Mike Moser "I Say" Published Feb. 14, 2003

How do you spell "spelling bee?"
Here, you spell it "Mrs. Brown"

For the 32nd time, just as sure as the groundhog will exit his burrow in mid-winter, Cumberland Countians will gather on cue and travel to a local school to participate in and witness the annual Spelling Bee. This year, however, it won't quite be the same.

For only the second time in that 32 year run, someone different will be the official pronouncer for the annual spelling contest that gives prizes of monetary value to the winners. Diane Brown will be sitting this contest out.

The spelling bee will go on, but it won't seem quite the same with Diane Brown not calling out the words for the 32 contestants representing eight elementary schools in the county. The contest is Friday beginning at 7 p.m. at Martin Elementary.

"The spelling bee has been held for 31 years," Mrs. Brown shared recently. "I have been the pronouncer for every year but one ... I had the flu that year."

She credits her husband, Jay Brown, with pushing the idea of a spelling bee locally after he read about the Southern Appalachian Spelling Bee in Knoxville.

"He thought we should have one here, so he approached the bank and the school system and along with (the late) Bea Winningham, we had a spelling bee here," Mrs. Brown recalls. "The first year, Jay Lane, son of our (late) weather prognosticator, Helen Lane of Crab Orchard, won. He went to the Southern Appalachian Spelling Bee and was runner-up in Knoxville. That is the best we have ever done."

Ever since that first year, the Browns, the county school system, First National Bank (now Union Planters) and thousands of students have participated in the annual spelling contest. The bank has always supported the bee by funding cash prizes for top winners.

Despite running into stiff competition in Knoxville, the spelling bee held in Cumberland County usually has its funny moments as well as its breathtaking moments.

Mrs. Brown remembers many special moments and says that through the years it was often easy to see which school had prepared its students well and which schools had not. Not so easy was predicting who would win. "Sometimes a student you might be impressed with in one round would turn right around and get tripped up on a word you wouldn't think would give them trouble," Mrs. Brown noted.

She also said that it was easy to tell which schools took extra care in preparing their spellers for the competition, and many times the same schools would send the top spellers to the county competition.

Despite a pleasure being associated with the local spelling bee over the years, "It was time that I take a rest. I do hope it goes well and look forward to learning of the results."

The Browns, both of whom are now retired, say they are enjoying doing things they never had time to do in the past. Come Friday night, they will pause at some point during the evening and wonder who are the serious contenders for the $100 and $50 savings bonds.

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Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column is published periodically on Fridays.