accessing data from classes

I am just getting my head around classes, so forgive me if this is a schoolboy error! In order to learn I am re-writing my content management system and am in the process of writing an HTML.class and a MYSQL.class. so far so good. I spawn new instances of a table for example, sending parameter,and a table is output. now in my MYSQL.class- I want to send a query to my class which then returns an array- my database row or rows. the problem is that whilst my array is created- I only seem to be able to manipulate it within my MYSQL class. This is not satisfactory as I really want to be able to send it on to my HTML.class for formatting etc. I obvioulsy do not want to format any 'echoed' output from within my databasee class. Here is a bit of sample code- Once my database is open I call my query like this- $TemplateTable = new DB; $TemplateTable->mysql_query('SELECT * FROM template ORDER BY name ASC LIMIT 10'); This is the function within my MYSQL.class function mysql_query($query){ $a= 0; while($row=mysql_fetch_row($SQL)) { $new_row = join('***',$row); $result[] = $new_row; echo $result[$a]."<br>"; $a++; } } So here I am creating a string with each row in my database which is delimted by *** -> $new_row.and am placing each row in anew array called $result. I can evaluate and format either $new_row or $result from within mysql_query() but I really want to do is to send it on to another funtion or even better another class- or access the values glabbally as variables. Any ideas or am I missing something really obvious? Thanks in advance