John Adams, the second President of the United States, was given his father’s name. John was athletic as a youth, and his father noticed he was extremely bright. John loved and excelled at ice-skating, wrestling and swimming. But at an early age he didn’t care too much for books or learning, and saw no sense in talk of college. He wished only to become a farmer.
John’s father, though decided that his son should go to Harvard College and become a minister. John entered college at the then typical-for-the-time young age of 15. Most young men went to Harvard College to learn one of the three prominent vocations taught there. One would become a minister, a teacher, or a lawyer.