Barbara Hill, 80, a resident at the Kinder Retirement Center, is proving its never too old to learn more about the world around you.
Hill has been studying American history through online courses with Hillsdale College. “I’m a history person,” she said. “I just finished Constitution 101 and now I’m in Constitution 201.
Hill saw an ad on Facebook™ and decided she wanted to take courses. She has now completed nine courses and received certificate of certification.
She is excited about the lectures she has taken part in where she has learned about America being the land of hope, how the Pilgrims came to be and the writing of the U.S. Constitution.
With all the political news recently, she said she’s learned we are not following the U.S. Constitution. She focused on the Preamble and the natural rights of the people to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She discussed learning about how the government’s job began to change with the presidencies of Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt). She said people didn’t know what to do during and after the war, and these presidents tried to help by starting programs for the people. Then committees came into existence like the FCC, FDA, etc.
“Yes, I’m very interested. It’s not the way it was supposed to be,” she said as she discussed how the presidential powers and duties have changed over the years.
She’s also eyeing more courses in literature. She said has learned Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer are known as the great American Novels.
“I’m just excited,” she said as she discussed other writers.
Hill and her husband, Kenneth, raised their family in Texas. She said Kenneth was a truck driver. They had three children, and when her children moved to Sulphur, she and her husband followed.
“I love Louisiana,” she said. “Texas was flat land, and Louisiana was beautiful with trees, flowers….azaleas. I fell in love immediately.”
She explained people used to laugh at her, because she said we had crooked roads. She was forever getting lost on those roads, but friendly people helped her find her way home. She said Louisiana has some of the friendliest people in the world.
From 1999 to 2009, Hill worked at Walmart in Sulphur in various capacities. She said she was always a hard working in life, but she did take college courses along the way. As soon as they moved to Calcasieu Parish, she visited the local library for a library card so she could check out books. She loves to read mysteries especially those written by Mary Higgins Clark.
The Hills have five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She and Kenneth were married for 51 years. Kenneth died on February 4, 2010, and she entered the nursing home on February 4, 2015. When the nursing home closed in Sulphur due to Hurricane Laura, her family moved her to Crockett, Texas. Fortunately, her family decided she was too far away and found her a place in Kinder. Now she’s only a few miles away instead of three hours.
“I’m glad to be in Louisiana now,” she said. “I’m glad to have lived to be 80.” She hopes for many more years.
Hill usually spends two hours each day in the virtual classroom. She also came to the attention of Kinder Retirement and Rehab Administrator Sarah Rand, NFA, when she saw her one day and asked if she could receive a stronger wi-fi signal.
Hill moved into the Kinder location in December. “We love and appreciate her,” Rand said. Rand added Hill was at the end of the hall. She said she asked Hill what she needed a stronger signal for and became interested in the fact that one of her residents was still taking college courses. Rand said it was easy to meet Hill’s needs.
“There are good things inside our walls,” Rand said.
Rand also thanked the community for writing to residents over the last few months. She said many were excited to receive Christmas cards. She encouraged the community to write letters or share special wishes with residents for Valentines.
