▁the ▁principal , ▁de em ing ▁the ▁school ▁the ▁most ▁" dis g ust ing ▁combination ▁of ▁cant , ▁hyp oc ris y , ▁cruel ty , ▁class ▁privile ge ▁and ▁in an ity ▁I ▁have ▁ever ▁since ▁encountered ▁at ▁any ▁human ▁institution ." ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁he ▁en rolled ▁at ▁C lem son ▁Agricult ural ▁College ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁football ▁team ▁as ▁a ▁tail back . ▁After ▁one ▁sem ester , ▁he ▁left ▁school ▁to ▁en list ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps . ▁Dic key ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁as ▁a ▁rad ar ▁operator ▁in ▁a ▁night ▁f ighter ▁squad ron ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁during ▁the ▁Korean ▁War . ▁Between ▁the ▁wars , ▁he ▁attended ▁V ander b ilt ▁University , ▁gradu ating ▁mag na ▁cum ▁la ude ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁English ▁and ▁philosophy ▁( as ▁well ▁as ▁min oring ▁in ▁astronom y ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁He ▁also ▁received ▁an ▁M . A . ▁in ▁English ▁from ▁V ander b ilt ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁ ▁Career ▁Dic key ▁taught ▁as ▁an ▁instruct or ▁of ▁English ▁at ▁R ice ▁University ▁( then ▁R ice ▁Institute ) ▁in ▁Houston , ▁Texas ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁and , ▁following ▁his ▁second ▁Air ▁Force ▁st int , ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 4