Saturday, February 5, 2011

Life of Maud Rosalie Driggs Christensen -- Part 4

For as long as I can remember, Dad loved to tell about his mother's success as a teacher and an actress at the Juarez Academy in the Mormon colonies in Mexico.


Part 4 describes one very memorable night. The final paragraph was also quoted by Dad. Grandmother had been Franklin S. Harris' high school teacher in Mexico.


President Franklin S. Harris was eventually president of both BYU and USU.


This is from Dad's autobiography, p. 81.


Months before I left the Army, Beth and I had planned for me to go back to school. While in Tokyo, I corresponded with several universities but nothing in the way of scholarships was available. The normal graduate school entrance season had passed, and the time to apply for next year was months away. Shortly after I got home, I visited Uncle Cliff Young. He suggested I contact President Franklin S. Harris. . . .President Harris might know of a county agent position. . . .


Before there was time to hear from President Harris, Beth and I drove to Logan. As I introduced myself to President Harris' secretary, she handed me the letter he had written to me. In his letter and in the interview with me, he stated that there was a research assistant position available in the Agronomy Department. . . .He would give it to me if I were interested. [He knew I had done reasonably well at BYU and in my work with the Soil Conservation Service.] I could start school immediately [on funds from the GI Bill and the research assistantship]. . . .This was an instant answer to our prayers.


Grandmother's early years helped pave the way for her children--years after she was gone.


The picture above includes:

front row -- Bernard, Maureen, Maud, Clare, top row -- Kathryn, Paul, Owen


Click here for Part 4.

No comments:

Post a Comment