Mary Davis racked up 100 credits while she was here.
Stephanie Stough
-Art & Life Editor-
In the art wing of the Humanities East Building sits Mary Davis, a part-time student and a part-time employee of Meramec’s art department. Mary is not a typical, fresh-out-of-high school student because on Sept. 3, she will be turning 86 years young.
Davis has been attending St. Louis Community College campuses since 1986, and her “itchy feet” have kept her going strong, she said.
“I just keep myself busy. I have itchy feet. I hate to stay home. You see, that’s what happens when you get to be my age; you do all of these things and when people ask you, ‘Why did you do that?’ and I say, ‘What do you expect? I’m 85 years old,” Davis said.
Before her time at STLCC-Meramec, Davis had a long career at Southwestern Bell, now known as AT &T, but after her retirement, she decided to go to school.
“I had already put in over 30 years at Southwestern Bell, and I had retired from there. After my husband died, my kids decided I needed to do something, so I started to go to school. I’m not trying to do anything with it at my age,” Davis said.
Davis has racked up more than 100 credits at STLCC. Her major is in photography.
“I go first for a grade and then take photos because I love to go to the dark room and print. I’m majoring in photography. I have taken a lot of other classes, but I just like to print,” Davis said.
Davis explains that she likes to keep busy and that going to school and getting involved allows her to do that. Davis is currently a member of the International club, the Art club, the BACCHUS/Cheers Club and the Alumni Association.
“It keeps me out of the house. It keeps me busy. It makes me think. Being around young people makes me forget how old I am. I think that’s the one thing that keeps me going… going to school. You have got to have to a reason to get up and get out of bed and do things every day, and by going to school, I do a lot of that,” Davis said.
Davis says on the average day she wakes up, goes to school, and sometimes has dinner with her son. Davis said she likes to stay occupied by being crafty.
“I do a lot of craft work. Right now, I’m making ornaments. I saw at an art museum someone took buttons and made earrings out of them so I am going to take buttons out of my mother’s button jar and make Christmas ornaments out of them,” Davis said.
As if she’s not busy enough with being involved with four clubs, taking classes and making crafts, Davis said she loves to travel, most recently to Texas.
“I have been so fortunate to go to school here. I’ve been taking trips through school. We have a teacher here who, every Spring Break took people on trips. I have been to England twice, Spain twice, Italy four times, Mexico twice and Rome. I’ve cruised Alaska, cruised Panama Canal, and cruised South America,” Davis said.
Davis is also a part-time employee with the art department. She has worked as a photo technician and in the art gallery. She will be working at an exhibition at the art gallery entitled, “Exploring the Yixing Sensibilities” that runs through Sept. 25.
Davis explained that there are two things she has learned that her teachers expect.
“Be very serious about your work. The most important [thing] is your attendance. Always have your assignments in on time, even if they are incomplete or even if you think they are wrong. Those are the two most important things I have found a teacher wants,” Davis said.
She also advises that people should lighten up.
“Just don’t take yourself too seriously. I guess I just had to do it for so many years. I found out once I started school,” Davis said.
Davis said she plans on staying at school as long she is able.
“[I plan on going to school] as long as my health holds up, as long as I can drive, so I don’t have to depend upon somebody else. It keeps me busy and I try to stay out of trouble, but that’s so hard. I’m just having fun. You know, I’m like Peter Pan, I never grew up. When you grow up, you never have any fun,” Davis said.
