My parents' names were Florian and Mabel Smith. My mother's maiden name was Dersam. They were of German heritage and were part of a family community with my grandparents and uncles and relatives. I was an only child.

There were neighbors that I played with and did all the things that children do. I did mow the lawn. I did help with various things that needed to be done to occupy my time.

I was always busy doing something, being an only child.

I was engaged in all the required courses of math and geometry, but the area that I blossomed in was the art program.

When knowledge is scant or conflicting, folklore takes over.

Fortunately, I had cousins who lived in Buffalo and would often go to visit them, which I loved to do because I liked Buffalo as it was a big city. Even today, the bigger the city, the better.

Charles Burchfield was exceptional. As such an accomplished artist, he had limited previous association with academia and teaching.