Boston, Mass – Lots to see at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library. I have been there many times, but I always learn something new. Exhibits address nearly every aspect of the JFK presidency, including an excellent overview of the 1960 Presidential Campaign. (Kennedy and Nixon were so polite to each other during the debates!) On a recent visit, however, I was intrigued (and uplifted) by the exhibit on “Young Jack,” aka the teenage years.
The young JFK went to a fancy prep school and on to Harvard, but apparently he was not a great student (?) I guess his father pulled some strings for him. Nonetheless, I appreciated seeing the critical comments from teachers and the kid’s repentant letter to Joe Sr. It rings all too familiar… I’m taking my lead from papa Joe here: “I will not be disappointed if you don’t turn out to be a true genius, but I think you can be a really worthwhile citizen with good judgment and understanding.” I too believe in my delinquent student!
When JFK was 20, he spent the summer gallivanting across Europe with his best friend Lem. From Lem’s scrapbook, this fantastic photo shows young Jack scaling the wall of Carcassonne Castle in southern France. This is somewhat reminiscent of my other twin-ager, who likes to sneak in and explore abandoned buildings around Boston. I won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t become president, but let’s hope his adventurous and mischievous spirit serves him well.
