Tidewater Speller

By Mary Alice Garrett

This story originally appeared in 1962 in The Ledger-Star of Norfolk, Virginia.

WASHINGTON - Tidewater Spelling champion Deborah Ann Howell did her state proud as she finished ninth in the National Spelling Bee today.

Eleven-year-old Deborah, the second youngest contestant of the 70 spellers, went down in a bitter 15th round which saw all but two eliminated. She will receive a $75 prize tomorrow night.

Deborah, sponsored by the Ledger-Star misspelled "logorrhea." She said, "Logarea."

"I had never heard of it," the sixth grade student from Deep Creek High School. It means excessive and incoherent talkativeness.

Spunky Deborah was one of the 31 spellers who remained after Wednesday's opening spelling session.

At the end of five rounds today, only two contestants were left. They were Michael Day of St. Louis, Mo., and Nettie Crawford of El Paso, Tex.

The participants performed much better than those of last year, according to Bee officials. Many of the words were of foreign derivation - one was derived from four different languages.

"I'm real proud of her," beamed Mrs. Ellen Koolman, teacher who is accompanying Deborah along with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl B. Howell.

Deborah, approached the Bee stage with "I'll do my best."

Her best is all her Virginia rooters are asking, and that includes Rep. Porter Hardy Jr.

Deborah was greeted by the Virginia congressman Wednesday afternoon and congratulated on her Bee progress.

Hardy asked what the 10th round word was.

"It was 'dirndl'," said Deborah, "Can you spell it?"

"Dern if I can," he said. "I'm real proud of you for spelling that word."

In addition to "dirndl," Deborah spelled correctly "peripatetic", "baroque" and "irremediable" in Rounds 6 to 9.

She didn't cram any last night. She, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl B. Howell, and her teacher, Mrs. Ellen Koolman, splurged on dinner and a movie.

On tap for this afternoon, was a gala sightseeing tour, reportedly the finest of the Bee.

Spellers were to ride a steamer down the Potomac River to Mount Vernon, the mansion of George Washington.

On Friday, the participants will take a barge on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, tour the White House and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.

Top prize is $1,000, a three-day trip to new York, a trophy and an engraved plaque.