When I landed in Albany as a Freshman, it was called the the State University of New York College of Education at Albany, then it was the State University College at Albany and then the State University of New York at Albany … had I arrived earlier it would have been the State Normal School, the New York State Normal College and the New York State College for Teachers. Who could afford all those sweatshirts???? What began as a school to educate teachers became a major player as a solid university. Today, I would put my education there against anyone from Harvard, Yale, Brown, et. al. We had amazing professors especially in the English Department. It has been an education that serves me very well. It was always a great financial challenge but well worth it. How these babies today can ever dig themselves out from under their student loans is beyond me. After nine years in college, my loans came due when I started to teach. Granted, I made under ten thousand yearly, and it took ten years at $55.52 monthly, but it was do-able especially since I was not profligate after a quarter century of living under the poverty line. These kids today have student loan payments equivalent to mortgages. There is something very wrong with this system.
All through the years, I have asked myself what I would do as a career given the change in times … no longer is it necessary for girls to pick marriage to someone willing to support them, secretarial, nursing or teaching … they can be whomever they choose. I know the answer after all these years. I would, God willing, be a teacher.