By Greg Thompson
The News-Enterprise
It took 74 years for Austin Cook to get his high school diploma.
The former U.S. Marine Corps corporal graduated as a member of the Glendale High School Class of 1950.
A special guest during the Hardin County Schools Board of Education meeting, the 93-year-old Korean War veteran received his high school diploma.
Cook left high school before graduating to join the corps to serve his country as a diesel mechanic.
When asked how long he served Cook said, “Two years. That was enough.”
Moving somewhat slower than in those days and with the aid of a walker, still a mind sharp and clear, Cook said he didn’t know anything about receiving his high school diploma until his daughter, Karen Cook, told him a couple days before.
With Glendale High School no longer existing — it was consolidated into East Hardin High School in the 1960s and about 30 years later East Hardin would become a middle school as East and West Hardin high schools consolidated to form Central Hardin High School — the board asked East Hardin Principal Brittany Nickell and Central Hardin Principal Tim Isaacs to do the honors of presenting Cook with his diploma from Glendale High.
“Got your speech ready?” daughter Karen asked.
The humbled veteran had no words to say, no speech to give as he accepted the framed diploma from the two principals then proceeded to shake hands with each board member as well as Superintendent Teresa Morgan.
Also on hand were 10th District State Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, as well as 18th District State Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield.
During the last General Assembly, Bratcher and Heavrin assisted in passing legislation allowing an honorably discharged veteran of World War II, Korean War or Vietnam War to graduate high school by submitting a discharge certificate showing their period of service in the Armed Forces, type of discharge and the name of the high school and district of enrollment at the time to the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs.
KDVA would then forward verified documentation to the local school board demonstrating the veteran meets the requirements to issue an authentic high school diploma.
With the meeting room filled with students, parents, and administrators all rose and gave Cook a standing ovation as he returned to his seat.