Post War

After being released, I went back to work for Louis Horn in the grocery for a big bump in pay, $40 per week and only a 48-hour work week.  I worked there for another three years.  During that time I met Cecilia at a dance in Beltrees Hall and got married on June 5, 1946.  Pat was born in January 1948.  With a growing family, I needed better employment.  In 1944, Congress narrowly passed the GI bill.  Prior to WWII, only the rich could afford college.  Now I could go too.

Even though my mother always insisted we get an education, she thought I had flipped when I quit what she thought was a good job, to go to school (while married with two kids).

I had heard about the American Television Institute in Chicago.  When I found out that Laverne Bregenzer was attending, I was convinced it was for me.  Besides it matched well with my radar training in the Army Air Corp.  In the fall of 1948, I enrolled at the school.  The main campus was located at 5050 N. Broadway but there was also a building and lab downtown.  Initially, my intention was one year to become a technician.  Once there I was impressed and stayed to obtain a Bachelor of Science.  I initially lived at 3235 Belle Plaine on the north side of Chicago.  Later I found a basement apartment at 2016 S. Allport, south of downtown, where Cecilia, Pat and Jeannie joined me in June 1949 until my graduation in 1951.  While going to school I also worked part-time at the publisher Who’s Who in America.

After graduation I interviewed with McDonnell Aircraft and went to work there in July.  I found out later, that since I graduated from an un-accredited school, I had to be approved by J.S. McDonnell himself to be hired as an engineer.