Today, 84 years after her German-born father and Yugoslavian-born mother moved the family to Reading, Pa., Price is still at home at Albright as an assistant in the modern foreign languages department, where she’s been for more than half a century.

She keeps busy by making schedules, proctoring exams, ordering supplies, making copies on the copy machine, and substitute teaching first- or second-year German classes when needed.

“Charlotte is a dedicated colleague and the most colorful personality in the department,” says Kathy Ozment, chair of the department. “She is a constant reminder to all of us who work with her everyday that we can contribute our talents throughout our lifetime.”

At the urging of German Professor Gerritt Memming, Ph.D., Price entered Albright as a freshman in 1935 with a German major and a Spanish/English minor. “I wanted to be a biology teacher when I was in high school,” Price says. “But, knowing my family background, this new German teacher (Memming) came to me and said ‘I don’t know why you don’t take German.’”

Price hadn’t even thought about pursuing German as a major at that point. “We didn’t speak German at home because all of our neighbors spoke English,” Price says. “I wanted to be a real American.” But she took the professor’s advice.

Price excelled academically while at Albright and received a full scholarship to the University of Leipzig in Germany following graduation in 1939. But after being in Germany just one week, Price’s relatives persuaded her to go back to the States because they expected the war to break out soon.

“I remember playing cards at my mom’s house and listening to the radio when we heard the news of Pearl Harbor,” Price says. “The next day, I opened the Reading Eagle newspaper, and there was a picture of my boyfriend (Ward Rodney Price ’39) enlisting.”

Charlotte and Ward married in 1942 during a 10-day leave from his military duty.

But after the war was over, Albright came calling. “The College was interviewing GI’s to find out what jobs they were suited for,” Price says. “They asked if I would come help grade papers. So I did,” she says.

In 1952, Memming called on Price again. He offered his top student a teaching position. Price, the mother of a three-year-old son, accepted the offer. “I think all my friends thought I was nuts for leaving my son to go work,” Price says. “It was very unusual at the time.”

But her decision to go to work was made much easier with the support of her husband. “He was always very supportive and never objected,” Price says. “That was very exceptional for that period of time.”

From 1952 to 1979, Price taught German, English and history courses at Albright. Although she retired from teaching in 1979, she wasn’t ready to leave her second home. Price became manager of the language laboratory where she worked with 58 reel-to-reel machines. “We did a lot of oral work in those days,” she says.

Over the years, Price has seen a lot of technological changes. From reel-to-reel, to cassette players, VCRs and computers, Price says she has enjoyed learning the new technology. Although she says she still likes her trusty tape cassette copying machines best.

Technology in the language lab is changing again, Price says. The computers were recently removed. Programs will now be retrieved from a satellite and made into CDs for professors to use. The satellite will also be used to broadcast programs from around the world. “Traditional language labs are now obsolete due to the use of the Internet and course software,” says Andrea Chapdelaine, interim vice president for academic affairs.

Price takes it all with a grain of salt.

“The people in the language department are fantastic,” she says. “I wouldn’t have stayed here this long if I wasn’t happy. My husband has always said that he’s never seen anyone who loved their job more and nothing was too much trouble for it.”

How long will she stay at Albright?

“Until they kick me out,” Price says. “I really love teaching.”