Ode to Ms. Howell

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, I was an eight-year-old in Ms. Howell’s third grade class at Sumpter Elementary School. Ms. Howell was a very strict teacher who took pleasure in bringing attention to students who had not completed their homework on time or who were off task. We were expected to be in our seats before the bell rang, and we all lived in fear that Ms. Howell would embarrass us in front of the entire class.

I do have a few good memories from this class. We were able to make some of the coolest art projects I made in all my school years, and we even got to put on plays as a class and perform them for the other third graders. We had to present a new science experiment to the class once a week, which sounds difficult, but most of the time it was really fun. Although she was very strict, Ms. Howell was a very dedicated teacher. As a student, I hated her. However, looking back, through teacher eyes, I can see that she taught me very well.

Ms. Howell had a few random interests that she would share with the class. One of those interests was the country of Japan. She gave numerous presentations about its language, religion and culture, she showed us photos from her travels, and she introduced us to Japanese cuisine. One time she actually brought in different kinds of food for us to try that she had bought at an Asian market.

My classmates and I quickly learned that eating Japanese cuisine would necessitate learning how to properly use chopsticks. Ms. Howell spent time with us on a number of occasions teaching us how to hold the sticks correctly, how to pick up objects, and how to avoid holding onto the sticks too hard so as to keep our hand from cramping. We would practice picking up the small colored counting blocks that we used in math, and we were usually really successful. We also tried to pick up the small, flat pogs that were so popular when I was in elementary school…those, we were not as successful with.

Once everyone in the class learned this important skill, we went on a field trip to a Japanese restaurant. Every time I drive through Salem I still look for that same restaurant out of the corner of my eye. It is still there, on Commercial St. in Salem, in the parking lot across from where Jo-Ann Fabrics used to be. It has been 15 years, so it may have changed, but if you want to taste what eight year-old Evann thought was good Japanese food, go to Raman Ichiban.

Ms. Howell passed away a number of years ago. However, if this were not the case, then I would definitely contact her and thank her for teaching me such vital skills as teaching me to use chopsticks. Because, had I not already gained this skill, I wouldn’t be able to eat most of the food given to me here.