Maine Perspective Front Page
After a Half-century, 82-year-old Receives Diploma
Dorothy Willard thought she was three credits shy of receiving a diploma from the University of Maine in 1940. Through the years she dreamed of completing her bachelor's degree in education, and even carried her transcript in her pocketbook.
More than a half-century later, her academic aspirations became reality.
In a small ceremony Oct. 10 in Alumni Hall, Dorothy Willard Dyer of Old Town, at the age of 82, received her diploma from UMaine. College of Education and Human Development Dean Robert Cobb announced the awarding of the diploma, which was then presented to Mrs. Dyer by University President Peter Hoff.
"I was overwhelmed, but I was so proud and glad to get it," Mrs. Dyer said after the ceremony. "The diploma is a happy completion of a lot of hard work that I did. It takes me back, as if it was yesterday."
Mrs. Dyer was born in Presque Isle, the daughter of the well-known race horse trainer and driver John Willard. A graduate of Presque Isle High School, Mrs. Dyer attended Ricker Junior College and Aroostook State Normal School. She taught grades 1-8 in rural schools in the County for four years before enrolling at UMaine in 1939.
Like most students of that time, Mrs. Dyer took extra classes in order to accelerate her university career. She worked as a waitress at The Elms and at North Estabrooke Hall. On her own time, she helped other students with their reading and writing.
Mrs. Dyer was dressed in her cap and gown, standing in line waiting for the Commencement ceremony to begin in 1940 when she was tapped on the shoulder and told she had received an incomplete in an education course. Without questioning the circumstances, Mrs. Dyer left the University to take a teaching job in East Millinocket.
In the ensuing years, Mrs. Dyer tried to take the final college course she thought she needed, but the twists and turns of life always seemed to get in the way. She sent to UMaine for her academic transcript in 1956 in the hopes of taking a class at the University of New Hampshire, but couldn't afford the course fee. Nonetheless, she kept hoping.
"As you grow older, you like to tie up the loose ends," she says. "I kept saying I wished I had taken more courses or done something to have the degree."
This past year, Mrs. Dyer has been hospitalized repeatedly for health problems. When she returned home in September, Mrs. Dyer began sorting through some of her papers with her daughter, Ruth Cambridge of Old Town. Among her cherished possessions was the University of Maine transcript.
"She had kept it in an old pocketbook all these years, so I knew it must be important," says Cambridge. "I asked her if she ever graduated and she told me what happened. I decided to quietly take the transcript and see what could be done."
Cambridge contacted Doug Gelinas, vice provost for undergraduate education. It turns out Mrs. Dyer had been in good academic standing all this time with enough credits to graduate. Gelinas then made arrangements to award the diploma. The day of the ceremony, Mrs. Dyer was surrounded by family members.
"I don't bear hard feelings. It was my own fault for not going in and asking about the mix-up. Instead, I just carried (my transcript) close to my heart. This brings an end to something that always felt unfinished. It is a very happy day for me."