Chapter 4 Chapter One Departs from Minnesota

The cover of this leather-bound booklet is inlaid with such rare words as "Daylogue". It contains a five-year calendar, one page per day, five grids per page, and each book is priced at $1.50.This type of brochure is suitable for concise and concise notes, not rambling lyricism.It might have been a begging birthday present from Harry Blackmun, or it might have been a surprise for him one Christmas Eve.Whatever the reason, on December 30, 1919, a few weeks after Blackmun's 11th birthday, he began writing in the book. There was nothing to say about this.Many children keep diaries, day after day, describing their sorrows and dreams when they were young.Soon, those dreams were either realized or forgotten.Then, most of the journals were locked into drawers and shelved.However, Harry Blackmun did not interrupt the process.

The beginning of the first diary is quite ordinary: "The sun is shining, and the snow is melting." He then continues to record the daily life and the changes around him with amazing detail.The number of grids on each page quickly ran out, not enough for him to write, so he had to write down a few strokes in the book first, and then use the typewriter at home to write down his daily thoughts and important events.He used hundreds of pages to describe his time in different stages of his life, when he struggled with various exams: middle school, university, law school, the recruitment of federal court judge assistants, and the bar exam.At first he typed on his father's shop letterhead, headed "Corwin Blackmun, Wholesaler of Fruit and Vegetables." Later, the typed paper became law office paper.He writes elegantly and neatly, never sloppy and perfunctory.Through the diary, we can read about his anxiety and satisfaction, his passion and romantic adventures on the field, as well as his father's depression and his son's longing and expectation during the "Great Depression".

"I am famous," he wrote in 1936.He was 28 years old this year and was about to become a partner in a law firm. "Although the progress is slow, what should come will eventually come." Since then, the frequency of diary has gradually decreased.Because most of the author's time is spent on various tax law problems and real estate disputes, he often has to burn the lights at night in the office.At this time, it has been 17 years since he started talking to himself in his diary. For 17 years, this monologue has never stopped. Generally speaking, only those who have predicted or expected that they will be prosperous one day will persevere and keep a diary frequently.However, such speculation still cannot explain what Blackmun did.His diary, as if driven by some inner impulse, tries to describe a dark and disordered world full of sadness, disease, and death.This impulse, repeated throughout his long life, inspired him to write down the concerts he heard, the books he read, the movies he saw. During his 24-year career as a justice of the Supreme Court, he continued to record various "important events" from the birth of his grandson to the disintegration of the Soviet Union, without omission.Finally, perhaps driven by this impulse, he decided to donate to the Library of Congress all his records, not just judgment opinions, case memorandums, and official correspondence, but high school autograph books, law school class notes, honeymoon Hotel receipts and numerous diaries for the period.It took more than a year for the staff to sort out and archive the Blackmun documents, and the catalog alone has more than 300 pages. Finally, "The World of Blackmun" is presented to the world in an orderly manner.

Harry Blackmun was born on November 12, 1908, in Nashville, Illinois, in the home of his grandmother, the same house in which Blackmun's mother was born 24 years earlier.His parents met at Central Wesleyan College, a small Methodist missionary school in Warrenton, Missouri.Ten months after their marriage, Harry was born.Before Harry was born, his parents lived in St. Paul, Minnesota.However, that summer, his father, Corwin Manning Blackmun, had been away for his own wholesale business, and his mother, Theo Hughili Reuter Blackmun, had to return to her natal family to wait for delivery.

The Reuters family was grieving the loss of their son at the time.Theo's older brother Harry, the proudest son in the family, had just died of pneumonia a year earlier.Harry Reuter is an excellent pianist who once studied under the famous performer, composer and conductor Teresa Carino in Berlin.Harry died of illness on his way to Australia and New Zealand to hold concerts with his mentor.Ms. Carino made a special trip to Nashville to express her condolences to Harry's parents and mourn the gifted young man who died young.Theo Blackmun never recovered from his grief.She decided to name her newborn baby after her brother, and planned to train little Harry to learn piano from an early age.However, people with a discerning eye quickly saw that the kid had no talent for playing.Although he inherited his love for music, he loved to sing in the choir when he was young, and he maintained a strong enthusiasm for concerts throughout his life.

