> My other classmates had an advantage. They had taken an earlier exam that covered their first three years. But I did not know about it. So I had to study to take my exam to cover all four years of my high school courses.

I really put my mind to studying for this test. When Ben, Marion and Bill were home from school, they would help by drilling me. But my father’s quiet confidence in me was my greatest source of encouragement. He was always by my side, night after night pouring over the books with me.

That year I received the highest score on the test. And from that day on, I was convinced that although “Equality may be denied, I knew I was not inferior.”