(Testimony of Daniel Patrick Powers)
Mr. Powers.
individuals that they are fascinated by education, and of course, not knowing what his IQ was, and what his capacity for education was---still at the time he impressed me as an individual who was quite intelligent and he would read quite a lot, and so I would say he, by "being led," it would be more of a personal opinion of my own that he was an individual that you could sway.
Now, these are opinions that I have of him after being educated further myself, and seeing people every day, and in the teaching situation that I'm in, that is somewhat similar to a mass hysteria, and I think he is the one that you could brainwash or maybe that's the wrong term.
I think he is the individual that you would brainwash, and quite easy, and this is the opinion of the personality and mind that he did have.
I think once he believed in something, by gosh he believed in it, and he stood in his beliefs.
Mr. Jenner.
And how long have you been teaching?
Mr. Powers.
This will be my third year of teaching now.
Mr. Jenner.
What is the extent of your formal education beyond high school, if any?
Mr. Powers.
The extent of my formal education beyond high school was a Bachelor of Science Degree and presently working on a Master's Degree from the University, and this will either be in physical education or guidance; I'm not sure which way I'll go yet.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you have your University of Minnesota education attendance after you left the Marines?
Mr. Powers.
I had 1 year at the university before going to the Marine Corps, and then I went after my service.
Mr. Jenner.
Were you aware when you were in the service, or this period about which we are speaking, that he had not graduated from high school?
Mr. Powers.
Let's say I wasn't consciously aware of it. I was aware of the fact that I was one of the few boys or the individuals there that had a college education, and consequently also I had, after being in the Marines a short period of time, I had a firm belief in finishing my education.
And I think this here put---or any individual, not only myself, or any individual that had a college education, there was a number of them while I was in the Marines at that particular time that did have a college education, we felt intellectually we were somewhat above these boys in this particular group that we ran in this particular time. And I think this was borne out by the fact that we did more serious reading and we got into less crap games and went on less liberties and things of this nature, and at this particular time, I only had 1 year of college education.
Mr. Jenner.
Do you have any feeling with respect to Oswald, any disappointment on his part of his limited education at this stage of his life or any thing resulting or desire on his part for further education?
Did you ever have any discussions with him on the subject?
Mr. Powers.
His opinions, is that what you're asking?
Mr. Jenner.
Yes.
Mr. Powers.
I think that the reason he was in the Marine Corps was there wasn't anything better for him to do at this time, was the reason that he felt, and at least now, in recalling, again trying to recall, he felt this way about it. And he was somewhat of a rolling stone; he didn't care to go to school. And he'd just as soon go into the service to get out of the people's hair at home. This type of attitude.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he get into any fights or arguments other than marines jostling around as you would normally do, anything that attracted your attention of any kind?
Mr. Powers.
No; I would not say so. There isn't anything that stays in my mind at this time.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you return home and visit your folks during this----
Mr. Powers.
Yes; that's correct.
Mr. Jenner.
Leave before you had to return? You had to be at El Toro?
Mr. Powers.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Jenner.
I gathered that you had the impression that he---during this period of time that, this leave period--that he visited New Orleans?
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