Blogging: A literary quote spawns reflections

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                A quote written in my journal on March 30 said this: “Graham Greene felt life was lived in the first twenty years and the remainder was just reflection.” It was written by the late neurosurgeon, P. Kalanithi in an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article. He died at age 37.

                That sentence was brought into play on May 5, 2015. I wrote, “5.5.15” and thought:

                When the date read “5.5.’55,” I would have been 19 and finishing my first year in college at what was then Arkansas State Teachers College at Conway. The “reflections,” as Graham Greene put it, came upon me fully these 60 years later.

                I had been rushed by the Tri-Delts because (I’m almost positive) older music majors were members—Joyce McClanahan for one-- and I was a freshman music major with both an academic and music scholarship--$90 each. I refused, but it was an honor to be asked. I knew I couldn’t afford the costs, nor did I deem myself sorority material. I joined the Independents.

                My first roommate was Bobbie-something. If I see her name somewhere/ sometime, I’ll remember it. Dorm was McAlister Hall, still standing. Friends were Mary Ann Ritchey Smith (Benton, now of Kentucky), Glenda Martin (deceased) of Concord, Mary Wanda Windham Root, now of Arkadelphia. We are still friends, those of us still alive.

                Classes: English. Mrs. Roberta Clay (deceased) was, in my then-narrow view, a typical old-maid school marm. (She was probably young. She loved Arthur and gave us a piece of frilly-rimmed  pink Fentonware as a wedding gift.) I remember having to write essays and must have done well: I made all A’s.

                Psychology: A real eye-opener, both in the subject matter and as regards the professor, Dr. Gale. He was (as I remember) a tall, pencil-thin man who, again from my small-world outlook, was the oddest man I’d ever seen. Or heard. (Thus began my education.)

                Piano. Having studied piano with Lorene Houston, and with enough theory on the side (one-on-one) to count as a high school credit, I thought I was good. I soon learned that “good” is relative and that I had much more to learn. Chopin’s “Fantasie Impromptu” nearly killed me with its difficulty. Dr. Milton Trusler, (again, one whom I considered old) a wiry little man who looked like pictures I see now of T. S. Eliot, even offered a room in their home if I needed it.

                Theory. Sight-singing and ear-training was one of my favorite courses. I can “see” the band guys in the class, tho’ I can’t name them. I taught my school choirs sight-singing when region Festivals began that practice, and we always made a First Division. Funny, I don’t remember who taught the college course.

                Music History. Dr. Carl Forsberg (deceased) must have taught the class, as well as directed the Conway Little Symphony. It met on our campus, and accompanying it must have been part of my scholarship. During one rehearsal (hard job for me at that stage/age), I got lost and quit playing. Ooh, did I get a chewing out--bad enough to cause tears. But it was a good lesson. Later, working on my Masters, I took a private course in Composition from him.

                So, do I agree with Graham Greene’s purported statement? No. There’s too much life to live beyond the first 20 years. Just ask anyone who’s lived to be 80. Or 90.