“ Among other duties the care of an invalid mother fell to her lot After years of struggles she failed in health and was forced to abandon labor of all kinds After two years of rest she gained strength enough to take up again life's duties, and with her twelve-year-old daughter, May Belle, began to give musical and elocutionary entertainments. Mrs. Howard inherited from her father musical talent of a high order, and literary talent from her mother Her musical studies have gone hand in hand with her literary work. She gave lessons in music with her school-teaching. ”

“ She obtained a position in the Wichita schools with a salary sufficient to meet all her expenses, tuition in the University and support of her family. Many painful experiences came to her, accompanied by the serious and protracted illness of her mother, herself, and lastly of her son, but she persevered in the work of her life's effort and ambition. ”