I remember complaining to my older brothers that my Kindergarten teacher had us spend a whole bunch of time making circles starting in the two o'clock position and going backwards. What a waste of time!

I never did learn details like that and always suffered with poor handwriting, which I was ashamed of. When I finally taught elementary school myself decades later and saw how children learn to "draw" letters and got access to handwriting curriculum, then I laboriously taught myself to correct each letter that I had mis-learned during my life. My thoughts during this process: If only I had listened to Mrs. Chew!

Another story. There was a day she showed us a high newly installed wire across the room. There was a mechanical clown kept from falling (amazingly to me) by weighted balloons extending on poles out each side. But more amazing was when she reached up with a pulling stick, and the wire inclined enough to make the little clown begin pedaling quickly down the slope. She gave us just one or two views, and an occasional demonstration as a reward thereafter, but I could tell the very first time she demonstrated this, she was as excited as we were.

Before sitting down to write, I went to look for my memory book for my sheets of elementary school pictures, to scan her picture and upload, but I couldn't find it. I hope somebody else manages to.

A final salute to a faithful teacher.