June Gardner-Brown: Graduating Octogenarian

Having completed her education in 1937 and worked her whole working life without any formal qualifications she was curious to see if she could get herself a degree.

She had been involved with the Association of Decorators and Fine Arts Society for a number of years and was keen to further her interests and learn more. June became interested in things Italian and she decided to learn Italian so that she could learn more about the Renaissance. To that end she undertook an Italian Course in 1997 at the Continuing Education Department of Sydney University.

From there June signed on for a three year University Course at Wollongong and she has undertaken Italian , French and European studies.

All this keeps June very busy and she thrives on deadlines.

All her life she has remained busy. The mother of two daughters had an added role when one of her daughters died leaving two young grandchildren in the care of her son in law. Being the dedicated grandmother she helped out wherever possible with the boys attending school at Tudor House. They were just four and six when they lost their mother.

Moving to Australia in 1959 with husband Patrick the moved onto 500 acres and became graziers, a life much removed for that in Scotland with Patrick having been an army officer. Their daughters attended school at Frensham and June was asked to come in teach French on a part time basis. She would milk Sally, the house cow, and then off she would go to teach French.

This casual job that June undertook in 1961 saw her teaching French at Frensham permanently until 1976. June, with no formal teaching qualifications, pointed out that today there would be no way to be able to teach without all the relevant qualifications.

Patrick, who June had cared for since he lost his leg in 1988, died in 1994. In 1996 her grandsons returned to Sydney and she felt at a loss about what she was to do.

Her involvement with the ADFAS kept her active and she decided she needed “another focus on life.”

June said “The profile of society is changing and life expectancy is on the increase.”

June wanted to know what she was going to do with the rest of her life. She is no longer wondering what she needs to do. She is busy in her last year and is busy working on her essay on a modern author.

When she first started at Uni she had to prove that she was computer literate. Two of the younger students helped her out and then she decided to undertake a TAFE course at Moss Vale. This six month course made her more confident and now she loves exploring on the internet.

June had to relearn how to type and having taken the Pittman’s course in the UK when she was 17 “A few bells rang”.

Initially she thought “Why am I trying to learn a new language when I can’t even remember people’s names.” But she found that “Learning does come back.”

She has found the experience very rewarding and has not only found that she enjoys learning she has also found that “when you get there (university) there is so much help, especially in the library.”

Being surrounded by young people has not been a daunting experience but a delight for June. Most of the more mature students are in their 60s said June. There are not many 77 year olds starting out at University and June will be 81 when she graduates.

“A whole new world has opened”, said June who wants to encourage others to do what they want to do.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could get a University degree.” June looked at the possibilities, which are endless including The University of the Third Age but knew “I needed something more structured - I needed a deadline.”

She hopes to be able to encourage others to take on the challenge and enjoy the rest of their lives.

She was a little involved in this when she started a branch of the ADFAS in Bowral. This organisation, which was started in Sydney by Patricia Robertson in 1985 based on the English NADFS which was started in 1968, fosters the increasing interest in the decorative and fine arts, to cultivate their appreciation and study and to encourage the preservation of our cultural and artistic heritage.

June’s interests have definitely increased and will continue to do so as long as she can encourage others to do the same.