Older students offer new perspective in classroom
HILTON HEAD ISLAND — Younger college students reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" can only imagine life in the 1940s when the novel was set — or in the 1960s, when it was released.
But those in class with John Jones, 77, can hear firsthand what it was like to be a teenager during World War II.
Jones, a resident of Sun City Hilton Head, is auditing a literature class at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. "It's been refreshing," Jones said.
He is one of more than 300 people older than 60 taking classes at eight USC campuses.
The Technical College of the Lowcountry began an initiative a few months ago to reach out to residents 50 and older.
Barbara Schmidt, 67, went back to school there in 2005 to start a new career. The former interior designer completed a three-month Certified Nursing Assistant program and now works full-time for Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.
"Emotionally, I just wasn't ready to retire," she said. "Everybody needs to work with what Social Security is."
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