A Briefing on My Childhood and Home

I was the sixth one of the ten surviving siblings in my family. I was born into two very respectable New England families. Both my father, Richard Hale, and my mother, Elizabeth Strong, were puritans and very religious. My father was a deacon of the church and was considered the pillar of the community.
In my early years, I was marred in sickness but soon turned out to be a strong, healthy, quick-minded child. My mother and Grandmother both encouraged my education. I was tutored by the minister and was soon influenced by his love of learning.
When I was 14, my brother, Enoch and I were sent to learn at Yale University. During my college years, I was exposed to education in religion and all the classics. The main goal of the education was to prepare us for a job in the ministry, however most took jobs in law and business. After graduating college, like most young graduates, I took a job in teaching school.