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Great-grandmother is at school for a degree PAGE 21 -SUPPLEMENT TO MpHFNRY PLAINDEALER-WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1975 enthused over an astron­ omy course which he is taking at Queensborough Community College in New York that he recently do­ nated a $10,000 reflecting telescope to the college. Special program Mr. Schneider is taking college courses under a special program of the City University of New York which permits adults age 65 and over to enroll in as many courses as they wish, providing there is space, for a total fee of just $10. "The courses play a big part in my life," he says, "filling a void I felt for pie of all ages," she says. In addition to the pure joy of learning ("I get too interested in trigonometry and forget to go to bed"), Beulah Eggett views her return to college as a "test of myself, to see how long I hold up." The odds are good that another year or so will see her in cap and gown. Mrs. Eggett's story is not unique. Nor is it unique that she has chosen to at­ tend a community college. "Many community col­ leges offer tuition-free courses to the elderly; pro­ vide free transportation to and from campus; many provide free meals, free concerts, plus the use of facilities for senior citizen groups," says Edmund J. Oleazer, Jr., president of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges. "In addition, sev­ eral community colleges serve as area agencies for the aging. several years after I re­ tired." These are two isoib^ea stories of people attending community colleges. How­ ever, one out of every three students presently enroll­ ed in college are enrolled in ^community college, according to Gleazer. En­ rollments at the 1,203 two- year colleges last fall were more than 3.5 million stu­ dents, and showed a 12% increase over the previous year. The average age of stu­ dents is 27 -- but all ages are represented as these colleges try to provide comprehensive services to their communities. OTHER OF FIVE, GRANDMOTHER OF 15, and great- grandmother of nine, Mrs. BeuIaK Eggett who celebrated her 83rd birthday in October, 1974 is one of the hundreds of senior citizens going back to school, and one of thousands in the nation attending community colleges. Photo courtesy: American Assn. of Community and Junior Colleges. Beulah Eggett carries a cane but "doesn't really need it," sits in the front of the classroom because she is a bit hard of hear­ ing, earns good grades, and is the mother of five, grandmother of 15, and great-grandmother of nine. Mrs. Eggett, who cele­ brated her 83rd birthday in October 1974, is a stu­ dent at Laney College in Oakland, California. She is one of the hun­ dreds of senior citizens go­ ing back to the classrooms at Lancy and other col­ leges in the Peralta Com­ munity College District, and one of thousands in the nation attending com­ munity colleges. , Current courses She is currently taking courses in psychology and trigonometry at Laney, us­ ing'Bay Area Rapid Tran­ sit to travel to and from campus, and studies Eng­ lish and philosophy with Laney instructors who conduct classes in the se­ nior citizen apartment complex in which she lives. Mrs. Eggett last went to college in Fresno, Calif., in 1912. Yet her grades in­ dicate it might have been yesterday -- she earned an 85 on her first trigonom­ etry test and got perfect scores on the next three. Her goal is to earn an associate of arts degree and then transfer to the nearby University of Cali­ fornia, Berkeley. Eventu­ ally she might like to use her education as a back­ ground for tutoring ... she used to do that in Fresno, where she also had a job retouching negatives in a photo studio. Family views Did her children object to mother going back to college? "I didn't ask, I just told them I was going to, though my daughter does think I am taking too many courses." She enjoys her class­ mates. "The students have been good to me. A couple of times there weren't any seats in the student center, and folks have picked up chairs and brought them to me. They ask how I'm getting along. "I think I really like to come to school where there are all kinds of peo- Indirect rewards "Not only do the elder­ ly directly benefit from the services provided by community colleges, they also receive the indirect rewards from programs provided by these colleges in gerontology, homemak- er services, nursing home administration, geriatrics, human services, mental health technology, recrea­ tional leadership, nursing, and nutritional services." For 43 years Harry Schneider was an elemen­ tary school teacher in New York City. Now 70 years old, Mr. Schneider is so Clean Sweep Sale! RAILROAD ACCESSORIES HO & N GUAGE BUILDINGS •CARS TRACKS • We're Going OUT OF BUSINESS. ~ i Help Us Clean House! Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! At Prices Like ThisiThey Won't Last Long. McHENRY HOBBY SHOP (next to Jepsen Tire) 3318 W. Elm McHenry 385-7122 July 31, Aug. 1 & 2 SPECIAL! t(Wg,(j»eum ViOl»£u,, stock YOUR CHOICE OF 3 PATTERNS Ceramics t SQ. FT. HURRY FOR BEST SELECTION! 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