Education

Education is a tenuous thing for there are so many aspects of one’s education that are hard to label, let alone measure.  One might say that my education began with books my mother read me as a child or from the Zane Grey books that my grandmother read to my brother, Johnny, and I each night when we were around 8 and 6. It continued with thousands of books that I devoured in a lifetime of reading and “thousands” is not an exaggeration. It continued with interactions with others in a varied existence that led me to so much variety in my formative years. Of course, it continued with the formal parts – school and college. For me, it did not stop there for I have led a life of curiosity that has led me to an endless quest for knowledge about this thing or another. A curiosity that has served me well. 

Ah, but for this let me stick to my formal education. 

I went to six elementary schools in my first six years; two junior highs (as they were called then instead of middle schools as they are called now) and one high school. 

I dropped out of high school after my junior year. Then off to the army which was an education in itself. 

Finally, I went to El Centro Jr College part of the Dallas Community College system, but that was only for one class for one semester after the army. I was just not ready for school yet. Ah, but I returned with a vengeance that only working in a dead-end job will create. 

I then enrolled in Eastfield Collge, also part of the Dallas Community Collge system. I finished my required 66 hours in a year and a half. I was on the Dean’s List every semester and was in Phi Thetta Kappa, the Jr College Honor Society.

Then it was off to the University of Texas – Permian Basin where I completely my Junior and Senior years with 157 total hours when only required to have 120 to graduate. I was an honor graduate in Life Sciences (Biology) with 57 hours in my major (only 30 were required), two minors, Geology & Chemistry and only need one more class in Math to have a third minor**; two more classes in Psychology, two in History to have two more minors. I was the Outstanding Student in Life Science, the Chairman of the Student Council of the College of Science & Engineering, Editor of the Life Science newspaper, The Fubar, President of the Biology Club, and winner of the Pika Award. I enjoyed school. . .  

I also attended Graduate School at UTPB, but finally burned out before finishing – 7 hours short of my Masters. 

** I went ahead and took another math course online – Statistics for IS. That gives me 15 hours in math – and makes math my third minor.