Robin Guard had a bit of trepidation walking into his first class as an English Lit major at Ontarioâs Brock University several years ago.
Then an Octogenarian, Guard was returning to school 67 years after earning his first degree in his hometown of London, England. And, this time around, his new peers were young enough to be his grandchildren.
âI was frankly nervous, yes,â Guard told CTVNews.ca in an interview from his home in St. Catharines, Ont., where the now 93-year-old great-grandfather will obtain his Masterâs degree in History on Friday.
He was so nervous, in fact, that he approached one of his professors and said, âAm I an embarrassment in your class?â To his delight, the professor turned around and told him that he was just the opposite.
âI always remember the professor said, âNo, we welcome you like crazy because we canât get these students to talk, to tell us what they think. You old guys, youâre always ready to slap your mouths and talk,'â Guard recalled with a laugh.
Indeed, Guardâs passion for the subject matter served him well in his ensuing golden university years. Guard ended up finishing his Bachelor program in 2012, with flying colours. So he went back to pursue his Masterâs degree, which heâll obtain on Friday during a convocation ceremony.
âI once got into a heated argument with one of the students,â he said. âThatâs nothing but good. I mean, weâre treating each other like equals even though Iâm old enough to be their grandfather.â
Brock University says Guard is the oldest graduate in the schoolâs history. Even more impressive, he is believed to be one of the oldest graduates ever in Ontario.
The jovial 93-year-old didnât start out as a history buff. It came with age. Guard was trained as an electrical engineer and travelled the world working in nuclear power. In 1965, he received offers he âcouldnât refuseâ in a rapidly industrializing Canada, and moved his family to Montreal. After a move to Ontario, Guard retired from engineering and he and his wife Barbara began farming for 20 years in the country. âIâm very passionate about organic food,â he said.
After Barbaraâs passing, Guard said he âimmediatelyâ sold the farm. âI couldnât imagine working there without her,â he said.
After spending a few years trying to move on from the death of his beloved wife, Guard wanted âsomething to occupy my mind.â
To his delight, he discovered that undergraduate university classes were free for people over 65, so he signed up. âAnd the rest was history.â
After getting his feet wet with his Bachelorâs degree, Guardâs friend and fellow graduate, 74-year-old Allan Edgington, encouraged him to pursue his Masterâs degree with him.
âWe both decided, what the hell,â Edgington said in an interview with Âéśš´ŤĂ˝â Peter Akman. âLetâs continue with history. And so started working toward a Masterâs, which we both achieved.â
For his Masterâs thesis, Guard ended up researching the history of the Anglican Church in Canada and particularly in St. Catharines.
Guard and Edgington made quite an impression on Dean of Humanities Carol Merriam, who will be attending their convocation. She told CTVNews.ca that she fondly remembers teaching Guard a fourth-year undergraduate Latin literature class. Guard was a model student, so he was âalways preparedâ and âalways engagedâ and had âserious conversations about the material we were reading and discussing.â
So is a PhD in the cards for Guard now? âNo, no thatâs a bridge too far,â he said.
Today, heâs âtornâ between going back to Brock to study some more or writing a memoir. âI found that people are remarkably interested in how different the world was in the 1920s when I was born, horse-drawn transport, that kind of thing.â
âAnd so I thought Iâd concentrate on writing my own history.â
So does Guard have any advice for students, young and old, entering their post-secondary years? "Keep healthy by constant exercise, eat a balanced diet and keep your mind active by reading."
âYou only have one life,â Guard said, during an interview with Âéśš´ŤĂ˝ at Brock University on Wednesday. âYou might as well try everything.
âBeing stuck in one career is a waste of time.â
On Friday, two of Guardâs four adult children, those who live nearby, will attend his convocation.