both the fifth and sixth grades in spelling and arithmetic; in the fourth and sixth grades, C's are recorded for Spanish,160 which may account for his rudimentary familiarity with that language later on. 161 In the fourth grade his IQ was recorded at 103; on achievement tests in each of the 3 years, he twice did best in reading and twice did worst in spelling.162
Lee is generally characterized as an unexceptional but rather solitary boy during these years. His mother worked in a variety of jobs,163 and, according to her own testimony, told Lee not to contact her at work except in an emergency. 164 He ordinarily returned home alone directly after school, in obedience to his mother's instructions.165 A fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Clyde I. Livingston, described him as a lonely boy, quiet and shy, who did not easily form friendships with other students.166 But Richard W. Garrett has stated that he was a classmate of Lee in the fourth or fifth grade and found him easy to get along with; he recalled playing with Lee often at school and sometimes walking home together with him.167 Mrs. Livingston recalled that at Christmas 1949, Lee gave her a puppy and afterward came to her home to see the puppy and talk to her and her family.168

Lee's relationship with his brothers was good but limited by the difference in their ages.169 He still had a dog,170 but there were few children of his age in the neighborhood, and he appears to have been by himself after school most of the time. 171 He read a lot,172 had a stamp collection, and played chess and Monopoly with his brothers.173 Mrs. Murret remembered that on a visit to her home in New Orleans, Lee refused to play with other children or even to leave the house; he preferred to stay indoors and read (mostly "funnybooks") or listen to the radio. 174 After several weeks with the Murrets, Lee wrote to his mother and asked her to come for him.175 Hiram Conway, a neighbor on Ewing Street, thought Lee was an intelligent child, who picked things up easily; although he did not recall many specific incidents to support his impressions, Conway regarded Lee as "a bad kid," who was "quick to anger" and "mean when he was angry, just ornery." 176 John's general picture of Lee in these years is that of "a normal healthy robust boy who would get in fights and still have his serious moments." 177

John returned to high school in January 1949, but continued to work part time. 178 Early in 1950, he entered the Coast Guard.179 Robert left school soon after John's departure and went to work full time, contributing most of his earnings to the support of his family. 180 He returned to school in 1951-52, and after completing his junior year in high school, joined the Marines in July 1952. 181 In August, Mrs. Oswald and Lee moved to New York, where John was living with his wife and a very young baby in an apartment at 325 East 92d Street; the apartment- belonged to John's mother-in-law, who was temporarily away.182 Mrs. Oswald has explained that with Robert gone she did not want Lee to be alone while she worked and that she went to New. York City "not as a venture," but because she "had family" there.183