A RETIRED primary school teacher is celebrating being awarded her degree – 52 years late.
Sue Taylor, of Gainford, attended Ripon Church of England teacher training college between 1963 and 1967.
Rather than being awarded with a degree, Mrs Taylor received a Certificate of Education. She said: “It was a pathetic piece of paper really.”
Mrs Taylor’s cohort still attend a biennial reunion and last year there was a letter from York St John University saying that all those with a Certificate of Education were entitled to a batchelor of education honours degree because they had done the equivalent work.
On learning of the proposal, one of Mrs Taylor’s friends from her college days, Pat Knowles, said: “We are going to have the full works – gowns, mortar boards, photographs, the lot.”
Mrs Taylor said: “I am absolutely delighted at getting a degree all these years later.”
Originally St John’s College was a mixed college based in York but in the early 1960s was split into two single sex colleges with the ladies college being based in Ripon.
The vice chancellor of York St John told the gathering of former students that it was a time to celebrate their achievements and to thank them for inspiring countless numbers of children.
