Thomas Corrigan:  

I was born in the early 1930's and spent my first few years living in the house my grandfather [maternal] had built around 1898 in Astoria, N.Y. My parents later bought a house in Jackson Heights ; and that is where I grew up. After service, I taught English and reading [some remedial for 10 years in two school districts , tenured in both and offered a department chairmanship in the second. I left teaching to explore business opportunities, including some research work, first working in the private sector for a programed instruction firm dealing in testing, curriculum development and individualized programed instruction, both remedial and advanced. Speed reading techniques were a very positive experience for me at work, and thrilling in the results. I retired from County government administration of education projects, grants, contracting and compliance. That job had the added bonus of being in the same retirement system under which I had taught. I could have stayed on; but at 55, I sat down with my family and expressed a hope of retiring while we were still young enough to enjoy it. The consensus was: Go for it! So we did. However, during my last five years at wo...Expand for more