I had the privilege of attending Forman Elementary School from August 1958 to June 1965. I have no idea how I would have accomplished what I have without the fundamentals and foundation give me during my years there. But beyond the education I received there were many life lessons I got there. One of the most important was working in the school kitchen after lunch and before the afternoon session when I was in the fourth through seventh grades.
The school cook throughout my entire seven years at
Forman was Mrs. Clara May Davis, Miss Tally to the students. She was an amazing cook and an integral part
of the overall school experience. Once I
was tall enough and responsible enough (in the fourth grade) I spent a large
part of my lunch time washing the trays, flatware, pots and pans used to create
the excellent lunches we had.
While I had learned how to wash dishes at home after
dinner each night, I got to learn about how important it was to sterilize
everything in a kitchen meant to serve many.
It was Ms. Tally who trained us to help her ensure we maintained a very
clean kitchen. She was very fair in
critiquing our work and for the additional education we received. I learned how to prepare for more a banquet
as well as a dinner party. That extra
thirty minutes of practical education made taking Home Economics in high school
a breeze.
Ms. Tally was a valuable role model for me!
