5 Fascinating Facts About Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard

March brings a wide variety of holidays and events. People prepare to consume copious alcoholic beverages as St. Patrick‘s Day arrives, and designers sharpen their pencils to sketch the perfect gown to make its debut at the Oscars. But one holiday not widely known by Americans is the birthday of Scientology founder Layfette Ronald Hubbard, who was born on March 13, 1911. In recognition of his birthday, here are five facts about him: 

1. A military kid

Hubbard's father, Harry Ross Hubbard, joined the United States Navy and was stationed in Guam during World War I. Although Lafayette Hubbard was born in Tilden, Nebraska, the Hubbard family moved from place to place, including Guam and China, between October and December 1928. This continued while his father was in service. Throughout Hubbard's childhood, the family relocated multiple times overseas and within the states, giving Hubbard a childhood with no real friendships or community of his own. Due to this constant change, Hubbard adapted and grew to love travel and ultimately decided to serve his country. 

2. A World War II veteran 

Following in the footsteps of his father, Hubbard joined the military. He was a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and the Navy from 1941 to 1950, later earning the rank of lieutenant. He requested a friend, Robert Ford, to write a letter of recommendation for him stating that Hubbard was “one of the most brilliant men” he had ever known. Later, Ford confessed that Hubbard actually wrote the letter himself. Due to this life of military structure, Hubbard translated this military precision into the Church of Scientology with the Sea Orgs, a community that organized various events within the church.  

3. A college drop-out

Though Hubbard was very accomplished in different aspects of his life, education was never his strong suit. After his father was stationed in Guam, Hubbard and his mother went to Helena, Montana, where his mother's family lived, and enrolled for his junior year at Helena High School. After being unable to maintain decent grades and consistently getting in trouble for picking fights with the other students, Hubbard left the school. After moving, he graduated from Woodward School for Boys in Washington, D.C. Later, Hubbard attended George Washington University from 1930 to 1932, majoring in civil engineering, but dropped out due to low grades and lack of motivation for a degree; this was disappointing to his father as his academic future went up in flames. After deciding not to pursue an academic degree, Hubbard began writing literature. 

4. A book author 

Hubbard wrote over 275 manuscripts and books in various genres, including science fiction, mystery and aviation. Some of his most famous books are fantasy fiction, like “Battlefield Earth.” After some time, Hubbard transitioned from the fantasy genre to self-development books around 1950. His most famous self-help book, “Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health,” became the New York Times No. 1 bestseller, reaching over 176 nations, and is a staple text within the Church of Scientology. 

5. After Hubbard’s death Scientologists cheered 

On Jan. 24, 1986, Hubbard passed away due to a stroke. According to an article by The Los Angeles Times, once Hubbard’s death was announced to the congregation, “the cheers were deafening.”

“Hubbard had made a conscious decision to ‘sever all ties’ to this world so he could continue his Scientology research in spirit form,” the Times reported. Scientology leaders believed that his body restricted his work and this was an opportunity for him to continue his research elsewhere. 

Esther Wickham is a senior at The King’s College in New York City, where she majors in Journalism, Culture and Society.