Yale comes down to 3 stories for me. Getting in, going from a totally unprepared freshman to knowing I could take on a world class doctoral education and getting married sophomore year.
Getting in. Went to a mediocre urban high school in Cleveland and had polio the summer after my sophomore year; missed one year in school but worked my way back, had a good senior year especially in football and did lots of stuff for the March of Dimes. I believe the only reason I got into a place like Yale was how I handled polio.
My principal got me to apply to Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Dartmouth. Got admitted to all 4. But my Dad, who owned an ambulance, like owning a cab, had a heart attack in March and I had to work in his place, with no compensation for the next 6 months. That meant no money saved for college. On the day, I think it was May 1, you needed to make a decision, I called local alums to tell them I would be going to what is now Cleveland State. Did so alphabetical. The alums for the first 3 said, “Sorry and good luck.” The Yalie, Sandy Mcafee ’50, said the local alums would lend me $500. I told him I was coming to Yale.
I was totally unprepared. Virtually flunked all the placement stuff and was sporting an average around 60 at the midterms. I made my mind up to get through freshman year, then transfer. First term was bad, but I made the lower dean’s list in the Spring. I was a ranking scholar after that, graduated summa, got a Carnegie Fellowship from Yale and a Woodrow Wilson for Grad School. Even though the econ faculty did not like it that I went to Chicago, I went there and finished an MBA and PhD in 3 years. And for the next 35 years had a wonderful school faculty and deanship career. Have been in corporate boards, government agency boards, a well-paid consultant and author.
Those 3 years, from being a totally unprepared college student to getting ready to graduate from Yale were a total revelation. Look back in total wonder.
My wife of 67 years and I started dating in the 8th grade. When it was clear, late in my sophomore fall, that I would not flunk out, I persuaded the Dean’s office to let me get married during Spring break. It has been great and have had all the best and worst. The first has included 12 grandkids and 8 greats, so far. The latter includes the fact that 2 of our 4 sons have predeceased us. But enough.