Octogenarian achieves dream with help from MCC Adult Literacy Program
At 81 years old, Columbus Thedford proves it’s never too late to open a new chapter.
The Kemper County native and Meridian Community College Adult Literacy student spent decades working hard to support his family. But one thing always stayed with him: he wanted to learn to read.
“When you go out in the morning and you can’t read, you’re just blind,” Thedford said. “I didn’t want to be blind anymore.”
Thedford left school at age 11 when his father became ill. As the only child still at home, he took over the family farm, raising cotton and corn. “We didn’t have anything, so I had to do it to take care of my family,” he said. In time, he found other work, including a position at a fertilizer factory.
At 20, Thedford headed north to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he spent nearly five decades working in brick and plywood factories. “It was hard work,” he said, explaining that to move up, he’d arrive early, take job-related classes, and then work 12-hour shifts. “I didn’t want to lose the jobs, so I had to have someone help me.”
He and his wife Della, his wife of 56 years, reared three sons in Iowa, all of whom earned college degrees. “I didn’t want my kids not to do something,” he said.
The desire to be near family lured the Thedfords back to the South, and after retirement, they returned to Mississippi.
Encouraged by family, Thedford decided it was time to pursue the dream he had put off for so long, but he noted, “you’ve got to want to do it.”
A friend told him about MCC’s Adult Literacy Program, and he enrolled. When he arrived, he couldn’t read. Now, through classes twice a week with instructor Susie Chapman, he can pick up a book or fill out forms.
“I get home, do my housework, and then get in my books,” Thedford said. “If you’re willing to learn, you can learn.”
His determination shows every student and every educator that learning has no age limit, noted Jamila Brown, MCC director of Adult Education. “What inspires me most about Mr. Thedford is that after a lifetime of hard work, he chose to invest in himself and prove that it’s never too late to take that first step back into the classroom,” she said.
“He entered our program in 2020, unable to read, but with a heart full of determination. Today, he not only reads but also serves as an example to others who may doubt themselves. His journey captures the very essence of what adult education represents—hope, opportunity, and transformation,” Brown added.
Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, observed earlier this month, highlights programs like MCC’s that help adults gain reading, math, and job skills. MCC’s Adult Education program is free and offers small-group literacy classes to help students build basic skills, prepare for high school equivalency exams, or refresh their knowledge for the workforce.
Thedford’s goal is simple. “I wanted to learn how to read,” he said. “I’m proud of what I’ve been through. It was rough, but I don’t regret it.”
For more information about MCC’s Adult Education and Literacy Program, visit meridiancc.edu/adulteducation or call 601-481-1370.