Last month, a good friend of mine
passed away. His name was Howard Titterington. Just an ordinary, but
really an extraordinary, guy who lived for over 80 years and served
many people in many different capacities. When I served as
superintendent of the Okoboji School District, Howard was the
Director of Transportation. He drove a school bus for Milford and
Okoboji schools for 63 years, starting his senior year in high
school. Not many schools would have a member of a baseball team drive
the bus to the game, but Howard did.
The funeral was lovely, lots of very
nice people saying lots of very nice things about Howard and his
family. I received a very long, hard hug from his wife, Roseanna. I
was so glad that Victoria and I had trekked the four hours back to
Milford for this occasion.
The funeral was held at what was our
home church for the seven years we lived in Milford. Pastor Bob Vaage
officiated and told many stories about Howard, the family, and his
life of service to others. Howard also farmed. He farmed a lot of
land, thousands of acres actually with his sons, Tim and Steve.
Pastor Vaage said that Howard was proudest when he was called a
farmer, one that would plant the seed, nurture it along, and help it
when he could, prayed over it and then would collect the harvest.
I got to thinking that we do the same
thing in education. Parents and teachers plant the seed of knowledge
in our young minds at pre-school, Kindergarten and even earlier and
then, each and every year, we nurture it along, help when necessary,
and even pray for their growth. What a noble profession we belong to,
a profession of being a farmer of minds and young people.
I miss Howard, just like all of us who
miss people when they pass away, but I know he is in a better place,
watching over all the intersections the Okoboji buses travel and also
keeping an eye on his crops. I hope that the staff of Pleasantville
will continue to keep an eye on our crops, the students we serve in
our schools. I know we will continue to nurture along our seedlings,
help where needed, and cultivate their minds, bodies and spirits like
we should.
Yes, teaching is so very much like farming and I really believe that
we will have another bumper crop this year. Thanks for your support
of the Pleasantville Community Schools.
