Ely, who stood only five foot five, made up for his slight stature by inheriting his mother's unending energy. From his father he received his Christian values and his resolve to make those values a reality in the world.
Ely's early education at Fredonia's grammar school and later two years at Fredonia Academy were fairly uneventful. Although he was a serious, hard-working student and graduated with a recommendation from the principal to attend college, Ely was never considered an exceptional student. During the year following his graduation, he taught at a country school and continued to help his father with the farm. In the fall of 1872, Ely enrolled in Dartmouth College, which at the time consisted of a scattering of buildings and a very small library that was only open two hours every week. Dissatisfied with his experience at Dartmouth, the following year he moved to New York City to live with an aunt and uncle and began attending Columbia College, where he found a more challenging academic environment. He came under the influence of Charles Murray Nairne, who sparked Ely's interest in philosophy.
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