88-year-old teacher not about to quit

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif., May 13 An 88-year-old English teacher, who recently became the oldest full-time teacher in the Los Angeles area, is revered for her energy and enthusiasm.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Rose Gilbert, who has taught for more than 50 years, first at University High School in West Los Angeles and then at Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades. At Palisades, she is beloved by both students and other teachers for her enthusiasm, particularly when teaching classic works like F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and Albert Camus ' "The Stranger." Gilbert's second marriage was to Sam Gilbert, a successful door lock inventor and UCLA booster. The wealth she married into allowed her to travel the globe extensively. But the 1987 death of Gilbert's husband brought scandal, as just days after his death he was charged in a federal indictment with racketeering and money laundering in connection with a Florida marijuana smuggling ring.

"She has so many stories, and she knows what she's talking about," said student Erica Pool. Standing just 5-feet tall, Gilbert told the Times she is looking forward to another year of teaching come fall.

Copyright 2007 by UPI

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