Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Elmer Hader akaberekerwa muPajaro, California, asi akapedza nguva zhinji yehuduku hwake muSan Francisco. Pazera remakore 16, senhengo yeNational Guard, akabatsira kudzorera rugare muSan Francisco pashure pokudengenyeka kwenyika kwa1906
. Akashanda kwenguva pfupi muboka rekuongorora kumusoro kweRwizi rweAmerica (pedyo neSacramento, California), akabva adzokera kuSan Francisco kunoshanda semudzimi wemoto paState Belt Railroad (chitima chechitima chechitima chakashanda sechitima chemitoro nevanhu), uko baba vake vaishanda sainjiniya. Elmer akashandisa mari yaainge awana pabasa iri kubhadhara mari yechikamu chake chokutanga paCalifornia School of Design. Ipapo akawana zvikoro kuti apedze pachikoro (1907<unk>1910). Elmer aibatanidzwawo mumutambo, uye akatsigirwa nemapoka maviri emitambo, kusanganisira nguva yake muParis kuAcadémie Julian kubva muna 1912-1914. Akabudirira zvikuru pamitambo yevaudeville muFrance neU.S. (paPantages circuit), umo aizoita chiito che "Painting a Minute" uye, gare gare, chiitiko chechifananidzo chipenyu (mune vanhu vaiitwa kuti vaite sezvifananidzo), kuti akafunga kusiya chinangwa chake chenguva refu chokuva muimbi. Haana kudaro. Akadzokera kuSan Francisco, akagadzira imba yokudzidzira mifananidzo mufurati revabereki vake, akapenda, akadzidzisa unyanzvi, uye akaronga kuratidzira. Elmer akanga ari muimbi wokutanga akaratidzwa muone-man one-themed show pa Palace of Fine Arts. Akanyorerwa muU.S. Army ndokudzokera kuFrance muna 1918 senhengo yeCamouflage Corps, panguva chaiyo iyo Berta akakumbirwa naAmai Beatty kuti vauye kuNew York kuzoshanda mukugadzira mifananidzo yefashoni pa "McCalls".