Regarding the recent article on Ozell Freeman:

There were many of us 6-year-olds who began our educational journey in first grade at Wiley School in 1965, and who went on to graduate from Salisbury High School in 1977. While we were at Wiley, we were blessed to have teachers such as Mrs. Webb, Mrs. Faust, Mrs. Isenberg, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. McGill, Miss Morgan, Mrs. Arthurs, Mrs. Freeman, Mrs. Parrish, Miss Butler, and Mr. Stirewalt.

Mrs. Freeman was my fourth-grade teacher. She dressed up every day for school (the concept of dress-down days would be foreign to her), and her purse always matched her outfit. She taught us the basics, but she also went beyond what was required. In our classroom, we had aquariums and terrariums and potted plants. We had an art easel where we took turns painting. We carved items from soap. We made crafts for all of the holidays. We had plays.

Through all of this, she managed to keep the classroom organized. She encouraged us to treat each other the way we wanted to be treated. There was always a twinkle in her eye, and it was obvious that she loved being at school with her children.

I ran into Mrs. Freeman several years ago, before she moved to Trinity Oaks. When she hugged me, she tried to pick me up! I believe she still saw me as that fourth-grade student she had taught. I couldn’t wait to tell her that I became a fourth grade teacher myself.

Survivors? Mrs. Freeman had more than any of us could count!

— Holly Hogue Lowder

China Grove