100-year-old teacher gets degree a day before dying

[scandal 951]

Life in 3 easy steps:

a. Turn 100,

b. Graduate from college,

c. Die.

100-year-old teacher gets degree a day before dying

A day after 100-year-old Harriet Richardson Ames of New Hampshire received her bachelor's degree in education, the retired schoolteacher died.

By KATHY McCORMACK

The Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. — It was Harriet Richardson Ames' dream to earn her bachelor's degree in education. She finally reached that milestone, nearly three weeks after achieving another: her 100th birthday.

On Saturday, the day after receiving her diploma at her bedside, the retired schoolteacher died, pleased that she had accomplished her goal, her daughter said. Ames had been in hospice care.

"She had what I call a 'bucket list,' and that was the last thing on it," Marjorie Carpenter said Tuesday.

Ames, who turned 100 on Jan. 2, had earned a two-year teaching certificate in 1931 at Keene Normal School, now Keene State College. She taught in a one-room schoolhouse in South Newbury, and later spent 20 years as a teaching principal at Memorial School in Pittsfield, where she taught first-graders.

Through the years, she had taken classes at the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth Teachers College and Keene State to earn credits for her degree.

With her eyesight failing, she stopped after retiring in 1971 and was never sure she had enough credits.

Her wish for a degree became known when a Keene State film professor interviewed her a couple of years ago for a piece on the college's own centennial, which the school celebrated last year.

The school decided to research her course work and see if it could award Ames her long-sought diploma. The offices of the provost, registrar and other departments worked quickly in the last month to determine, that indeed, it could.

"Norma Walker, coordinator of the Keene State College Golden Circle Society, an alumni group for classes that graduated 50 or more years ago, said Ames told her, "If I die tomorrow, I'll know I'll die happy, because my degree's in the works."'

College officials, including Walker, drove the document to Ames' bedside Friday.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

nh lets u teach w/o a degree??

[one...two...tree 2,762]

nh lets u teach w/o a degree??

that was 1931...and she had a 2 year teaching degree.

[scandal 951]

nh lets u teach w/o a degree??

That would never happen in Australia, of course.

[Jennifer1 0]

That's quite a heartwarming story. Thanks for sharing it.

[natty bumppo 297]

nh lets u teach w/o a degree??

a degree means you can regurgitate what the instructors say ... this teacher probably had more knowledge of the world than most ....

in todays life ... phd's were behind ... and probably best obtained at home depot (post hold digger)

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

a degree means you can regurgitate what the instructors say ...

not if you actually paid attention in college

[natty bumppo 297]

not if you actually paid attention in college

yea... it means you can so just that ....

disagree ... you will fail

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

yea... it means you can so just that ....

disagree ... you will fail

not where i went to college

[natty bumppo 297]

not where i went to college

can't speak for the place you matriculated .. i have no proof that you actually have a degree ....

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

can't speak for the place you matriculated .. i have no proof that you actually have a degree ....

neither of us have proof the other even exists

[natty bumppo 297]

neither of us have proof the other even exists

so therefore you are?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

so therefore you are?

or am not. who knows? no evidence exists.

[natty bumppo 297]

or am not. who knows? no evidence exists.

this is why you are cool ...