Children of the Night

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Ray Trautman was born in Mowrystown, Ohio, where there was no library and few books, but he loved to read. As a teenager, he decided to attend college by enrolling in night high school so he could work during the day, earning money to save. In 1925, he enrolled in the University of Kentucky and joined the ROTC. He met Jesse Stuart, who became a lifelong friend and prolific author. After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Trautman graduated in 1932, during the Great Depression. He applied to the Army Air Corps, was accepted, but his poor eyesight resulted in his dismissal. Trautman attempted gold prospecting, and then joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he ultimately became an educational advisor and built a literacy and library program for his CCC company. This experience inspired Trautman to apply to library school so he could spend his life working with books.</jats:p>