Early Years

"Jack got up early one Monday morning as he always did. He made his bed and did his day-to-day chores, such as cleaning his room and feeding the dog.



After breakfast he got on his bike and peddled the five long miles to his school, Franklin and Marshal Academy. He went to his classes, his favorite of which was English because he enjoyed reading, and writing. When the bell rang, he rushed to the pool for swim practice.



After school was all finished, he would journey home but make an important stop on the way, a stop he took every day during the war. On the way home, he would stop at the family’s two victory gardens, to tend the growing of the family’s food.






That day he got of his bike, and walked to one end of the gardens to where there was a waterspout and a watering can. He lifted the watering can and placed it under the spout of the faucet, and pumped. He took a little sack out of his pocket and poured out some of the contents into the watering can. He strolled through the rows and rows of ripened fruits and vegetables while giving each its fill of water and nutrients.








That day same as every other Jack rode the rest of the way home with a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment, knowing that he was doing something that was helping his family, and the country."
Polly's 2004 Biography of Bapa