The first competitive exam I took was to get into high school. This was for Brooklyn technical high school, a public school, but you still had to take an exam to get in. I spent four years there and then I went out into the navy.

I had one younger brother. He was younger buy three and a half years at one time, and four years at another time, depending on when our birthdays fell. I was bigger than he was, though. He was only about 5 feet- 8-inches tall so my arms were longer than his. I got all the food before he did. He had a very successful career but died in 2002.

As I was coming out of the navy, he was going into the Marine Corps. He did four years in the Marine Corps, came out, and stayed in the reserves. He no sooner got out then in June of 51, the Korean War started, and he was right back in it.

He was a communications sergeant at that time. He went to the University of West Virginia and was awarded the “Woodsman’s Axe” award for the best all-around student and athlete. He was a great guy and I miss him. I am now the only living McGovern.

I was a child of the depression. When I was on the ship in the navy there would be card games every once in awhile. But I just couldn’t see spending money on that. But if we played pinochle to see who had to make the coffee, I was right in there.

When I got out of the navy I went to saint Lawrence University. I got a BS in physics and math. I got married in January of 49. Then I went on to Renesslaer Polytechnic Institute where I got a bachelor of civil engineering degree.

After working for a while I decided I needed more education. My fifth child was born on the day I started at Harvard business school. I got my MBA in 1962. From that point on I did a fair amount of adjunct teaching in the evenings. I ended up getting a doctoral degree in business administration from Golden Gate University in 1985.