1996

Grandmother, 77, graduates from East Central Community

course, then us ing her love for litera– ture and reading, took English com– position and speech courses. T he silvery-haired, pint-sized woma n had no trouble making friends on campus. "All the kids just love her," said her daughter Margie Hillman, who wi th her husband, children, nieces and nephews attended Graham's graduation on Friday. "From t he start I thought it was just great that she was going to college." T hree weeks ago, Graham was honored in Washington D.C. as the oldest member of Phi Theta Kappa at the 78th annual Phi Theta Kap– pa convention held there. • Graduate fights odds, 1B

The Associated Press MERIDIAN- Lorene Graham has made history at East Central Community College. The 77-yea r-old great-grand– mother became the oldest student to receive a degree in the history of the college, said president Eddie M. Smith. Graham began her college career at age 75 after working as a church secretary for more than 50 years. " I saw an ad in the paper and de– cided to get my GED," said Gra– ham, who married and quit school at 16. "They made me so welcome I decided to give college a chance." Graham began her two-year liber– al arts curriculum wit h a computer

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