This is the text of my Mom's letter she
wrote to the University of Minnesota administration; explaining the
serious hardship that the then-new requirement (for a Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree), of two years of study of a foreign language would
bring upon her.
My Mom had gone back to school as a
(much) older adult; and had worked so hard (and sacrificed so much),
to achieve all she had, towards her dream of receiving a Bachelor of
Fine Arts in Studio Arts. She was an outstanding, excellent student –
but now this new foreign language requirement seemed like a mountain
of a burden, dropped in the way of all she had worked for.
This was the letter she wrote, asking
for that blockade to be removed for her – and explaining how she
had already been sharing in and learning from intercultural
experiences through food, art, and more; and how much she wanted to
utilize THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE of ART.
When I found and read this, I was so,
so, so proud of her; and further touched, wow-ed, and inspired by
her!!! (In it, she describes some life circumstances and conditions –
but she didn't even mention the worst and/or most difficult (and tragic) things
she had suffered and endured!!)
Here's her letter, and the photo she
had enclosed. I had it all framed, and keep it in sight, heart, and
mind – especially the premises of the last parts! What a woman!!!
(It turned out that her request WAS
GRANTED – and she graduated among the top of her class, with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Studio Arts, AT AGE 68!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3
<3 <3 !!!!!!!!!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This letter is in regard to the C.L.A. language requirement for a B.F.A. degree. This is a petition to have the requirement deferred for Gertrude M. DuBois.
I was educated in Catholic grade and high schools. I had to memorize and translate church Latin starting in the fourth grade through eighth grade. I was then taught to read and translate classical Latin for two years in high school. This study was intense. This was 52 years ago. Although the study was good for my English grammar and vocabulary, it has been too long for me to remember as language by itself. I was never taught to add Latin to my language or to use it in conversation. Conversation in a foreign language is completely foreign to me (no pun intended).
In recent years, foreign languages have been taught to grade school and high school students. Some or most people in a foreign language class would be way ahead of me from the beginning. I would not want the stress of that kind of competition; I do like good grades. Two years away from art is too long a time. It was suggested that I study sign language but I think that I should not.
Following an accident, I had cortisone treatment and an air brace for my right arm. I have no wish to go through that kind of pain again. I went to physical therapy for three years. I had multiple soft tissue injuries. Some are permanent. One of the injuries was a closed head injury. It left me with a post concussive hemangeoma. My language was affected. This is something I have to fight most days even though I am better.
Nearly fifty years ago, I came to the University of Minnesota to search for a subject major. Harassment of students, or anyone, was okay at that time and I was harassed. It was too difficult to study or do what I started out to do. So I quit school. My life at home was also difficult because my father was very ill and my baby sister was all but dead (my mother spent all of her time with her). I had responsibility for five other children. I should mention that it was a good learning experience. I had the subjects that I took bracketed after I started back here to school.
When I came back to school, I chose art for my subject major. Due to my disability I was not employable. I felt that art would be an acceptable occupation for an older person. I do have to earn an income so that I might have retirement income. I need seven more years of earnings to get more social security than I do now ($294.00 minus $50.00 per month). So I must hurry. The playing field is tipping away from me. I think that if I had a degree, even though I want more art classes, I could make some money. At my age it is not enough to say that I am an artist, I need a degree behind my name. Experience is not enough.
I have had many experiences in life that are certainly cultural. Some were because of my families' politics, for example I met Harry Truman, Barkley his V.P. and have corresponded with Hubert Humphrey. I coached ball for years. I was president of our booster club and that did involve fund raising. I was a volunteer teacher for cooking and so on. I studied foreign food and cooking through the Universities' extension service. I also did some writing for master gardener newspaper articles. I am an agent for food safety and preservation, another University extension service program. I think that these were all good cultural experiences.
For most of my life, I have studied other cultures through food history. I studied any major culture that had a written food history. I did learn some foreign terms pertaining to that subject. Food history tells one about other cultures, their places on earth, their habits and beliefs, their climate. their agriculture, their appearance, their wars, their diseases, and so much more. So if the purpose of foreign language study is to give one a way to experience another culture, I think I have already done that. Food history was another kind of art.
Art is a language that transcends space and time far beyond the spoken or written word. Its' meaning does not change like words do. I am interested in world language that is not defined by geo-political borders.
Art is the language that I intend to use for the rest of my life. I have much to share with others from my head and my heart through my art. I would be willing to answer any questions about what I have written.
Sincerely yours,
Gertrude M. DuBois (Trudy)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, again (caps, mine) -
"ART IS A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS SPACE AND TIME FAR BEYOND THE SPOKEN OR WRITTEN WORD...."
"I AM INTERESTED IN WORLD LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT DEFINED BY GEO-POLITICAL BORDERS."
"ART IS THE LANGUAGE THAT I INTEND TO USE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE WITH OTHERS FROM MY HEAD AND MY HEART THROUGH MY ART."
AMAZING! <3
