THE EARLY YEARS

Like most people, grammar school had a dramatic influence on my life. It’s your first exposure to new ideas and different types of people. Your teachers set an example for behavior. They provide the guidance and motivation to learn. Your classmates become your friends and some not your friends. As in life you tend to be drawn to certain people and others you keep at a distance. Grammar school becomes your first experience at joining a social community.

In those formative years you learn to get along, to work and play as a team, you follow schedules, learn diversity, competition, follow instructions and gain the academic tools that will prepare you for the experience of life. Quickly you learn new routines and ways to do things. You look to upper classmen for examples and the modeling of your own behavior. Some become role models and you follow their lead in seeking your own niche in school. Pat Coffey and Tom Nievens were excellent students. They were role models who rose to be outstanding students and Mayor of their respective classes. They not only set the example in grammar school but went on to become leaders in high school and college. Pat went on to Schurz and later played Guard on the Michigan State basketball team. Tom played quarterback for Tuley and became a professor of theatre at a small college in Wisconsin.

It was this example that led me to study and seek excellence. It was the basis to excel and compete. I not only wanted all A’s but wanted to be a leader. I worked to be on the Honor Roll, School Judge, Lawyer and a member of the School Council. I became Patrol Captain and Mayor of the 8th grade class. At graduation I starred in the class play. My personality was forming as well as my temperament. I wanted to succeed and to be a leader. I do not believe it was out of arrogance or that I was better than anyone else, but a need to fulfill goals, and ambitions.

Looking back at the quality of public education in the 1940’s I would say it was poor. I liked and respected my teachers, but the curriculum didn’t push excellence and diversity. There was practically no science, and math was limited to the basics. We needed more word problems and a better understanding of what was to come in algebra and geometry. We needed a better explanation as to” why”. English needed to focus more on assigned readings and understanding story lines. We should have had more written assignments to learn to write and express ourselves. The ability to reason and think would have been helpful. These were weaknesses that I had to overcome as I pursued my education.

There were memorable moments to remember such as the many celebrations and performances held in the assembly hall, which doubled as the gym... I remember the cold wintry days on school patrol and the rewards of hot cocoa. The washing of the white patrol belts for Monday inspection. The 8th grade Friday socials which provided the opportunity to learn ballroom and square dancing. In gym we played dodge ball, kick baseball, or played softball or touch football in the spring and Fall When the teacher left the classroom, spitballs and paper planes went flying. After 8 years, it was June 1952 and graduation day arrived. The time had come to leave Wicker Park and move on to Sabin, the freshman Branch for Tuley High School.

Sabin was for freshman and was located on Leavitt Street, a short distance from Hirsch Street and a short walk from 2143 W. Evergreen. It was a place to adjust to high school and gain confidence. For the fellows the major classes were shop and mechanical drawing. Mr., Hitney taught shop where I had the opportunity to make a hammer, soldering iron and sheet metal scooper. In mechanical drawing Mr. Guarino taught us how to read blue prints and the finer points of drawing different things to scale. We were introduced to algebra and geometry. Mrs. King introduced us to English literature and Mr. Jane Polish. At Tuley we had the option to take Gym or ROTC. I chose ROTC. This was to become my guiding force throughout high school.

After the first year at Sabin we went on to the main campus at 1313 N. Claremont. At that time Tuley had many outstanding programs and students. The seniors presented class night, theatrical productions, and were active in a variety of social activities. The Friday night dances were big and the seniors seemed so grown up in presenting a good example to underclassmen. The Tuley football team was outmatched by its opponents and badly beaten throughout the year. They were no match for Austin, a formidable powerhouse in the 40’s and 50’s. By my 2nd or 3rd year the sports programs were reorganized into more equal standings. Tuley went to the Blue Division and by senior year were division champs. Basketball and baseball were also big. Tuley always seemed to do well in baseball. The turnaround in the sports program was a tribute to coaches Tortorelli and Dobrath. In my sophomore year I tried out for basketball. After a few practices, I didn’t feel it was for me, and decided to concentrate on ROTC. In retrospect I feel that I should have been more patient and tried harder. The lesson learned was, don’t give up, give things a chance and work at whatever you undertake, don’t quit...

ROTC was to become my prime interest and challenge. I also focused and worked hard on my academics. I didn’t take the hardest classes; I avoided the sciences and math and focused on business related classes. Maybe I was scared of the material or never found an interest in math or science. Maybe it related back to grammar school and its failure to promote the needed interest in math and the sciences. In many ways I wasn’t properly preparing myself for college and the tools needed to succeed in a more advanced and challenging environment.

