2008 Woodie Awards
Finding Joy in Retirement: Novella Perrin Reflects on Her UCM Years
Carolyn Cleveland: Muleskinner
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: Features
For some, retirement officially marks the commencement of the golden years. Spending time with family, traveling and volunteering are a few of the activities retirees suddenly have time for.
Retiring can also cause people to reflect on their lives and see how far they have come and how much further they still have to go. Novella Perrin, retired professor and former dean at Central Missouri, has many fond memories.
Perrin was born in Harrisonville, Mo. and lived there until she was three. Her family then moved to Lee's Summit.
Perrin has many memories of her youth, including playing a game she and her friends created called "dishes with water."
"We had old plastic dishes in a tub and got water from the garden hose," Perrin said.
This simple game of make-believe echoes the creativeness and ingenuity children used to entertain themselves with before the days of X-Box and the Internet.
"We didn't have the material things kids have today," Perrin said. "We didn't even have TV until I was 10 or 11."
Perrin said her favorite childhood memory was of her and her mother playing Chinese checkers almost the entire Christmas break. Her mother was an elementary school principal, and she said she greatly cherished that time off with her.
"I used to beat her mercilessly," Perrin said cracking a grin.
Getting an education
Perrin's childhood seemed to whiz by, and soon she went to college. She attended Central Missouri and majored in history with a minor in English.
After earning her teaching degree, Perrin taught two years at Ruskin High School. She then returned to her hometown and taught at Lee's Summit High School for two years.
Though she chose a teaching degree, Perrin said she always harbored a desire to become a lawyer; but, the exam was only given once a year.
Unfortunately, when that important Saturday came, Perrin was sick and unable to take the test. She wanted to keep her study skills sharp, she decided to pursue her master's degree while waiting for the next exam.
Retiring can also cause people to reflect on their lives and see how far they have come and how much further they still have to go. Novella Perrin, retired professor and former dean at Central Missouri, has many fond memories.
Perrin was born in Harrisonville, Mo. and lived there until she was three. Her family then moved to Lee's Summit.
Perrin has many memories of her youth, including playing a game she and her friends created called "dishes with water."
"We had old plastic dishes in a tub and got water from the garden hose," Perrin said.
This simple game of make-believe echoes the creativeness and ingenuity children used to entertain themselves with before the days of X-Box and the Internet.
"We didn't have the material things kids have today," Perrin said. "We didn't even have TV until I was 10 or 11."
Perrin said her favorite childhood memory was of her and her mother playing Chinese checkers almost the entire Christmas break. Her mother was an elementary school principal, and she said she greatly cherished that time off with her.
"I used to beat her mercilessly," Perrin said cracking a grin.
Getting an education
Perrin's childhood seemed to whiz by, and soon she went to college. She attended Central Missouri and majored in history with a minor in English.
After earning her teaching degree, Perrin taught two years at Ruskin High School. She then returned to her hometown and taught at Lee's Summit High School for two years.
Though she chose a teaching degree, Perrin said she always harbored a desire to become a lawyer; but, the exam was only given once a year.
Unfortunately, when that important Saturday came, Perrin was sick and unable to take the test. She wanted to keep her study skills sharp, she decided to pursue her master's degree while waiting for the next exam.
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