March 12, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

“It couldn’t be done” read by Erica Guelfi

It Couldn’t Be Done
BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
      But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
      On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
      At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
      Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
      There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
      The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
      Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
      That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Watch the SJO graduation ceremony here.

Banner
Related Posts

Get to know Scott Perkins

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Scott is running for the St. Joseph Grade School Board. What motivated you to run for school board? I’ve been...

Kids Say….What does farmer do?

January 6, 2020

January 6, 2020

We asked students from St. Joseph Grade School what they think a farmer does each day. Here are their answers....

St. Joseph Middle School 8th grade honor rolls

January 19, 2022

January 19, 2022

ST. JOSEPH MIDDLE SCHOOL —  2nd Quarter, 2021 8th Grade High Honor Roll Ames, Trevor Barrowman, Kylie Barrowman, Lexie Beyers,...

10 things about me….. Dana Rowland

April 3, 2019

April 3, 2019

You may know Dana Rowland as the co-chair of the SJO Post Prom Cash Bash but now you can get...

St. Joseph Middle School 6th Grade High Honor Roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Jovie Anderson Adalyn Bacon June Barnhart Elijah Bronowski Ethan Burnett Bowen Crackel Kolton Cruz Cameron Daly...

Senior Spotlight… Hannah Rajlich

June 18, 2019

June 18, 2019

Every week we ask an SJO senior five questions. This week we talked to Hannah Rajlich. This post is sponsored...

Daily Exercise Recommendations

April 16, 2021

April 16, 2021

By: Christie Clinic Department of Family Medicine We all know physical activity is good for our overall health, but many...

10 things you don’t know about me… Abbie Layden-Rogiers

June 17, 2019

June 17, 2019

Each week we ask a community member to tell us 10 things about themselves. This week is Abbie Layden-Rogiers, owner...

10 things you don’t know about me… Amy Gibbons

December 18, 2019

December 18, 2019

How did you come up with the name for your salon? 192 is actually the St. Joseph exit number. I...

Homeward Bound: Piper’s incredible adventure comes to an end

September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020

Piper, the most famous Labrador in St. Joseph, is finally back home. The dog spent seven days exploring St. Joseph...

10 things you don’t know about me… Jeff Isenhower

October 31, 2019

October 31, 2019

Every week we talk to an area resident and ask them to give us 10 interesting facts about themselves. This...

Senior Spotlight… Anna Wentzloff

January 27, 2020

January 27, 2020

What are your plans after graduation?My plan after graduation is to attend college to become a Child Life Specialist concentrating...

SJO announces academic letter winners

May 17, 2021

May 17, 2021

Academic Letter Winners for the 2019-2020 Academic Year Class of 2020 (Graduates)Lindsey Aden Jenna Albrecht Michara AllenMallory Ames Kendall Ayers...

10 Things You Don’t Know about me… Casey Phillips

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Casey Phillips is active in the St. Joseph Women’s Club, a mom to two girls, a dental assistant and helps...

Scholarship honors, remembers Dick Duval: ‘His legend will live on in St. Joe’

October 5, 2021

October 5, 2021

If you want to know who Dick Duval truly was, all you have to do is ask St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent...

Comments
Leave a Reply