2.SchoolDays
Leewas11yearsoldbeforeherealizedhewasItalian.Beingexposedtobigotryasakidleftitsmark,andeventodaystillleavesabadtasteinLee'smouth.Prejudicewasnotlimitedjusttoschool,butinvadedeveryareaofLee'slife.
Themostimportantthinghelearnedinschoolwashowtocommunicate.Helearnthowtowriteclearly,speakinpublicandhowtoincreasehisvocabulary.Joiningthedebatingteamwasagreatmove,asittaughthowtoexpressideaswellandhowtothinkonyourfeet.
Whilerecoveringfromaboutofrheumaticfever,Leestartedreadingbooks.Thissoonbecameapassionforreadingeverythinghecouldgethishandson.Thishadagoodeffectonschoolgradesandhegraduatednearthetopofallhishigh＆nbsp；schoolclasses.Extracurricularactivitiesincludedbigbandmusic,dramaclub,debatingteams,Latinclub,baseball,politicsandplyingthetenorsax.
LeewasinthemiddleofhisseniorhighschoolyearwhenJapanattackedPearlHarbor.Hecouldn'twaittojoinupbuthewasclassifiedasmedicallydeferredduetohisboutofRheumaticfever.Mostofhisclassmateswerecalledup,however,andmanyofthemdied.Leefeltdisgracedandasecond-classcitizen.Heburiedhisheadinhisbooks.
LeedecidedtogointoengineeringandafterbeingturneddownbyPurdueUniversity,hewenttoLehighUniversityinBethlehem,Pennsylvania（abouthalfanhour'sdrivefromhisfamilyhomeAllentown）。