Gerald Ford could not afford to pay for college, so they gave him a scholarship. He also found a job waiting on tables, and his aunt and uncle promised him two dollars a week. Ford was on the school football team and was one of the stars.
Ford graduated from Michigan State in the spring of 1935. Although he had classes in various subjects with good grades it was his talent in football that got him jobs after college.
Ford was offered a job coaching the Yale boxing team though he knew nothing about it. He had two choices to make, he could stay in football and pursue his interest in law, or he could become a coach at Yale University. Ford started taking boxing lessons at the YMCA three times a week. Ford coached at Yale for six seasons from 1935 to 1940. In 1938 the school let Ford coach on a trial basis to see if he could handle courses in law and be a full time boxing coach. He did so well that he was accepted and was able to take the course full time. Ford finished in the top third of his Yale law classes.
Ford became President of the United States of America on August 9, 1974 after Richard Nixon resigned. He was the first president that was not elected. Ford became Vice President when Spiro T. Agnew, Vice President under Richard Nixon, resigned from office. At the time, Gerald Ford was serving as House Minority Leader and was the next in line for the office of Vice President. He served as Vice President from 1973 until becoming President in 1974.
During the 1970's the nation was troubled with a bad economy and high inflation. The world was going through an energy crisis. One of his most prominent acts during his presidency was the granting of a pardon to former President Nixon. Ford was fairly popular though there were two assassination attempts on his life. He is also remembered as a person who stumbled in public and hit onlookers with golf balls.
His first goal, when he became President, was to curb inflation; then a recession became a serious problem. He shifted his policies to stimulate the economy, beginning the WIN program. WIN stood for Whip Inflation Now. He vetoed many bills that would have increased the budget and created more debt for the United States. During his first 14 months as President he vetoed 39 bills.
Ford was very serious about re-establishing the U.S. power after the fall of Cambodia and South Vietnam. He worked hard at preventing a new war in the Middle East, and helped bring about a temporary truce agreement between Israel and Egypt. The leader of the Soviet Union, Leonid I. Brezhnev, and Ford worked together to create new limitations on nuclear weapons.
Gerald Ford ran against Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election, but lost by a very large margin to him.
After his presidency, Ford opened up his own library. His wife, Betty, after suffering from an alcohol addiction, opened up the Betty Ford Clinic for addicts of all kinds. Ford also had a hobby. His hobby was golf. Most recently, Gerald Ford gave the eulogy at Richard Nixon's funeral service.
In conclusion, although Gerald Ford was never an elected President he was a man the country could trust. He did everything in his power to bring stability back to the highest office in the country, that of the President of the United States.
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