I took to ROTC and quickly moved up within the ranks. As in the military you were promoted:, private, corporal, sergeant etc. Sergeant Levi Kangas took a liking to my performance and started to mentor and promote me to become a leader. He believed I had what it would take to go to West Point. When Sergeant Kangas left, Sergeant Lewis France became my mentor. Sergeant France became a friend and encouraged a military career. By the time I completed my sophomore year I had become an officer and by the time I was a Junior I was to become Battalion Commander. This was a big achievement. I commanded 180 to 200 cadets. During my command Tuley was successful in winning District Rifle and Drill Competitions. I can recall winning District Drill Competition at the Madison Street Armory and losing to Lane Tech for the City Championship at the Kedzie Avenue Armory. I worked hard to build a good unit and was disappointed that we did not fare better during the annual spring inspection. Each spring all City ROTC Units were inspected and rated. We would go to Humboldt Park, for several days, and practice drill and ceremonies. It would culminate in the naming of the top ranked ROTC Units, in the city, prior to the Cadet Day Parade. The Cadet Day Parade celebrated the end of the ROTC year with all ROTC Units marching down Michigan Avenue... Prior to the annual inspection Sergeant France was transferred to Lake View High School and Sergeant Dolan took over. The lose of Sergeant France was the worse thing that could have happened. In my mind it cost us the city championship. We just didn’t have the experience and knowledge to win. We did well but failed in the close order squad drill exercise. This was a disappointment and something you have to learn to accept. Again we lost to Lane Tech. During my senior year I tried out for City Staff, competing to become the top Colonel in the City ROTC program. My own evaluation was, that I was socially weak to compete and win this public relations type of position. I was a strong determined leader with a temper for perfection. I did not like to lose. I wanted to win. My High School ROTC experiences would eventually lay the ground work for my future career path into the military.

Senior year was the culmination of four years of hard work and study. I finished number 3 in a class of approximately 180 students. I was constantly on the honor roll receiving scholastic pins throughout my four years. I was awarded a number of ROTC Medals for efficiency as well as from the Tribune and Veterans of Foreign Wars. I ran for class president and lost. This was to prove that I was not destined to become a politician. I did receive a school letter for student activities, being a tour guide, and a member of the Tuley Review Newspaper. During the senior year I received an appointment to the Air Force Academy from 32nd Ward Alderman Joseph Rostenkowski. I wanted to go to West Point but there were no available appointments. I did not feel comfortable competing for the Air Force Academy and skipped the opportunity to take the entrance exam at Chanute Air force Base. Instead I received a $500 Mayor Daley Youth Foundation Scholarship to attend DePaul University. At that time $500 was enough to pay for one year’s tuition.

As a junior/senior there were many social activities that I was able to participate in. One memorable event was the 1955 Howard Miller Youth Rally at the Amphitheatre. Howard Miller was a top disc jokey at WIND Radio and packed the house, ROTC Cadets from a number of city schools acted as ushers. The event featured Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Kingston Trio and most of the top pop artist of the day. In January 1956 I was selected to represent Tuley at a Friday Executive Club Luncheon, it was held at the Merchandise Mart. The guest speaker was Duffy Daugherty, coach of the Michigan State Spartans, who had just participated in the Rose Ball. This was uncomfortable because I went in my ROTC Uniform and was out of place. One of my memorable moments was working with Ms. Paul, the Speech Teacher. I have always had problems with “th’s”,she would have me biting my tongue , teaching me to properly say “with” and ”the” .We had a Veterans Day Performance in which I had a role and her persistence made me good enough to earn a commendation from a school district representative. Leading the ROTC Unit to the beat of the Tuley Drum and Bugle Corp was always a thrill. Prom time was another big event. This was a difficult time because I wasn’t a ladies man and had to find the courage to ask a girl to go to the prom .Prior to the prom I had never gone on a date. This problem of finding a date would plague me throughout college and until I would marry. I guess I was socially shy and my excuse was that I didn’t have the time or interest in girls. School and ambitions were my priority. Finally I asked a girl, a junior, in one of my classes and she said yes. The Prom was held at the Illinois Athletic Club and I doubled with an ROTC friend Donald Ahrstrom. Graduation was on a Thursday Evening in June. .My mother and father attended to see me receive my diploma.