Evening star., 1938-01-02
C. W. u. Cold of n Realizing
College Education Ambiti0n
Mrs. Isabelle Haggetl
Has Eye Set on Mas.
ter's Degree.
BY JESSE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSE FAINT EVANS.
Never too old to learn" says the
old adage and Amen" responds Mrs.
Isabelle Barnes Haggett of SAL
Twenty-f1rst street NV, who, at the
age OF "A, Is the oldest undergraduate
at the George Washington University
and has her eye on the masters degree
IF I live long enough"
From her Indiana school days
through a long and happy married
life at her husbands side in various
far-flung Western outposts Of Uncle
Sans Indian schools, Mrs. Haggett
always wanted to go to college.
The opportunity did not come, how
ever, until after 70, when widowed
and retired from the service of the
United States Government, she was
residing in Washington, to be near a
sister, Miss Medora Barnes Of 1880
R street NV.
Her sister and their mutual friends
urged her to enjoy the opportunity
affored her to live life of we'll
earned leisure. but like a tantalizirg
whisper came the insistent urge to
realize her college ambition.
Disregarding admonitions that at
her age she was plunging herself into
a perhaps more exacting routine than
any she had yet known, she enrolled
at the George Washington University
for its Bachelor of Arts degree three
years ago.
No Regrets.
Regret her step? mot for even one
moment of the way" is her immediate
reply.
In a blue sweater and well-cut
matching plaid skirt she lc.'.s incon-
spicuously collegiate just like any
other well-bred woman student on any
other American campus.
Students and professors alike eenu-
inely enjoy their association with
Mrs. Haggett and accept her pres
ence among them quite as a matter
of course because Of her own matter
of-fact attitude toward her work
Modestly she admits finding the
first months of her college courses
| difficult
The day-to-day application of text
books and library source references
was taxing at first" she explained,
because many, many years had clap
sed since I had been a student in
a class room. Naturally. too, it took
me longer to prepare the assignments
than it did my younger associates.
However. by not sparing myself, l
gradually worked into the swing of
the procedure, even going to summer
school that first year in order not to
lose the elasticity I was slowly gain
ing. So interested did finally be-
come in the intellectual horizons my
courses were opening up before me
that the lesson assignments eventu-
ally became necessary perliminaries
to the touch and go of the lesson
periods"
Pulls Up Grades.
Her first course netted her only q
&C" grade, but now she is advancing
toward her academic goal with "B"
averages, ambitious to win master
of arts degree, if she Lives long
enough" after completing her A. B.
courses.
Among the prescribed studies at the
university which she has covered with
full accrediting are courses in English,
botany and history. The latter sub
ject is her favorite, trends of Ameri-
can civilization and ancient and
v,odoryo iv,,porioli licy,,c bojon oev,,ot. ~
it which she is particularly enjoying.
Walking has always constituted
Mrs. Haggett's chief form of exer-
else, and she moves with the rhythmic
swing of one accustomed to taking
long tramps She not only is erect,
but without any of the usual late
middle-aged slumps in posture.
Concerts, musicales and the the
aters are her chief forms of recrea-
ton. For the usual type of movie
she cares very little, but goes with
enjoyment to those that have a his
torical background.
Considers Taking Swimming.
Fond of sea-bathing, she is seri-
ously considering taking swimming as
the form of physical exercise which
the university curriculum requires of
all students.
All her life long Mrs. Haggett,s
health has been excellent. She does
not wear glasses except for reading
purposes and has not had her pres
ent ones changed for many years.
Mrs. Haggett was born In Corydon,
Ind. When Indiana was a territory,
Corydon was its capital, so from this
background of her birth and early
girlhood she probably received her
first impetus toward her present in
terest in historical trends.
Her entire life has really been spent
in school atmosphere, because her
father was at one time a teacher OF
various county schools, and her hus-
band, George B. Haggett, a college
graduate, was at the time OF their
marriage the superintendent of the
Corydon County schools. Previously
she had attended the Indiana public
schools, the Central Normal College
at Danville and the State Normal
School, after which she taught vari-
Gus primary grades in the schools of
Dubois County, subsequent to being
made deputy treasurer of Harrison
County. This position she held for