Miss Mamie Echols, 1924 - 2019
In one era and out the other . . .
Yesterday afternoon, we lost our
first grad teacher, Miss Echols.
That would be Miss Mamie Echols,
although we didn't know her first
name at the time. She was 95.
I suppose it is possible to forget a
few of the teachers one has had
throughout those many years of
attending school, but to forget
Miss Echols would be anathema.
After all, she was the magician who
brought the world of reading to our
feet. I can still remember her and
her magic wand . . . pointing the
way through the syllables, sounding
out the chosen words and voilà, we
were reading. I can still remember
the euphoria I felt all those sixty
plus years ago, when I realized I
recognized the words on the black
board. From time to time, Miss Echols
would accept an invitation to eat at
the homes of her students. Special
occasions indeed! We would brag
about such times, compare notes, tell
tales out of school, as it were. Make
no mistake, she was a celebrity in our
lives. Through the years, she has been
in touch . . . the odd phone call, post
card, ever the teacher. Now she will
reside, next to my mother and brother,
as was her wish. Good company all
around . . . but, I can't help but wonder
if she'll be helping God with his reading!
fairy god mother
the gift of the written word
never to forget
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