Jones grew up in Haddonfield, N.J., a suburb of Philadelphia, and when it was time to enroll in college, Jones was prepared to enter his state school, Rutgers. However, fate was to intervene and sent him in another direction. Following the advice of a friend's father, Jones decided he would take a look at Hopkins' campus. The result was love at first sight. I came here by chance.
Life takes some very odd turns.
After graduating with a B.A. in history in 1953, Jones had a three-year stint in the Army, including two years in Japan. While in Japan, he ran an armed forces radio station. Jones' next move was to follow his dream of becoming a newspaper reporter. So following his military service, he opted to enroll in Columbia University, the school from which he would receive his master's in journalism. In New York, Jones was hired by The Associated Press and was living an exciting, if not lucrative, life as a wire reporter in a major city.