Editing Jerry Pournelle (section)

==Early years==
Pournelle was born in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], the seat of [[Caddo Parish, Louisiana|Caddo Parish]] in northwestern [[Louisiana]], and later lived with his family in [[Capleville, Tennessee]], an unincorporated area near [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jerrypournelle.com/archives2/archives2view/view262.html|title=View 262 June|website=www.jerrypournelle.com}}</ref> Percival Pournelle, his father, was a radio advertising executive and general manager of several radio stations. Ruth Pournelle, his mother, was a teacher, although during World War II, she worked in a munitions factory.<ref name=NYTobit />

He attended first grade at St. Anne's Elementary School, in Memphis, which had two grades to a classroom. Beginning with third grade, he attended Coleville Consolidated Elementary School, in Colevile, which had about 25 pupils per grade and four rooms and four teachers for 8 grades<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7j3IG4h42Y|title=Triangulation 90: Jerry Pournelle|date=February 6, 2013 |access-date=September 1, 2019|via=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite web|url=https://www.jerrypournelle.com/chaosmanor/independence-consent-of-the-governed-and-the-new-class/|title=Independence, Consent of the Governed, and The New Class – Chaos Manor – Jerry Pournelle|website=www.jerrypournelle.com|access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref> Pournelle attended high school at [[Christian Brothers University|Christian Brothers College]] in Memphis, run by the [[De La Salle Christian Brothers]]; despite its name, it was a high school at the time.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.baen.com/Chapters/0312861834/0312861834.htm|title=Starswarm by Jerry Pournelle - Baen Books|website=www.baen.com|access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref>

He served in the [[United States Army]] during the [[Korean War]]. In 1953–54, after his military service, Pournelle attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jerrypournelle.com/chaosmanor/what-do-we-do-now-view-688-20110812/|title=What Do We Do Now? View 687 20110812 – Chaos Manor – Jerry Pournelle|website=www.jerrypournelle.com|access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref> Subsequently, he studied at the [[University of Washington]], where he received a [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] in [[psychology]] on June 11, 1955; an [[Master of Science|M.S.]] in psychology (experimental statistics) on March 21, 1958; and a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in [[political science]] in March 1964.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transcript|website=studentclearinghouse.org|publisher=University of Washington Registrar's Office|url=http://sdb.admin.washington.edu/sisDegreeValidation/Public/default.aspx}}</ref>

His master's thesis is titled "Behavioural observations of the effects of personality needs and leadership in small discussion groups", and is dated 1957.<ref>[http://uwashington.worldcat.org/title/behavioural-observations-of-the-effects-of-personality-needs-and-leadership-in-small-discussion-groups/oclc/19881053&referer=brief_results "Behavioural observations of the effects of personality needs and leadership in small discussion groups"] listing, University of Washington Libraries</ref> Pournelle's Ph.D. dissertation is titled "The American political continuum; an examination of the validity of the left-right model as an instrument for studying contemporary American political 'isms'".<ref>[http://uwashington.worldcat.org/title/american-political-continuum-an-examination-of-the-validity-of-the-left-right-model-as-an-instrument-for-studying-contemporary-american-political-isms/oclc/19908362 The American political continuum; an examination of the validity of the left-right model as an instrument for studying contemporary American political "isms."] listing, University of Washington Libraries</ref><ref>Pournelle, Jerry. "The American Political Continuum: An Examination of the Validity of the Left-right Model as an Instrument for Studying Contemporary American Political" isms."." PhD diss., University of Washington, 1964. Harvard</ref>