Wednesday, September 28, 2016

COLLEGE LOANS

In 1960 I began my college journey.. From the get-go my education was "for nothing. "I earned and paid my own way at a junior college in Worcester, Mass. I worked and I spent money on clothes. I really don't know if I knew what I was doing but it worked! Worcester Junior was "no frills" as "MAIN STREET WAS OUR CAMPUS."It worked for me.


It was a becoming for me. I made friends and learned the ropes of higher education. The kicker came when it was time to "Transfer." I was grasping at straws. What to do? "No mon, no fun, your son." 'Too bad, so sad, your dad." While I was ambitious in my ways, dad was a blue collar conservative house builder. He knew nothing about attending college. I WOULD BE ON MY OWN. Good. I worked for both and with him.. earned some bucks and gained confidence in becoming a college student and I became a "borrowing" student.


My National Defense Student Loan chart shows I began borrowing $200 on 9/18/1963. A paltry amount. Then I found out by signing my name collage became doable. I borrowed more and more and more. What fun. I became a big shot in my beer-drinking glory at SLU.Each semester I bit thee bullet. Hey, it's only money. Dad thought differently. ""I know you, Bob." I retorted by saying "It's my ticket." He signed for me on a Worcester County Trust Note. I got my way!


There's a certain enterprise in becoming  a student of higher education. BAck then "Talk was cheap and so was tuition." I continued to learn the ropes. Working three jobs I wasn't bashful in dollar-cost-averaging. I received a crisp $5 bill each week from home. That was it.


AsI grew, opportunity knocked and knocked again. The good Jesuits liked me I guess s they loaned me $125 for my National Park Service Clothing. College became fun.


The bottom like to it all is my debt became somewhat negligible. I paid off a $500 Note in 1965 and temporized payments to NDEA. I became "home free." Frank Cooke said it best: 'Bob, never let not having money stop you from obtaining a college education. Mr. Cook was right!





LORD BYRON




No comments:

Post a Comment