The "It Couldn't Have Happened To A More Deserving Guy" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Had just returned from a vacation to Antigua and was reading the almost two weeks of newspapers that I missed during my vacation.  Opened the September 29 edition of the LPN  Sunday News and there on the Sports page was a photograph of Mr. C. Wendell Hower with a headline that read "Hower will get Kirchner."  Mr. Hower was a math teacher when I was a student at Manheim Township High School in 1961.  

Mr. C. Wendell Hower

I never had him as a math teacher, but knew him as a big man who also coached football and basketball.  During his college athletic career he played football for Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster where he was a Little All-American honoree.  I eventually returned to the school as a teacher and by now he was the Athletic Director.  Over his tenure at Manheim Township High School he coached football and basketball, was Athletic Director and officiated at football and basketball games.  He eventually became the Principal of the High School for over 29 years.  It was during that time that I was picked by my colleagues as one of the  top teachers in Pennsylvania and Mr. Hower traveled with me receive my award in Harrisburg.  I have never, to this day, been able to address him as anything other than Mr. Hower.  

Award winner, Mr. C. Wendell Hower

He eventually became a member of the board of directors of the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association), and became the Secretary of the organization.  Since I taught Graphic Arts in the high school, he asked me to print needed materials for the PIAA during the summer months.  Well, for all his dedication to sports as a player, coach and administrator, he is being honored at the Hall of Fame Banquet as this year's winner of the prestigious George W. Kirchner Memorial Award.  It is quite an honor for a very deserving person.  Mr. Hower is still the Secretary of the PIAA and I still print his materials for him, though we are both retired from our respective jobs at Manheim Township High School.  And, I am as proud of him winning his award as he was of me when I won years ago.  Congratulations, Mr. Hower.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.