My mother, Dorothy Watson, had met my father in a Greek class at Northwestern University.
On even the worst days, when nothing was working at the lab, I knew that at home I would find warmth, peace, companionship, and encouragement. As a consequence, the next day would surely be better.
While at Chicago my interest in the new field of particle physics was stimulated by a course given by Gell- Mann, who was developing his ideas about Strangeness at the time.
I did a thesis in experimental nuclear physics under the direction of Samuel K. Allison.
My real education began when I entered the University of Chicago in September 1951 as a graduate student.
My primary and secondary education was provided by the Highland Park Public School System.
When the violation of parity was discovered I began a series of electronic experiments to investigate parity violation in hyperon decays.
The long-lived K meson was discovered at Brookhaven.
The Director of the Laboratory, George Reynolds, was most supportive of my efforts to work independently. There followed for ten years a glorious time for research.
In 1971 I returned to the University of Chicago as Professor of Physics.
I was much involved in the development of the spark chamber as a practical research tool.