It wasn't long before disaster struck the Blackmuns again.Theo Blackmun's second son died before he was two days old.This is a great blow to a young mother and wife.By the time their third child, Betty, was born in 1917, Theo Blackmun was already suffering from depression.In Harry's early diary, he described his mother's condition.Even in good health, she could lie in bed for weeks at a time.In the end, it was time to heal the pain in her heart.Theo Blackmun lived to be 93 and remained a widow for the last 30 years of his life, witnessing the swearing-in of his son as a Supreme Court justice.Her letters to Harry in her later years were still filled with optimism and appreciation for her son's achievements, occasionally offering him words of wisdom.

Blackmun himself suffered from intermittent bouts of depression, which had nothing to do with events around him.The fall before he graduated from high school, he wrote in his diary that he had just been elected president of the senior student body.This is a remarkable achievement, and it shows that he is respected and recognized by his classmates.At the same time, he was elected as the chairman of the student committee, and he was also the champion of the city speech competition and the intercity swimming competition.In the class, his academic performance has always been among the best. On November 21, 1924, less than two months after being elected chairman, he wrote in his diary: "What happened to me, I am exhausted physically and mentally, and I have no confidence. I must overcome these."

A few years later, even though Harry was immersed in the happy atmosphere of attending classes and watching movies with his college classmates, his emotions would still fluctuate wildly: "I have been thinking recently that if I suddenly disappeared, there would be nothing left in the world." Loss, I'm really doing nothing, getting nothing done." His early diaries often contained complaints about physical conditions—backaches, eye problems, colds, and so on.But the disease that really sent him to the emergency room was an appendicitis at the age of 14, which became an unforgettable experience in his life. On March 21, 1923, he wrote a 5-page note titled "My Sickness—Appendicitis".The article began: "In the early morning of March 8, I woke up with a sharp pain in the right abdomen..." 11 years later, when his sister suffered from appendicitis, Harry was allowed to watch the operation from the sidelines. "When they started the operation, I couldn't bear to watch the little cutie curl up in pain," he wrote in his diary.However, his curiosity about the operation process quickly overcame his previous restraint. He said: "Her cecum is not big, 3 inches long, the size of a pencil, pink in color, and obviously inflamed. It brought so much trouble." He praised the 14-year-old Betty as a model patient: "I saw perseverance and courage from her. She is really a strong and good sister."

Throughout his life, Blackmun was deeply impressed by the operation he underwent, and March 8 has become a special anniversary for him. "8 years ago tonight, I was carried on the old operating table of St. John's Hospital." In 1931, he wrote this sentence when he was a law student. Three years later, he wrote: "Tonight 11 years ago, my right abdomen was cut open. This is really a rare experience." Colleague Sandra Day O'Connor had just undergone a cecum resection, and quickly sent someone to send a personal letter, which wrote: "We are in the same boat, and 65 years ago today, I had surgery for the first time in my life. , the cecum resection left me with a 6-inch scar. When I was carried into the ambulance, I could feel my mother's concern. I don't even like that stuff."

Blackmun grew up in the Bluff area of ​​Dayton, a city near St. Paul that has lost its grandeur. Many Irish immigrants settled here in the 1910s and 1920s.However, the Blackmun family has no Irish ancestry.Blackmun's mother was of German descent, and her father was brought to the United States from Hesse-Nassau in Prussia when she was 3 years old.Father Corwin Blackmun's ancestors were New England immigrants.Both Blackmun's grandfathers fought in the Civil War and both served in the Union Army.The experience of his ancestors once aroused little Harry's great interest in that period of history, but to his regret, his grandfathers were reluctant to talk about their war experience.

