Early life and education

The Eisenhower family home in Abilene, Kansas

Dwight David Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison,
Texas, the third of seven sons born to David J. Eisenhower and Ida Stover.
[10]
 His mother originally named him David Dwight but reversed the two
names after his birth to avoid the confusion of having two Davids in the
family.[11] All of the boys were called "Ike", such as "Big Ike" (Edgar) and
"Little Ike" (Dwight); the nickname was intended as an abbreviation of their
last name.[12] By World War II, only Dwight was still called "Ike". [3]
In 1892, the family moved to Abilene, Kansas, which Eisenhower
considered his hometown.[3] As a child, he was involved in an accident that
cost his younger brother Earl an eye, for which he was remorseful for the
remainder of his life.[13] Dwight developed a keen and enduring interest in
exploring the outdoors. He learned about hunting and fishing, cooking, and
card playing from an illiterate named Bob Davis who camped on the Smoky
Hill River.[14][15][16]
While Eisenhower's mother was against war, it was her collection of history
books that first sparked Eisenhower's early and lasting interest in military
history. He persisted in reading the books in her collection and became a
voracious reader on the subject. Other favorite subjects early in his
education were arithmetic and spelling.[17]
His parents set aside specific times at breakfast and at dinner for daily
family Bible reading. Chores were regularly assigned and rotated among all
the children, and misbehavior was met with unequivocal discipline, usually
from David.[18] His mother, previously a member (with David) of the River
Brethren sect of the Mennonites, joined the International Bible Students
Association, later known as Jehovah's Witnesses. The Eisenhower home
served as the local meeting hall from 1896 to 1915, though Eisenhower
never joined the International Bible Students. [19] His later decision to attend
West Point saddened his mother, who felt that warfare was "rather wicked",
but she did not overrule his decision. [20] While speaking of himself in 1948,
Eisenhower said he was "one of the most deeply religious men I know"
though unattached to any "sect or organization". He was baptized in
the Presbyterian Church in 1953.[21]
Eisenhower attended Abilene High School and graduated with the class of
1909.[22] As a freshman, he injured his knee and developed a leg infection
that extended into his groin, which his doctor diagnosed as life-threatening.
The doctor insisted that the leg be amputated but Dwight refused to allow it,
and surprisingly recovered, though he had to repeat his freshman year.
[23]
 He and brother Edgar both wanted to attend college, though they lacked
the funds. They made a pact to take alternate years at college while the
other worked to earn the tuitions.[24]
Edgar took the first turn at school, and Dwight was employed as a night
supervisor at the Belle Springs Creamery. [25] When Edgar asked for a
second year, Dwight consented and worked for a second year. At that time,
a friend "Swede" Hazlett was applying to the Naval Academy and urged
Dwight to apply to the school, since no tuition was required. Eisenhower
requested consideration for either Annapolis or West Point with his U.S.
Senator, Joseph L. Bristow. Though Eisenhower was among the winners of
the entrance-exam competition, he was beyond the age limit for the Naval
Academy.[26] He then accepted an appointment to West Point in 1911. [26]

Eisenhower (third from left) and Omar Bradley (second from right) were

members of the 1912 West Point football team.
At West Point, Eisenhower relished the emphasis on traditions and on
sports, but was less enthusiastic about the hazing, though he willingly
accepted it as a plebe. He was also a regular violator of the more detailed
regulations and finished school with a less than stellar discipline rating.
Academically, Eisenhower's best subject by far was English. Otherwise, his
performance was average, though he thoroughly enjoyed the typical
emphasis of engineering on science and mathematics. [27]
In athletics, Eisenhower later said that "not making the baseball team at
West Point was one of the greatest disappointments of my life, maybe my
greatest".[28] He made the varsity football team[29][30] and was a starter
as running back and linebacker in 1912, when he tackled the legendary Jim
Thorpe of the Carlisle Indians.[31] Eisenhower suffered a torn knee while
being tackled in the next game, which was the last he played; he re-injured
his knee on horseback and in the boxing ring, [3][14][32] so he turned to fencing
and gymnastics.[3]
Eisenhower later served as junior varsity football coach and cheerleader.
He graduated in the middle of the class of 1915, [33] which became known as
"the class the stars fell on", because 59 members eventually
became general officers.