At age 16, after attending public school, Thomas was sent to the prep school Adams Academy in Quincy, Massachusetts. A year later, though, his sister Florence died from an illness and Thomas became sick, too. To aid his recovery, his parents sent him on a six-month world tour. During this tour, he wrote home frequently and his mother had his voluminous and engaging letters bound in four volumes. He then returned to Adams Academy to finish out a four-year stint, during which time he became a proficient pianist, discovered the manly sport of football, and passed enough of his exams to get accepted at Harvard College in 1880.
As a college student, Thomas stood out because he was regarded as a good fellow although something of a “prig” (Chamberlain,
As a college student, Thomas stood out because he was regarded as a good fellow although something of a “prig” (Chamberlain,