FEATURE
October 10,1990
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
Miller teaches Latin, life lessons
Photo by Un* ScbeWeman
Elghty-f ive year old Kermit Miller teaches Latin to Clackamas
students one day a week. He also hopes to Instill In his
students a desire for lifelong learning.
by Nolan Kidwell
Staff writer
At age 85, most people have
the rest of their lives pretty well
planned out Some people spend
these later years at home or living
with relatives watching their fa
vorite game shows or soap op
eras.
This is not the case with 85
year old Kermit Miller, who is
years away from trading in his
teaching position for an armchair
and a bowl of bran.
Miller teaches Latin at
Clackamas.
While teaching
Latin might seem unusual, what
is even more unusual is that he
does it for free! He told college
administrators that if they could
find anyone who was actually
willing to take the class, he would
teach without pay.
There are currently five stu
dents takirig Latin; sixwere origi
nally enrolled.
“I’m hoping that the five
hang on,” he said.
The class is from 2 p.m. to 5
p.m. every Monday. It offers four
credit hours for whoever is dili
gent enough to pass.
Miller’s interest in Latin
began in high school. While
Miller was still a freshman, one of
his older friends said that he was
taking a class on a “dead lan
guage.” This interested Miller.
He began with Latin and later
took Greek in college.
Unlike a number of older
people, who may find it difficult
to fathom the younger and rap
idly changing generations of to
day, Miller mixes with his stu
dents. He is one of them with
just a touch more knowledge
which he would like to share.
Miller has lead a very full
life. He has lived through both
World Wars and the Depres-
*Whatever situation
you find yourself in,
learn all you can that
will be of profit to you
as you live on.1
_____ -Kermit Miller
sion. During WWII he consid
ered enlisting in the military as
part of the war effort He was
teaching junior high school at
the time. When the principal
heard that Miller was thinking
of going into the army, he told
Miller to “put it out of his
mind.” In order to contribute
to the war effort, Miller and an
other teacher held down an
eight hour job at a steel plant,
sharing the hours the night job
required, and. taught at the
same time.
Miller’s advice to young
people is simple.
“Whatever situation you
find yourself in, learn all you
can that will be of profit to you
as you live on.”
Page 3
Twenty-four audition
for Williams* 'Night'
by Heidi A. Hoffman
Staff Writer
Twenty four students gath
ered in the campus theatre on
Sept 28 to audition for the fall
play Night of the Iguana.
The 12 males and 12 females
who came to the audition had tal
ent ranging from the first year
student to those who have been
acting for several years. No matter
how much experience each indi
vidual had, they all shared one
common desire: they wanted to be
a part of-the fall play here at
Clackamas Community College.
“When I audition I’m worried
that I won’t do the best that I can
do.” said Kathy Clapp. “I really
enjoy Tennessee Williams plays;
this is one of his best I think that it
will be challenging.”
To some an audition is just a
daily routine; to others it can be a
nightmare. Seventeen year old
Ryan S. Hull felt that an audition
can be “an enjoyable experience,
but it still gives me the clammy
hands,” Hull reflected. “I felt
nervous, but more of an excited
nervousness. Anything can hap
pen; you can bomb or even do
something that you’ve never done
before.”,
Uneasiness isn’t the only
emotion experienced during an
audition. David Burnett, who will
be directing a one act play this fail,
felt “threatened.” Yet after the
audition was over, he replied in a
more positive attitude. “I think of
how many people that I have to kill
- toget thapartlwaaL”. . .
, Jack Shields, the director of
the play, is very excited. After
making the very difficult decision,
he proudly announced “We have a
very strong cast and crew, I have
very high expectations of produc
tion quality.”
The last Tennessee Williams
show produced here at Clackamas
was The Glass Menagerie in 1980.
That show featured Barbara
Bragg, the Theatre and Communi
cations department secretary, as
Amanda.
The production will run at 8
p.m. on Nov. 29,30 and Dea 1,8,
9 and again at 2:30 p.m. on Dea 9.
Focus on Women
to hold breakfast
If you want to meet
all your banking needs,
enroll at Weserve U—
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Oregonian feature writer
Jann Mitchell is the speaker for
next weeks Focus on Women Is
sues Breakfast, Oct 17 at 730 a.m.
in the Community Center.
Mitchell’s topic is “Women’s
Lives-No Laughing Matter: Oris
It?” A feature writer for the Liv
ing Section, Mitchell specializes
in doing stories on human rela
tionships, self-help pieces, per
sonality profiles and humorous
looks at life. She also writes a
humor column, “Monkey Busi
ness,” for In Unison magazine,
and is the author of several books.
Cost of the event is $5.50,
which includes breakfast. Inter
ested persons should register for
WKS l-02,or call ext. 489for more
information. .
Help register
voters. Contact
ASG at ext. 247