When I graduated from Centre in 1974, I knew I had received a really good education. But now I find that my college education had some gaps in it. For two years I campaigned for my husband, Ted Kulongoski (he ran for governor of Oregon and won), and now I am learning a new job: First Lady of Oregon. And there are a few things that Centre never taught me.

First, Centre never taught me “parade etiquette.” Almost every town in Oregon has a festival and a parade. There’s the Iris Festival, the Sausage Festival, the Lamb and Wool Festival, and countless more. Because name familiarity is important in a political campaign, participating in festival parades—with most of the townsfolk crowded on the parade route—is important. But neither my undergraduate classes nor the Centre homecoming parades ever prepared me for these campaign events. And I have recently learned three valuable lessons:

1. Ride a handsome horse or have a handsome dog with you. The crowd will admire your four-          footed friend and will cheer your name.

2. If you are riding a handsome horse, make sure you don’t step on anyone along the sidelines.          The old political saw that “even bad press is good” does not apply in this circumstance.

3. If you are riding a handsome horse Western-style, be sure your right hand doesn’t clutch the          reins. The townsfolk will know you’re a fake.

Second, Centre never taught me “ship launching.” A new ship represents economic development, which is a very big deal in these dire economic times. A ship launching involves the ship builders (from architects to welders) and their families, the company executives, and various city and state officials, all of whom are thankful for the jobs that the ship represents. I am sure that Centre never offered a seminar in “ship launching” while I was there. So, again, I learned some valuable “on the job” lessons:

1. When you whack a ship’s bow with a bottle of champagne, the contents might explode backward          and douse you.

2. Therefore, you should bring a change of clothes to wear to the reception that follows.

3. When the ship slides down the ramp and into the water, you get a bit dizzy as that massive hull          moves away from you. (I swear I was not drinking the champagne.)

Third, Centre never taught me “child deportment,” which might be subtitled “kids say the darnedest things.” You’ve heard it before: our children are our future. First ladies in every state spend time on children’s issues. And of course kids say the darnedest things, and we love it when they do. But when the television camera is rolling, those cute questions can be embarrassing. How would you answer the following cute questions?

1. Why don’t you look like Laura [Bush]?

2. Why aren’t you taller?

3. Who cleans up if the governor’s cat pees on the floor?

What did I learn at Centre that is useful in this job?

A lot, really. In my history and government classes, I learned that our “majority rules” system of government must take into account the minority points of view, and knowing and understanding those viewpoints is crucial to a healthy government. I learned that people who differ in their backgrounds and their ideas can be part of one community if they work at it. In college it was the Centre community. Now it’s the Oregon community.

In my literature and religion classes, I learned a little of everything (and a lot of some things), from Beowulf to Kesey. I learned that words, when adroitly strung together, can be powerful. I learned that people, once you discern their motivation, can be noble, or at least rise to the occasion. In college it was sonnets and the characters in novels. Now it’s speeches and community service.

Most important, at Centre I learned that learning is the most important lesson in life. The intellectual curiosity that Centre sparks has allowed me to travel paths that I never even thought of in college. It’s often unfamiliar territory, but I know I can learn it.

Mary Oberst ’74 earned a J.D. at the University of Oregon in 1984 and has edited law books for
19 years for the Oregon State Bar.