own Christmas ift--a , I ivin dinner would end
cola demonic unite: is:into;?.::g"1i;:i‘f32:£:: 5:52:25“
ipviwnmgfnendmm
on Wthh was engraved: pet. (Photo courtesy of U. '5. Fish Wildlife
Service) the fOI'ks that were sup:
“Rebecca Raccoon of the posed to eat her? Only in
White House.” out of the White House as it Although the raccoon was '
America!
President Coolidge was . was being renovated. Soon at ease around the
Coolidge
particularly smitten with after moving into the First family, She did not
do Terry Johnson is retired
Rebecca. He would often Family’s temporary home well When surrounded
Program Manager'of the
take the raccoon on walks the President 80 missed by thousands Ofloud,
Georgia Nongame-Erldan—
about the White House Rebecca he personally went energetic children. After
gered Wildlife Program. He
grounds. The raccoon to the White House and Rebecca scratched a few of has
written the informative
would even curl up in his brought her back to their the youngsters and even
the column Monroe Outdoors’
lap as he sat in front of current residence. First Lady, the raccoon was
for the Reporter for many
a fire blazing in a White In 1927 Rebecca made an promptly exiled to the
First years, His book, journey
House fireplace. appearance at the annual Family’s quarters. to
Discovery,” is available at
In 1927 the Coolidge Easter Egg R011 staged on The Coolidge family’s The
Reporter. Email him at
family was forced to move the White House lawn. deep affection for their
pets tjwoodduck@bellsouth. net.
Herring has career
day against Auburn
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Mary' Persons alum and University of Georgia standout
Malik Herring has firmly secured a starting position at
defensive end. Herring had a career-high tour solo tackles,
including one for loss, along with one pass breakup and
one quarterback hurry in the No. 4-ranked Dawgs‘ 21 -14
road win at Auburn on Nov. 16. Seth Emerson, who covers
UGA football for The Athletic, said of the iunior: nMolik
Herring has emerged as difference-maker as an end. On
consecutive plays in the second quarter, he chased (Au-
burn quarterback Bo) Nix out of bounds, and then batted
down Nix pass. How do you sit that guy for many snaps,
as alluring Cl talent as (Travon) Walker is?" (Photo/Donn
Rodenroth)
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Wachtel places second
against top state runners
Mary Persons iunior cross country star Justin Wach-
tel finished runner-up when he faced off with many
of the top boys runners in the state at the Georgia
High School Meet of Champions at Heritage Christian
Church in Fayetteville on Saturday. Wachtel posted
time of 15 minutes, seconds, finishing less than two
seconds behind first-place John Higginbotham, who
recorded a winning time of 15 minutes, 6 seconds.
Wachtel's second place time was more than five seconds
faster than that of the third-place finisher Devin Wade,
who posted a time of 15 minutes, 13 seconds. A total
of 172 boys runners competed in the race. The second-
place finish came two weeks after Wachtel became the
first Bulldog cross country runner in history to capture
an individual state title. (File photo)
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