In 1936, I graduated from high school in Cove, Oregon. In 1938, I received a teacher's certificate from Eastern Oregon Normal School, which later became Eastern Oregon University. After teaching the next year, I met and married the man who was to be my husband for 62 years. Like most families we worked, we played, we struggled, and we raised our children. Money wasn't always plentiful, but ultimately we retired.

I had always wished that I might have continued with my schooling and received a Bachelor Degree. It was one of those dreams of what might have been. However, when my husband's health began to fail, it was necessary for me to stay at home almost all of the time, and I looked around for something I could do to occupy my mind. It was then that I read about the Distance Education Program offered by Eastern Oregon University and contacted the local counselor.

It was a wonderful experience. She found that I was interested in obtaining a degree, and she helped me outline a program that would allow me to obtain a degree with a dual minor in history and writing. After the first class I was hooked. It was such fun. The instructors were extremely helpful. The classes were given over the Internet, and did require a lot of study at home. This was probably the hardest part. It had been a long time since I had been in a situation that needed self-discipline, and frankly, I really enjoyed the latest novel more than I did the textbooks, even though the texts have improved considerably since I was in school.

After my husband's death, my own health deteriorated and it was necessary to limit myself to one class a term. Consequently, it took a year longer than first planned. However, this spring I had the privilege, at 84, of taking part in the June graduation ceremonies at Eastern Oregon University, a dream come true!