In the kindergarten attached to Van Baden Elementary School, Harry Blackmun and Warren Berg met.Berg was 14 months older than Harry, and they were in the same grade.The two boys lived six blocks apart and were in the same class in Sunday school.Blackmun later recalled: "Although my family's situation is not good, the Berg's family is even more difficult." The two poor families got along well, and the children often visited each other.Harry and Warren, together with two other boys next door, John Francis and Briggs Roberts Damkrog, formed a "four-man team" and often played and played together.Among the four, Berg has the best physical fitness.The boys grew up and the sports changed from softball to tennis and golf.The tennis doubles pairing of Blackmun and Berg was so strong that, he later wrote, "sometimes when we got excited, we would take our shirts off even when there were girls watching." Harry and Warren went to different high schools, but they We often exercise, go hiking, and fish together, and our friendship grows day by day.During the summer vacation, the two also worked as summer camp counselors together.When they meet their girls, they often take their girlfriends to the movies. Photos of Harry, who was later admitted to Mechanical Arts High School, show him as a serious-looking young man with middle-parted hair and glasses. "Theodore Roosevelt is my hero," he wrote in an essay titled "The Ideals of High School Students."Harry came out on top in a constitutional keynote speech contest for high school students sponsored by local newspapers The Herald and Express in Sao Paulo.One of the judges for the competition was John Sanborn, who was a real judge at Ramsey Magistrates Court.In his concluding remarks, Blackmun said: "Our great 'ship of nation' can only sail through the waves if those who are willing to live and die to be free will join forces to push the oars." A local newspaper reported Harry's victory In the news, he also quoted his opening remarks: "The Constitution lives on! It is timeless, and despite all the challenges it faces, it is still the hope and bulwark of a new country!" The newspaper commented: "This speech is excellent, Reminds us of Daniel Webster." In the spring of 1925, Blackmun graduated in fourth place among a class of 450 graduates.Like many in his class, he hoped to attend the University of Minnesota.After all, studying in this state is much more cost-effective economically.At the time, Harry's father was still in business and the family's financial situation was not yet stable.Two high school English teachers thought that Harry was a rare talent and applied for a Harvard scholarship for him.The Scholarship Committee, composed of four attorneys from the Harvard Club of Minnesota, awards a scholarship to one student each year. It was not until the end of July that Harry learned that he had received the scholarship.That summer, he was introduced by a family friend to work in a small farm shop. "My dream has finally come true." After receiving the notice from the Harvard Club, he wrote in his diary: "My hands are shaking, and I am so excited that I can hardly write." The scholarship is 250 US dollars, including $100 loan that must be paid back within 3 years of graduation.If his grades are stable, the money is enough to pay for tuition, but living expenses must be found elsewhere.When the newspaper announced the matter, it said he was "deservedly deserving" of the scholarship 16-year-old Harry took a bus equipped with 16 sleepers to travel far away from home. The destination was Chicago, which he had never been to, and then transferred to a train for Boston.It will likely be a long separation for him and his family.Because of lack of money, he may not be able to go home during the Christmas holidays of the four years of university and the three years of law school.Harvard has no dormitory supply for freshmen due to late registration.He and two freshmen from Los Angeles who faced the same predicament were forced to take to the streets of Cambridge, trying to find a cheap apartment to rent.He later described the experience in his diary: "Finally a lady asked us where we were going to sleep at night. We had to tell her we didn't know where we could sleep. So she took us in with an old gentleman in the house." We lived together. She made the floor and blankets, and we felt better. After we lay down, the 84-year-old gentleman chatted with us, saying that the house was built in 1640 and was dilapidated. In the middle of the night, we I was woken up by freezing every two hours. But at least this night was free.” On the second day, Blackmun learned that there was still a dormitory for five freshmen to live in, so he quickly checked in. Harry didn't quite fit in with the atmosphere at Harvard.Most of the students in this school come from preparatory schools in England, and only a small number of graduates from public schools in the Midwest.It is difficult for students from poor families or lack of connections to integrate into the school's social