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'Herr Doktor' not bound by age
Mar 25, 2005 1:02 PM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Based on his wardrobe, Gene Davidson could pass as just another student in the German III class at Darlington School. In a worn, black polo shirt, slightly wrinkled khakis and tan loafers, Davidson worked along with his classmates Wednesday naming case endings for various adjectives and discussing "The Little Mermaid" by the Brothers Grimm.
But unlike his classmates, who are still likely pondering future careers, Davidson, 62, has already retired and graduated four children from Darlington.
"It's been quite fun. The best part is they've really accepted me as one of their peers, and I've accepted them," said Davidson, who practiced internal medicine for 25 years in Rome after being recruited here by Harbin Clinic.
For three years, Davidson has been taking German classes at Darlington School with the hope of finally mastering a foreign language after spending years studying them in high school and university. "I took French and German in high school, and German in college, but they never really taught us how to speak it," he said. "To speak another language is a lifelong dream."
One day while at the School, he brought up the desire while talking to German teacher Tollie Ross, who offered him a chance to sit in on his classes. Retired but determined not to be idle, Davidson decided to take Ross up on his offer in part because his daughter, now a college sophomore, is fluent in the language. His family also regularly hosted German Darlington students, and he said he'd like to speak with those friends and their families in their native tongue.
"It's a matter of desire," he said. "There's nothing that has ever shown people my age have any smaller capacity for learning. I don't intend to ever quit learning."
Ross, who refers to Davidson in his class as "Herr Doktor," said he believes Davidson has had a profound effect on the younger students in his class. "It's been wonderful," he said. "Just by him being here it gives them that sense of the continuation of knowledge, that learning never stops."
Davidson attends class, completes his homework and often takes the test, though Ross said he doesn't give him an official grade. While Davidson said he has a lot of room to improve, Ross believes he would be earning an A in the class. In March, Davidson was inducted into the National German Honor Fraternity with his classmates.
It is easy to see they have adjusted to Davidson's presence, turning to ask him quick questions about a homework problem or whispering a hint when Ross proffers a difficult question.
"It takes a lot of courage to come back to the high school environment like he has. I don't know if I'd be able to do that," said Carrington Astin, a junior. "Just the fact he finds the time to study for tests kind of motivates you."
"It's impressive that he actually likes learning," said sophomore Elliot Franklin, then adding tongue-in-cheek, "It's very strange."
The students have also been pleased by the occasional diversion Davidson provides with his yarns of practicing medicine in Vietnam and the remote jungles of Latin America. In one anecdote from the jungle, he and a few other residents had to perform an appendectomy with drip ether and a witch doctor performing his own rites in the operating room.
As for his German ability, Davidson said he has improved and can understand and formulate basic sentences. To improve his accent and his vocabulary, he said he would like to spend several months in Germany where he has friends in several cities. "It's hard to speak German with a Southern accent," he joked.
"You don't see a lot of people interested in languages, especially German, so it's cool," said junior Andrew Dodd. "It shows learning lasts a lifetime."
*Written by Marc Dadigan, Rome News-Tribune staff writer, published 3/24/2005
But unlike his classmates, who are still likely pondering future careers, Davidson, 62, has already retired and graduated four children from Darlington.
"It's been quite fun. The best part is they've really accepted me as one of their peers, and I've accepted them," said Davidson, who practiced internal medicine for 25 years in Rome after being recruited here by Harbin Clinic.
For three years, Davidson has been taking German classes at Darlington School with the hope of finally mastering a foreign language after spending years studying them in high school and university. "I took French and German in high school, and German in college, but they never really taught us how to speak it," he said. "To speak another language is a lifelong dream."
One day while at the School, he brought up the desire while talking to German teacher Tollie Ross, who offered him a chance to sit in on his classes. Retired but determined not to be idle, Davidson decided to take Ross up on his offer in part because his daughter, now a college sophomore, is fluent in the language. His family also regularly hosted German Darlington students, and he said he'd like to speak with those friends and their families in their native tongue.
"It's a matter of desire," he said. "There's nothing that has ever shown people my age have any smaller capacity for learning. I don't intend to ever quit learning."
Ross, who refers to Davidson in his class as "Herr Doktor," said he believes Davidson has had a profound effect on the younger students in his class. "It's been wonderful," he said. "Just by him being here it gives them that sense of the continuation of knowledge, that learning never stops."
Davidson attends class, completes his homework and often takes the test, though Ross said he doesn't give him an official grade. While Davidson said he has a lot of room to improve, Ross believes he would be earning an A in the class. In March, Davidson was inducted into the National German Honor Fraternity with his classmates.
It is easy to see they have adjusted to Davidson's presence, turning to ask him quick questions about a homework problem or whispering a hint when Ross proffers a difficult question.
"It takes a lot of courage to come back to the high school environment like he has. I don't know if I'd be able to do that," said Carrington Astin, a junior. "Just the fact he finds the time to study for tests kind of motivates you."
"It's impressive that he actually likes learning," said sophomore Elliot Franklin, then adding tongue-in-cheek, "It's very strange."
The students have also been pleased by the occasional diversion Davidson provides with his yarns of practicing medicine in Vietnam and the remote jungles of Latin America. In one anecdote from the jungle, he and a few other residents had to perform an appendectomy with drip ether and a witch doctor performing his own rites in the operating room.
As for his German ability, Davidson said he has improved and can understand and formulate basic sentences. To improve his accent and his vocabulary, he said he would like to spend several months in Germany where he has friends in several cities. "It's hard to speak German with a Southern accent," he joked.
"You don't see a lot of people interested in languages, especially German, so it's cool," said junior Andrew Dodd. "It shows learning lasts a lifetime."
*Written by Marc Dadigan, Rome News-Tribune staff writer, published 3/24/2005
