'Never too old'

When students celebrated graduation at the college of the North Atlantic earlier this month, one student among them was fulfilling a dream 50 years in the making.

Anne Gale-Gaulton was born in the Codroy Valley but later moved to Nova Scotia and the United States before settling in Toronto. She raised two children with her husband, Chay Gaulton, and spent 34 years at GE Canada (General Electric) as an executive administrative assistant.

Although she retired in 2000 and moved back to the Codroy Valley, Mrs. Gale-Gaulton said she was always bothered by the fact that she had never completed her Grade 12 education.

"I always wanted my Grade 12, but because I was working and bringing up a family, I just really never had the time to go back to school," she said.

At 67 years of age, Mrs. Gale-Gauton finally found the time to go back. Last year she enrolled in College of the North Atlantic's Adult Basic Education program.

At age 68, she became the oldest student to complete the program at the Port aux Basques campus.

She said administration at the college did check to see if that record stands provincially, but she didn't hear a definitive answer.

While it had been a lifelong dream, Mrs. Gale-Gaulton said actually going back to school was challenging at first.

"The first few weeks were very difficult," she said. "I didn't know anybody. The system was very different from what I was used to back then."

Mrs. Gale-Gaulton said her biggest problem was forging ahead without reading the instructions on her assignments. She said she was always a go-getter, but after taking the time to slow down and understand her assignments, her work started improving.

The program at CNA is slightly different from the average high school. Students are given their work in advance and go at their own pace. Three instructors in the room provide assistance as needed.

Mrs. Gale-Gaulton said her age difference from the other students was not a social barrier.

"It was amazing. After the first two weeks I had many, many friends and hopefully we will stay friends for a long time."

Math was her main concern going into the program. She said the math instructor helped her through the program and the many exams she had to write.

Mrs. Gale-Gaulton's two daughters, Diane and Gale, flew home from Alberta and Ontario to surprise their mom at her graduation ceremony. She is now awaiting the arrival of her official diploma so she can put it up on the wall for all to see.

Now that she has completed Grade 12, Mrs. Gale-Gaulton said she wouldn't mind going back to work if the right job came along. Years ago she might have gone into social work or medicine. Now she would consider some sort of customer service training.

She has advice for anyone of any age thinking about going back to school.

"By all means, think about it and do it. Don't be afraid," she said. "You're never too old to learn."

reporter@gulfnews.ca