PSU Magazine Winter 2006

~elaM~ This year Portland State celebrates its 60th year and the 50th anniversary of its first graduating class. The 40 men and 32 women who graduated in 1956 were witness to a campus and an era remarkably different from today's. Dwight D. Eisen– hower is re-elected president Portland State resi– dent tuition and fees are $65 The Suez Crisis makes headlines A loaf of bread at Fred Meyer costs 28 cents, a gallon of milk is 86 cents Here on the GI Bi By Kellie Fields argaret Wallen '56 was determined not to let her GI Bill go Lo wasLe. She spent the lasL years of World War ll overseas in the U.S . Army and another four years as a WAAC (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) in the United States. Now it was 1952 , and as a married, 40-year-old rancher living in Boring, Oregon, Wallen wanted a degree in elementary education. She chose to attend Portland State Extension Center, 24 miles west in Portland. ''I've always had ambitious goals. I made my own way and didn't stop a minule," says Wallen. Born on her family's 40-acre south– ern Oregon ranch near Merlin, she moved to Medford after high school and held two jobs in order to put her– self through business college at night. Now at Portland State, with an aver– age studem age of 26, Wallen'.s age, mar– ital status, and service record oflen left her feeling like an outsider looking in. In addition, the long daily drives from home and the need to maintain the ranch were taxing. Wallen became dis– couraged and almosL left the program. "I had been indoctrinated into a dif– ferent way of thinking in the military and re-entering society was difficult. I was very independent but had an inferiority complex about my ability to achieve," she says. But education faculty members Alma Bingham and John Jenkins , who was also Wallen's adviser, encouraged her to stay and reach her goal. 10 PSU MAGAZINE WINTER 2006 "I feel very honored to have been in the first graduating class at Portland State College (the name changed in 1955)," says Wallen. "I so enjoyed my association with the faculty and stu– dents-that was an education in itself." After graduation, Wallen spent 20 years teaching second grade at the old Lynch Elementary School in Mult– nomah County and Firwood Elemen– tary School i.n Sandy. In addition to a full curriculum that included physical education, music, and art, Wallen taught her students how to trust oth– ers, be independent, and develop self– confidence. Wallen continued her own studies and received a master's degree in edu– cation with a minor in guidance and counseling from Oregon State Univer– sity i.n 1970. Retirement in 1977 didn't slow Wallen down. She helped develop a Youth at Ri.sk program in conjunction with her volumeer work for the League of Women Voters and was a member of the Gresham Police Department's Crime Prevention Board. She also vol– unteered at Mt. Hood CommuniLy Col– lege, worked in the interpretive center at Mt. Hoods Timberline day lodge , and tutored at several Gresham elementary schools. Wallen'.s most gratifying volunteer effort was with the EasL Coumy Neigh– borhood Accountability Board's East– wind Center. During her years at this counseling facility, Wallen greeted over 1,000 families in crisis and helped to ease the tensions of troubled youth. In 1997, Wallen bought a home in Grants Pass. Now 93, she is assem– bling memorabilia and plans to write a story of her life . She atlends meetings for the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars and participates in a women's social group, the Red Hat Society. She is also in the process of becoming a volunteer men– tor with Lhe Rogue Valley Youth Authority. "Life is going jusL as fast as ever," says Wallen. "It's a wonderful adven– ture and you should enjoy every minute of it. "