circle.However, Harry does not yearn for things that he has never owned. He is keen to participate in the campus choir, and occasionally works part-time outside to repair cars, earning $15 a week.Later, he also accepted a math tutor.In December of this year, he wrote to the patrons of the Harvard Club: "I don't know how to thank you for everything you have done for me. Time flies, and I learn a lot every day. I believe that everything will come true. A good result, let alone belittle oneself. I hope everything will get better and better." When summer came, Blackmun returned to St. Paul.He worked part-time as glass-filler, milk-delivering, and a growing friendship with Warren Berger.Berg worked during the day, took pre-law classes at the University of Minnesota at night, and played tennis with Harry in his free time.When Harry returned to Cambridge, Burger took special leave of absence to see him off at the train station.This separation left Harry with mixed feelings.On the eve of leaving home, both he and his mother cried. "The difference between this year and last year is that I really know what it means to be home," he wrote in his diary. A quick trip between Minnesota and Boston. But, this year is different, and it's just so sad to be separated from the closest family and best friend in the world." College life gradually became clear and stretched.Academic challenges are not everything in life.He also occasionally travels with his choirmates, his first trip to Washington, D.C., his first date with a girl introduced by a friend, and his first spring outing in New York.Harry loves all kinds of live performances, and the trip to Broadway has made him dizzy.He got a ticket to the Ziegfeld Opera House, "The theater is magnificent, full of fragrance, and well-equipped. The performance is good, but a bit lengthy, and there are many good songs, such as "Old Man River", "Have to Love That Person" " and the last song of "Why I Love You" are particularly beautiful." With his senior year graduating soon, Harry briefly thought of studying medicine, but he needed to take several additional courses to apply for medicine. He thought twice and finally gave up.Applying to law school is relatively simple, easier to pass, and job security in the future.His father has always regretted not going to law school, and there are many old law books piled up on the bookshelves at home. "In those days, people used to say, if you don't know what you're going to do in the future, go to law, at least it won't hurt you, and whatever you do later, it will always be good for you." Harry later recalled.His friend Warren Berger had the same intention and had been preparing for law school for a year.Blackmun's school grades fully meet the admission requirements of Harvard Law School, and he also regards law school as his only choice. Still, Blackmun is concerned about economic pressures.In order to avoid defaulting on more debts, he decided to take a year off from school to teach and subsidize his family.The matter reached Berg's ears through the mouth of Blackmun's mother.In an elder tone, Berg wrote a long letter to Harry, encouraging him to "persevere until the end." Blackmun's diary described the incident in great detail, "I just read a letter from Berg, which is as long as It’s like a book, but it’s very helpful for me to maintain a good mood before the big exam.” The two have been in correspondence since then, but this letter was written on March 18, 1929, urging him to “persevere until the end”. It was Berg's first letter in Harry's collection. “Here, I meet a lot of people with big ambitions or great ideals, who are tempted by the salary outside,” writes Anonberg, who is often anxious inside. Law books. I’m not saying that something like this will definitely happen to you, but just to remind you, it’s not a bad thing.” Berg himself had thought about leaving law school. "Through the storms and dark nights of last fall and winter," he added, "I've always been grateful to those who told me not to give up." The correspondence between the two childhood friends continued for decades until they reached their forties.Blackmun had great confidence in Berger, who often responded with encouragement and praise: June has taken up a lot of your mental energy, but the gains must outweigh the losses.I hope, and I am sure, that your four years of hard study and tireless work will pay off.Compared with your achievements, you have paid a lot. Few people can understand your hardships. You left your hometown, far away from your family and a comfortable life, and went to study far away.You work and study, and your grades are always among the best.I can appreciate your hard work and understand your bumps and bumps in the past four years.Even if no one applauds our efforts, we should still stick to our goals.Believe me old man, I have great admiration for your grit, determination and hard work.Over the past few years, every day we have come closer to the distant goals we set ourselves.I believe that you are not far