It was good fortune to be a child during the Depression years and a youth during the war years.

Whatever the course, whether the course was boring or interesting to me, whether I was talented in mathematics or not talented in languages, my parents expected A's.

There were two free public libraries within walking distance of my home; I remember taking six books home from every visit, the limit set by the library.

My parents were determined to move into the middle class.

About 1900 my parents came to the United States as children from what was then the Polish area of Russia.

Going to school and working for good marks, indeed working for very good marks, was a serious business.

A parent being called to the school because their child had misbehaved was as serious as a parent being called to the police station because their child had robbed a bank.