Jacque Mena Swerdfeger

OK Jan, here goes … MY LIFE

After graduation, I, like many of my classmates, attended IVC. I had been dating John who was attending Cal Poly in Pomona. After one semester I left IVC for, you guessed it, Cal Poly. I was a member of a select group as it was only the second year that women were allowed to attend that male bastion of higher education. I majored in elementary education, left after one year to marry John. I began working in Bank of America until John graduated. We moved back to the Valley, where I still worked for the bank. After a year and a half and with a six-week-old son, Ronnie, we moved to Australia to farm.

We moved 7 times in 6 and a half years. This was no mean feat as my grandfather had sent me a grand piano I inherited after my grandmother died.

We always created a stir when we moved, and the whole outback town turned out to watch the production as besides having the grand piano, we also had the only California King bed in the outback. Actually, it was the only one in Australia at the time, and impossible to buy sheets for. We were affectionately known as those "crazy Yanks". The rooms were small, so we often had a wall-to-wall bed and the piano took up a whole room unto itself. I taught piano (for 50 cents a lesson) on the wall to wall grand, and since it was a curiosity, to say the least, I never wanted for students. At one point, when we were living 26 miles from town, I bought an old player piano and put it in a rented room in town and every Saturday, I traveled to town to give lessons.

I had our second son, John, in 1969 in a small outback town hospital (THAT was an experience). Not having much to do, as the outings were limited to the grocery store and the news agency, I improved my knitting skills (the only way to get sweaters for the boys) and I bought some oil paints, book and a brush and taught myself to paint. I continue to enjoy these two hobbies, along with music, today.

We left Aussie land in 1972, sans piano, and returned to the Valley to arrange care for John's failing grandmother. We arrived back with the clothes we could carry, two sons and great experiences. I began working for the Bank once again and John went to work for Visco Flying service as an agronomist/salesman. The one memory that I carry from that period that sticks out was being robbed while working at the bank in El Centro. Sue Lee worked there also and helped in identifying the fugitive. Yes, he was caught. I stopped working for a while and became active in the Pioneers Hospital Auxiliary as treasure. I also began taking art courses at IVC. My younger son was having trouble in school, and dyslexia with ADHD was the diagnosis. I became a member of the Westmorland School Board to see if I could improve the programs for the learning handicapped at the school and began training to learn how to help him at home.

I worked for the newspaper in the El Centro office in classified, and then took a job as CETA Job coordinator for Handicapped Students at IVC, concentrating on finding them jobs. I began taking classes at San Diego State as a Psychology Major and took a position at IVC as a Counselor. I graduated San Diego State and began a Master's Program in Psychology. I changed jobs once again and became the Job Coordinating Supervisor for ARC Industries (Assn. for the Retarded).

Finally I realized that I had two distinct callings that could be merged into one. . . so I changed my major to teaching with a masters in Special Education, and like so many of you, I have completed my odyssey after years of finding myself.

I have taught Special Education in all of the grades, and am now back where I started, in high school. Last year was my first in high school in 12 years and I found that I had my former elementary students once again. This year I have several more. They are great kids.

Both sons are married and I have 2 grandchildren, one of each, as well as two great "daughters". I am an avid rock hound, like both fresh water and salt water fishing, and like to prospect for gold. I have taught gold panning during the Fair at Imperial. John and I are no longer married so, being on my own, I have had to learn to do a whole bunch of independent stuff. Last year I went to England & Scotland and this last summer I lived at Idyllwild for a month and immersed myself in art classes at Idyllwild School of the Arts, refining my painting and silver jewelry-making skills. It was pure joy!

What does the future hold? Who knows? But one thing for sure, I am looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion!!

Jacque (Mena) Swerdfeger