National Adult Literacy Database

July 12, 2004

This week, we have a story written by Harry, from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Harry has a very supportive and successful family. His wife and daughter are nurses and his two sons are airline pilots. He is enrolled in literacy classes at Rabbittown Learners' Program in St. John's.

Listen to Me

by Harry

I was born in the Town of Trepassey. I lived in Trepassey for forty-nine years. I went to school in Trepassey for seven years, back then you did a couple of grades at a time. I spent four or five years going back and forth to the hospital, because of a hearing problem that I was born with. I left school in 1964 and drove a truck all over Canada and the United States. I drove a truck for thirteen years. I took over my the family business in 1978. In 1998 I sold the business and retired. I am in school now. The hardest thing I have ever done in my life was coming back to school.

[This story was taken with permission, from Face the Facts, p. 42, a step by step guide for literacy providers to raise public awareness of literacy issues in our society and the need to stay in school. The guide was published by Rabbittown Learners' Program and will soon be online in the NALD Literacy Collection.]