A Tribute to Betty Meckstroth
Dr. Linda Silverman
A few weeks ago, I lost my dear friend, Betty Meckstroth. Betty was the kindest person I have ever known. She was kind to everyone, even those who weren’t kind to her. She saw kindness in others and inspired us all to be our kindest selves.
We have much to thank her for. Betty was coauthor of one of the first, most important, award-winning books on the gifted: Guiding the Gifted Child (Webb, Meckstroth, & Tolan, 1982). A huge supporter of parents of the gifted, Betty contributed an immense amount of knowledge and experience to this book, which remained a favorite for decades.
Have you ever taken a SENG Model parenting workshop? Or become a facilitator? Guess who developed the model? See her chapter, “Guiding the Parents of Gifted Children: The Role of Counselors and Teachers” in Counseling Gifted and Talented Children, edited by Roberta Milgram (1991). In its early years, Betty helped to create SENG.
Do you resonate with the concept of asynchronous development? The Columbus Group created this definition. Betty was a member of The Columbus Group. See Off the Charts: Asynchrony and the Gifted Child (edited by Neville, Piechowski & Tolan, 2013).
Did your child attend Camp Yunasa? Betty was one of the facilitators and financial supporters of this wonderful experience for children and youth. She taught yoga every day at the camp.
Have you ever seen extended norms on the WISC? Guess who laid the groundwork for them? Betty tested gifted children, many of them highly, exceptionally and profoundly gifted. She wasn’t satisfied to report the highest possible subtest score of 19 like everyone else. She would always check to see how many raw score points were earned beyond 19 and recorded those points in her reports in the following manner: “19 + 12” or “19 + 5.” This was the basis of the extended norms: assigning credit for raw score points earned beyond the ceiling of the subtests.
Did your child ever have a Qualitative Assessment? Betty was a member of the Core Group of the Annemarie Roeper Method of Qualitative Assessment, and she certified practitioners in this child-centered model.
How many of you are introverts? Or have introverted children? Betty studied the relationship between introversion and giftedness; she drew our field’s attention to these children’s unmet needs. She used to say, “If you do not know what an extravert is thinking, you haven’t been listening. If you do not know what an introvert is thinking, you haven’t asked.”
Betty often asked piercing questions of her friends, such as “What was your family theme?” She said her religion was Beauty. She loved flowers. She filled her home with them, painstakingly arranging them in her beautiful vases. I told her once that she was truly a gardener at heart, seeing the beauty of each child she encountered and providing a rich, nurturing environment in which each would blossom. She told me that she wanted to have flowers in her hands when she crossed over—just no carnations. And she had that: two beautiful bouquets with no carnations.
I will miss you, Betty. You were always a Guardian Angel to me and to so many others. One year I did not have enough money to attend NAGC, and you sent me an envelope with $300 in cash. You never loaned people money; you delighted in giving them gifts instead, with no strings attached. You gave unconditional love. I know that you will always be my Guardian Angel. Rest well, my friend. Thank you for all your love, all your wisdom, and all your kindness.
