THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9606280173
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Close Up
SOURCE: Janie Bryant
LENGTH: 117 lines
Ernest ``Rabbit'' Howard taught or coached about 4,000 students before retiring five years ago.
He still remembers most of their names. And he has managed to stay close to about 40 of them.
Some of them come by his house. Or they stop by the Churchland YMCA, where Howard works part time as a night supervisor.
Sometimes they'll meet him on the golf course for a game.
``I have four kids who graduated in 1962 that are already designated pallbearers,'' Howard said.
This retired coach doesn't spend a lot of time trying to analyze why he has managed to establish such lifelong relationships with generations of students.
``I always tried to make them feel like they were something special,'' he said.
They sort of caught onto that and returned the favor, Howard said.
Some of them return it in a pretty big way. Like John McCammon, captain of Howard's basketball team at Churchland High School in 1967.
Today, McCammon is a successful lawyer and businessman in Richmond.
But for more than 25 years, he has made it a habit to pick up the phone and call his former coach for a game of golf now and then.
``I say where and meet him there.''
McCammon never lets him pick up a greens fee, Howard said.
``He won't even let me buy a stick of gum.''
But when McCammon called him last January, Howard wasn't so quick to pick up his golf clubs.
``I said `John, it's raining, and it's cold, and I have been sick for three weeks.' ''
McCammon told him that was OK. He was talking about February - and in the Bahamas.
``He said everything was paid for except the golf balls.''
Howard was still sick in February, but he didn't let a fever of 101 keep him off the Caribbean course.
``We played 36 holes of golf each day,'' Howard said. ``It liked to kill me. But it's like I told my doctor, there was no way I was going to pass up that opportunity.''
``I remember (John) told me, `Coach, I know you're sick. You don't have to do this.'
``I said `John, it's game time. It's time to play, son.' ''
As they were leaving the Bahamas, Howard said he thanked McCammon, telling him there was no way he could ever repay him for such a wonderful trip.
``He said, `Look, you don't owe me for anything. This is payback.' ''
Howard's work with young people was the primary reason he was selected the ``Sportsman of the Year'' by the Portsmouth Sports Club in 1983.
Howard taught and coached at Portsmouth Catholic High School for four years, then Churchland High School for several years until the 1968 annexation and the school came under Portsmouth's district.
Howard, who had been working for Chesapeake, became a coach at the new Western Branch High School.
He was a basketball coach for several years, and he started the school's golf program, coaching that team for about 20 years. He also served as athletic director for several years.
It was on the playgrounds of his old Newtown neighborhood that Howard first learned to love sports.
``I think it was a natural thing in my family,'' he said. ``Everyone played sports before me, and growing up in the 1930s and early '40s, there wasn't too much else you could do.''
Howard still remembers the reunion that brought old neighbors from Newtown together. They gave each person a vial of sand from the Wythe Street playground.
``I still have that, and if I don't lose it I'll be buried with it.''
Name: Ernest Howard.
Nickname: Rabbit.
Neighborhood: Green Acres.
Number of years in Portsmouth: About 60 years.
Birthplace: Portsmouth.
Birthdate: Jan. 27, 1931.
Occupation: Retired government and political science teacher and coach. Now works two days a week as night supervisor of the Churchland YMCA.
What job other than your own would you like? Probably, I would have stayed in the military.
Marital status: Married to Mable Bailey Howard for 45 years.
Children/Grandchildren: Two daughters - Karen Cooper and Laura Dobson. Three grandchildren - Trey Cooper, 18; Brooke Cooper, 14; and Jessica Dobson, 9.
Fondest childhood memory: Any day with my grandmother.
First concert: Glen Miller Band, 1946, at Fort Bragg, N.C.
What song or book title best describes your life? The song, ``My Way'' by Frank Sinatra, and the book, ``The Death of Common Sense'' by Philip K. Howard (no relation).
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you would buy? I'd probably buy a beach cottage and a dune buggy and name it Elsie.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? My grandson. I'd like to be able to move like that one more time in my life.
Biggest accomplishment: Probably remaining close friends with so many of the kids that I've taught and coached over the years.
Most embarrassing moment: I was supposed to sing a solo, ``Silent Night,'' at a Christmas pageant in the sixth grade. I rehearsed for two months. The room was totally dark, and all the kids were holding candles. When my turn came I inhaled and blew the candle out. I was in the dark singing by myself. I got out of the singing business real quick and stayed away from candles.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Be less anxious.
Perfect way to spend the day: On the golf course.
I can't resist: Worrying.
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: The Circle.
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: Churchland YMCA.
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Its tax base.
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
I wish they were able to do something with that undeveloped land in PortCentre industrial park.
Less racial problems.
Less crime.
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth? It's my home. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL by CNB