Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed
that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy
and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take
delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then
putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required
to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.
However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright
child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is
a joy to be around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent
student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother
has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has
been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much
interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't
taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn
and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he
sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was
ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas
presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a
grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other
presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone
bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter
full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed
how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on
her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,
"Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After
the children left, she cried for at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and
arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular
attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The
more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy
had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that
she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her
"teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy,
telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He
then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was
still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that
while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it,
and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured
Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had
in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.
This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to
go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The
letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another
letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be
married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was
wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that
was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that
bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she
was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last
Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.
Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you
so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a
difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She
said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I
could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa
Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
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