Harry S Truman: To Dot, Or Not To Dot?



Truman said he had two choices in life: politics or piano player
Any regrets, Harry?

Only in America could a controversy erupt over whether it is appropriate to use a period after Harry Truman's middle name. Harry didn't have a middle name--it's just S.  It was apparently a compromise between his parents and it stood for the name of both his maternal grandfather Solomon Young, and his paternal grandfather Anderson Shipp Truman.

Seems Truman may have created the controvesy himself--possibly in jest.  It's possible, because he was well known for his funny stories. He told a group of reporters in 1962 that the period should be omitted.  Here we are 50 years later still discussing it.  I guess you'd have to give him credit if it was a joke--good one, Mr. President!

However, more often than not (both before and after he told those reporters that in 1962), Harry used a period after the S in his signature, although there are a few examples of when he didn't.  Maybe he did that just to mess with us.

~TEC