Spit and Polish: A Kentucky Boy's Coming of Age in a Tennessee Military School

In the fall of 1957, 14-year-old Bill Harris's parents enrolled him at the Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee, hoping their lackadaisical, happy-go-lucky son would gain maturity there and learn to apply himself to his studies. After a rough start, Bill did that, and a whole lot more, during his years at CHMA. He got a great education, learned about life from teachers who became mentors, and formed friendships that would last a lifetime.

Rifles and sabers, drills and demerits, mischief and laughter, hard work and dedication – they're all here in this memoir about a young man who built his life on the foundation provided by this extraordinary institution.

About the Author

Judge (Ret.) William Robey Harris, Jr. was born and reared in Franklin, Kentucky, where he attended public schools through the eighth grade.

Following his years at Castle Heights Military Academy, Bill graduated from the University of Kentucky (AB 1965; JD 1967). After clerking for a federal judge and serving a stint in the US Air Force, Bill practiced law in South Central Kentucky for twenty years.

From 1989 through 2006, Bill served as circuit judge for Allen and Simpson Counties in Kentucky. During the next four years, he served as a senior status judge across Kentucky, including two tours as a special judge on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He fully retired in 2016.

Bill and his wife Ida live in Franklin, Kentucky, where they are active in various nonprofit activities. They have two sons, Robey (Sarah) and Ben, and a grandson, James Robey.

Spit and Polish is Bill's first book.