from the peak of your life. Harry kept the letter, perhaps to motivate himself, since life at Harvard Law School was, for him, rather depressing.The leisurely life of the undergraduate era was replaced by fierce competition in the law school.The scariest thing was the exam—"Three boys fainted on the spot during the exam" he used "too scary" to describe the exam of evidence law—his own grades were also lackluster.He failed to make it to the Law Review editorial board.Several part-time jobs took up his study time even more.He was in the middle of his class with a 67 average in his first year, and he tried to improve that, only to score a 66 in his second year. "It was a terrible period," he wrote in the summer of 1931, after receiving his school report card in St. , and because of something, it has become what it is now. Scholarships, law review editorships, and even future jobs now seem to have little hope. Alas, never mind, life is always full of disappointments, and I have to get used to these." A A professor later explained to Harry that the law school's grading standards are very strict and rarely give A or B.He later gave himself a pitiful comment: "Overall, 66 points may not be bad." In the gloom, there are also bright colors.Blackmun's team won the "Ames Competition," Harvard's most prestigious moot court competition, in which debaters engage in legal arguments based on cases that have been heard by the Court of Appeals.By the third year of school, Blackmun had saved enough money by doing various part-time jobs, and the financial pressure was greatly relieved.Among the 451 students in the current year, his grades ranked 120th, which is almost the top quarter of the top.However, such results are somewhat disappointing to Blackmun, who graduated with the highest honors from the Harvard Department of Mathematics and was selected into the "American Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society".So many years later, he still broods over his grades at Harvard Law School. For his 70th birthday in 1978, his eldest daughter, Nancy, gave him a copy of One L, a book about the difficult experience of a freshman at Harvard Law School.The author, Scott Turow, a young Harvard graduate, was invited by Nancy to present him with a signed book.Blackmun wrote back thanking him: "You really captured the life of law school keenly, and described in a poignant way that anxiety, tension, and uncomfortable feeling," Blackmun told Touro, "Of course, the law Teaching has its unique features, high standards, strict requirements, a solid foundation and a deep insight into human nature. This is a comprehensive art. You must learn to think flexibly, understand flexibly, and understand that there is no blackness in this world. Or all white. That's what I learned later in the trial seat." In 1932, Blackmun graduated from Harvard Law School and returned to St. Paul to seek employment.He easily passed the Minnesota bar exam with only one weekend of studying.He then wrote to Judge John Sanborn, who had just been transferred to the federal appeals court, to apply to be his clerk. Eight years ago, it was the same Judge Sanborn who awarded first place to Harry Blackmun in a high school constitutional keynote contest.It was the middle of the "Great Depression" era, and the judicial budget was very tight. It is still uncertain whether Judge Sanborn will hire clerks.Fortunately, in August of that year, Blackmun’s application was finally approved, but the original annual salary of $2,400 was reduced to $2,200. Blackmun didn’t care at all. He wrote: “$2,200 is not bad, a new life it has started." Judge Sanborn is one of seven judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, a broad court that has jurisdiction over appeals from seven states including the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Arkansas.Judges are based primarily in St. Louis, occasionally on tour, and have offices in every state. At the beginning of his tenure, Blackmun's main task was to write case summaries for complex and difficult copyright cases and financial and tax cases.He was very nervous at work and suffered from eye problems and headaches, and the judge was indifferent to him.A month later, he wrote in his diary: "The judge said two words to me today: Good morning. Dad said, this may mean 'two weeks', and he will let me go!" Soon, The relationship with the judge has become one of the most meaningful and beneficial relationships in Blackmun's life.Judge Sanborn became his mentor, friend and role model.Since Sanborn had no children, he treated Blackmun as if he were his own, and often gave him free access to his and his wife's weekend retreat near the St. Croix River. The 18-month career as a judge's assistant enabled the young Harry to survive the most difficult time during the "Great Depression".He is finally expected to work in a law firm.However, Blackmun still lives with his parents, and the family burden is still heavy.Corwin Blackmun's wholesale fruit shop has closed down. He has a series of