Early life and family left|thumb|Dewey at Owosso High School, 1919 Dewey was born and raised in Owosso, Michigan, where his father, George Martin Dewey, owned, edited, and published the local newspaper, the Owosso Times.(Smith, pp. 66–67) His mother, Annie (Thomas), whom he called "Mater", bequeathed her son "a healthy respect for common sense and the average man or woman who possessed it." She also left "a headstrong assertiveness that many took for conceit, a set of small-town values never entirely erased by exposure to the sophisticated East, and a sense of proportion that moderated triumph and eased defeat."(Smith, pp. 58–59) One journalist noted that as a boy "he did show leadership and ambition above the average; by the time he was thirteen, he had a crew of nine other youngsters working for him" selling newspapers and magazines in Owosso.(Gunther, p. 526) In his senior year in high school he served as the president of his class, and was the chief editor of the school yearbook. His senior caption in the yearbook stated "First in the council hall to steer the state, and ever foremost in a tongue debate", and a biographer wrote that "the bent of his mind, from his earliest days, was towards debate." He received his B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in 1923, and his LL.B. degree from Columbia Law School in 1925.
early life and family left|thumb|dewey at owosso high school 1919 dewey was born and raised in owosso michigan where his father george martin dewey owned edited and published the local newspaper the owosso times(smith pp 66–67) his mother annie (thomas) whom he called "mater" bequeathed her son "a healthy respect for common sense and the average man or woman who possessed it" she also left "a headstrong assertiveness that many took for conceit a set of small-town values never entirely erased by exposure to the sophisticated east and a sense of proportion that moderated triumph and eased defeat"(smith pp 58–59) one journalist noted that as a boy "he did show leadership and ambition above the average; by the time he was thirteen he had a crew of nine other youngsters working for him" selling newspapers and magazines in owosso(gunther p 526) in his senior year in high school he served as the president of his class and was the chief editor of the school yearbook his senior caption in the yearbook stated "first in the council hall to steer the state and ever foremost in a tongue debate" and a biographer wrote that "the bent of his mind from his earliest days was towards debate" he received his ba degree from the university of michigan in 1923 and his llb degree from columbia law school in 1925