Knute Rockne BiographyKnute Kenneth Rockne was born on March 4, 1988. He was born in Voss, Norway, from where he emigrated to America. At the age of five his family immigrated to the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Knute attended Northwest Division High School in Chicago where he played football and ran track. After high school, Knute worked as a mail carrier at the Chicago Post Office for four years. After saving enough money over the years, he continued his education by enrolling at the University of Notre Dame at the age of 22. At Notre Dame every student had to play a sport. Knute chose to play football for the Fighting Irish. He played scrub as a freshman, then decided to pursue track and field. He set the school record for the men's pole vault by leaping twelve feet, four inches into the air. Knute then gave football a second chance, which turned out to be a phenomenal decision. He was named to the Walter Camp All America Squad as the third string. His most famous catch was in Army's major upset in 1913, which drew attention to Notre Dame and the use of the forward pass in college football. Knute was as brilliant as a student as he was as an athlete. He attended Notre Dame to study chemistry. He studied this for four years and ended up graduating at the top of his class. He graduated with a 90.52, which was on a scale of 100. After graduation he was given a position as an assistant coach at Notre Dame. Rockne served under coach Jesse Harper for four years from 1914 to 1918. He developed frank one-on-one relationships with his players, rather than Harper who was rather mild-mannered. Knute was quite embarrassed that his players would come to him with their problems, rather than the coach. Mr. Harper and the University trusted him so much after a period of time that he was responsible for the money when the team traveled. He paid for the team's meal and gave them money before Sunday mass. After Harper's father fell ill in 1918, she decided to leave Notre Dame and care for him on her ranch in Kansas. He implied that Knute was given the job and was his successor. Knute got a one-year contract with a salary of five thousand dollars.