Jim Babka - Early Life and Education

Early Life and Education

Jim Babka was born in Cleveland, Ohio to James Sr and Joyce Babka. He was raised in Twinsburg Ohio, where in junior high and early high school he had paper routes for the Cleveland Press (until it closed) and then for the Akron Beacon Journal.

On the night of Friday, May 12, 1978, the Babka family, James Sr, Joyce, Jim, and his sister Sherri, were traveling west on Route 82 through Macedonia, Ohio when they were struck broadside by a car traveling north on Shepherd Rd. The Babkas' Pontiac spun backward two times, and settled facing west. James Sr., the driver, had deep cuts and bruises. Sherri, aged 7, was asleep on the passenger side—the side of the car that had been struck—and suffered a broken femur that required first traction, and then a full-leg cast. Jim walked away with only a cut behind his ear.

But Jim's mother, Joyce, had sat at the very point of impact. She was knocked unconscious and had severe internal injuries. She was rushed to the nearest hospital but never regained consciousness, and was pronounced dead in the wee morning hours of May 13. The next day was Mother's Day, and Jim, aged 10, stood with his father in front of his mother's casket to greet mourners.

The driver of the other vehicle, Jeff Dorsey, was only 16 years old. Officers on the scene determined he was drunk, and noted that his speedometer was locked at 70 m.p.h. Dorsey was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, and served two years in a juvenile detention facility.

Babka graduated from Baptist Christian School in Orange Village, Ohio, where he had been class President in 10th grade.

Babka's father, an auto-parts company executive, was a conservative Republican who had supported Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Jim was used to hearing politics discussed regularly, and found that social studies classes came easy to him. His seventh grade history teacher, Mr. Betts, helped him discover his talent in history and social studies, and by ninth grade he recognized that he wanted to go into a career involving political action. On his senior class trip to Washington, DC, he wandered off from the group to meet his unusual idol, Congressman Jack Kemp.

Babka attended the University of Akron where he majored in political science and minored in business management. Evenings, weekends, and breaks were spent working alternatively as a painter and for the Sherwin-Williams Company as an inside salesman.

Early in his college career he became involved in the College Republicans. While a member, he ran for the top student senate seat on a College Republican ticket. He campaigned hard. Despite not being part of the Greek system, he nearly won the seat—attracting more votes than the top of his ticket. But he quickly became disillusioned by politics. Favoritism, petty in-fighting, and criminal corruption in the college organization caused Babka to seek other outlets to make a difference.

While still a student, such an opportunity arrived. He took over a virtually defunct and in-debt, independent newspaper called The Buchtel Helm. Working with friends he revived it, and served as Editor-in-Chief for one year. The following year, he turned over editing and publishing responsibilities to two other students, Chet Sutherland and Jeffrey Winter, respectively. But Babka served as President of the non-profit organization that produced the paper, and continued to write for it. The three students renamed the paper The U of A Times.