[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO MRS. LOU HANDY

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                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2006

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Mrs. Lou Handy, an exceptional lady and all around great Kentuckian. 
Mrs. Handy recently celebrated her 90th birthday. She has enjoyed a 
remarkable life and her wealth of knowledge and wisdom makes her a most 
treasured individual.
  On behalf of myself and my colleagues in the U.S. House of 
Representatives, I want to honor Mrs. Lou Handy and wish her and her 
family the very best. I ask that an article that ran in the London 
Sentinel-Echo on Monday April 10, 2006, appear in the Record.

                        Happy Birthday Lou Handy

       Lou Handy celebrated her 90th birthday this past weekend. 
     ``Mrs. Handy'' taught me English at what was then Laurel 
     County High School. She was my favorite high school teacher. 
     It was in her class that I first read Hemingway, Fitzgerald 
     and Faulkner and was encouraged to write creatively. I have 
     loved books for as long as I can remember but it was Mrs. 
     Handy that encouraged me and gave me the confidence to 
     believe in my ability as a writer.
       When I graduated from high school and headed off to college 
     it was because of Mrs. Handy I felt I could succeed when I 
     first set foot on the campus at the University of Kentucky. I 
     earned Phi Beta Kappa there, and Mrs. Handy was part of the 
     reason for the grades that led to the honor. I finished 
     college in three years and Mrs. Handy was part of that as 
     well. I finished law school early and passed the bar at the 
     age of 23, and Mrs. Handy was a contributor to that 
     achievement.
       In the years that have followed, I have tried many cases 
     across the state and still had the time to write and publish 
     stories and articles across the world and I thank Mrs. Handy 
     for giving me the confidence to believe I could do those 
     things. I'm in seminary now and every time I sit down to 
     write another paper I think of Mrs. Handy and the 
     encouragement she gave me to help me along the way. It has 
     been 31 years since Mrs. Handy was my teacher yet she is 
     still there influencing and affecting my life and the lives 
     of others through me.
       I am not a unique example of the impact Lou Handy has had 
     on people. From my 1975 graduating class alone there are 
     three lawyers, two doctors, two PhD's, three engineers, one 
     record producer in Nashville, many teachers and countless 
     successful business people and most of us had Mrs. Handy for 
     a teacher. When you look at the years Mrs. Handy taught you 
     realize the profound impact she has had on this community and 
     the state as a whole. I think Mrs. Handy is proud of what her 
     students have accomplished although I doubt she would ever 
     take credit for what any of us have done but she deserves her 
     share of the credit anyway.
       Good teachers are a treasure for their communities and 
     should be acknowledged as such. We are quick to point out the 
     politics and disagreements of our public school system, and 
     if we are not careful we can lose sight of the wonderful 
     things that go on every day in our classrooms. Lives are 
     being changed, young people are being awakened to the 
     potential that lies before them and good teachers are making 
     it happen.
       A functioning school system is the bedrock of any 
     community. When industry looks at a community to consider 
     locating a factory or office there the quality of the school 
     system is one of the first things the company wants to know 
     about. A school system that is in turmoil or is 
     underperforming or underfunded drives business away. No one 
     wants to move their business to a community that fails to 
     adequately educate the workforce. That is why we must stay 
     involved with, and concerned about, our public schools. They 
     are the great melting pot of London. Rich kids, poor kids, 
     white, black, Asian and Hispanic kids are all there together. 
     We learn to live together in public school so we can work 
     together the rest of our lives. Public school can be trying 
     at times as it struggles to meet the needs of the various 
     constituencies that it serves but our school system cannot be 
     allowed to fail. If we are unable to fashion a school that 
     succeeds for our children then our community will never 
     succeed.
       When students learn to believe in themselves then the 
     possibilities are limitless. Mrs. Handy knew that and I think 
     that is why she was such a positive, affirming educator. 
     Those of us who learned from her were blessed indeed.
       So, if there is a teacher who made a difference in your 
     life, who helped you get to where you are, tell them thanks. 
     Support our public schools as they carry on the effort to 
     educate and inspire Laurel County's children.
       Thank you Mrs. Handy. Happy birthday!
       Brian C. House is an attorney in London. His column appears 
     every other Monday in The Sentinel-Echo.

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