A Conversation with “Mr. Fred,” 86-Year-Old Learning to Read
"Mr. Fred" Oliver, 86, after a morning of improving his reading and writing at the Literacy Council of Central Alabama.
Fred Oliver of Birmingham is 86 and a world traveler. He served in the Korean War, spent time in Japan, and has held more jobs than he can count. He loves to visit far-off places, but as we reported yesterday, his latest odyssey is close to home, at the Literacy Council of Central Alabama: he’s learning to read and write. Mr. Fred says he’s enjoyed the whole long adventure of his life, but the conversation starts on a sad note – losing a companion who’d helped him when life demanded reading and writing.
Listen above or read excerpts below.
FALLEN BEHIND, BUT CATCHING UP
“All my kids are real educated — I’m the only guy that’s behind the times.”
EMBARRASSED TO SEEK HELP WITH READING?
“No. No! I’m not embarrassed. I’m a man. I ain’t no wimp out here … I’m trying to pull myself up … If you’re dumb and you want to stay dumb, ain’t nothing I can tell ya. There’s help out here. You’re not living in the 1800s. So get out and help yourself. If you don’t help yourself, you’re lost.”
WORKING FROM (ALMOST) DAY ONE
“I started working at the City Ice Company … I was driving a truck at 10 years old, right up there on 22nd and Sixth Avenue.”
STAYING YOUNG
“I’m still learning. You’re never too old to learn … I’m 86 years old, and I love this school. If they close [the Literacy Council], I don’t know what I’d do … I love everybody here.”
You can learn more about adult illiteracy and the Literacy Council of Central Alabama’s work in Part One by clicking here.
“Mr. Fred” Oliver turns 87 on November 30.
Dan Carsen, WBHM
Literacy Council tutor James Mersmann, left, and Mr. Fred take a break from lessons and good-natured trash talking.
Trump expands ‘woke’ criticism from Smithsonian to other museums
"The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of "WOKE," he wrote.
Too much to pack, not enough hugs: A Kenyan man’s last 48 hours in America
Samuel Kangethe has lived in the U.S. for nearly two decades, but an unresolved immigration case has made him deportable. He's decided to return to Kenya, leaving his wife and three children behind.
Home Depot keeps quiet on immigration raids outside its doors
The home-improvement chain is now one of the companies most caught up in Trump's immigration crackdown. The retailer's history with day laborers is long. So far, it's choosing to keep its distance.
Hurricane Erin update: Forecast sees huge storm moving closer to U.S.
Forecasts nudge Erin's likely path to the west, increasing the risks at U.S. beaches. Experts say the storm's massive size, rather than its windspeeds, is what makes it a threat.
In 2025, musicians keep making music for their inner child
Lately, artists are reaching back in time to revisit and retain the spirit of a younger self, opening a door to another world for both themselves and their listeners.
Publishing this week: A James Baldwin bio, the hope of solar, Snow White reimagined
Bill McKibben says solar is a "last chance for the climate." T. Kingfisher offers a dark retelling of Snow White. Nicholas Boggs tells James Baldwin's story. Plus new debut fiction.
