Emory George Jackson was born in Calgary on December 23, 1911 and grew up on his father’s farm near Cheadle, Alberta. Jackson attended junior high school at Mount Royal College from 1926 to 1930. During his studies, he won the gold medal in general proficiency in 1926, and the excellence in history prize in 1929. Jackson also managed the boys’ hockey and basketball teams, was a member of the Literary Society, and assisted with the college yearbook, The Chinook, as a classroom reporter and wit and humour staff member. According to the yearbooks, his comedic antics earned him the nickname "Goofy" amongst his friends and classmates.