Miss Bessy Case

"Unforgetable Miss Bessy" written by Carl T. Rowan (1925-2000), is an essay that I found extremely intriguing. Carl Rowan went to Bernard High School and that is where he met his favorite teacher, Miss Bessy. Bessy Taylor Gwynn had a large inpact on his life in just about every aspect possible. Not only did she teach her students English, Civics and History but she also showed them how to cherish life and believe in themselves.

Miss Bessy taught Rowan not to say "ain't" and yet, he continued to say it because he wanted to fit in with his friends. She changed his perspective of peer-pressure from the football team by telling him that it should not matter to his friends if he uses correct grammar like saying "it isn't" and "they aren't" instead of "ain't". Rowan listens to Miss Bessy's advice and says, "I still made first-string, and class valedictorian without losing my buddies' respect." This demonstrated a life lesson with much greater importance than speaking with correct grammar. It showed Rowan that regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, do what you believe is right.

While reading this essay, one of the things that that truley caught my attention would be when Miss Bessy said to her students, "If you don't read, you can't write, and if you can't write, you might as well stop dreaming." This quote seems slightly harsh to me, but at the same time I found very inpirational. This mainly because majority of the colored generation in the 1900's did not have the oppertunities to learn and receive an education like we do today. Miss Bessy knew this, and that's why she stressed to her students to read as much as she did.

In my opinion, this is a fantastic and intriguing essay because of the teacher and student relationship it demonstrates. Not every teacher is as warm-hearted and genuine as Miss Bessy was. I believe that every student that had the oppertunity to hear Miss Bessy's wisdom and encourragement in their lifetime, considered themselves truley blessed much like Carl T. Rowan.

Miss Bessy past away in 1980 at the age of eighty-five. Many of her students took her words of wisdom and love, and became very successful in their lives. Carl Rowan graduated Bernard High School, and also went to college. He received degrees from Oberlin College and also the University of Minnesota. Rowan became a columnist for the Minneapolis Tripune and the Chicago Sun Times. Many of her other students became doctors, dentists, and college professors. I believe Miss Bessy's teaching skills had a lot to do with her students success, but she also believed they could overcome the challenges put in front of them and strive to be the best they could be.