In 1947, when Ken graduated from high school, he had a full ride to Tulsa University.  Tuition, books, room, food--the whole shebang.  He said that he went there to play football and have a good time.  Which I guess he did, because at the end of the first semester, he had four F's and a D.  Needless to say, he had to come up with another plan, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

Twenty three years later, 1970, after retiring from the USMC, he enrolled at Oklahoma State, finished a degree there with a four-point average and headed back to Tulsa University to get a Master's degree.  During those years, everyone had started upgrading past records to the computer.

So, when he checked into the TU Registrar's office, she looked at his OSU transcript, looked at him, and said, "We had a Ken Jacks enrolled here in 1947 for one semester, but with these grades from OSU, I can't believe that you are him."

"It's me." Ken told her.

"What in the world happened?  These grade point averages are exact opposites.  How is it that you went from all F's to all A's," she asked him.

"The Marine Corps.  They take kids and turn them into men."

He enlisted as a Private, and retired as a Lt. Col. with wings.  Pretty amazing.

I didn't know him in 1947.  I was in the third grade at the time.  It's hard for me to imagine him making an F in anything he did.  He was always at the top of his game.  He was always a man among men.  In everything he attempted, he excelled.

Maybe we should send all our unmotivated young men to the Marines??

"Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..."  Ecclesiastes 9:10