part-time jobs from local banks and insurance companies. He has a series of beautiful titles such as "Market Representative" and "District Manager", but his income is very unstable.Blackmun’s diaries and post-retirement oral history records are full of criticism of his father: “He was very stubborn, he would not compromise on anything, and he didn’t get along well with everyone,” Blackmun recalled.Even in his later years, 50 years after his father's death, he still resented his father's poor management of the family. "Early this morning, Dad asked me for $300, and I knew that day would come," Blackmun wrote in a diary entry on September 27, 1933. "Of course I would give it to him, but it affected me. My own plans, and my marriage. I am completely tied to the burden of the family. I have to pay for Betty's education, but... I have never seen my father surpass others, and he is always worried about the looming bills." Two years later, in his diary, he mentioned that his father was facing unemployment pressure: "My father said that the job is hard to keep because of the bad economic environment, but I think he is making excuses for his complaints. His moral values ​​are too rigid. , taken alone, his moral values ​​are fine, but when you are in a difficult situation and you just want to keep a job, these moral values ​​​​do not help at all. The existence of such conflicts shows that this society There are problems, but they really can't be solved. What to do next, I don't know." While Blackmun was struggling to make ends meet, Warren Berger was practicing law at a St. Paul law firm and preparing to marry Elvina Stallenberg.Because the two friends lived in the same city, they had not communicated for a long time, and Blackmun occasionally mentioned in his diary when the two had lunch together and the high-spirited conversations during the dinner.Berg's wedding was held at the bride's natal home, with Blackmun serving as best man. “As always, I’m ‘touched’ when friends around me get married,” he wrote. “The wedding was solemn and joyous for all. It proves how precious it is to be clean and cherish someone with all you have. There has to be something in life. It’s something you should cherish.” Blackmun’s own interest in marriage, however, remained on the paper stage, with frequent dates and sleepovers with young girls, which he occasionally recorded in his diary.But he clearly has no plans to propose to any of them. Despite the unsatisfactory life in his hometown, Blackmun turned down the attractive opportunity to leave Minnesota.The opportunity came from an old law school classmate, Charles Wyzanski.Wyzanski was an outstanding young lawyer who had served as an assistant to Justice Felix Frankfurter of the Federal Supreme Court.At the time, he had just finished his assistant job and was working as a labor counsel in the Roosevelt administration, the highest legal position in the Department of Labor.When Blackmun had just completed a year as a clerk, Wyzansky wrote to invite him to work in Washington.Considering that he might find a position in a local law firm as an assistant for another 6 months, Blackmun politely declined the opportunity.A year later, in April 1935, Wyzanski wrote again.He emphasized that this opportunity is more interesting, not only to deal with daily administrative affairs, but also to liaise with the International Labor Organization in Geneva from time to time. "As long as you come to Washington, you will have the opportunity to get in touch with the vast and interesting field of law and politics." He said. This time, Blackmun was indeed deeply tempted, and he also told Wyzanski his true thoughts. "What should I do?" he pressed in his diary.However, he ultimately chose to refuse.This also just reflects Blackmun's cautious and risk-averse personality.At this time, he had been working in the best law firm in St. Paul, Junell, Driscoll, Fletcher, Dorsey & Barker (Junell, Driscoll, Fletcher, Dorsey & Barker) for two years.Although Wyzanski promised that after going to Washington to work, his salary would be hundreds of dollars more than the current $200 a month, but after staying there for a year or two, what can he do? "If I am willing to take risks, I will naturally accept your invitation, but I am in a dilemma now, and I am afraid that my previous efforts will go by the wayside." On May 2, 1935, he wrote back to Wyzanski. This episode means that Blackmun has made an either-or choice about his life path.Wyzanski later served as a federal district court judge in Boston for 54 years, before dying in 1986.Blackmun told his widow, Gisela, that Wyzanski's death "brought him back to the question that had been on his mind since 1934." Wyzanski's invitation, "I often think, if I decide to accept, what will happen in the future? It is really a very difficult decision." Blackmun works in the tax department of the law firm.The first business he took over was to draft a complaint for a Supreme Court case. At that time, the trial was less than a week away. Due to the