the next-to-youngest of eleven children of joseph and fannie kramerman-huberman he was born and grew up in newark, new jersey. six of his siblings died in infancy. from the age of eleven he studied at newark state school, as well as supporting the family by working in a celluloid factory, as an electrician's mate and in the post office. after graduating from high school in 1926, he spent two years at newark state normal school, where he received a teacher’s diploma and started teaching in the elementary schools at the age of eighteen. he served as a teacher at a private experimental school until 1932.