To the editor:

Hundreds of school children were blessed to have had a teacher like Miss Helen Norwood, and especially Lawrence school children where she taught 15 years at Pinckney School and was principal 21 years at Schwegler School. Miss Norwood, who passed away on Feb. 21 at age 97, was perhaps the last of the grand ladies who served the Lawrence schools in the time period of the late 1940s to the ’70s. Names come to mind: Hazel Lee Simmons of Cordley, Opal Jane Kennedy of Pinckney, Cecelia Pearson, Susan Todd and Mildred Kirkham of New York. What a grand group of ladies and teachers.

Our family ties with Miss Norwood began with Joan and third grade at Pinckney in 1948 and then continued as our two sons attended grade school at Schwegler in the ’70s. Helen was a stern principal with a heart of gold who loved her children. She could often be seen on the playground or out front of school making sure kids got on the buses. After her retirement in 1978, we often saw Helen at Lane Museum in Lecompton and other Kansas tourism events in the Lecompton area. Lawrence and Lecompton will surely miss her wonderful smile and humor.