Meet the 99-year-old high school graduate
Annapolis Valley woman still learning after she was denied education over the price of books in the 1930s
A Bridgetown, N.S., woman who waited more than 80 years to receive her high school diploma had her ‘bucket list’ wish granted June 28 at the Bridgetown Regional Community School – to a standing ovation.
Walking with a cane, and helped to the stage by her grandson, Hazel Johnson received her honorary schoolleaving certificate to roaring applause from her 58 fellow graduates and the folks in a standing-room-only gymnasium.
Johnson’s life is the thing of movies.
The 99-year-old woman from the nearby community of Inglewood has travelled the world and learned several languages, but back in the early 1930s her father couldn’t afford the price of new textbooks and the smartest girl in her class in Grade 10 was told she couldn’t go back to school.
“We have a 99-year-old youth here tonight,” said Peter Cromwell, “She’s definitely young at heart. Always has been. Hazel Johnson. My mother (Edith Cromwell) was a year ahead of her in school, and in those days you paid for your own books. My aunt, as I said, was just behind my mother. She did well in school, came to Grade 10, the province changed the books.”
Peter Cromwell was a longtime elected member of the former Annapolis Valley Regional School Board and spoke to the crowd to give some context to Hazel Johnson’s life.
Teacher Matthew Marshall told the story of Hazel Izabelle
Johnson, one of 10 children born to Mary Anne and Jesse Mitchell of Upper Granville on May 15, 1919.
“Hazel is a dedicated Christian and has served her community of Inglewood in many capacities,” said Marshall. “She was a Sunday school teacher for 35 years and served as treasurer for the Inglewood Baptist Church, a Nova Scotia Provincial Heritage Site, for over 40 years, during which time the ‘books were always balanced.’ She remains a deacon of the church to this day.”
“Really, what it said to me when they brought it to me (Hazel’s story) was it shows resilience,
and that’s the biggest thing that I’m noting in schools -- that we need to build resilience,” said BRCS principal Bill Reid. “Her life, and wanting to come back, it shows the importance of education, but also her personal resilience to run into a barrier but still continue on with such a successful life. That’s why I thought it would be such an iconic event for our kids to see what resilience is in life. That’s what we all need to build – that confidence, that lifelong learning. Resilience and lifelong learning.”
In her 100th year, Hazel is sharp and still learning, the glint of the young woman still
in her eyes as she congratulated her fellow graduates and reiterated to story of the textbooks.
Marshall and Cromwell were on the stage with her for the presentation.
“She has lived a full life, she is loved by all who meet her,” said Marshall. “So you see, she did not let her life circumstances stop her education, she worked around it. On behalf of our graduates and staff here at BRCS we would like to now present Hazel Johnson with an honourary graduation certificate acknowledging a lifelong pursuit of education.”