June 10, 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

‘I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it’

December 28, 2022

December 28, 2022

Girl Scout Emily Elsbernd knew what she wanted to learn while working on her Gold Award. “I knew all along...

Closing address by Garren Meeker

May 19, 2021

May 19, 2021

I would like to thank everyone for coming to the graduating ceremony of the class of 2021. Whether that be...

Voters approve referendum

June 30, 2022

June 30, 2022

Superintendent Todd Pence is thankful. Thankful that a referendum asking voters to approve their tax rate by .22 percent passed....

Senior Spotlight: Taylor Barnes

June 7, 2019

June 7, 2019

Every week we are going to do a Q and A with an SJO senior. This week we talked to...

Prairieview-Ogden First Quarter Honor Roll

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

7th Grade Highest Honors: (3.7-4.0) Tyler Bonny Casen Goff Gaby Gomez Royce Loschen Lane McKinney Airin Rash Korinne Travis Evelyn Valentine...

Senior Spotlight… Max Chatterton

January 17, 2020

January 17, 2020

What are your post high school plans?After high school, I am planning on enrolling at Parkland College and will be...

10 things you don’t know about me… Gary Page

June 4, 2020

June 4, 2020

1. What is your favorite childhood memory? At the risk  of being boo’d out of town – I will never...

A familiar face joins Longview Bank

November 22, 2021

November 22, 2021

Sara Bryan has always had a passion for helping people. That passion was instilled in her by her father who...

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...

10 things you don’t know about me… Alex Neubauer

June 27, 2019

June 27, 2019

Every week we ask residents to tell us 10 interesting facts about themselves. This week we talked to Alex Neubauer...

Get to know Lindsay Rubach

March 25, 2025

March 25, 2025

Lindsay is running for the St. Joseph Grade School Board. What motivated you to run for school board?As an Educator...

SJO Fourth Quarter High Honor Roll

July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

FRESHMANAmes, TrevorBarrowman, KylieBarrowman, LexieBeyers, KaitlynBird, EmilyBlackburn-Kelley, TimBonny, AidenBrooks, AddisonBytnar, SaraCampbell, ShelbyCarlson, JacobCarlson, WilliamChaudhary, RudraChilders, AdelynEricksen, KatieEvans, CallieGetty, AbigailGetty, CamdenHaley, WilliamHarper,...

Ceremony to honor Edwards scheduled for Thursday

December 9, 2020

December 9, 2020

A Gift of Hope Flag raising ceremony will be held on Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. at the St, Joseph-Ogden...

U of I names December 2020 graduates

May 14, 2021

May 14, 2021

The University of Illinois has released their list of 2020 December graduates.These area students graduated in December. ST. JOSEPHLauren GhernaKohlten...

Comments
Leave a Reply