The Spelling Bee

I was a diligent student, but not an exceptional one, when I was in the fifth and sixth grades at Central School. I was a good speller, but not good enough to qualify for the county spelling bee. All of the fifth and sixth graders took a spelling test in our classrooms to determine who would represent each of the six classes, and I was not the best one in my class in either fifth or sixth grade. However, I was the alternate in my sixth grade class, and the best speller’s family decided to take a vacation that spring, right at the time of the county spelling bee, so I got to go after all.

My teacher gave me a book that contained lists of spelling words for me to practice. There were so many lists! I didn’t study too hard until the morning of the event, which began a little later than school started, giving me some extra time to prepare, but I didn’t have time to study all of the lists in that intimidating book.

I dressed carefully in last year’s light green and pink Easter Dress, since it was a mild March day. The dress had three-quarter length sleeves, but I was a little chilly all day, just the same.

When it was time to go, Mom walked with me to the courthouse, a block west of the hotel, to make sure I got to the right room. Many of the parents were staying to watch, but Mom had to fill in for a sick cook in the Mary-Etta Cafe, so she couldn’t stay.

The spelling bee was held in the main courtroom, so that was a little frightening. I didn’t know many of the other kids, 110 in all, because most of the students came from one-room, country schools throughout the county. (I got to know most of them well in Junior High and High School, though, when we took numerous classes together. Some of them eventually became good friends.)

After welcoming us and giving us the rules for the spelling bee, the County Attorney, who was the moderator that day, began to pronounce words from the spelling lists in the book I had been given. I was surprised to find that he was reading words from the same lists I had practiced just that morning.

That particular spelling bee was a written bee, rather than an oral one. After each list of ten or fifteen words, we waited quietly while some teachers, seated in the front of the room, corrected our papers. Then the moderator announced the names of those who had missed a total of ten words and had to sit out for the rest of the spelling bee.

I breathed a sigh of relief each time, because my name was not called.

At the end of the spelling bee, there were probably a dozen spellers left. 120 words had been needed to determine the winners, with an additional 20 words to break ties.

The county superintendent of schools announced the top ten spellers, in reverse order. Each winner came forward to shake her hand and receive a certificate and a “top speller” pen from the Omaha World-Herald, which sponsored all of the Nebraska county spelling bees.

I knew that there would be a couple of spellers who would not receive any recognition, because they were just out of the running. I wouldn’t have been surprised to be one of them and, as each name was announced, I thought it was likely that my name would not be called. After all, there were no other remaining students from Central School besides me. Those country school kids knew how to spell!

But—what a surprise—my name was the last one called. I was the winner!

The newspaper article about the spelling bee states that I went seven rounds before missing a word; then I joined many others in misspelling changeable and acoustic. (And I couldn’t help but notice that the news reporter misspelled acoustic in the newspaper article!)

Someone from the Fairbury Journal-News was there to take our picture, and then it was time to go.

The top four, from left to right: me, Connie, Gayle, and Teri;
I didn't know them then, but we became friends later.

I hurried home to the hotel and found Mom, who was busy with the lunch rush in the cafe. She didn’t really have time to process my words, that I had actually won the spelling bee, but she made me a grilled cheese sandwich so I could eat quickly before I walked the four blocks back to school for the afternoon.

My classmates had already had lunch and recess, and were lined up at the front door, ready to head back inside the school. I was a little overwhelmed when they mobbed me and congratulated me. How did they know I had won?

When I got to my classroom, someone had written “Congradulations!” on the chalkboard. My teacher pointed it out, and asked me what was wrong with their spelling of that word, but I was too excited to come up with an answer.

That one event changed me, and changed my classmates’ impression of me, as well. In just one morning, I went from being "that shy girl who didn't talk much," to "that smart girl who won the spelling bee." As you can tell, the events of that day are still easy for me to recall, with just a little help from a newspaper clipping, because it was such a pivotal experience. 

Mom and Dad cut out the news clippings and pictures from several newspapers and sent them to my grandparents. Although they didn’t say much, for fear of giving me a big head, I knew they were proud of me. I still have multiple newspaper clippings to prove it.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Jeremiah 29:11