The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-25
Old Timers
 Remember Him As Smart Kid'
By J. E. DINGWALL

her Tom but a few times since he left Owosso to start practice of law in the big city back in 1925 A widow, she has been living quietly, Becoming a bridge expert while she heard about her sons becoming an expert in his profession.
 Mrs. Dewey is as proud of Thomas E. Dewey as any mother could be- but she's never boasted. Writers can't get an interview with her; she believes Tom should do all the talking for the family.
 Each Sunday she attends services at Christ Episcopal Church where Tom was confirmed, where he later sang in the choir.
 YOUNG TOM
 WAS HUSTLER
 Dewey's old friends haven't seen Tom in some time. Most of the att torney's previous visits here have been kept secret. But they remember him, all right. They hung that smart little kid" tag on him.
 Take J. Edwin Ellis, president of local stove company, for in- stance. He started Dewey scrap book when Tom was appointed as- sistant federal attorney in New York in 1881. He's still clipping and pasting; the little book has become huge volume.
 Persistence and persuasiveness are qualities Tom had as boy, says Mrs. Pearl Pulver, community so- ciety editor. She recalls a day when Tom was selling magazines on 8 house o-house basis:
 T told him I didn't want copy but he launched into such a sales talk that I had to buy in self de- fense. When Tom went out, my em- ployer said, Keep your eye on that boy; he'll amount to something some day"
 Earl Putnam, 8 farmer, remem- bers how Dewey worked on his place in 1918. He paid Tom $20 a month and his board, found that he picked up farm chores quickly despite his "greenness."
 Tom took the job partly to con- dition himself for a post on the high school football team. He didn't make the team-but he did learn farming He rolled fields, cultivated corn, helped Putnam bring in his extra large crop of wheat.
 w. D. Seegmiller Owosso's post master, a job Toms father held at the time of his death 12 years ago For 26 years, he was the towns Boy Scout master. .....
 From was one of the brightest boys in the troop" Seegmiller says "He learned quickly, obeyed orders. and passed every test. If there had been such a thing as an Eagle Scout in those days, Tom would have been one.
 SKIPPED MUSIC
 FOR LAW
 Dewey's visit here recalls that he originally wanted musical career The story is told by Ward Jenks with whom Dewey toured Europe irl an old Ford car in 1925:
 "You know, Tom won 8 scholar ship in music while attending tht University of Michigan. He went te New York with the idea of pre- pairing for a musical career. Sud- denly however, he decided that al musicians were temperamental threw music in the ash can, ane took up law"
 Born here on March 24, 1902 Tom Dewey grew up as an average youngster who never missed a da, of school during a 13-year period One old friend of the Deweys say Tom attributed this record to th' fact that he was unlucky enough to be sick only on week-ends ol holidays.
 In 1919, he graduated from th' city high school. John Nutson. classmate who now operates a To- cal grocery, says the class votet Tom most likely to succeed.
 He was determined young mai who usually got what he set ou to get"-thus Nutson explains tn ballot.