Task Two-The Importance of Education

Chayse J. Adams

English 100-20 Task Two

10-5-2010

Task Two-The Importance of Education

Education has always been important in my family. My father only has a high school diploma for an education and still has a great paying job with great benefits as a Forman working Union Construction for Collins Plastering but he works his butt off for what he has in the hottest summer days and the dead cold of winter. That’s why he believes that getting an education is so important for me, so that I too can live like my mother who went to college, makes virtually the same pay, has even better benefits, and does not have to work outside all day in the elements, has payed vacation, and her job is not physically demanding on her body. My mother was advised by her mother, my grandmother. I wanted to know why my grandmother decided to attend college and further her education which is ultimately the reason I am attending Missouri Western State University now following my graduation of high school this previous year, class of 2010.

My Grandmother decided to attend college and further her education because her father was a college graduate in the study of law, she guesses that she mostly was trying to live up to her father’s shadow. Her parents, Grate Grandpa John and Great Grandma Joy, allowed or believed that is was acceptable that if she was trying to better herself and way of life for her future that is was not necessary for her to pick up on the household chores and would support her financially through that time. She knew if she did not attend college she was going to have to “enter the real world” finding a job, start supporting herself, and grow up taking on the responsibilities of becoming an adult. She also knew that when that day came when she had to fend for herself that she would be able to get a good job or start a career which she would receive a decent pay for doing with benefits and insurance included as compared to working at a market sacking peoples groceries for a living. She was a very good student in high school, one could say, the perfect student. Straight A’s, graduated at the top ten percent of her class, kept out of drugs, alcohol, sex, and was voted most likely to succeed in her class. She enjoyed school and prided herself in being a good student. Her father always reminded her to, “work smarter, not harder”.

My grandma finished high school at Benton High School in the top ten percent of her class. The following fall she attended St. Joseph Community College that was only a two year school to get her General Education Classes done and was cheaper than attending a big college for those classes. She then moved to Maryville and attended North West Missouri Teachers College which is now the North West Missouri State where she got her major in Teaching Sciences and minored in Medical Technology in 1969.

My grandma started her career as a student teacher in the Saint Joseph School District the fall following her graduation in 1969. The next year she began Substitute Teaching for the SJSD. After a few years of being a Substitute she landed a full time job at Lafayette High school for the SJSD where she taught Several Biology and Chemistry classes. She worked there for five years before a friend told her that he could get her a job working in the lab at a local animal pharmaceuticals company named New Farm making around $60,000.0 a year. She worked at New Farm for ten years before quitting that job because she felt she was being used unfairly. My mother in the meantime had taken a similar career path of animal pharmaceuticals at Phermenta which was later bought out by Boringer Inglehiem. My mother helped my grandma land a job there with her and she has worked with that company for 7 years now, however she suffered a major pay reduction, only making around 35,000.0 a year. She likes it much better where she is now even though the pay cut.

My grandma only has a few regrets about her educations contribute to her life that consist of; not have getting into the field of Medical Technology sooner, however she does note that things may not have worked out as was as they did if she had not gone through the whole process she did. She loved the pay working for her previous employer, but wishes she would have gotten out of that company sooner than she did because of what she had to put up with for so long. She has no regrets about furthering her education and loved college and the opportunities it has presented her through her life and would do it all over again if she had the chance. As words of advice she wishes to pass down to me from her father following my interview of her is to, “work smarter, not harder” and when it come to education, finish what you’ve started, referring to college, because even if you go into a completely different line of work down the road, furthering your education is extremely more beneficial in the work force than not.”