ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd tˈɛn hiː ˈɛntɚd ðə skˈuːl ʌv ˈæɡɹɪkˌʌltʃɚɹ ɪn vˈoːɹoʊnək nˌɪɹ svˈɛntʃɪəniz, bˌʌt fɚðə lˈæk ʌv fˈʌndz mˈuːvd tə vˈɪlnɪəs ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːtiːn ænd bɪɡˈæn tə pɹɪpˈɛɹ hɪmsˈɛlf pɹˈaɪvətli fɔːɹ mˌætɹɪkjʊlˈeɪʃən ɛɡzˌæmᵻnˈeɪʃənz.
In 1910 he entered the school of agriculture in Voronec (near Švenčionys), but for the lack of funds moved to Vilnius in 1913 and began to prepare himself privately for matriculation examinations.