southern was born in alvarado, texas. he graduated from sunset high school in dallas, texas in 1941. he attended north texas agricultural college for a year as a pre-med major before transferring to southern methodist university, where he continued to cultivate his interest in literature. from 1943 to 1945, he served in the u.s. army as a demolitions technician during world war ii. stationed in reading, england with the 435th quartermaster platoon (allowing for frequent forays to london), he earned a bronze star and a good conduct medal. in the autumn of 1946, he resumed his studies at the university of chicago before transferring to northwestern university, where he received his undergraduate degree in philosophy in 1948.