tight schedule, he gave up weekends and stayed up late to work overtime.The client in this case set up an alimony fund for his ex-wife, but was always hit with federal income taxes.This person believes that since the ex-wife benefits from the fund, she should bear the tax burden.The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals denied his claim.Blackmun, along with two other senior partners, represented the client in an appeal to the Supreme Court, where the case was scheduled to begin on October 14, 1935.This is his first visit to the Supreme Court. This court used to be on the side of Capitol Hill. After several twists and turns, it has its own independent building.In the case, Douglas v. WiMcuts, the justices unanimously upheld the appeals court decision requiring the client to pay taxes according to the law. Blackmun was tired of the fast pace of work.After participating in the debate of an appeal case, he wrote in his diary: "I was busy until 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and I realized that the two socks I wore today were not the same pair. In short, today is really bad!" Of course, When he was nervous, he did not lack various adjustments: dining with the Bergers, skiing, playing tennis, squash, bridge, listening to symphony.For $702.14, he bought his first car: a Ford with two cabs, which he christened "Cutie." During this time, his professional reputation grew. In 1939 he was promoted to junior partner and in 1943 he became full partner. During this period, Blackmun realized his wish to get married and start a family. In August 1938, he met a young Dorothy Clarke at the tennis court.That summer weekend was extremely hot. Blackmun and a golfer fought three games in a row, and they were parched and panting in the heat.At this time, they noticed that two girls were fighting in the distance.The singles were too exhausting, and the two decided to invite each other to play "mixed doubles." Dorothy Clarke was the secretary of a local businessman. "Her legs are beautiful!" Blackmun said later.That afternoon, after playing tennis, they went swimming together.Blackmun dated Clark for more than three years, and he proposed to her before she fell ill one day.The two tied the knot on June 21, 1941, and moved to a new apartment after marriage, from where Harry's law firm can be reached within a few minutes' walk.Three daughters were born in subsequent years: Nancy, 1943; Sally, 1947; Susan, 1949. One of Blackmun's clients is the Mayo Clinic, which is headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota, 70 miles southeast of Minneapolis.In fact, he later spent most of his energy on dealing with legal affairs related to Mayo Clinic, such as providing advice on taxation and real estate, or providing personal legal services to some doctors. In 1949, the clinic management decided to hire him as its first resident legal counsel.This means that he will no longer be a lawyer and become an executive of this non-profit legal person with assets exceeding one million.After several weeks of careful consideration, he and his wife went to Rochester to inspect the living conditions and his daughter's education, and finally decided to accept the position.After moving, he got along well with the community residents and was very popular with the doctors. Blackmun later confessed that the nine years at Mayo Clinic were the happiest of his practice life.Under his presidency, the clinic underwent its first recapitalization since the Mayo Brothers established it in 1919.Whether it is medical malpractice or public relations, he has provided professional advice.Evening dinners for surgeons, monthly gatherings for clinic staff, Blackmun was a favorite.He will listen carefully to the latest research progress of doctors, analyze possible hidden dangers, and sometimes even observe the process of surgery or medical experiments. “I found that the more operations I observed, the better I was able to advise doctors,” he later wrote.Blackmun was also passionate about community affairs, and in 1955 he was elected president of the Rochester chapter of the Rotary Club. As Blackmun transitioned from private practice lawyer to nonprofit executive, Warren Berger was also making his own transition.Berger was active in the Minnesota Republican Party from the 1930s onwards and eventually onto the national political scene. In 1952, Berger attended the Republican National Convention in Chicago as a delegate, becoming a supporter of former Minnesota Gov. Harold Statham.In General Dwight Eisenhower's bitter campaign against Senator Robert Taft for the Republican presidential nomination, Berg secured the Minnesota representative for Eisenhower.大选胜利后，作为回报，艾森豪威尔任命伯格为司法部助理部长，执掌民权事务部。在那里，他将领导180名政府律师，处理与联邦政府有关的各类重要诉讼。 1953年，赶在艾森豪威尔就职典礼之前，伯格抵达华盛顿。两个老朋友之间的通信已经中止了近20年，这时却很快恢复。伯格当时仍是圣保罗市一家著名律所的合伙人，加人新政府后，他的薪水将大幅缩水。“这个决定虽然艰难，但在所难免。”1月8日，他致信布莱克门说，“我们都深知在彼此心中，始终有一种召唤，我们谁都避不开。你选择离开律师行业，捷足先登，走上一条更能令你发挥所长的道路。现在，轮到我做出选择了。”从此，伯格再未回明尼苏达州生活过。

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Notes: