William Taft: The Largely Forgotten President
William Taft: The Largely Forgotten President
While widely known for his sizable girth of 300 pounds, and haunted by anecdotes of becoming stuck in the bathtub, William Howard Taft was a serious public servant, an effective President, and an important Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Retired teacher Gordon Williams will look at both the anecdotes and the legacy of President Taft in a presentation hosted by Newtown Historical Society on Monday, February 7, at 7:30 pm. The presentation will be in the community room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street.
The program is being offered one week earlier than usual this month to accommodate Valentineâs Day the following Monday.
In 1908 Taft was the hand-picked successor to President Theodore Roosevelt, and won election easily. His four years were marked by actively pursuing Rooseveltâs trust-busting efforts, but also by a lack of tact and political savvy, which led him to make many enemies.
Although he had never wanted to be President, Taft was able to outmaneuver both Roosevelt and progressive Senator Robert LaFollette to secure his renomination. The ensuing campaign saw Roosevelt run as a third-party candidate with much Republican backing, and Taft went down to the then-worst defeat in Presidential history, taking only the states of Vermont and Utah.
Finally, in 1921, Warren Harding appointed Taft to the position he had always coveted: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in which place he served admirably, making many needed reforms in the courtâs operations, until shortly before his death in 1930.  Â
Gordon Williams is a historian and former teacher well known to groups in Newtown. He was Trumbullâs Teacher of the Year, a Fulbright Scholar and exchange teacher, and still loves to spin a historic tale. He is a former president for the historical society.
Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation. Reservations are not necessary, but additional information is available by leaving a message at 203-426-5937.