Olds College graduates from different years say their education here was a key factor in their successful careers.
Hundreds gathered for a reunion at the college on July 20, involving grads from the early 1950s up to the late '60s, although grads from other years were welcome too. Activities included lunch, reminiscing and a tour of the college.
Jim Stone, agriculture, class of 1959, is one of those who attended. He's also a director of the Olds College Alumni Association (OCAA).
Stone was born and raised in Buffalo, Alta., about 325 kilometres southeast of Olds.
"I came to Olds College as a student in about 1957, I suppose, and I've been here ever since. I'm a slow learner, I guess," he said with a laugh.
"I'm really glad I spent so much time here because it really gave us a firm base to go wherever we went in our life," he said.
Stone's plan was to take agriculture and then to farm, which he did for a while. But he soon ended up back at Olds College, first as a mechanic's helper. Later, he taught mechanics for about 35 years, before retiring in 2005.
"I loved every minute of it. It was wonderful. It's a family atmosphere even today. But literally, the students and staff are a close group and it makes learning and teaching fun," Stone said.
"I was asked by my sister a week or two ago if I wasn't sorry I wasn't farming and I said, 'no, I'm really glad I didn't farm,' because I've met people. I've travelled the world for different college organizations and I've just been so blessed by being a part of this college."
Betty Jorsvick is a member of the class of 1952.
She notes back in those days, the choice was basically between home economics, which the vast majority of female students took, and agriculture classes.
She said home economics was a broader subject than some might think.
"That was probably 22 different subjects, from math, science, to how to make butter, how to pluck a chicken. We learned a bit of everything. Woodworking — we made a table. We were being prepared for running a home, which maybe isn't that bad an idea," she said.
Jorsvick was raised on a farm near Drumheller.
"I came from a huge family," she said. "There were 11 of us and six of the girls, including myself, attended Olds College."
Jorsvick, 86, now lives west of Olds. She said her education at Olds College has served her well.
"I still have a huge garden, yard. Still do my own mowing and my garden work," she said. "I have company almost every day. I still help cook for harvesters. So I keep busy and most of those things I learned to do on the farm, but perfected them a bit here at Olds College.
"But learning to get along with other people and meeting other people was probably the most important part," she added.
"I used to do a lot of volunteer work here and I loved coming back — especially to meet my classmates. Not many of them come anymore, but age catches up, and bad health. I've been fortunate in that area.
"I've got to know a lot of people, just from coming back — not just from my year, just people. And I enjoy people. I enjoy visiting with them. Everyone has an interesting story," Jorsvick said.
Chuck Blakely is another member of the agriculture class of 1959.
Like many, Blakely grew up on a farm. In his case, that was near Stettler. He said he came in with a pretty cocky attitude. He thought he was smarter than just about everybody else.
The college helped fix that. For one thing, he met lots of guys who he had to admit were smarter than he was.
"In that group, in that era, the guys who came here, a lot of us, it was the first time away from home and (they) came to a college of like-minded guys. It was well regimented, which is good, and I think some of our youth today could stand some of that," he said.
"If you wanted to go to a show downtown, you got permission from the dean of men to go downtown. There was some regimen to the whole thing, which I think is good for anybody and everybody.
"To my way of thinking, it teaches you responsibility. You've got to be responsible to make your bed, you've got to be responsible to do your laundry, you've got to be responsible for attending class. And that passes on down."
After graduating, Blakely farmed — and still does, to some extent. But he eventually got into the oil and gas business, primarily as a landman, dealing with pipeline rights-of-way and easements.
Ed Shaw is an agricultural mechanics grad, class of 1971. He's also president of the OCAA.
Shaw lives on a farm in the Carstairs area but also does sales for Barr-Ag. He says his education at Olds College helped open doors to a fascinating career.
"I've lived in Saudia Arabia, I've lived in Athens and I do international business. But I come back to the family farm. That's where I live," he said. "I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."
