By Pam Hesser
At 17, Kathy Shields of Queen City was one of the youngest students at TCC participating in the night school program, the medium age being about 7.5. With great enthusiasm she said, “I finally turned 18 November 15!”
Kathy leads a busy life. She is currently carrying nine semester hours including English, sociology and psychology, down from 12. “I had to drop one class because I just couldn’t find the time to get everything done,” the freshman lamented. Kathy is employed as a secretary by David R. Collins, a surveyor in Atlanta. “I love my job,” she commented.
Kathy was talking in between her duties at work. She related an experience; “one time a man called and said he needed a ‘tops’” done on his land. I don’t understand all of the surveyor’s terms and I wrote down that he had requested a “too pole,” she laughed. “Later, I found that tops is short for topography.” Kathy added. Undaunted by her mistake, Kathy decided that she would go out into the field to learn the terms of her employer’s work in order to be able to do her job better. However, she hasn’t had a chance to do it yet. “I will, one of these days,” she declares.
Kathy hopes to someday be a probation officer. “I’ve seen too many people getting into trouble with the law when they’re young,” she said, “and I’d like to help others from making that mistake.”
The Queen City night student said that she enjoys going to school at night. “After going to high school, I thought attending school at night would be more enjoyable,” Kathy said, “And it is.” She admitted that her instructors are pretty adept at keeping her attention. “I’m afraid sorry is time. “It’s hard to work and attend school and still be able to spend much time with my boyfriend,” Kathy said.
The daughter of Nancy Maugermy of Queen City and Thomas R. Shields of Natchez, Mississippi, Kathy comes from a large family, by today’s standards. “I have three brothers, a step-sister, and a step-brother,” she said. A football enthusiast, Kathy’s two younger men, a little shy in high school. “I wasn’t able to go to many of their games this year because of school,” she said. Besides football, Kathy enjoys jeep riding and disco dancing.
“But hope for the future!” “To get married someday and raise a family.”