Page 44 - 1916 February - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 123

HOW T H E YOUNGEST TEACHER TAUGHT HER

CHILDREN

T h e spring air was filled w i t h yellow pollen, which a l i g h t w i n d
was b l o w i n g among the cottonwoods, as I walked down the avenue
and into the grounds of one of Chicago's private schools.

"Our teacher is going to tell us a b e a u t i f u l story," my nine year
old daughter had told me at breakfast, "and you must come to hear
it, mother."

So I had come, p a r t l y to hear the story, but more especially to see
this teacher, whose charms my little daughter, who had recently en-
tered the school, was continually extolling. "She's the youngest
teacher of a l l , mother, and the very loveliest! She teaches a l l about
birds and flowers and trees, and she makes you love even bugs and
angle-worms! She's w o n d e r f u l ! " Indeed, I had been almost envious
on more than one occasion, when requests and injunctions, so o f t e n
urged by me i n vain, were eagerly granted and j o y f u l l y acceded to
"because Miss Wallace wishes i t . "

I found the Youngest Teacher not i n the schoolroom at all, but
out under the cottonwoods, surrounded by an eager, sweater-clad
group of little girls, among whom I recognized my own daughter.
Apparently the "beautiful story" was about to begin. Virginia, run-
ning to meet me, proudly drew me into the circle, and introduced me
to her adored Miss Wallace; and while the children were discussing
the grave question as to whose t u r n i t was to sit next the teacher, J
had an opportunity to observe this "wonderful person" who could
"make you love even bugs and angle-worms."

She was assuredly young—not over twenty-five at the most, I told
myself—and she was not pretty, though, a f t e r a f e w moments'
scrutiny, I was ready to agree w i t h Virginia—she was lovely. Some-
thing w i t h i n made her so, I thought, as I watched her take the center
of the circle, the grave question having been at last decided, while
the dozen or more children drew their little chairs close around her.
T h a t "something" made her a mother as w e l l as a teacher, I con-
cluded.

T h e children were a l l eagerness. I t was evident that they had
heard "beautiful stories" before. The Youngest Teacher held in her
hands many long cottonwood catkins, some red and some green, and
before she began her story she gave one of each color to every l i t t l e
g i r l . I noticed that she gave them as though they were precious and
that they were received as such, and spread out c a r e f u l l y i n each
small lap or across the palm of each l e f t hand.