CHAPTER IX:

TEACHING,
THE NOBLEST
OF ALL
PROFESSIONS
Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All
 “Teaching is not just about teaching
minds. It is about touching hearts.”
-Carl Jung

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 The Noblest Profession

Teaching has a lot of demands. That’s

why only a few answer the call to
teach.

Even for those who respond to the call,

sometimes their response is half-
hearted because they find themselves
in a situation where there is no choice.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 The Noblest Profession

Or if finally, they become professional

teachers they introduce themselves as
teacher “lang” or leave after three or
four years of teaching.

Only a few embrace it as their mission

while on earth. Yet, it has always been
described as the noblest profession.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy

“Three Letters From

Teddy”

A story of a teacher's
reaction to an
unexpected gift from
an unloved child paid
off in a miraculous
way.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
Mrs. Thompson was Teddy’s teacher at 5th
grade. 15 years ago at the early period of her
teaching career. And since the first day Teddy
stepped in the classroom, she never liked him.
Teachers are not supposed to have favorites in
a class, but most especially are not supposed to
show dislike for a child, any child. Nevertheless,
every year there are one or two children that
one cannot help but be attached to, for teachers
are human, and it is human nature to like bright,
pretty, intelligent people, whether they are 10
years old or 25. And sometimes, not too often,
fortunately, there will be one or two students to
whom the teacher just can't seem to relate.
Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All
 Three Letters From Teddy
She had thought herself quite capable of
handling her personal feelings along that line
until Teddy walked in her my life. There wasn't a
child she particularly liked that year, but Teddy
was most assuredly one she disliked. He was
dirty. Not just occasionally, but all the time. His
hair hung low over his ears, and he actually had
to hold it out of his eyes as he wrote his papers
in class. Too, he had a peculiar odor about him
which she could never identify. His physical
faults were many, and his intellect left a lot to be
desired, also. By the end of the first week she
knew he was hopelessly behind the others.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
Not only was he behind; he was just plain slow!
She began to withdraw from him immediately. 
The days rolled by. They made it through the
Fall Festival and the Thanksgiving holidays, and
she continued marking happily with her red pen.
As the Christmas holidays approached, she
knew that Teddy would never catch up in time to
be promoted to the sixth grade level. He would
be a repeater. To justify herself, she went to his
cumulative folder from time to time. He had very
low grades for the first four years, but not grade
failure. How he had made it? She didn't know.
She closed her mind to personal remarks.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
First grade: Teddy shows promise by work and
attitude, but has poor home
situation.
Second grade: Teddy could do better. Mother
terminally ill. He receives little help
at
home.
Third grade: Teddy is a pleasant boy. Helpful,
but too serious. Slow learner. Mother
passed away at end of year.
Fourth grade: Very slow, but well-behaved.

Father shows no interest.

Well, they passed him four times, but he will
Chapter IX: Teaching,
certainly thegrade!
repeat fifth Noblest of him
"Do All good!" She
 Three Letters From Teddy
And then the last day before the holiday arrived.
Their little tree on the reading table sported
paper and popcorn chains. Many gifts were
heaped underneath, waiting for the big moment.
Teachers always get several gifts at Christmas,
but hers that year seemed bigger and more
elaborate than ever. There was not a student
who had not brought me one. Each unwrapping
brought squeals of delight, and the proud giver
would receive effusive thank-you's. 

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
His gift wasn't the last one she picked up; in fact
it was in the middle of the pile. Its wrapping was
a brown paper bag, and he had colored
Christmas trees and red bells all over it. It was
stuck together with masking tape. "For Miss
Thompson From Teddy" it read. The group was
completely silent, and for the first time, she felt
conspicuous, embarrassed because they all
stood watching her unwrap that gift. As she
removed the last bit of masking tape, two items
fell to my desk; a gaudy rhinestone bracelet
with several stones missing and a small bottle
of dimestore cologne half empty.

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
She could hear the snickers and whispers, and
she wasn't sure she could look at Teddy. "Isn't
this lovely?" she asked, placing the bracelet on
her wrist. "Teddy, would you help me fasten it?"
He smiled shyly as he fixed the clasp, and she
held up her wrist for all of them to admire.
There were a few hesitant oohs and aahs, but as
she dabbed the cologne behind her ears, all the
little girls lined up for a dab behind their ears.
She continued to open the gifts until she
reached the bottom of the pile. They ate their
refreshments and the bell rang. The children
filed out with shouts of "See you next year!" and
"Merry Christmas!" but Teddy waited at his desk.
Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All
 Three Letters From Teddy
When they had all left, he walked toward her,
clutching his gift and books to his chest. "You
smell just like Mom," he said softly. "Her bracelet
looks real pretty on you, too. I'm glad you liked
it." He left quickly. She locked the door, sat down
at her desk, and wept, resolving to make up to
Teddy what she had deliberately deprived him of
a teacher who cared. 

She stayed every afternoon with Teddy from the

end of the Christmas holidays until the last day
of school. Sometimes they worked together.
Sometimes he worked alone while she drew up
lesson plans or graded papers.
Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All
 Three Letters From Teddy

Slowly but surely he caught up with the rest of

the class. Gradually, there was a definite upward
curve in his grades. He did not have to repeat the
fifth grade. In fact, his final averages were
among the highest in the class, and although
she knew he would be moving out of the state
when school was out, she was not worried for
him. Teddy had reached a level that would stand
him in good stead the following year, no matter
where he went. He enjoyed a measure of
success, and as they were taught in our teacher
training courses, "Success builds success." 

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy

I did not hear from Teddy until seven years later,

when his first letter appeared in my mailbox:

Dear Miss Thompson,

I just wanted you to be the first to know, I will
be graduating second in my class next month.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy

I sent him a card of congratulations and a small

package, a pen and pencil gift set. I wondered
what he would do after graduation.
Four years later, Teddys second letter came.

Dear Miss Thompson,

I wanted you to be the first to know. I was just
informed that Ill be graduating first in my class.
The university has not been easy, but I like it.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard

Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All

 Three Letters From Teddy
And now today Teddys third letter.

Dear Miss Thompson,

I wanted you to be the first to know. As of
today I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about
that!!??

Im going to be married in July, the 27th, to be

exact. I wanted to ask if you could come and sit
where Mom would sit if she were here. Ill have
no family there as Dad died last year.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard
Chapter IX: Teaching, the Noblest of All