Hillary Diane Rodham was born on October 26, 1947. Her parents were Hugh Ellsworth Rodham and Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham. The Rodham family lived in Park Ridge, Illinois, when Hillary was born. Her father was a fairly successful businessman in the textile industry. Hillary was the oldest Rodham offspring. She had two younger brothers, Hugh and Tony.
It was hard to slow Hillary down, even as a child. She worked hard to earn badges as a Brownie and Girl Scout. She played several different sports. You could find her at her church and her school whenever an activity was taking place. Hillary's parents believed in disciplining their children. They also believed in loving their children. That made for a happy childhood for Hillary.
From the time she was small, Hillary's parents encouraged her to pursue whatever career she chose. Hillary got involved in politics in high school. She was elected to the school student council. She joined the debating team. She seemed to take to debate easily. She did her research. She knew what the important points of any debate were going to be. She kept calm and cool in the face of her opponent. Her grades were very good. She was a National Merit Scholar Finalist her senior year.