Franklin Delano Roosevelt, popularly known as FDR, was born on January 30, 1882 at the family estate in Hyde Park, New York. His father, James, graduated from Harvard Law School, married, had a son, and took over his family?s rights in coal and transportation. Despite the fact that he lost a good deal of money in financial gambles, he remained wealthy enough to travel by private railroad car, to live comfortably on his Hudson River estate at Hyde Park, and to travel at length. After his first wife died, James waited four years to remarry to Sara Delano, a sixth cousin. She was also a member of the Hudson River aristocracy, and although she was only half of James? 52 years, she settled into their Hyde Park estate quite comfortably. The marriage worked well until it was broken by James? death in 1900.Young Franklin Roosevelt had a secure and pleasant childhood. His half-brother was already an adult when Franklin was born, and so he had no rival for the attention of his parents. During the summer months he would travel with his parents to Europe, to the seaside in New England, or to Campobello Island off the coast of New Brunswick, where he developed a love for the ocean and sailing. Until the age of 14 FDR received his education from private tutors. FDR?s most lasting educational experience was at Groton School in Massachusetts, which he attended from 1896 to 1900. Groton?s headmaster, Reverend Endicott Peabody, instilled the virtue of public service in Franklin, and this would be something that he would carry with him throughout his life. At Groton FDR was not academically outstanding, nor did he gain vast popularity,? Franklin struggled to fit in?but he was only a spindly five feet three inches tall, too slight for football, baseball, or crew, the only sports that really mattered at Groton. Tennis and golf, at which he excelled, were not considered important? (Miller 27). However he was liked enough for someone home-schooled his whole...
