What's the difference between 5 and 100? Latin's senior kindergartners have a pretty good idea of the answer now that they've spent time with people 95 years older than they.

On a snowy February morning, each class of 5- and 6-year-olds literally gathered at the feet of a centenarian to compare and contrast their lives thus far. Lillian, age 100, and Roosevelt, 104, held the attention of their audiences for 45 minutes, regaling them with tales of their youth and offering them some seasoned perspectives.



Lillian and Roosevelt's visit was part of the 100th day of school celebration and was made possible through Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. LBFE's intergenerational program coordinator, Christine Bertrand, has teamed up with Latin School teachers on centenarian visits for the past three years.

“It is important to society for children to understand the value of their elders, how much wisdom and good conversation even the oldest of people can provide,” Bertrand said.

“In our room, we prepared for the visit by asking students to brainstorm questions they might have for our visitor,” said Regan Coin. “We discussed how the elderly may not hear, see, or walk as well, and how we can be respectful about that.”

The preparation worked well. Coin's visitor, Lillian, was well coifed and manicured, dressed in a fur coat, pearls, a hat, and a stylish wool dress she'd bought in 1957 on 63rd Avenue. Though she is blind, she recounted her memories of childhood so vividly that they made lasting visual impressions on the children.



Coin's class asked Lillian questions ranging from “When is your birthday?” to “Did you play Yu-Gi-Oh! cards?” When asked about her childhood, Lillian described the log house she grew up in. “It was sealed inside and outside, so no one knew it was made of logs.” This was a detail that kindergartner Sarah remembered afterwards.

“Students were particularly fascinated with how kids were punished at school in Lillian's day and how she could get 'whoopin's' for misbehaving,” said Coin after the visit.

Lynn Pearson prepared her class by discussing grandparents and what they like to do. “We looked at pictures of 100-year-olds. We talked about the range of activities for a person that age: probably not bicycling or skateboarding, but maybe swimming or walking, golf or fishing.”

Roosevelt, who entered Pearson's classroom on his motorized wheelchair, detailed his activities past and present with great vigor. The children were mesmerized as he mimed how to start a car with a crank and fill an oil lamp. When asked if he'd had his own car, he replied, “Yes. You'd go into the woods, chop out a piece of a tree that was hollow, then nail wheels on to it, and that was your car. Someone would have to push it to get going.” Roosevelt told students that when he grew up in rural Louisiana, he didn't have time for school.



After he revealed that no one knew what a refrigerator was when he was a boy, one student whispered to another, “There wasn't even cable!”

Decades and backgrounds divide the centenarians and the kindergartners, but there were still many similarities to share. Lillian, who was the 9th of 10 siblings and is a great grandmother of four, remembered playing with dolls and balls, just like her young audience. Like many of the students, Roosevelt is a Cubs fan. And he, too, is facing the challenges of learning: He demonstrated the physical therapy exercises that he performs daily to start walking again.

At the end of the visit, the children lined up to shake hands with Roosevelt and thanked him for visiting. With each handshake, Roosevelt offered a prognostication: “You're gonna be a ball player.” “You're gonna be a teacher.” “You're gonna be a clergyman!” The children shared with Roosevelt a book they created for the occasion, When I Am 100 Years Old, filled with drawings and descriptions of where they see themselves in 95 years.






Coin's curious class asked Lillian about that 95-year gap: “How does it feel to be 100 years old?” She answered, “I guess I am enjoying it. I don't feel like I'm 100.”



Pearson's class asked their visitor, “What advice would you give to live a long time?” “Treat people the way you want to be treated,” replied Roosevelt. “We're all human.” These words were remembered by the children well after Roosevelt had left.

After the visit Pearson asked the children how many thought they'd live to be 100 years old. “Almost everyone raised their hands! He's a real inspiration.”

This article and photos were contributed by Lorel Janiszewski of Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly. Black and white photos by Sonya Williams. For more information about the LBFE Intergenerational Program visit LBFE's website.

© 2008 The Latin School of Chicago

Top of Page