Author teaches students how pie heals, lifts spirits

ELDON ? Writer and pie-maker Beth Howard recently taught Cardinal High School students how pie heals people and lifts their spirits

When literature teachers asked the author to speak to a class via Skype, Howard said she had a better idea.

?She told us she would come in and teach the kids how to bake pies,? said Patti Durflinger, literature enhancement teacher at the high school.

Durflinger and teacher Jacque Hunter have been using Howard?s blog, ?The World Needs More Pie.? on the Internet.

They explained students use different posts from Howard?s blog ¬? which is all about how pie heals people, lifts people?s spirits, making them feel better ? in their classes, and the students wanted to meet her. According to the two teachers, the students have been intrigued with the author?s writing and are more receptive and interested since Howard?s reading material is incorporated into the lessons.

Howard said she would come and give a hands-on approach to pie baking, with the students making their own pie from scratch.

With help from the two literature teachers and consumer science teacher Barbara Ellswick, the 26 students did their best to keep up with the former Los Angeles resident in a kitchen classroom at Cardinal.

Her passion for pie making was evident as she guided the students, said Durflinger.

?Be generous, don?t be stingy,? Howard called out as she moved from table to table, helping students layer in their apples.

While the pies were baking, Howard sat in the middle of the group, to tell her life story, including how she ended up living in the famous American Gothic House in Eldon while she?s working on her next book.

For the complete article and photos, see the Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.