Francis Dunn - Early Life

Early Life

Dunn was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where attended the local schools. After high school he chose to attend Dickinson College because the school had a law school. While at Dickinson he was member of many organizations including the Student Senate, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, as well as serving as president of the Athletic Association. A well rounded student he also sang with the Glee Club and sat on the editorial board of the college yearbook. He is considered one of greatest all-round athletes in the Dickinson's history earning two letters for basketball and four letters in football. During his senior year at Dickinson he married and had a daughter.

Dunn received the nickname “Mother” while traveling for his first year of college. It was giving to him by two upperclassman that happen to run into the incoming freshman at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania train station. After finding out his last name, they started calling him “Mother,“ in reference to the Penn State All-American Center, William Thomas "Mother" Dunn.

After he graduated in 1914 he was a teacher and coach at Elkins Park High School in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. The following year he returned to Dickinson and entered the School of Law.