"Dutch" Reagan

"Dutch" Reagan

"Dutch" Reagan
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 5 to 7
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	6.24

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		discrimination, illegal, fairly, religion, reading, better, public, roots, nickname, education, banks, second, rocket, dependent, role, early
	content words:		Jack Reagan, Ronald Wilson Reagan, Ronald Reagan, Rock River, Dutch Reagan, United States

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"Dutch" Reagan
By Jane Runyon

¹     Jack Reagan looked at his second son when he was born. He laughed and said that he looked like a "fat little Dutchman." That was all that it took for a nickname to be attached to the boy. Ronald Wilson Reagan was known as Dutch throughout his growing years. Dutch was born in Tampico, Illinois, in 1911. His father was a shoe salesman. The Reagan family moved several times as Dutch grew up. His father was always looking for a great job that would take care of his family. Dutch was nine years old before his family put down roots in Dixon, Illinois.

²     Ronald Reagan was a loner for much of his early life. He didn't make friends quickly. Moving to new places so often made it even harder for him to fit in. He became more and more dependent on his family for company. His mother, Nelle, and his older brother, Neil, were his constant companions. Ronald spent a lot of time reading and playing with his toy soldiers in his younger years. He loved reading about nature. His favorite book was about wolves. He memorized every word.

³     At the time the Reagan family called Dixon home, it was a fairly small community. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. They helped each other when there was a need. This seemed to be the perfect community for Ronald. He could hike in the woods, swim and fish in Rock River, and trap muskrats along the banks of the river. He wasn't a perfect little boy. He ended up in the local police station when he was eleven. He had decided to shoot off an illegal fireworks rocket onto the bridge leading into town. He had to pay the fine for his misdeed.

Paragraphs 4 to 7:
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