Dewitt’s father was faculty and President of Macalester. He attended Macalester from 1907-1909 but found life too confining and transferred to University of California at Berkley to graduate in 1911. When America entered WWI Dewitt enlisted and was seriously injured. While in a French hospital recovering, he edited superfluous words from magazine articles, preparing himself for his publishing venture-Reader’s Digest. While finding rejection from all publishing houses he contracted, he and his soon to be bride, Lila, published it themselves and marketed by direct mail. Upon return from their honeymoon they had 1500 orders awaiting them.