Thank You Mrs. Lowry
I was not her star pupil by a long shot. But my junior and senior year English teacher at Montgomery Bell Academy had more impact on me than she or I could have ever imagined. I was a bit of a geek, even in the 60s, always into mechanical/electrical stuff, destined to become an engineer. But one great thing about a good education is that it doesn’t let you get by just doing what you think you like. It exposes you to a broad-based range of studies that will serve you well in your life. And Mrs. Lowry was passionate about the English language, its literature, and its proper use. She made us understand, “THIS IS IMPORTANT!” So it was with English. We had to turn in a 500 word composition (Theme) every week for four years at MBA. Each was read and critiqued closely for content and style by our teacher—no mercy for spelling or grammatical errors. Only later, in my working life, would I learn the importance of the ability to express thoughts clearly in writing. Over the years, I’ve use...