Pictures first, words after:
The most often-told story about Truman's childhood is: When he was young, he had a Shetland pony. One day he was riding with his father and he fell off the pony. His father scolded him, saying that if he couldn't ride a pony, he ought to walk. He cried, and walked, all the way home.
As seen in this anecdote, Harry's father tried to teach him to be tough. Harry did learn these lessons and seemed to feel the need to demonstrate to his father how manly he could be, even though he was naturally a bit of a sissy. Harry said that he was more like his mother than his father.
One thing you probably noticed on the pictures above is Harry's glasses. While he was still very young, doctors noticed that he had mis-formed eyeballs. The glasses (which he only got when starting elementary school at age eight, even though he could have used them earlier) meant that Truman rarely played rough sports--he didn't want to break his glasses.
Harry had a brother, Vivian, and a sister, Mary Jane, both younger than him. When Harry was nine, he had diphtheria and was so sick over his tenth birthday that he couldn't walk. The medicine given him was ipecac and whiskey...
As seen in this anecdote, Harry's father tried to teach him to be tough. Harry did learn these lessons and seemed to feel the need to demonstrate to his father how manly he could be, even though he was naturally a bit of a sissy. Harry said that he was more like his mother than his father.
One thing you probably noticed on the pictures above is Harry's glasses. While he was still very young, doctors noticed that he had mis-formed eyeballs. The glasses (which he only got when starting elementary school at age eight, even though he could have used them earlier) meant that Truman rarely played rough sports--he didn't want to break his glasses.
Harry had a brother, Vivian, and a sister, Mary Jane, both younger than him. When Harry was nine, he had diphtheria and was so sick over his tenth birthday that he couldn't walk. The medicine given him was ipecac and whiskey...
Truman loved to read, especially about heroes and famous men and women. He also took piano lessons, first from a neighbor and then from a more well-trained teacher who had studied with Anton Rubinstein and other famous pianists. He practiced for two hours before school everyday, and even thought of becoming a concert pianist.
Truman would later relate that he first met the woman who would be his wife, Bess Wallace, in Sunday school at a very young age, and he loved her from then on. Below is young Bessie...
Truman would later relate that he first met the woman who would be his wife, Bess Wallace, in Sunday school at a very young age, and he loved her from then on. Below is young Bessie...
Bess was in Harry's high school class... here is their graduation photo:
(Harry, fourth from left in back row; Bess, first on right in middle row; Charlie Ross, who would become Truman's White House Press Secretary, bottom left) Wow... a lot of important people graduated from Independence High School in Missouri that year!
Here's an interesting link about Truman's literary analysis in high school (it also mentions his friend, Charlie Ross.) Also, in an essay he wrote in grade school, Truman defined courage as not always offensive, but also defensive. See if this theme stays throughout the story of his life...
That's all the tidbits I have about Truman's youth and education! Next up: the working Truman!
Here's an interesting link about Truman's literary analysis in high school (it also mentions his friend, Charlie Ross.) Also, in an essay he wrote in grade school, Truman defined courage as not always offensive, but also defensive. See if this theme stays throughout the story of his life...
That's all the tidbits I have about Truman's youth and education! Next up: the working Truman!
